Fiat 500 problems
The Fiat 500 (Italian: Cinquecento, pronounced ) is an economy / city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 until 1975. It was sold as a two-door semi-convertible or saloon car and as a three-door panel van or estate car.
Launched as the Nuova (new) 500 in July 1957, as a successor to the 500 "Topolino", it was an inexpensive and practical small car. Measuring 2.97 metres (9 feet 9 inches) long, and originally powered by a rear-mounted 479 cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine, the 500 was 24.5 centimetres (9.6 inches) smaller than Fiat's 600, launched two years earlier, and is considered one of the first purpose-designed city cars.
In 1959, Dante Giacosa received a Compasso d'Oro industrial design prize for the Fiat 500. This marked the first time a Compasso d’Oro was awarded to an automotive manufacturer.
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Fiat 500 model years
Common Fiat 500 problems
The Fiat 500, a compact car with distinctive Italian design and efficient performance, has been reported to have various issues by its owners. While the car is generally considered reliable, certain model years and components have been highlighted as problematic.
One common issue across various model years is clutch problems, which can lead to hefty repair bills.
Suspension issues have been reported in second-generation Fiat 500s, with some drivers experiencing clunking noises after going over bumps, hitting the brakes, or going around the curb. In some cases, cars also bucked wildly after hitting potholes.
Steering problems are another common issue, particularly in the 2013 Fiat 500. Owners have reported odd noises when turning, which in some cases required replacing the steering column or dealing with a faulty lower steering column shroud.
Transmission issues, particularly with the Duologic gearbox in older Fiat 500s, have been reported as well. These issues include gears moving into neutral without warning, gears sticking, and not shifting quickly enough. These problems are often caused by issues with the ECU or transmission itself, requiring reprogramming or inspection.
Powertrain issues have been a concern for some Fiat 500 owners, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recording 377 complaints and four recalls for the 2012 model year alone. Transmission-related issues, such as clicking noises, downshifting hard at slow speeds, and erratic shifting, have been reported for the 2012 Fiat 500.
The 2015 Fiat 500 has also been criticized for its questionable reliability ratings and poor crash test performance.
To ensure a Fiat 500 runs smoothly, regular oil changes using the correct oil type and following the set service intervals are crucial. Additionally, addressing common problems such as diesel particulate filter clogging, power steering loss, and oil warning light issues is essential for maintaining the car's reliability and longevity.
Percentage distribution of complaints by Fiat 500 years
We have researched Fiat problems and analysed all the complaints filed against Fiat 500 cars and compiled the top 5 most problematic Fiat 500 model years:
Below you can see the percentage distribution of known problems by Fiat 500 model years.
Distribution of the number of complaints by Fiat 500 years
We've also compiled a chart for you with the number of complaints about Volkswagen Jetta cars of certain model years:
Fiat 500 car problems categorized by type of issue
After analysing all complaints related to Fiat 500 , it was concluded that the most common issues with these cars are:
- Power train problems
- Electrical system problems
- Engine problems
- Unknown or other problems
- Air bags problems
The graph below shows statistics for all Fiat 500 vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
Distribution of the number of complaints where the accident occurred by 500 model years
A total of 47 complaints were registered in which the accident occurred. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model year.
Distribution of the number of complaints with fire by 500 model years
There were a total of 16 complaints that resulted in a fire. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model year.
Distribution of the number of complaints with injuries by 500 model years
There were a total of 38 complaints that resulted in a injuries. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model year.
The NHTSA has received 789 complaints about various vehicle components related to the Fiat 500 . Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for Fiat 500 vehicles.
Latest 25 complaints
Fiat 500 2013
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-22
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-23
- VIN: 3C3CFFBR7DT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2013 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle failed to shift into park after stopping. While shifting into gear, the vehicle failed to move after the gear selector was placed in the desired gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V817000 (Power Train). The contact called a towing company. The tow truck driver was able to re-attach the gear shifter cable, but the failure recurred. While reversing slowly to parallel park, the gear shifter cable detached again. The contact reattached the shifter cable. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure milage was approximately 128,300.
Fiat 500 2012
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-22
- VIN: 3C3CFFBR0CT
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: The wiring harness bundle leading to the trunk failed between the trunk & upper drivers side of the car. Upper brake lights stopped working, then rear defroster, then trunk wouldn’t open & I got a license plate light warning on the dash. Mechanic tried to replace switch, still didn’t work, the tried to replace handle (with license plate light). Mechanic broke more wires in bundle, back brake lights stopped working. The wiring harness bundle leading into the trunk is defective.
