Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
700–25K
8825–50K
6750–75K
2875–100K
23100–150K
13150K+
289 reports with mileage · 106 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Power Train. Review the 200 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports4 fire reports16 injury reports
What owners actually said
395 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2026
Unknown Or Other
I am filing a complaint concerning a recurring gear shift failure in my 2012 fiat 500c. The same failure has occurred three times between June 10 and September 8, 2026. On June 10, 2026 I was able to move shift lever but the transmission remained in reverse and would not shift into another gear despite multiple attempts. I did …
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I am filing a complaint concerning a recurring gear shift failure in my 2012 fiat 500c. The same failure has occurred three times between June 10 and September 8, 2026. On June 10, 2026 I was able to move shift lever but the transmission remained in reverse and would not shift into another gear despite multiple attempts. I did not know what the cause or problem was and had no knowledge that it might be related to a safety recall. I had vehicle towed to an independent repair shop who subsequently diagnosed a faulty gear shifter and replaced it and this restored the vehicles operation. The shop was able to replace the faulty part and the car was returned to me on June 12, 2026. On August 21, 2026the same failure occurred again. I was able to move the shifter but the transmission remained in neutral regardless of the selected shifter position and I had to push the vehicle onto the side of the road. Again the vehicle was undriveable and was towed to an authorized dealership who diagnosed a faulty gear shifter. The dealership performed the repair under safety recall VB4/NHTSA recall 19V-817 concerning the gear shifter cable adjust/bushing. The dealership then returned the vehicle to me as repaired on September 4, 2026. The vehicle sat parked for the following 3 days and was operated on September 8, 2026. On September 8, 2026 the exact same failure occurred a third time and after the authorized dealership completed the recall repaired. The gearshift lever moved, but the transmission would not change gears and the indicator remained in drive. The vehicle was again undriveable and had to be towed back to the dealership. Stellantis/FCAopened several case numbers and a case manager informed me the dealership would not be able to inspect the vehicle for 8 days. I was also informed that Stellantis/FCAand the dealership would not provide rental or alternate transportation assistance while the disabled vehicle awaited inspection.
NHTSA ODI #11763425
Mileage unknown · May 12, 2026
Power Train
The clutch went out while downshifting upon making a turn onto a street. The gear shift became wobbly and would not shift into any gear. This happened without warning. Minutes before, my passenger and I were driving across town on a freeway.
NHTSA ODI #11737416
Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 2025
Unknown Or OtherWheels
I have been dealing with identity theft and not really sure why when I put vin number to my vehicle I purchased September 25 2025 it says a different color
NHTSA ODI #11692186
Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2025
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
The vehicle had been stalling out on numerous occasions one being a freezing Xmas eve in Drive thru if it had happened somewhere isolated the driver could have frozen. I rented cars several times and replaced the alternator ,battery and at the final point at the dealership the mechanic suggested I purchase a $600 battery though …
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The vehicle had been stalling out on numerous occasions one being a freezing Xmas eve in Drive thru if it had happened somewhere isolated the driver could have frozen. I rented cars several times and replaced the alternator ,battery and at the final point at the dealership the mechanic suggested I purchase a $600 battery though I had a brand new one. The dealership gave me a $200 credit but it happened again, the mechanic in town said the Bluetooth component was draining the battery. They removed it and no problem since. The dealership mechanic talked around the issue and would not answer my questions about this. The safety issues related to this are dangerous and it appears to be known by mechanics about this model.
NHTSA ODI #11668228
Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2025
Suspension
The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from underneath the front of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufactu…
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The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from underneath the front of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA ODI #11641144
Mileage unknown · Oct 22, 2024
Electrical System
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 licen…
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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.
NHTSA ODI #11621183
214,000 miles · Aug 30, 2024
Power Train
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 th…
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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.
NHTSA ODI #11611834
Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2024
Power Train
Front Wheel hub bearings grinding, very fast wear and tear Transmission still not shifting right after recall shifter cable replaced not grabbing gears
NHTSA ODI #11607886
170,000 miles · Aug 2, 2024
Power Train
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, …
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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.
NHTSA ODI #11606101
Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 2024
Power Train
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. Th…
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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.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Fiat 500 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions. The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the cable to detach from the transmission.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the transmission may not shift into the gear selected by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away. These scenarios may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable adjuster, free of charge. The recall began January 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB4.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Fiat 500 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions. The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the cable to detach from the transmission.
Consequence: If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the transmission may not shift into the gear selected by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away. These scenarios may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable adjuster, free of charge. The recall began January 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB4.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Fiat 500 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions. The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the cable to detach from the transmission.
Consequence: If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the transmission may not shift into the gear selected by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away. These scenarios may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable adjuster, free of charge. The recall began January 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB4.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2016 Fiat 500 vehicles manufactured June 21, 2010, through January 12, 2016, equipped with a manual transmission. The clutch diaphragm spring may fracture and fail, causing an inability to switch gears.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the clutch diaphragm spring fails, the driver may not be able to shift gears or the vehicle may lose motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The remedy for this recall will include the installation of a clutch pedal limiter and a clutch pedal switch. The recall began on November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S34.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 DODGE JOURNEY AND FIAT 500 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 24, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 26, 2011. SOME VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH CONTAMINATED BRAKE FLUID AND MAY EXPERIENCE A DEGRADATION OF THE SEALING COMPONENTS WITHIN THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 1, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
EA19001 · Electrical Overstress
Opened Apr 19, 2019 · Closed Sep 19, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW. The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications. The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU. In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment. FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle. Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW. These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes. An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time. In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU. This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners. Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW. The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation. The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage. There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation. The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU. If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC. Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC. All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled. In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024. With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
2012 Fiat 500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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