NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
395 reports58,000 miles · Apr 9, 2020
Service BrakesStructureUnknown Or OtherCrash
I AM A REAL ESTATE AGENT. LAST YEAR 2019 I WENT TO AN OPEN HOUSE AND PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHICH WAS ON AN INCLINE - WITH A PLATEAU FOR PARKING. I'VE BEEN DRIVING A STANDARD TRANSMISSION FOR 30 YEARS. WHEN I PARK I PLACE MY GEAR IN 1ST WITH THE PARKING BRAKE FULLY ENGAGED. I PARKED THE CAR, WENT INTO THE HOME TO VIEW THE HOME, …
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I AM A REAL ESTATE AGENT. LAST YEAR 2019 I WENT TO AN OPEN HOUSE AND PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHICH WAS ON AN INCLINE - WITH A PLATEAU FOR PARKING. I'VE BEEN DRIVING A STANDARD TRANSMISSION FOR 30 YEARS. WHEN I PARK I PLACE MY GEAR IN 1ST WITH THE PARKING BRAKE FULLY ENGAGED. I PARKED THE CAR, WENT INTO THE HOME TO VIEW THE HOME, AND WAS INSIDE 15 MINUTES. WHEN I WENT BACK TO MY CAR, IT WAS GONE. THE CAR HAD ROLLED BACKWARD DOWN THE HILL AND INTO A GUARDRAIL. THERE WERE NEIGHBORS ALL AROUND MY CAR, AND ONE MAN SAID, "IT MAKES NO SENSE IT THE PARKING BREAK IS ENGAGED." THE NEIGHBORS HAD VIDEO OF THE CRASH. THE CAR WAS PARKED APPROX 10 MINUTES BEFORE ROLLING DOWN THE HILL. MY CAR WAS DAMAGED BY THE GUARD RAIL, AND THANKFULLY NO HUMANS WERE HURT. HAD THE GUARDRAIL NOT BEEN THERE -- THE CAR WOULD HAVE GONE OVER A RAVINE AND INTO A HOME.
NHTSA ODI #11320717
75,000 miles · Mar 26, 2020
Electrical SystemPower Train
WE RECENTLY WENT IN FOR A RECALL TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM. UPON COMPLETION, THE DEALER FAILED TO SECURE THE GROUND WIRE BACK TO THE BATTERY. AFTER A FEW SHORT TRIPS, THE LOOSE CONNECTION CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO FAIL. THE DEALER WILL NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS AND WANTS $930 FOR THE REPAIR. CUSTOMER SERVICE BELIEVES THIS IS SI…
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WE RECENTLY WENT IN FOR A RECALL TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM. UPON COMPLETION, THE DEALER FAILED TO SECURE THE GROUND WIRE BACK TO THE BATTERY. AFTER A FEW SHORT TRIPS, THE LOOSE CONNECTION CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO FAIL. THE DEALER WILL NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS AND WANTS $930 FOR THE REPAIR. CUSTOMER SERVICE BELIEVES THIS IS SIMPLY AN OLD CAR AND WILL NOT SUPPORT IT EITHER. ULTIMATELY THIS WILL CAUSE US TO THINK TWICE BEFORE ACTING ON THE NEXT RECALL NOTICE.
NHTSA ODI #11319377
Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2020
Power Train
STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGH PUT CAR IN NETURAL WHEN TRIED SWITCH INTO GEAR COULD NOT HAD TO PUSH CAR OFF ROAD IN HIGH TRAFIC ARE. ON LINE RECALL STATES DUE TO FRACTURE IN DIAPHRAGM CAUSING INABILITY TO SWITCH GEARS
NHTSA ODI #11318406
80,000 miles · Mar 12, 2020
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
CAR SOMETIMES CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. ALL GUAGES SPIKE, CAR CUTS OFF. I PULL OVER AND IT STARTS BACK UP. NO CODES WERE STORED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #11317810
149,000 miles · Mar 12, 2020
Engine
WE'VE REPLACED THE SHIFTER CABLE ON THE FIAT TWICE ON OUR OWN. RECENTLY, FIAT REPLACED IT UNDER RECALL NO. 19V817000. FIAT'S REPLACEMENT CABLE/BUSHING LASTED THREE SHIFTS. SHIFTED INTO DRIVE TO LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP. SHIFTED INTO PARK AT HOME. SHIFTED INTO DRIVE ON NEXT USE AND THE CABLE WAS DETACHED. FIAT'S SOLUTION IS NOT AN…
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WE'VE REPLACED THE SHIFTER CABLE ON THE FIAT TWICE ON OUR OWN. RECENTLY, FIAT REPLACED IT UNDER RECALL NO. 19V817000. FIAT'S REPLACEMENT CABLE/BUSHING LASTED THREE SHIFTS. SHIFTED INTO DRIVE TO LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP. SHIFTED INTO PARK AT HOME. SHIFTED INTO DRIVE ON NEXT USE AND THE CABLE WAS DETACHED. FIAT'S SOLUTION IS NOT AN IMPROVEMENT. COMPARING THE REPLACEMENT BUSHING WITH THE OLD BUSHING, THERE ISN'T ANY DIFFERENCE THAT WILL PREVENT THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED WE WERE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET FROM REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPORT AND THE CABLE BUSHING FAILING WHEN WE WENT TO PUT IT IN DRIVE. THE REPAID UNDER 19V817000 IS NOT A CORRECTIVE REPAIR.
