NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
164 reports28,983 miles · Jul 31, 2017
Electrical System
WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE CHASSIS AND THE TRUNK LID BREAKS. THERE ARE SEVERAL BROKEN WIRES. THIS IS CAUSING THE "CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHT" WARNING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT IS OUT WHICH IS A TICKET-ABLE OFFENSE WITH SURCHARGE IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS WHERE THE CAR IS REGISTERED. THE EXPOSED WIRE…
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WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE CHASSIS AND THE TRUNK LID BREAKS. THERE ARE SEVERAL BROKEN WIRES. THIS IS CAUSING THE "CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHT" WARNING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT IS OUT WHICH IS A TICKET-ABLE OFFENSE WITH SURCHARGE IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS WHERE THE CAR IS REGISTERED. THE EXPOSED WIRES COULD ALSO ARC AND CAUSE A FIRE.
NHTSA ODI #11011605
54,000 miles · Jul 21, 2017
EnginePower Train
I WAS DRIVING TO AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY FIAT BEGAN TO SHAKE. I TOOK IT TO THE FIAT DEALERSHIP AFTER MY APPOINTMENT ON JUNE 16, 2017. THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY THEY SAID I WAS MY SPARK PLUGS AND I APPROVED CHANGING THEM. WHEN THEY STARTED THE CAR AGAIN THEN THEY GOT A MESSAGE STATING NO COMPRESSION IN…
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I WAS DRIVING TO AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY FIAT BEGAN TO SHAKE. I TOOK IT TO THE FIAT DEALERSHIP AFTER MY APPOINTMENT ON JUNE 16, 2017. THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY THEY SAID I WAS MY SPARK PLUGS AND I APPROVED CHANGING THEM. WHEN THEY STARTED THE CAR AGAIN THEN THEY GOT A MESSAGE STATING NO COMPRESSION IN CAM 2. I AN THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD THE CAR JUST UNDER 4 YEARS. I HAVE HAD ALL THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE THERE AT THE DEALERSHIP. I HOWEVER HAVE 54K ON THE ENGINE SO I AM JUST OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY. I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH VARIOUS FIAT FORUMS AND SEE THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH CAM 2.
NHTSA ODI #11010038
1,400 miles · Jun 21, 2017
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHEN DRIVING , I FILED FOR LEMON LAW. I WON. NOW THEY ARE GOING TO SELL THIS CAR ON THE INTERNET AS A BUY BACK.
NHTSA ODI #11000504
40,000 miles · Jun 21, 2017
EnginePower Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE AND SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT SUPPLIED THE REMEDY AND PA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE AND SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT SUPPLIED THE REMEDY AND PARTS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME. MONTHS AFTER WAITING FOR THE RECALL REPAIR PARTS, THE CLUTCH WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THERE WAS A STRONG VIBRATION COMING FROM THE PEDAL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD A DEALER (BOB FRENSLEY CHRYSLER JEEP RAM FIAT IN MADISON, TN) SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR JULY 6, 2017. IN THE INTERIM, THE CONTACT COULD OBTAIN A RENTAL VEHICLE AND WOULD BE REIMBURSED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA ODI #11000436
20,000 miles · Jun 21, 2017
Electrical System
I PARKED MY VEHICLE IN A PUBLIC LOT AND WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE AND STARTED IT THE LIGHTS TURNED ON THEN SHUT OFF QUICKLY AND THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE WHICH SEEMED TO JUST CHARGE IT AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY RELEASED AND THE POWER, LIGHTS AND WINDOWS ALL WORKING AGAIN BUT WHEN I TURNE…
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I PARKED MY VEHICLE IN A PUBLIC LOT AND WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE AND STARTED IT THE LIGHTS TURNED ON THEN SHUT OFF QUICKLY AND THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE WHICH SEEMED TO JUST CHARGE IT AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY RELEASED AND THE POWER, LIGHTS AND WINDOWS ALL WORKING AGAIN BUT WHEN I TURNED TO START THE ENGINE IT DOES NOTHING BUT CLICK. I ALSO TRIED BOTH KEYS THAT I HAVE FOR THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER LOCK AND UNLOCK DOES NOT EVEN WORK.
NHTSA ODI #11000347
85,000 miles · Jun 12, 2017
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE OUT OF A PARKING STRUCTURE, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE OUT OF A PARKING STRUCTURE, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
NHTSA ODI #10994378
55,000 miles · Jun 7, 2017
EngineUnknown Or Other
I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL RECALLS ON MY CLUTCH. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE JANUARY 11TH, 2017 AND THEY STILL HAVE YET TO CONTACT ME. ALSO I HAVE AN OIL LEAK IN WHICH THEY SAID THEY FIXED. RIGHT AFTER I TOOK IT HOME OIL HAS BEEN FLOODING OUT OF IT AND SPRAYING ALL OVER MY CAR. THIS SHOULD NOT B…
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I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL RECALLS ON MY CLUTCH. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE JANUARY 11TH, 2017 AND THEY STILL HAVE YET TO CONTACT ME. ALSO I HAVE AN OIL LEAK IN WHICH THEY SAID THEY FIXED. RIGHT AFTER I TOOK IT HOME OIL HAS BEEN FLOODING OUT OF IT AND SPRAYING ALL OVER MY CAR. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM GIVEN MY MILES AND YEAR OF MY CAR. I GOT ALL OF THE NECESSARY OIL CHANGES BUT HAVE NO PROOF SINCE MY HUSBAND DID THEM HIMSELF AND PAID CASH FOR THE ITEMS HE NEEDED. SO THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO WORK WITH ME AT ALL WITH THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THEY MADE THE OIL LEAK WORSE THEN IT ORIGINALLY WAS.
NHTSA ODI #10993790
92,000 miles · May 3, 2017
Seat Belts
THE BUCKLING MECHANISM IS JAMMED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAUSING ME NOT TO BE ABLE TO BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT IN MY CAR. THE CAR "THINKS" THERE IS ALREADY A SEAT BELT BUCKLED. I AM USING THE PASSENGER SIDE BUCKLE FOR THE DRIVER'S BELT AT THIS TIME. IF I HAVE A PASSENGER, BOTH OF US CANNOT BE BUCKLED IN.
NHTSA ODI #10983330
41,000 miles · Apr 26, 2017
Air BagsUnknown Or OtherCrash
WE HAD A SEVERE ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 405 WHERE A LARGE SUV HIT US FROM BEHIND AT SPEED AND PUSHED US INTO A STATIONARY TRUCK. BOTH THE REAR AND FRONT OF THE CAR WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED. WE WERE MODERATELY INJURED. WERE GIVEN FIRST AID BY PARAMEDICS AND WE CHOSE NOT TO GO TO EMERGENCY AND GO TO URGENT CARE INSTEAD.
NHTSA ODI #10980843
29,000 miles · Apr 26, 2017
Power TrainFire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND WAS RUNNING VERY SLOWLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEAL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND WAS RUNNING VERY SLOWLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR FIVE WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.
NHTSA ODI #10980807
Official recalls
3Nov 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
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: 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
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: 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.
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.
May 18, 2015
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
1EA19001 · 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.
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