Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
660–25K
2425–50K
850–75K
275–100K
2100–150K
2150K+
104 reports with mileage · 20 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 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports7 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
124 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 31, 2017
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 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 RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CON…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 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 RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA ODI #10969719
4 miles · Mar 18, 2017
Vehicle Speed Control
CAR HESITATES, UPON ACCELERATES AT TIMES. THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. SO THEY REFUSED REPAIR.
NHTSA ODI #10966644
10 miles · Feb 8, 2017
Power Train
FIAT TOLD ME THE PROBLEM RELATED TO THE PRESSURE PLATE WHICH IS NOT RELATED TO THE SAFETY RECALL THAT FIAT ISSUED TO CONSUMER IN 2016. ALSO, THE FAIL SYMPTOM IS THE GEAR IS FAILED TO PROPULSION WHEN ONLY ENGINE IS ON BUT ITS NOT WHEN ENGINE IS OFF. FIAT TECHNICIAN DENY THIS CAUSE BY THE DEFECT OF THE CLUTCH DESIGN. MAY I HAVE EX…
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FIAT TOLD ME THE PROBLEM RELATED TO THE PRESSURE PLATE WHICH IS NOT RELATED TO THE SAFETY RECALL THAT FIAT ISSUED TO CONSUMER IN 2016. ALSO, THE FAIL SYMPTOM IS THE GEAR IS FAILED TO PROPULSION WHEN ONLY ENGINE IS ON BUT ITS NOT WHEN ENGINE IS OFF. FIAT TECHNICIAN DENY THIS CAUSE BY THE DEFECT OF THE CLUTCH DESIGN. MAY I HAVE EXPERT TO PROVIDE THE ADVICE ON THIS.
NHTSA ODI #10950385
60,000 miles · Jan 25, 2017
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO FIRST GEAR USING THE CLUTCH, THE RPMS INCREASED AND A BURNING ODOR OCCURRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD GAIN POWER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR, IT FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY DUE TO THE CLUTCH SLIPPING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO FIRST GEAR USING THE CLUTCH, THE RPMS INCREASED AND A BURNING ODOR OCCURRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD GAIN POWER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR, IT FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY DUE TO THE CLUTCH SLIPPING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE AND/OR DISK FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
NHTSA ODI #10947651
34,000 miles · Jan 23, 2017
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
UNDER COLD CONDITIONS (25 DEGREES F) AND FIRST STARTUP OF THE DAY, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IN CITY DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE RESPONSE WILL STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE ISSUE TYPICALLY OCCURS AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND THEN DRIVING IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR TO EXIT RESIDENCE AND…
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UNDER COLD CONDITIONS (25 DEGREES F) AND FIRST STARTUP OF THE DAY, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IN CITY DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE RESPONSE WILL STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE ISSUE TYPICALLY OCCURS AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING IN SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND THEN DRIVING IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR TO EXIT RESIDENCE AND ENTER TRAFFIC. UPON STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN, AND THEN PROCEEDING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE WILL MALFUNCTION AND THE GAS PEDAL WILL NOT RESPOND WHEN PRESSED. THE RPMS WILL DROP TO ABOUT 1300RPMS AND ENTER WHAT FEELS LIKE LIMP MODE MOMENTARILY UNTIL THE GAS PEDAL IS PUMPED A FEW TIMES AND THEN IT WILL RESUME ACCELERATING AS NORMAL. NO ERROR CODES ARE THROWN AND THE LOCAL FIAT STUDIO CANNOT GET THE ERROR TO DUPLICATE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHILE ENTERING INTO TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE. 2014 FIAT 500L TREKKING WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS HAS HAPPENED EACH WINTER I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE. VIDEO EVIDENCE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO FIAT WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10947026
41,000 miles · Jan 11, 2017
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
THE FIAT 500L 2014 MODEL SUDDENLY LOSES POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN TRAFFIC. THERE IS NO ACCELERATION. ONCE THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED IT SEEMS TO BE FINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID HE COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. HE DID SUGGEST THIS MAY BE AN ELECTRIC CONTROL UNIT ERROR…
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THE FIAT 500L 2014 MODEL SUDDENLY LOSES POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN TRAFFIC. THERE IS NO ACCELERATION. ONCE THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED IT SEEMS TO BE FINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID HE COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. HE DID SUGGEST THIS MAY BE AN ELECTRIC CONTROL UNIT ERROR WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. APPARENTLY, THIS IS NOT AN EASY FAULT TO IDENTIFY. IF THIS IS THE SOURCE (ECU) IT IS DETECTING AN ERROR WHEN NONE EXISTS. IT IS TELLING THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER OR STOP TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. IN NONE OF THE THREE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE CAR LOST POWER WAS THERE ANY NEAR COLLISION. IN THE FIRST OCCASION, I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A CITY STREET AT A LOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST IT TO THE CURB. AFTER TURNING IT OFF AND RESTARTING IT, IT RAN FINE. IN THE SECOND INCIDENCE ABOUT ONE WEEK LATER, I WAS IN VERY HEAVY DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC IN TAMPA WHEN IT LOST POWER. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND AGAIN IT RAN FINE. IN THE THIRD INSTANCE, I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A CITY STREET AT A LOW SPEED. THE CAR AGAIN LOST POWER. I TURNED IT OFF. IT RESTARTED AND RAN FINE TO GET ME HOME. I AM NOW FEARFUL OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND WILL BE HAVING IT TOWED TO A FIAT DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CONCUR THAT THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT ERROR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10944471
40,000 miles · Jan 6, 2017
Air BagsCrashInjury
IN MOTION ON A HIGH WAY HIT CAR, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED GIVING ME EXTREME LEG TRAUMA THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE EACH DAY. THE PAIN IS VERY SEVERE. NONE OF THE MEDICAL CARE PERSONNEL HAS SEE SUCH BAD LEG TRAUMA. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10940118
Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 2016
Structure
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (STRUCTURE: BODY) WAS RECEIVED IN JUNE. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (STRUCTURE: BODY) WAS RECEIVED IN JUNE. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE PROVIDED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10936423
26,640 miles · Dec 16, 2016
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO THE NEUTRAL GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, BUT THERE WERE NO FAILURE CODES TO VERIFY THE SPECIFIC ISSUE WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO THE NEUTRAL GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, BUT THERE WERE NO FAILURE CODES TO VERIFY THE SPECIFIC ISSUE WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,640.
NHTSA ODI #10935644
26,000 miles · Nov 29, 2016
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE ACTUATOR CLUTCH RELEASE, THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE AND THE DISC WERE REPLACED. THE CON…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE ACTUATOR CLUTCH RELEASE, THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE AND THE DISC WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES LATER, THE FAILURE REOCCURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED A HEAD CYLINDER FAILURE AND WAS REPAIRED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not illuminate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module, free of charge. Owners were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 80B.
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 (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Fiat 500 battery electric vehicles manufactured March 8, 2013, to March 7, 2015. The Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) of the affected vehicles may set a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) that may cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift to neutral.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the vehicle unexpectedly shifts to neutral, the loss of drive could increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the EVCU, free of charge. The recall began June 19, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R20.
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.
2014 Fiat 500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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