2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine228.6%
- Fuel system228.6%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Driver assistance114.3%
- Electrical114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The engine oil cooling system failed on my 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0T at approximately 45,000 miles. The failure caused engine oil to contaminate the engine coolant system, creating a brown/milky “milkshake” substance inside the coolant reservoir and throughout the cooling system. The dealership diagnosed the issue as an internal oil cooler/oil filter housing failure. The contamination affected multiple cooling system components, and the dealership estimated approximately $8,300 in repairs, including replacement of multiple cooling system parts. The manufacturer offered partial goodwill assistance toward the repair cost. Prior to diagnosis, the vehicle displayed low coolant and low oil symptoms. I had to add approximately one quart of engine oil. I am concerned this premature failure could create a safety risk due to possible overheating or engine failure while driving. The vehicle had been maintained normally and had not previously overheated. The issue was confirmed by an authorized Alfa Romeo dealership.
The contact owns a 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35–45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The “Do Not Drive” message was displayed. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V878000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 32,500.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle occasionally stalled. The contact stated that the message “ Throttle System Service Required” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel pump and fuel pump module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V878000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35–45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The “Do Not Drive” message was displayed. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V878000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 32,500.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
As I am merging onto the highway during high traffic, I hear what sounded like a shotgun/explosion. I immediately swerve to the side of the highway, scared, alarmed, and in fear of causing a major accident. As I inspected the car, I noticed no damage to the body but only to find my sunroof glass was shattered. According to the experts, they stated "there is no apparent impact zone, and if there was, it would show damage inconsistent to what actually occurred here." Looking at the images/videos taken from the incident, the sunroof appeared to have imploded outward, and nothing penetrated the glass from outside forces aka. a rock, a bird, debris, etc... The entire sides of the sunroof all broke outwards. The corporate people at Alfa Romeo said it was due to 'outside forces' but with no evidence of such. This is clearly a manufacturer problem, and if not addressed, can cause severe injuries and in worst case, fatalities. The car has less than 8k miles and is brand new. I am traumatized, concerned and frankly upset about this whole ordeal.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V667000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the dealer stated that normal recalls typically took a year for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The battery shuts off the main screen making it difficult to navigate. The battery doesn't get charged adequately and that affects the electronic displays. This flaw could affect GPS, navigation as well as other essential electronic components.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .