The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission models: 845RE, 8HP45, 850RE, 8HP50, 8HP70, 8HP75, 8HP75-PHEV, 8HP75-LCV, 8HP90, 8HP95. Transmissions may exhibit the following diagnostic codes: P07E4, P1DB2, P0716, P1B14, P0733, P1D90, P1DB7, P1B13.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio powertrain problems
severe Owners of the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 Stelvio (this page) | 11 |
| 2020 Stelvio | 3 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 11 powertrain complaints filed for the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
ACC Does Not Operate. Start Stop Unavailable, ACC Unavailable Service Required Messages. C1452-86 Engine Torque DASM- Signal Invalid
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗No Start, After Flash And Or PCM Replace, DTC P0513 Invalid Skim Key Setting
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗No Start Intermittently, Vehicle Requires Multiple Keyless Push To Start Attempts To Start Vehicle, Intermittent Key Not Detected Message
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Gear Ratio DTC?s, Transmission Shift Concerns, Does Not Shift At Times, Shudders
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Ten owners describe a powertrain plagued by systemic failures. The most severe is coolant mixing with engine oil—likely from the oil cooler or head gasket—confirmed by a certified Alfa Romeo dealer at 2018 Stelvios, with parts estimates exceeding $17,000 and no recall applied. Warranty was denied.
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) errors trigger recurrent power loss, especially during highway acceleration. Owners report the vehicle downshifting to 25 mph on a 65 mph interstate, forcing pull-overs mid-traffic. The check engine light illuminates; the problem repeats within days or weeks of repair, even after turbocharger replacement ($4,000 parts alone). Multiple dealerships reset computers and swap components without solving it. One owner says a dealer claimed the problem was fixed, then the car lost power again before traveling a mile.
Start/Stop system malfunctions caused unexpected shutdown and, in one case, unintended acceleration into an intersection. The system then reports unavailable.
Automatic Torque Vectoring (ATV) creates unstable handling; error codes vanish when the engine shuts off, so owners must drive straight to a dealer immediately when it occurs to get a read—dealers still haven't identified the root cause after six-plus visits across two locations.
One vehicle caught fire on the highway shortly after refueling with no warning lights beforehand. A seized right-rear brake pad ground into the rotor at 11,000 miles, impairing steering control.
Failure modes owners describe
Coolant mixing with oil (internal engine failure)
Oil cooler or head gasket internal failure causing coolant contamination of engine oil. Represents a catastrophic engine defect with no recall applied despite dealer confirmation.
When: Early signs noted; escalates over time
Symptoms owners cite: Minor overheating; Coolant loss; Risk of engine failure; Loss of power while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Parts estimate over $17,000 plus labor; owner obtained estimate from certified Alfa Romeo dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer confirmed issue but denied warranty coverage; no recalls apply per dealer statement
Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) failure / Limp mode
Recurring loss of power and inability to accelerate, vehicle enters limp mode with speed restricted to 25 mph or below on highway. Check engine light illuminates. Problem persists even after multiple repairs and part replacements.
When: 30,500 miles; recurring between 9,500–15,900 miles; at least 5 occurrences reported
Symptoms owners cite: Unable to accelerate over 40 mph; Speed restricted to 25 mph on 65 mph highway; Vehicle enters limp mode; Sudden loss of power while accelerating on highway; Check engine light illuminated; Electronic throttle control warning light
Codes mentioned: ETC error
Repairs/costs cited: Turbocharger replaced ($4,000 plus labor); multiple dealers attempted repairs including computer reset and various part replacements; problem recurs within days or weeks
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer offered to return vehicle to dealer; rejected owner's trade-in request
Start/Stop system malfunction
Automatic start/stop system malfunctions causing unexpected engine shutdown and loss of vehicle control while driving. One incident involved unintended acceleration into intersection at red light.
When: Early in vehicle ownership; low mileage incidents reported
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off unexpectedly while stopped; Unintended acceleration into intersection; System becomes unavailable after failure; Loss of power control
Repairs/costs cited: System malfunction noted; no specific repair details provided by owners
Turbocharger failure
Turbocharger requires replacement. Recurring issue even after replacement, with power loss symptoms returning within days.
When: Around 30,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power while driving; Inability to accelerate; Vehicle enters limp mode
Repairs/costs cited: Turbocharger replaced at dealership; repair costs approximately $4,000 plus installation
Automatic Torque Vectoring (ATV) system malfunction
Unstable and unusual driving behavior caused by ATV system malfunction. Error codes clear when vehicle is shut off, making diagnosis difficult and preventing permanent repair.
When: Recurring over 3-year ownership period
Symptoms owners cite: Unstable/unusual driving behavior; System malfunction without stored error codes; Codes erase upon shutdown
Repairs/costs cited: Visited 2 different dealers more than 6 times; root cause remains unidentified
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer unable to identify or fix root cause despite multiple dealer visits
Engine fire
Vehicle caught fire while on highway after fueling. No warning indicators alerted driver to problem before fire onset.
When: Shortly after refueling
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke emission from hood; Vehicle fire; No dashboard warning lights before incident
Brake system failure (right rear)
Right rear brake pad seized and locked, grinding into rotor. Caused steering difficulty and unsafe driving condition.
When: 11,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Right rear brake pad seizure; Grinding noise; Difficult steering; Loss of braking control
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle in repair shop for one week
Blind Spot Monitoring system failure
Blind spot monitoring system malfunction requiring dealer repair.
When: 11,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: System failure
Repairs/costs cited: One day in repair shop
Radio and Navigation system failure
Loss of radio and navigation system functionality.
When: 11,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No radio output; No navigation system function
Repairs/costs cited: One day in repair shop
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
There's a problem called etc error. It has happened 5 times since 9500 mileage. And now car has 15900 mileage. Every time it happened when I was on highway trying to accelarate. When that problem occured, I suddenly lost power and had to pull over in the middle of traffic. Then I needed to shut down the engine and restarted, after this action power was back on with engine check light on, too. And…
While on a hiway, with cruse on, stopped for a red light. While stopped the engine shut off. I pushed the stop-start disable buttion. The car acclerated into the intersaction before I braked it to a stop. Luckely there was no one infront of me and no cross traffic or we would have wrecked. The car then went back to idle and has been fine since.
Had powertrain trouble with your 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 15,942 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Alfa Romeo/Stelvio.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.