Fiat 500 2015
- Date Of Incident: 2023-05-16
- Date Complaint: 2024-09-08
- VIN: 3C3CFFBR3FT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: A recall has been open on this vehicle for over 5 years. I have been waiting for a year and 2 Fiat dealerships cannot complete the recall because the manufacturer has failed to manufacture a spring part for the repair. The spring has been back ordered since May 2023 for my order, but according to the Madison dealership, owners before me were waiting for 8+ months with no parts available. Recall info: Manufacturer Recall NumberS34 NHTSA Recall Number16V-302 Recall Status: Recall Incomplete Summary THE CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING MAY FATIGUE AND/OR FRACTURE. Safety Risk A FAILED CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING MAY RESULT IN THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, SHIFT GEARS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fiat 500 2012
- Date Of Incident: 2024-08-16
- Date Complaint: 2024-08-30
- VIN: 3C3CFFARXCT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to exit the highway. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the clutch pedal went to the floorboard and the contact was unable to start the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the clutch pedal limiter and a clutch pedal switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train) which had been completed in 2023 on the vehicle by the same dealer. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 214,000.
Fiat 500 2012
- Date Of Incident: 2024-08-09
- Date Complaint: 2024-08-12
- VIN: 3C3CFFER9CT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: Front Wheel hub bearings grinding, very fast wear and tear Transmission still not shifting right after recall shifter cable replaced not grabbing gears
Fiat 500 2018
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-26
- Date Complaint: 2024-08-07
- VIN: 3C3CFFJH6JT
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: See attached document for complaint
Fiat 500 2012
- Date Of Incident: 2024-04-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-08-02
- VIN: 3C3CFFBR1CT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train) 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 contact stated while attempting to reverse, the transmission failed to respond as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and it was confirmed that the recall repair was not yet available and there was no expected date when parts would be available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 170,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fiat 500 2018
- Date Of Incident: 2024-07-08
- Date Complaint: 2024-07-13
- VIN: 3C3CFFJH5JT
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: I was notified of the recall for my car and took it to the dealer. The dealer told me there is no fix for this recall and that they could not do anything about it sending me away.
Fiat 500 2013
- Date Of Incident: 2024-07-04
- Date Complaint: 2024-07-10
- VIN: 3C3CFFER3DT
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: The contact's daughter owns a 2013 Fiat 500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the convertible sunroof retractor failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the convertible sunroof failed to close as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the convertible sunroof mechanical system had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the convertible sunroof mechanical system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Fiat 500 2013
- Date Of Incident: 2024-04-29
- Date Complaint: 2024-04-29
- VIN: 3C3CFFAR4DT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: Manual Transaxle Clutch Pedal
Fiat 500 2012
- Date Of Incident: 2024-04-23
- Date Complaint: 2024-04-23
- VIN: 3C3CFFBR5CT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Fiat 500 2014
- Date Of Incident: 2023-12-15
- Date Complaint: 2024-04-04
- VIN: 3C3CFFAR1ET
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and TPMS warning lights illuminated and the vehicle began to hesitate while accelerating. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the powertrain control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
Fiat 500 2012
- Date Of Incident: 2023-10-15
- Date Complaint: 2024-04-01
- VIN: 3C3CFFAR6CT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the clutch pedal briefly depressed to the floor and remained stuck before releasing. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clutch diaphragm spring. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train); however, the vehicle had already been repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
Fiat 500 2015
- Date Of Incident: 2024-03-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-03-28
- VIN: 3C3CFFAR4FT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500 Pop Hatchback. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train) however, the parts to repair were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The local dealer was notified of the recall notice and confirmed that the parts were not available. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the manual clutch failed and the contact was unable to steer the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided with a customer care case number 89214492. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Fiat 500 2013
- Date Of Incident: 2023-10-12
- Date Complaint: 2024-03-20
- VIN: 3C3CFFAR0DT
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: The contact owns a 2013 Fiat 500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000(Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced the failure causing the clutch to fail. The failure mileage was 103,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Latest 5 recalls Fiat 500
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 25 recalls for different components of the Fiat 500.You can explore the year of the Volkswagen Jetta you are interested in by selecting it from the list.
- Model: Fiat 500 2017
- Report Received Date: 2024-06-25
- Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
- Summary: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not illuminate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module, free of charge. Owners were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 80B.
- Model: Fiat 500 2015
- Report Received Date: 2024-06-25
- Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
- Summary: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not illuminate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module, free of charge. Owners were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 80B.
- Model: Fiat 500 2016
- Report Received Date: 2024-06-25
- Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
- Summary: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not illuminate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module, free of charge. Owners were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 80B.
- Model: Fiat 500 2014
- Report Received Date: 2024-06-25
- Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
- Summary: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not illuminate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module, free of charge. Owners were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 80B.
- Model: Fiat 500 2018
- Report Received Date: 2024-06-25
- Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components: TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
- Summary: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not illuminate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
- Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module, free of charge. Owners were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 80B.
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