IllustrationI HAVE HAD TO GET MY STARTER REPLACED AND SHORTLY AFTER MY CLUTCH LOCKED UP ON ME .. I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR
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
What owners actually said
395 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, HALF OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. WHEN …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, HALF OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND BACK ON IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTED IDLE GEAR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO REGISTER THE FUEL RANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15. ....UPDATED 08/29/16 *BF
NHTSA 16V-302 RECALL AND FCA SOLUTION WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF DEFECTIVE PART THAT CREATES THE SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS ONLY A BANDAID THAT DISGUISES THE PROBLEM. FCA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE PART THAT CREATES THE SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS AN INADEQUATE NON-FIX. THE CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED …
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NHTSA 16V-302 RECALL AND FCA SOLUTION WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF DEFECTIVE PART THAT CREATES THE SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS ONLY A BANDAID THAT DISGUISES THE PROBLEM. FCA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE PART THAT CREATES THE SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS AN INADEQUATE NON-FIX. THE CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN ALL MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES. FCA NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR OR NEEDS TO EXTEND WARRANTY FOR THE AFFECTED ASSEMBLY. NO MORE BANDAID FIXES FOR SAFETY ISSUES FROM FCA LIKE THE TRAILER HITCH FIX FOR JEEPS THAT WAS DONE BEFORE.
I GOT A RECALL NOTICE TODAY. IT STATES THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING WHICH MAY FATIGUE OR FRACTURE CAUSING AN "INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, SHIFT GEARS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER". THIS "COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING". IT WOULD BE GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON MY PART TO D…
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I GOT A RECALL NOTICE TODAY. IT STATES THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING WHICH MAY FATIGUE OR FRACTURE CAUSING AN "INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, SHIFT GEARS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER". THIS "COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING". IT WOULD BE GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON MY PART TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT COULD INJURE OR KILL ME OR SOMEONE ELSE. I CALLED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. PARTS WERE NOT IN STOCK AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE. I ASKED FOR A RENTAL CAR IN THE MEANTIME. THEY DENIED MY REQUEST. I THEN CALLED FCA (FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES) AND TALKED TO 3 PEOPLE THERE ABOUT A RENTAL CAR. THEY ALSO DENIED MY REQUEST. I DO NOT FEEL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR WHEN THE DEFECT IS THE PROBLEM OF THE MANUFACTURER WITH NO INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. THIS COULD COST ME THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. I AM REQUESTING A RENTAL CAR IMMEDIATELY UNTIL MY CAR CAN BE REPAIRED. THANK YOU.
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 REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT…
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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 REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY SHIFTING OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A RE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY SHIFTING OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ON APRIL 15, 2016. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES. THE FIRST ISSUE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT. THE SECOND ISSUE WAS THAT THE GEARS WOULD NOT MOVE AND I HAD TO USE A SCREW DRIVER TO CHANGE THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND VICE VERSA, DRIVE TO REVERSE AND VICE VER…
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THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ON APRIL 15, 2016. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES. THE FIRST ISSUE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT. THE SECOND ISSUE WAS THAT THE GEARS WOULD NOT MOVE AND I HAD TO USE A SCREW DRIVER TO CHANGE THE CAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND VICE VERSA, DRIVE TO REVERSE AND VICE VERSA, ETC... THE THIRD ISSUE WAS THAT THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE RECENT ISSUE WAS FOR A RECALL ON THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL. IN ADDITION, THE CAR WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND LOCAL STREETS DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT SIDE. AS A RESULT OF THE DRIFTING, I HAVE HAD ALMOST THREE CAR ACCIDENTS IN THE PAST MONTH. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT THE DRIFTING IS A RESULT OF THE ROADS ON THE FREEWAY AND LOCALLY AND NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVE TO THIS CAR AND FEAR GETTING INTO A MAJOR ACCIDENT. TODAY I CONTACTED THE FIAT OWNER ASSISTANCE TO FILE A COMPLAINT AND REQUEST THAT THE ISSUE BE ADDRESSED. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THE CAR WAS SAFE AS PER THE SERVICE REPORTS AND THAT I SHOULD GET A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AT MY EXPENSE. THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE BY A CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE AND NOT A MECHANIC. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT THE ISSUE BE ADDRESSED AND THAT I AM ABLE TO RETURN THE FIAT FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE AND MEET THE STANDARD OF QUALITY FIAT IS KNOWN FOR.
THERE IS NO WAY TO ADJUST THE REAR SUSPENSION FOR BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE TIRE WEAR UNEVENLY ON THE INSIDE WHILE HAVING THE APPEARANCE TO HAVE PROPER TREAD. NEW TIRES LASTED ONLY 18,000 MILES.
57,560 MILEAGE,VEHICLE WONT SHIFT AGAIN, MANUAL TRASNMISION IN ON MY GARAGE
MILEAGE 33,245 MANUAL TRANSMISSION WONT SHIFT,CLUTCH HAS FAILED,FOUND BELVILLE SPRING ON PRESSURE PLATE HAS BROKE DATE 28/JUL/2014. MILEAGE 57,560 AGAIN 19/MAY/2016 NEED TO RECALL IM HAVE AL DOCUMENT. *TR
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.