Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
270–25K
1625–50K
1050–75K
475–100K
1100–150K
1150K+
59 reports with mileage · 33 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 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
92 reports
16,119 miles · Apr 3, 2017
Wheels
I HAVE REPLACED 2 CONTIPROCONTACT 195/45/16 TIRES ON MY FIAT 500. BOTH DEVELOPED BUBBLES IN THE SIDE WALLS. FIRST ON 1/30/2017 AT 16119 MILES. SECOND ONE ON 3/22/2017 AT 18818. BOTH WERE THE FRONT WHEELS AND NOTICED CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE . REPLACED BOTH FOR SAFETY REASONS. THIRD TIRE SEEMS TO BE DEVELOPING A BUBBLE AS WELL. …
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I HAVE REPLACED 2 CONTIPROCONTACT 195/45/16 TIRES ON MY FIAT 500. BOTH DEVELOPED BUBBLES IN THE SIDE WALLS. FIRST ON 1/30/2017 AT 16119 MILES. SECOND ONE ON 3/22/2017 AT 18818. BOTH WERE THE FRONT WHEELS AND NOTICED CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE . REPLACED BOTH FOR SAFETY REASONS. THIRD TIRE SEEMS TO BE DEVELOPING A BUBBLE AS WELL. I AM AT 19225 MILES NOW. WORRIED FIRSTLY ABOUT SAFETY SECONDLY EXPENSES OF REPLACEMENT. ALL TIRES ARE ORIGINAL TO CAR BOUGHT NEW EXACTLY 1 YEAR AGO . THANKFULLY CAUGHT BEFORE ON THE ROAD.
NHTSA ODI #10970325
24,500 miles · Mar 17, 2017
Seats
ARM REST SNAPPED APART WHILE DRIVER WAS ADJUSTING SEATING POSITION WITH ELBOW ON THE ARM REST. THERE IS A NOW SHARP METAL BAR PROTRUDING FROM THE PLASTIC INTO THE DRIVER ELBOW AREA. CHRYSLER/FIAT DEALERSHIP SAID THIS DEFECT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD COST $182 TO REPAIR. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MINOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT SH…
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ARM REST SNAPPED APART WHILE DRIVER WAS ADJUSTING SEATING POSITION WITH ELBOW ON THE ARM REST. THERE IS A NOW SHARP METAL BAR PROTRUDING FROM THE PLASTIC INTO THE DRIVER ELBOW AREA. CHRYSLER/FIAT DEALERSHIP SAID THIS DEFECT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD COST $182 TO REPAIR. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MINOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE COVERED UNDER THE FIAT WARRANTY.
NHTSA ODI #10966451
8,000 miles · Mar 3, 2017
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PARTS REPLACED WERE UNKNOWN. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMP…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PARTS REPLACED WERE UNKNOWN. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD A WARNING LIGHT HOWEVER WAS UNSURE WHAT THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATED. THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO COME INTO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.