NHTSA ODI #11317681
113,048 miles · Feb 21, 2020
Power TrainUnknown Or Other
ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 MY 2012 FIAT 500 BEGAN TO EMIT A STRONG ODOR. I THOUGHT THE CAR WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. THE CAR ALSO MADE A LOUD, SCREECHING AND GRINDING NOISE. WHEN I ARRIVED SAFELY TO MY DESTINATION, A FEW MINUTES AWAY, I STOPPED AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I HAD TO CANCEL A HAIR APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL COMF…
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ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 MY 2012 FIAT 500 BEGAN TO EMIT A STRONG ODOR. I THOUGHT THE CAR WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. THE CAR ALSO MADE A LOUD, SCREECHING AND GRINDING NOISE. WHEN I ARRIVED SAFELY TO MY DESTINATION, A FEW MINUTES AWAY, I STOPPED AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I HAD TO CANCEL A HAIR APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE DISTANCE IN THE VEHICLE. ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2019 I TOOK MY CAR INTO A FIAT CHRYSLER DODGE RAM JEEP DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND FREE BASIC INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY ALSO HEARD THE NOISE COMING FROM THE CLUTCH AREA BUT NEEDED TO PERFORM AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSTIC. I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY AT THE TIME SO I WAITED UNTIL JANUARY 2, 2020 TO HAVE THE DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND WHILE MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP I TOOK LYFT RIDESHARE FOR TRANSPORTATION AS I DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR. THE CAR STAYED IN THE SHOP OVER THE WEEKEND AND I WAS ABLE TO PICK IT UP ON MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020. THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO A RECALL FCA # S34, NHTSA# 16V-302 THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE YEARS BEFORE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RESOLVED FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT I WAS HAVING SIMILAR AND WORSE PROBLEMS, WHICH ARE DUE TO THE PREVIOUS FAULTY CAR PART. THE FIAT HAS ONLY $113K MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A HONDA CIVIC (GAINED OVER 200K MILES) AND A CHEVY AVEO AND NEITHER CAR HAD THIS ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED HAD I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. THE CLUTCH COULD HAVE STOPPED ALL TOGETHER AND WE COULD HAVE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED ON THE INTERSTATE OR STREET TRAFFIC. EVEN WITH THE REPAIRS I AM NO LONGER CONFIDENT IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE DECLARED A LEMON.
NHTSA ODI #11310612
Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 2020
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V817000 (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 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF BURLI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V817000 (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 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF BURLINGAME LOCATED AT (2 CALIFORNIA DR SUITE A, BURLINGAME, CA 94010) BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PART DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECTS. *DT *JB*DT*JB
NHTSA ODI #11309799
Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2020
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V817000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR 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 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTO NAT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V817000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR 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 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTO NATION FIAT NORTH DENVER LOCATED AT (749 W 104TH AVE SUITE 100, NORTHGLENN, CO 80234 303-578-6121) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA ODI #11308798
78,500 miles · Feb 12, 2020
Unknown Or Other
CAR WILL NOT START AND WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. LIGHTS ARE ALL ON, AND CHECKED BATTERY AND ALL IS FINE. BEING TOLD IT IS THE GEAR SHIFT MODULE. TIME/DATE: 6:45 AM 02/08/20 VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.
NHTSA ODI #11308690
42,000 miles · Feb 10, 2020
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500 SPORT HATCHBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE RIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SMOOTH. THE CONTACT THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS AN ODOR OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF BU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500 SPORT HATCHBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE RIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SMOOTH. THE CONTACT THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS AN ODOR OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF BURLINGAME LOCATED AT 2 CALIFORNIA DR SUITE A BURLINGAME, CA 94010, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE PCV VALVE SEAL AND ALSO REPAIRED THE CABLE SHIFTER IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.
NHTSA ODI #11308291
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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