Power Train. Review the 200 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports4 fire reports16 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

63 reports

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24,781 miles · Mar 18, 2017

Electrical System

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TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR DOES NOT FUNCTION OR RESET. THE CAR IS NOT ABLE TO MEASURE THE TIRE PRESSURE, IT STATES UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS SAID TO RESET IT, BUT UPON DRIVING IT WOULD RESET.. HOWEVER, IT NEVER DID. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM ALTHOUGH CAR WAS JUST PURCHASED WITHIN 2 WEEKS TO BE EXACT. THE MONITOR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE LOW OR HIGH PRESSURE ON TIRES, AND THE CAR IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN EMERGENCY TIRE. MECHANICS SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS YEAR CAR, AND WHILE SITTING WAITING FOR ANOTHER SERVICE, SEVERAL PEOPLE SEEM TO COMPLAIN FOR THE SAME ISSUE. MONITOR NOT WORKING, BUT EVERYONE WAS OFFERED TO BE RESET FOR A PRICE, WEBSITE DOES NOT HELP, MOPAR WILL NOT SET IT, AND THE MECHANICS WILL CHARGE, BUT THE RESET DOES NOT WORK NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.

NHTSA ODI #10966700

187,903 miles · Mar 8, 2017

Electrical SystemPower TrainUnknown Or Other

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I CALLED CHRYSLER PHONE NUMBER 800-992-1997 AROUND 6:30PM-7:00PM ON 03/05/2017 TO INFORM THEM THAT MY 2012 FIAT 500 POP 2DOOR HATCHBACK NERO BLACK HAS A PROBLEM THE REVERSE HAS STOP WORKING! I WAS INFORMED THAT I WOULD NEED TO TAKE THE CAR TO KEN GARFF FIAT IN SALT LAKE CITY UTAH! I EXPLAINED THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE CAR TO LARRY H. MILLER CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP IN SANDY UTAH. I ASK CHRYSLER IF THEY WOULD RELEASE THE PARTS TO FIX MY REVERSE TO LARRY H. MILLER CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP. I WAS TOLD I MUST TAKE THE VEHICLE TO KEN GARFF FIAT OF SALT LAKE CITY. I THEN EXPLAINED REFUSING TO RELEASE THE PARTS FOR MY FIAT TO ANYONE BUT KEN GARFF FIAT WAS NOT LEGAL! THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT REPLY BY SAYING: "I DON'T NO ANYTHING ABOUT BEING LEGAL. ...... MY REPLY WAS "OH THAT'S FOR SURE!"

