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Model file · FiatUpdated · 7 sources

Selling a junk or damaged Fiat 124 Spider

Air bags come up in 30 of the 65 NHTSA complaints from owners of the 2017-2020 Fiat 124 Spider, nearly half. In 2024 the maker recalled certain 2017-2020 cars for an air bag software error.

A dark brown original-style Fiat 124 Spider roadster with a tan soft top and round headlights, parked on grass at a car show
Photo: Calreyn88 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Model years in EPA data
2017-2020
Complaints to NHTSA
65
Component named most
Air bags (30)
Year with the most complaints
2017 (32)
Recall campaigns
3
Original Spider built
1966-1985

Whether yours is a late roadster or an original sitting in a garage, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Two cars, one name

The photo above is the original. Wikipedia dates that car to 1966-1985: a front-engine, rear-drive sports car with a Pininfarina body and four-cylinder engines from 1.4 to 1.8 liters. Fiat built it in Turin until October 1981, when Pininfarina took over at its San Giorgio Canavese plant. The numbers below are all for the 2017-2020 car in EPA's data.

The 2017-2020 roadster, recall by recall

  • Air bags, 2017-2020 (recall 24V694). Faulty software in the control module may fire the front bags with excess force. The dealer reflashes it. The campaign lists 15,835 vehicles.
  • Automatic transmission, 2017-2019 (recall 19V068). The transmission control module was programmed wrong for certain conditions. Dealers update it, starting March 28, 2019. The campaign lists 8,950 vehicles.
  • Fuel pump, 2019 (recall 21V879). The impeller inside the pump may be deformed, and the pump may quit. The dealer fits a new one. The campaign lists 1,622 vehicles.
Model yearComplaintsRecall campaignsComponent named most
2017322Air bags (14)
2018162Air bags (8)
201993Seat belts (3)
202081Air bags (8)

Our 124 Spider numbers were pulled from NHTSA on October 10, 2026. The 2019 and 2020 cars have been around for a shorter time, which keeps their totals down. Seat belts (8) and the electrical system (8) are the next components named after air bags.

Fix it or sell it

Put the VIN into NHTSA's recall lookup. All three recalls are free at a dealer, and the air bag one matters most. When the bags have already fired, airbags deployed explains why that repair often isn't worth doing. For an original Spider that's been parked for years, old project car helps decide whether to finish it or pass it on.

Selling it whole

  1. Have the VIN, the year and the mileage ready. On an old car, a title in your name matters more than the odometer.
  2. Ask for an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
  3. Tell us the storage spot and if it rolls. A Spider stored on flat tires in a garage is fine; just tell us.
  4. Leave the soft top, wheels and parts on. Mention anything already removed.

More Fiats: 500, 500L, 500X, 500e, or all Fiat models.

Questions people ask

Does the Fiat 124 Spider have an air bag recall?
Yes. Recall 24V694 covers 2017-2020 cars. The air bag control module has a software error that may fire the front bags too hard in a crash. A dealer reflashes the Spider's software at no charge. Fiat mailed owners about it June 26, 2025.
Which 124 Spider year has the most NHTSA complaints?
The 2017 Spider has 32 of the 65 in our October 10, 2026 count. Next are the 2018 (16), 2019 (9) and 2020 (8). Fewer years on the road also means fewer chances to file, so the later counts are partly a matter of age.
Will you buy an old 124 Spider that doesn't run?
We buy whole non-running and junk cars, old ones included, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Tell us the year, its condition, and where it's stored.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  2. EPA fuel economy data: Fiat 124 Spider model years and class fueleconomy.gov
  3. NHTSA recall 19V068: transmission control module, 2017-2019 automatic 124 Spider nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 21V879: fuel pump, 2019 124 Spider nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 24V694: air bag control module software, 2017-2020 124 Spider nhtsa.gov
  6. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  7. Wikipedia: Fiat 124 Spider (the 1966-1985 original) en.wikipedia.org