2014 Fiat 500L
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2014 Fiat 500L has 268 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (46% of all complaints), specifically: when stopped on a upward slope and i take my foot off the brake the vehicle rolls backwards 15 feet or more until i step on the brake again. it has an automatic transmission therefore this should not be happening. i would understand if the vehicle were in neutral or had a manual transmission, but . ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.
268
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
3.4x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
TRANSMISSION
123 complaints- • WHEN STOPPED ON A UPWARD SLOPE AND I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS 15 FEET OR MORE UNTIL I STEP ON THE BRAKE AGAIN. IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THEREFORE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN NEUTRAL OR HAD A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, BUT
- • FIRST INCIDENT IN JAN. 2014 DEAD BATTERY, SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE WAITING IN DRIVE THROUGH LINE FOR FOOD. CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL HORRIBLE. PEOPLE CAME RUNNING TO ME TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF CAR BECAUSE IT COULD BLOW UP. STEERING LOCKED . NEEDED TO START CAR AGAIN TO PUT INTO NEUT
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500L. THE CONTACT WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V103000 (TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER). THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED UP A HILL, DOWN A HILL OR FLAT LAND THE GEARS SLIPPED FORWARD IN DRIVE AND BACKWARD WHILE IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT A
“WHEN STOPPED ON A UPWARD SLOPE AND I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS 15 FEET OR MORE UNTIL I STEP ON THE BRAKE AGAIN. IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THEREFORE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN NEUTRAL OR HAD A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, BUT ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
31 complaints- • THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT IT THREE WEEKS AGO. THE FIRST TIME I WAS GOING THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH AND THE CAR JUST COUGHED AND TURNED OVER AND THEN STALLED. IT WAS FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS WAITING AT A LIGHT AND P
- • AUTO DUAL DRY CLUTCH TRANSMISSION. MANUFACTURED 7/2013, PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALER 1/14. CAR SHUDDERED AND HESITATED ON THE TEST DRIVE. TOLD IT WOULD SMOOTH OUT BECAUSE IT WAS AN ADAPTIVE TRANSMISSION. CONTINUED TO SHUDDER, HESITATE AND LURCH. BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER 3 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE.
- • 10 INCIDENTS SO FAR! 1: THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. DROVE CAR AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. BACKFIRES ON ACCELERATION. 2: SAME ISSUE DAYS AFTER 'REPAIR' COMPLETED. THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY 3: SAME ISSUE AS #1 WEEKS AFTER 'REPAIR'
“THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT IT THREE WEEKS AGO. THE FIRST TIME I WAS GOING THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH AND THE CAR JUST COUGHED AND TURNED OVER AND THEN STALLED. IT WAS FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS WAITING AT A LIGHT AND P”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
25 complaints- • FIRST INCIDENT IN JAN. 2014 DEAD BATTERY, SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE WAITING IN DRIVE THROUGH LINE FOR FOOD. CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL HORRIBLE. PEOPLE CAME RUNNING TO ME TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF CAR BECAUSE IT COULD BLOW UP. STEERING LOCKED . NEEDED TO START CAR AGAIN TO PUT INTO NEUT
- • LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. NO ACCELERATION AND ETC LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE SHUT OFF AND RE-STARTED IN ORDER TO BE MOBILE. VERY DANGEROUS!!!! FIAT RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND TRIED REPEATEDLY WITH ALL FAILED ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *TR
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500L. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART NEEDED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE T
“FIRST INCIDENT IN JAN. 2014 DEAD BATTERY, SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE WAITING IN DRIVE THROUGH LINE FOR FOOD. CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL HORRIBLE. PEOPLE CAME RUNNING TO ME TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF CAR BECAUSE IT COULD BLOW UP. STEERING LOCKED . NEEDED TO START CAR AGAIN TO PUT INTO NEUT”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
21 complaints- • WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF RT. 50 E IN ANNAPOLIS MD, I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. THE CAR BECAME CONSUMED WITH A STRONG BURNING ODOR. AS TRAFFIC BEGAN TO MOVE, I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON BRIEFLY. SINCE THE CAR HA
- • TWICE DRIVING ON FREEWAY WE PUSH GAS PEDAL DOWN TO ACCELERATE AND CAR DOES NOTHING, WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS GOING TO STOP OR ?? SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN WE'RE DRIVING AND WANT TO SPEED UP AND FOR EXAMPLE PASS A CAR OR GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT BUT THE LONGER I DRIVE
- • FOLLOW UP ON THE FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES US LLC RECALL T19/NHTSA 17V-192. *LD THE CONSUMER WAS FOLLOWING UP ON RECALL T19/NHTSA 17V-192. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT NOTICE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED 3 TIMES EACH TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS
“WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF RT. 50 E IN ANNAPOLIS MD, I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. THE CAR BECAME CONSUMED WITH A STRONG BURNING ODOR. AS TRAFFIC BEGAN TO MOVE, I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON BRIEFLY. SINCE THE CAR HA”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
17 complaints- • THE CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE REVS HIGH WHILE GIVING GAS AS IF IT WAS NEUTRAL GEAR. LOSES POWER ON THE FREEWAY. FEELS LIKE IT SLIPS OUT IF GEAR. IT'S HARD TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. *TR
- • DRIVING THE CAR IN 70 DEGREE TEMPERATURE. DROVE THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 3MILES FROM OUR HOME TO A DRIVE THROUGH TO GET A DRINK. THE CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN SMOKING EXTENSIVELY FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, SMELLED OF SOMETHING BURNING THEN DIED. WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR STARTED LONG ENOUGH TO MOVE IT FROM TH
- • THE RADIO DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT EVERY FIAT HE HAS SEEN HAS THIS PROBLEM AND TO SEE IF IT HAS BEEN RECALLED. I AM NOT ABLE TO USE THE CAMERA ON THE CAR, THE RADIO AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ON MY DASH BOARD BECAUSE NONE OF THE RADIO IS WORKING. THE LIGHTS INSID
“THE CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE REVS HIGH WHILE GIVING GAS AS IF IT WAS NEUTRAL GEAR. LOSES POWER ON THE FREEWAY. FEELS LIKE IT SLIPS OUT IF GEAR. IT'S HARD TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 268 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐TRANSMISSION: WHEN STOPPED ON A UPWARD SLOPE AND I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS 15 FEET OR MORE UNTIL I STEP ON THE BRAKE AGAIN. IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THEREFORE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN NEUTRAL OR HAD A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, BUT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT IT THREE WEEKS AGO. THE FIRST TIME I WAS GOING THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH AND THE CAR JUST COUGHED AND TURNED OVER AND THEN STALLED. IT WAS FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS WAITING AT A LIGHT AND P
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: FIRST INCIDENT IN JAN. 2014 DEAD BATTERY, SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE WAITING IN DRIVE THROUGH LINE FOR FOOD. CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL HORRIBLE. PEOPLE CAME RUNNING TO ME TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF CAR BECAUSE IT COULD BLOW UP. STEERING LOCKED . NEEDED TO START CAR AGAIN TO PUT INTO NEUT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF RT. 50 E IN ANNAPOLIS MD, I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. THE CAR BECAME CONSUMED WITH A STRONG BURNING ODOR. AS TRAFFIC BEGAN TO MOVE, I SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON BRIEFLY. SINCE THE CAR HA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Fiat 500L — Year Comparison
How does 2014 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 268
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 6
- Crash reports
- 5
- Injury reports
- 1
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2014 Fiat 500L