2014 Fiat 500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2014 Fiat 500 has 172 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (39% of all complaints), specifically: car does not shift from park to drive. instrument panel relays many warnings (gear not available, transmission warning, seek service) and check engine light comes on. this is occurring daily now and fiat does not have a fix. codes can be cleared by the dealership and the transmission module is whe. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.

8 fire reports 8 crash reports 8 injuries

172

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

67 complaints

39%

• CAR DOES NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. INSTRUMENT PANEL RELAYS MANY WARNINGS (GEAR NOT AVAILABLE, TRANSMISSION WARNING, SEEK SERVICE) AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS OCCURRING DAILY NOW AND FIAT DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. CODES CAN BE CLEARED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE IS WHE
• WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE SINCE BEFORE CHRISTMAS WITH OUR NEW FIAT 500. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON, AND ONCE IN A WHILE THE SHIFTER PANEL LIGHTS FLASHING FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT WHILE WE WAITED FOR PARTS. IT
• WHILE IN MOTION, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR -- UP OR DOWN. I ALSO TRIED SHIFTING MANUALLY WITHOUT SUCCESS. I STOPPED VEHICLE ON SIDE OF ROAD. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT START -- NO ENGINE CRANKING. AFTER 10 MINUTES, SOMETHING WAS FELT DISENGAGING AND VEHICLE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“CAR DOES NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. INSTRUMENT PANEL RELAYS MANY WARNINGS (GEAR NOT AVAILABLE, TRANSMISSION WARNING, SEEK SERVICE) AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS OCCURRING DAILY NOW AND FIAT DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. CODES CAN BE CLEARED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE IS WHE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

22 complaints

13%

• AFTER A WEEK, CAR MIL STARTED TO BLINK , BUT MANUAL MENTIONS IT CAN BE DRIVE AND COMPUTER MAY RESET ITSELF, BUT THEN MALFUNCTION LAMP WAS ON ALL TIME , AND THEN CAR STARTED TO STALL , TO STOP COMPLETELY . STARTED CAR JUST TO PARK IT, THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM EXHAUST WHEN REVERSING . IMMEDIATELY T
• ON DECEMBER 26TH MY KEY WAS NO LONGER RECOGNIZED BY THE FIAT IGNITION SYSTEM. I CALLED HOME, HAD A SPARE DELIVERED, AND THE SPARE STARTED THE CAR UP. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TWO WEEKS LATER THE KEY WAS REPLACED. ON FEBRUARY 14TH I ONCE AGAIN HAD THE SAME ISSUE WHERE THE IGNITION SYSTEM WOULD NO
• HAD CAR FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND AFTER COMING HOME FROM VACATION, 1 WEEK, BATTERY TOTALLY DEAD. AFTER AAA ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE BATTERY 3 TIMES IT FINALLY CHARGED UP BUT WAS TOLD TO DRIVE DIRECTLY TO DEALERSHIP. I GOT ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HOME WHEN CAR AGAIN DIED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD BUT WAS ABLE TO STEER T

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“AFTER A WEEK, CAR MIL STARTED TO BLINK , BUT MANUAL MENTIONS IT CAN BE DRIVE AND COMPUTER MAY RESET ITSELF, BUT THEN MALFUNCTION LAMP WAS ON ALL TIME , AND THEN CAR STARTED TO STALL , TO STOP COMPLETELY . STARTED CAR JUST TO PARK IT, THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM EXHAUST WHEN REVERSING . IMMEDIATELY T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

20 complaints

12%

• TODAY IS THE 30TH DAY OF THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR AND HAVEN'T MAKE A PAYMENT YET. WHILE DRIVING IN THE NORMAL MORNING COMMUTE TRAFFIC AT 5 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR AND MAKING FREQUENT STOPS DUE TO THE TRAFFIC JAM, SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE AIR VENT. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT THE VENT WAS OPEN TO THE
• AFTER A WEEK, CAR MIL STARTED TO BLINK , BUT MANUAL MENTIONS IT CAN BE DRIVE AND COMPUTER MAY RESET ITSELF, BUT THEN MALFUNCTION LAMP WAS ON ALL TIME , AND THEN CAR STARTED TO STALL , TO STOP COMPLETELY . STARTED CAR JUST TO PARK IT, THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM EXHAUST WHEN REVERSING . IMMEDIATELY T
• CAR DOES NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. INSTRUMENT PANEL RELAYS MANY WARNINGS (GEAR NOT AVAILABLE, TRANSMISSION WARNING, SEEK SERVICE) AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS OCCURRING DAILY NOW AND FIAT DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. CODES CAN BE CLEARED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE IS WHE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“TODAY IS THE 30TH DAY OF THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR AND HAVEN'T MAKE A PAYMENT YET. WHILE DRIVING IN THE NORMAL MORNING COMMUTE TRAFFIC AT 5 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR AND MAKING FREQUENT STOPS DUE TO THE TRAFFIC JAM, SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE AIR VENT. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT THE VENT WAS OPEN TO THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

