Summary
The Fiat 131 has 5 recalls covering the 1975 and 1978 model years, with the most serious being a heater fan switch defect on 1978 two-door and four-door models where the switch's internal mechanism can break, overheat, and ignite the surrounding wiring harness. The 1975 model year accounts for the remaining four recalls, all of which affect vehicle control. A throttle return spring on 1975 models can break and cause the throttle to hang open after the driver lifts off the accelerator, delaying the return to idle and potentially causing a crash. There are also two separate drivetrain issues on 1975 vehicles: sustained highway driving can cause the rear transmission bushing to fail, and the front driveshaft centering spline can wear from insufficient lubrication, producing drivetrain vibration that can damage the transmission housing, cause it to jam, and impair handling without warning. On the braking side, 1975 sedans and station wagons have a rear seal in the brake master cylinder that can wear prematurely, allowing air into the hydraulic system and gradually increasing the distance the brake pedal must travel before slowing the vehicle.
