IllustrationSHIFTER CABLE AT TRANSMISSION LINKAGE BROKEN. WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS. VEHICLE WAS PARKED/TURNED OFF AT GAS PUMP. TURNED VEHICLE ON AND WOULD NOT GET OUT OF PARK/SHIFT GEARS. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED BYPASS THE 'PARK' TO PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TO BE TOWED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO.
2012 Fiat 500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
Power Train complaints
200 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. HARTSVILLE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (900 E BOBO NEWSOM HWY, HARTSVILLE, SC 29550, (843) 309-9892) WAS CONTA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. HARTSVILLE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (900 E BOBO NEWSOM HWY, HARTSVILLE, SC 29550, (843) 309-9892) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT SMELLED CARBON MONOXIDE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED, BUT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, THE ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN IN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT SMELLED CARBON MONOXIDE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED, BUT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, THE ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CLUTCH WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES RECURRED. AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE TRANSMISSION HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
CAR HAS OIL LEAK FROM ENGINE MAIN SEAL.ISSUE ADVICED TO DEALER UPON SALE,MECHANICS DENIED UNTIL 3RD PARTY ESTIMATE.THEN DEALER SAID TO HAVE FIXED IT UNTIL ONCE AGAIN THE ISSUE CAME UP--SERVICE DONE FOR MAINTENANCE KEPT. DEALERSHIP SOLD. NEW OWNERS OF DEALERS FOUND SAME PROBLEM. NEW WARRANTY DENIED CLAIMS AND SAID IT WAS A PREX C…
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CAR HAS OIL LEAK FROM ENGINE MAIN SEAL.ISSUE ADVICED TO DEALER UPON SALE,MECHANICS DENIED UNTIL 3RD PARTY ESTIMATE.THEN DEALER SAID TO HAVE FIXED IT UNTIL ONCE AGAIN THE ISSUE CAME UP--SERVICE DONE FOR MAINTENANCE KEPT. DEALERSHIP SOLD. NEW OWNERS OF DEALERS FOUND SAME PROBLEM. NEW WARRANTY DENIED CLAIMS AND SAID IT WAS A PREX CONDITION THAT WAS NOT TAKEN CARE. CAR CONTINUES TO LEAK OIL AND ISSUE IS NOW ON MY BILL AS RESPONSIBILITY. ISSUE IS A FIAT BRAND FOR THE YEAR 2012 AND SHOULD BE FIAT RESPONISBILILITY TO MONITOR AND RECALL CARS WITH THESE ISSUES TO FIX.FIAT TOO NEEDS TO MONITOR DEALERSHIPS THAT SELL USED CARS WITH PROBLEMS THEY DENY TO SERVICE PRIOR TO SELLING AND AWARE OF THE ISSUE BEFORE IT WAS SOLD ALONG WITH A RECALL THAT HAD NOT BEEN SERVICED PRIOR TO THE SALE AND OLD MANAGER/PRIOR TO SALE OF BUSINESS DID NOT TAKE CARE OF ALTHOUGH AWARE IT WAS IN PLACE..
GEAR SHIFT IS STUCK IN PARK BUT CAR IS ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. IT WILL NOT MOVE. WAS PULLING IN PARKING SPOT AND REALIZED WHEN I PUT CAR IN PARK AND RELEASE FOOT OFF BRAKE MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. CANNOT CHANGE GEAR.
I DRIVE A MANUAL FIAT, AND I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL AND MY CLUTCH WASN'T ENGAGING PROPERLY, I WAS LOSING TORQUE,AND THERES A LOUD SQUEAKING WHEN I PRESS ON THE CLUTCH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING, THE CLUTCH FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE RELEASING THE PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIM…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING, THE CLUTCH FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE RELEASING THE PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. *DT *JB
TL* 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 AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TONY DOMIANO AUTO (LOCATED AT 900 SCRANTON CA…
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TL* 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 AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TONY DOMIANO AUTO (LOCATED AT 900 SCRANTON CARBONDALE HWY, EYNON, PA 18403, (570) 876-3919) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
THE FIAT HAD THE RECOMMENDED RECALL FIX FOR MAUAL TRANSMISSION PERFORMED IN 2017. WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY. GEARS COULD ONLY BE CHANGED WITH THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED AND THE ENGINE OFF. REPAIR IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM "PRESSURE PLATE FINGERS HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF S34 RECALL. THIS R…
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THE FIAT HAD THE RECOMMENDED RECALL FIX FOR MAUAL TRANSMISSION PERFORMED IN 2017. WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY. GEARS COULD ONLY BE CHANGED WITH THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED AND THE ENGINE OFF. REPAIR IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM "PRESSURE PLATE FINGERS HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF S34 RECALL. THIS RUINED THE CLUTCH PLATE CAUSING SHIFITNG ISSUES."
CAR STARTED SOUNDING BAD AND ONE NIGHT THE CLUTCH GOT STUCK SO I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE CLUTCH. DEALERSHIP IS AN HOUR AWAY AND WOULDN'T COVER TOWING "UNLESS THEY WERE SURE IT WAS A RECALL ISSUE" SO EITHER I COULD PAY FOR TOWING (I DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THAT) OR DRIVE IT IN. NO MENT…
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CAR STARTED SOUNDING BAD AND ONE NIGHT THE CLUTCH GOT STUCK SO I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE CLUTCH. DEALERSHIP IS AN HOUR AWAY AND WOULDN'T COVER TOWING "UNLESS THEY WERE SURE IT WAS A RECALL ISSUE" SO EITHER I COULD PAY FOR TOWING (I DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THAT) OR DRIVE IT IN. NO MENTION THAT DRIVING IT COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE NOT COVERED. SO I DROVE IT IN WITH THE BAD CLUTCH. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEN AND THEY AGREED TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUTCH. WHEN THEY STARTED REPAIRS, THEY NOTICED DAMAGE TO THE FORK SHAFT AND TRANSMISSION, WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. $2400. I GOOGLED THE RECALL TO FIND OUT DETAILS AND THE RECALL EXISTS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE CLUTCH PROBLEM CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. SO I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WON'T COVER IT ONCE THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.
Official recalls
319V817000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
Nov 15, 2019
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.
16V302000 · Power Train:manual Transmission
May 16, 2016
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.
11V550000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:fluid
Nov 10, 2011
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
1EA19001 · 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.