16 complaints

• INTERMITTENT NO CRANK NO START, WHEN TURNING THE KEY TI TO START THE CAR THE ENGINE DOES NOT ENGAGE ON THE FIRST TRY. YOU CAN HEAR THE CLICKING OF THE STARTER AND ALL ELECTRONICS POWER UP BUT ENGINE DOES NOT ENGAGE AND START, SIMILAR TO NOT HAVING ENOUGH COMPRESSION IN THE ENGINE. AS TIME PASSES THE
• AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT STAY COLD NO MATTER WHAT SPEED, STOPPED, FACING OR NOT FACING THE SUN, RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC OR NOT RUSH HOUR, ON FREEWAY OR SURFACE STREETS. AIR IS COLD AND AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES BECOMES HUMID AND COOL, NOT COLD. IT DISPLAYS SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AS IS IF THE CONDENSER IS ICING OVE
• AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT STAY COLD NO MATTER WHAT SPEED, STOPPED, FACING OR NOT FACING THE SUN, RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC OR NOT RUSH HOUR, ON FREEWAY OR SURFACE STREETS. AIR IS COLD AND AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES BECOMES HUMID AND COOL, NOT COLD. IT DISPLAYS SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AS IS IF THE CONDENSER IS ICING OVE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“INTERMITTENT NO CRANK NO START, WHEN TURNING THE KEY TI TO START THE CAR THE ENGINE DOES NOT ENGAGE ON THE FIRST TRY. YOU CAN HEAR THE CLICKING OF THE STARTER AND ALL ELECTRONICS POWER UP BUT ENGINE DOES NOT ENGAGE AND START, SIMILAR TO NOT HAVING ENOUGH COMPRESSION IN THE ENGINE. AS TIME PASSES THE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

7 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, WOULD EXPERIENCE JERKY MOVEMENTS WHILE THE CAR SHIFTED IN 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD GEARS, BOTH ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION LOCKING WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK, NEEDING TO LET THE CAR SIT AND THEN RESTARTING IT. HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH SLUGGISH 1
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SLOWED DOWN TO 5 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THEN
• CAR STALL ON THE HIGHWAY 3 TIMES, TOOK THE CAR TO FIAT DEALER FOUND NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR, NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THIS CAR. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT A SPEED OF 65 MILES AND THE CAR STALL COMPLETELY. MANUFACTURER AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYING CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT DID NOT FIND THE PROBLEM.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, WOULD EXPERIENCE JERKY MOVEMENTS WHILE THE CAR SHIFTED IN 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD GEARS, BOTH ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION LOCKING WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK, NEEDING TO LET THE CAR SIT AND THEN RESTARTING IT. HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH SLUGGISH 1”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 172 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: CAR DOES NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. INSTRUMENT PANEL RELAYS MANY WARNINGS (GEAR NOT AVAILABLE, TRANSMISSION WARNING, SEEK SERVICE) AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS OCCURRING DAILY NOW AND FIAT DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. CODES CAN BE CLEARED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE IS WHE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: AFTER A WEEK, CAR MIL STARTED TO BLINK , BUT MANUAL MENTIONS IT CAN BE DRIVE AND COMPUTER MAY RESET ITSELF, BUT THEN MALFUNCTION LAMP WAS ON ALL TIME , AND THEN CAR STARTED TO STALL , TO STOP COMPLETELY . STARTED CAR JUST TO PARK IT, THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM EXHAUST WHEN REVERSING . IMMEDIATELY T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TODAY IS THE 30TH DAY OF THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR AND HAVEN'T MAKE A PAYMENT YET. WHILE DRIVING IN THE NORMAL MORNING COMMUTE TRAFFIC AT 5 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR AND MAKING FREQUENT STOPS DUE TO THE TRAFFIC JAM, SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE AIR VENT. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT THE VENT WAS OPEN TO THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: INTERMITTENT NO CRANK NO START, WHEN TURNING THE KEY TI TO START THE CAR THE ENGINE DOES NOT ENGAGE ON THE FIRST TRY. YOU CAN HEAR THE CLICKING OF THE STARTER AND ALL ELECTRONICS POWER UP BUT ENGINE DOES NOT ENGAGE AND START, SIMILAR TO NOT HAVING ENOUGH COMPRESSION IN THE ENGINE. AS TIME PASSES THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)