NHTSA ODI #10958404
5,000 miles · Feb 5, 2017
Unknown Or Other
FIAT SENT A SAFETY RECALL FOR MANUAL TRANSAXLE CLUTCH PEDAL IN NOVEMBER, AND AGAIN IN LATE JANUARY BUT WE MOVED TO ALASKA LAST SUMMER AND NOW LIVE IN JUNEAU, ALASKA WHICH IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY BOAT OR PLANE AND IS 500 MILES FROM THE NEAREST FIAT DEALER--EITHER IN BELLINGHAM, WA, OR IN ANCHORAGE, AK NHTSA RECALL SITE SAYS THAT R…
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FIAT SENT A SAFETY RECALL FOR MANUAL TRANSAXLE CLUTCH PEDAL IN NOVEMBER, AND AGAIN IN LATE JANUARY BUT WE MOVED TO ALASKA LAST SUMMER AND NOW LIVE IN JUNEAU, ALASKA WHICH IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY BOAT OR PLANE AND IS 500 MILES FROM THE NEAREST FIAT DEALER--EITHER IN BELLINGHAM, WA, OR IN ANCHORAGE, AK NHTSA RECALL SITE SAYS THAT RECALL WAS ISSUED MAY 10 2016; HAD WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MAY OR JUNE, WE COULD HAVE HAD THE REPAIRS DONE IN ALBUQUERQUE, AS WE DID NOT LEAVE ALBUQUERQUE UNTIL JULY. THERE IS A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP IN JUNEAU, AND I CALLED THEIR REPAIR SHOP NUMBER, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A CALL BACK. I DON'T KNOW IF FIAT COULD SEND THE PART AND INSTRUCTIONS TO THEM TO DO THE REPAIR OR NOT AND FCA DID NOT OFFER THAT AS A SOLUTION; THEY WANT ME TO INCUR THE EXPENSE OF FERRY PLUS FUEL ETC. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT SHOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY
NHTSA ODI #10949653
8,700 miles · Jan 3, 2017
Equipment
SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR A YEAR AGO I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE RADIO SUDDENLY INCREASING VOLUME TO MAXIMUM STARTLING ME. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS OR HIGHWAYS, OR STATIONARY. IT CAN HAPPEN JUST ONCE AT A RANDOM TIME OR MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT T…
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SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR A YEAR AGO I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE RADIO SUDDENLY INCREASING VOLUME TO MAXIMUM STARTLING ME. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS OR HIGHWAYS, OR STATIONARY. IT CAN HAPPEN JUST ONCE AT A RANDOM TIME OR MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO THEM. THEY STATE THEY NEED A FIX FROM FIAT WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED YET EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME. THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT FIAT AMERICA AND THEIR ATTITUDE WAS THAT IS WAS THE DEALER'S PROBLEM. I JUST WANT THIS FIXED BEFORE I AM INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN BLAST OF NOISE AT A BAD TIME. IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS ON RADIO STATIONS THAT DISPLAY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BEYOND THE FREQUENCY. THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGES TO THE CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND IT ONLY HAS 8700 MILES ON IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10939282
300 miles · Dec 16, 2016
Power Train
SINCE THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR I HAVE BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY IN SWITCHING TO THE 4TH GEAR. MOST OF THE TIMES I HAVE TO APPLY CONSIDERABLY MORE PRESSURE THAN OTHER GEARS TO SWITCH TO AND USE THE 4TH GEAR. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED TO THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED CLUTCH PROBLEMS. I GOT A RECALL LETTER AND IS SCHEDULED TO G…
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SINCE THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR I HAVE BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY IN SWITCHING TO THE 4TH GEAR. MOST OF THE TIMES I HAVE TO APPLY CONSIDERABLY MORE PRESSURE THAN OTHER GEARS TO SWITCH TO AND USE THE 4TH GEAR. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELATED TO THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED CLUTCH PROBLEMS. I GOT A RECALL LETTER AND IS SCHEDULED TO GET MY CAR SERVICED SOON. I AM HOPING THAT THIS WILL ALSO FIX THE 4TH GEAR PROBLEM. THOUGH THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THIS IS A SEPARATE PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10935632
Mileage unknown · Nov 23, 2016
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER; HOWEVER, ONCE HE ARRIVED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE A…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER; HOWEVER, ONCE HE ARRIVED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA ODI #10927668
Mileage unknown · Oct 20, 2016
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. 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…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. 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. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10917537
32,000 miles · Oct 14, 2016
Electrical System
SOFTWARE RECALL.
NHTSA ODI #10916149
Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2016
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 200C (NA). THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH THE VOICE RECOGNITION AND RADIO. ALSO, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFTER STATED IT WAS IN PARK. THE VEHICLE SEIZED IN THE DRIVE POSITION. THE FAILURES OCCURRED BE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 200C (NA). THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH THE VOICE RECOGNITION AND RADIO. ALSO, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFTER STATED IT WAS IN PARK. THE VEHICLE SEIZED IN THE DRIVE POSITION. THE FAILURES OCCURRED BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
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.
2015 Fiat 500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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