NHTSA ODI #10959483

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2017

Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

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ON FEB 11TH 2017 I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A CHYSLER DODGE JEEP DEALER IN SANDY UTAH (LHM) I ASK THEM IF THEY COULD REPAIR MY VEHICLE. THEY SAID YES SO I AUTHORIZED LARRY H MILLER CHYSLER DODGE JEEP TO WORK ON MY VEHILCE. KEN GARFF FIAT REFUSED TO GIVE THE PARTS TO LARRY H MILLER AND BACKED THE DEALERSHIP INTO A CORNER MAKING LARRY H MILLER TAKE THE CAR TO KEN GARFF FIAT AT 198 E 500 S IN SALT LAKE CITY UTAH AND I KNOW FOR FACT KEN GARFF REFUSED TO GIVE LARRY H. MILLER THE PARTS FOR THE VEHILCE BECAUSE KEN GARFF FIAT LIKES TO FORCE EVERYONE TO COME TO THEIR DEALERSHIP WELL KEN GARFF HAD THE VEHILCE TOWED TO THEM AND KEPT THE VEHILCE FROM 12NOON UNTIL 5PM STATING THEY HAD NOT STARTED WORK ON THE VEHILCE AND THEY HAD PLANS TO WORK ON THE VEHILCE OVER NIGHT WHEN THE SHOP WAS CLOSED I TOLD KEN GARFF THEY WILL NOT BE WORKING ON MY VEHILCE OVER NIGHT AND NOT TO TOUCH MY CAR WELL NOW MY CAR IS SETTING ON KEN GARFF LOT WITH NOT ONE PIECE OF PAPERWORK THAT SAYS KEN GARFF CAN TOUCH MY VEHILCE AND IF THEY TRY TO LIE AND SAY THEY DO THEN THEY HAVE FORGED MY SIGNATURE. I HAD MY PLATES REMOVED FROM THE CAR I CONTACTED LARRY H MILLER AND TOLD THEM ON 02/15/2017 THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO LARRY H MILLER. THE RECALL IS STILL NOT COMPLETE AND KEN GARFF REFUSES TO GIVE THE PROPER PARTS SO ANOTHER CHYSLER DEALERSHIP CAN WORK ON THE VEHILCE ........... I WANT TO NOTE THAT LARRY H MILLER CHYSLER DODGE JEEP IS WONDERFUL AND I AM BEING TREATED WITH RESPECT BY LARRY H. MILLER CHRYSLER DOGE JEEP AND THEIR STAFF....... HOWEVER THE RECALL WORK IS STILL INCOMPLETE BECAUSE KEN GARFF FIAT 198E 500S OF SALT LAKE CITY UTAH WILL NOT GIVE LARRY H MILLER PARTS.

NHTSA ODI #10954632

63,000 miles · Jan 17, 2017

Air BagsElectrical SystemVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

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TAKATA RECALL - CHRYSLER OWNS FIAT AND I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAGS ON A 2012 FIAT. I WAS IN A SMALL FENDER BENDER. ALL AIR BAGS OPENED BUT ALL THE FRONT AIR BAGS RUPTURED. NO ONE ELSE WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME BUT THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DID NOT KICK IN. ALL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I HAD INJURIES WHICH WERE A FRACTURED ELBOW, DISLOCATED MY ARM IN TWO PLACES. SINCE THEN I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY SHOULDER, NECK, HEADACHES, AND MY BACK. I AM GOING TO THE DOCTORS AND PHYSICAL THERAPY. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS I AM GOING TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY CONSIDER IT A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10945714

189,000 miles · Dec 26, 2016

Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

MY CAR [XXX] 2012 FIAT 500 POP 2 DOOR HATCHBACK HAS STILL NOT HAD THE SAFETY RECALL FIXED FIAT CHRYSLER IS IN CONTEMPT OF COURT BECAUSE MY RECALL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED IN A TIMELY MATTER! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10937509

1,760,000 miles · Sep 12, 2016

Electrical SystemEngineExterior Lighting

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I CAN NOT GET MY HEADLIGHTS TO SHUT OFF WHEN I CONTACT FIAT AT 888-242-6342 THEY TELL ME THAT IT IS SOME KIND OF UPDATING SOFTWARE CALLED FOLLOW ME 30. I KNOW FOR FACT THAT THIS VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THIS SOFTWARE AVAILABLE FOR THE 2012 THAT SOFTWARE WAS ONLY USED ON VEHICLES IN 2010 AND FIAT DIDN'T HAVE 5 DEALERSHIPS IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IF THEY HAD ONE IN 2010. THE SOFTWARE FOLLOW ME WAS ONLY ON FOREIGN FIAT CARS ALSO I KEEP GETTING A LIGHT SAYING TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING IS UNAVAILABLE! WHEN I CALL FIAT I GET POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE I EVEN HAD A LADY CALL ME A CRIMINAL FOR GIVING MY WHOLE VIN # SHE STATED SHE NEEDED TO "MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T JUST WALK BY THE VEHICLE AND GIVE A VIN # THAT YOU GOT FROM SOMETHING ELSE." I BELIEVE FIAT IS HACKING IN TO VEHICLES IN AN EFFORT TO GET CUSTOMERS TO BRING THE VEHICLES TO KEN GRAFF FIAT 198 E 500 SOUTH SALT LAKE CITY UTAH 84111. I REFUSE TO GO BACK TO THIS CAR DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY SEEM TO BE MORE CONCERNED WHITH WHEN AND WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND IF I HAD A CAR NOTE FIAT TRIED TO PRETEND THAT THEY DIDNT HAVE PARTS AVALIBLE AND TO GET ME TO DRIVE A LOANER CAR. I OWN MY CAR! I DONT HAVE A CAR NOTE AND IT SEEMS TO BE ALOT OF FUNNY BUSINESS GOING ON IN REGARDS KEN GRAFF AND CHYSLER FIAT AURBUN HILLS REFUSES TO HELP WITH THE MATTER ALSO THE MILEGAGE SEEMS TO HAVE SLOWED DOWN A WHOLE LOT FOR EXAMPLE IF I DRIVE 20 MILES IT WILL ONLY SHOW 15. I WANT MY CAR TO WORK NOT BE A DANGER TO MY CHILD AND MYSELF MY CAR NOW HAS 176,000 MILES ON IT!

