NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
395 reportsMileage unknown · Jan 4, 2022
Fuel/propulsion System
Every time I pump fuel in the vehicle, the pump stops prematurely. It’ll pump for a few seconds and then seize. I would have to continuously press the handle every time the pump stops and clicks every few seconds. After I’m done fueling, it smells like gasoline inside my vehicle. I took my Fiat 500 to the dealership in January o…
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Every time I pump fuel in the vehicle, the pump stops prematurely. It’ll pump for a few seconds and then seize. I would have to continuously press the handle every time the pump stops and clicks every few seconds. After I’m done fueling, it smells like gasoline inside my vehicle. I took my Fiat 500 to the dealership in January of 2019 to have Sunland Park technicians check the issue. Technicians diagnosed the vehicle and claimed it was a faulty fuel tank. Fuel tank was replaced and issue had gone away for approximately a year then proceeded to do the same issue again. Went back to the dealership when I began having the same issue and technicians say there is nothing wrong with my vehicle and they said that the repairs of my whole fuel tank were no longer under warranty. My fiat 500 is still having the same fuel issue of clicking nonstop and odor of the fuel is still strong. There are many fiat 500 owners going through this same issue continually paying fiat dealerships just to have the same issue of inhaling fuel and not being able to pump fuel in properly. This is a major hazard and needs to be resolved.
NHTSA ODI #11446257
67,000 miles · Dec 14, 2021
Fuel System, Gasoline
The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact stated that she was having difficulties refueling the vehicle as the gas pump would constantly stop pumping gas though the tank was not full. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel tank sensor had failed, and the fuel tank needed to be replaced. …
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The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact stated that she was having difficulties refueling the vehicle as the gas pump would constantly stop pumping gas though the tank was not full. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel tank sensor had failed, and the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that it was a known failure however, she would be responsible for the cost of the repair since there was no recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
NHTSA ODI #11443764
Mileage unknown · Nov 23, 2021
Power TrainUnknown Or Other
Transmission gear box. Having issues with shifting - 11/23/2021
NHTSA ODI #11441515
Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2021
Air BagsPower TrainSuspension
I bought this car from a dealer in Fortville (Carlux) who said it had a clean history, this car was meant to be driven by my 17 year old to school, after driving it for 1 week she noticed weird sounds on turning and the engine being very loud and not responding to acceleration or deceleration, thankfully she made it back home sa…
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I bought this car from a dealer in Fortville (Carlux) who said it had a clean history, this car was meant to be driven by my 17 year old to school, after driving it for 1 week she noticed weird sounds on turning and the engine being very loud and not responding to acceleration or deceleration, thankfully she made it back home safely, I then took it to my local mechanic who noticed major safety issues with the vehicle and on running the VIN number found out there are 2 safety recalls on it. Is there a law or regulation against the dealership that does that? It could have cost my child's life. Their address is: 222 W Broadway street, Fortville , IN 46040 and contact # is (317) 777 1931
NHTSA ODI #11430952
Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2021
Power Train
The car has two recalls for power train. In the past year and a half of owning the Fiat, the car’s power train has been stuck in park 3 times. The shift is unable to move out of park without being forced out manually. When the car is driven, it has to be manually removed from park to move and the dashboard goes blank. The car do…
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The car has two recalls for power train. In the past year and a half of owning the Fiat, the car’s power train has been stuck in park 3 times. The shift is unable to move out of park without being forced out manually. When the car is driven, it has to be manually removed from park to move and the dashboard goes blank. The car doesn’t show speed or gas amount. This is dangerous and can lead to crashes resulting in death. It is emotionally, mentally and financially exhausting having to do a $600+ repair every so often because the power train becomes damaged. This issue has caused me to lose lots of sleep and money since my car is my main source of transportation during this tough time. It is unreliable to its driver and the Fiat dealership has deemed it as okay to drive when it clearly is a safety hazard for drivers and pedestrians.
NHTSA ODI #11425842
Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2021
Power Train
While driving it fails to switch gears.It gets stuck on first gear.
NHTSA ODI #11423619
38,045 miles · May 20, 2021
Visibility
The contact owns a 2012 FIAT 500. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked, when she noticed there was a crack in the center of the windshield going towards the driver's side. There was no impact to the windshield that could have caused the crack. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were…
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The contact owns a 2012 FIAT 500. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked, when she noticed there was a crack in the center of the windshield going towards the driver's side. There was no impact to the windshield that could have caused the crack. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,045.
NHTSA ODI #11417912
38,000 miles · Apr 27, 2021
Power Train
DRIVING VEHICLE NEAR MY HOME ON A CITY STREET WENT TO SHIFT GEARS AND THE CLUTCH DID NOT FULLY DISENGAGE. HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF TO PUT IT IN SECOND GEAR TO GET BACK HOME. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE S34 RECALL HAD BEEN COMPLETED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 20,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 38,000 MILES AND IT IS EXHI…
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DRIVING VEHICLE NEAR MY HOME ON A CITY STREET WENT TO SHIFT GEARS AND THE CLUTCH DID NOT FULLY DISENGAGE. HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF TO PUT IT IN SECOND GEAR TO GET BACK HOME. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE S34 RECALL HAD BEEN COMPLETED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 20,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 38,000 MILES AND IT IS EXHIBITING THE FAILED CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE FINGERS. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE BASICALLY TOLD ME THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL LIMITER WAS INSTALLED.
NHTSA ODI #11414165
51,000 miles · Feb 3, 2021
Exterior Lighting
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK REAR DRIVER LIGHT WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE LEFT LICENSE PLATE BULB WAS NOT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER ARRIGO FIAT WEST PALM BEACH (6500 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33411, (56…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK REAR DRIVER LIGHT WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE LEFT LICENSE PLATE BULB WAS NOT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER ARRIGO FIAT WEST PALM BEACH (6500 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33411, (561) 618-3160) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE REAR LIGHTS ASSEMBLY TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 51,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIR WOULD COST $475 AT THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE LICENSE PLATE BULBS AND PERSONALLY INSTALLED THE BULBS.
NHTSA ODI #11394511
53,250 miles · Jan 26, 2021
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
THE REAR HIGH BRAKE LIGHT WIRING ON THE CONVERTIBLE WEARS AND BREAKS IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE C PILLAR DUE TO USE OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP RENDERING THE BRAKE LIGHT NON-OPERATIVE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FIAT 500 CONVERTIBLE.
NHTSA ODI #11390052
Official recalls
3Nov 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.
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.
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.
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