NHTSA ODI #10905668

35,250 miles · Aug 16, 2016

Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

MY FIAT HAS LESS THAN 36K MILES MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS BROKEN OFF AND HAS BEEN ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER FOR OVER A MONTH. I CAN NOT EVEN GET IT FIXED RIGHT NOW. ALSO MY STARTER DOES NOT WORK AND I HAVE TO POP START THE ENGINE AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE I CAN NOT ORDER THE STARTER TO REPLACE IT. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 36K MILE…

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NHTSA ODI #10896195

39,970 miles · Jul 25, 2016

Electrical SystemFire

STOPPED AT BANK TO WITHDRAW SOME CASH AND THE ALTERNATOR STARTED ON FIRE! HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC TO REPAIR .

NHTSA ODI #10888319

15 miles · Jul 5, 2016

Electrical SystemEngineFuel System, Gasoline

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, HALF OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE ENGINE REVVED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND BACK ON IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTED IDLE GEAR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO REGISTER THE FUEL RANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15. ....UPDATED 08/29/16 *BF

NHTSA ODI #10882556

58,249 miles · Feb 29, 2016

Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes

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"TAKATA RECALL" MECHANICAL DEFECT HAS BEEN DETECTED. MY CAR WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY IT RANDOMLY BEGAN STATING TO "CHECK TRANSMISSION SEE HANDBOOK." I TOOK IT TO A FIAT DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED THEM OF THE DIAGNOSIS CODE P0741 HAD BEEN PROVIDED TO THEM AT DROP OFF BEFORE ANY WORK WAS PERFORMED - TONY (THE SERVICE ADVISOR) SAID THAT WAS NOT HELPFUL COULD MEAN ANYTHING. (DIAGNOSIS MEANS: TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH CIRCUIT PERFORMANCE OR STUCK OFF) I WAS ADVISED NUMBERS LIES AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TURNS OUT THERE IS A FAULT IN THE WIRING OF THE SYSTEM AND COMPUTER WHICH IS NOW CAUSING CAR TO NOT STAY IN GEAR. I WANT TO RAISE ALL AWARENESS TO THIS ISSUE. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR (ONLY 58K IN MILEAGE) I HAVE HAD TO PERSONALLY REPLACE THE FOLLOWING: NUMBER OF RADIATOR REPAIRS: 2 SUNROOF: 1 TRANSMISSION: FAULTY MECHANICAL ERROR TOTAL TUNE UPS: 2 BRAKE INSTALLMENTS: 3 I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF ANY PRIOR ISSUES BEFORE PURCHASE ALL ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO MANUFACTURE NEGLIGENCE! NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. PLEASE ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ODI #10839085

Official recalls

19V817000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

Nov 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

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

16V302000 · Power Train:manual Transmission

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.

11V550000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:fluid

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

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.