Fiat 500L problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
209 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
46,615 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2014 to 2017 model years. Data snapshot: . 146 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 130 of 209 complaints (62.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 110 | 52.6% |
| Engine operation | 23 | 11.0% |
| Braking behavior | 19 | 9.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 5.7% |
| Steering behavior | 12 | 5.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 130 |
| Engine | 32 |
| Electrical System | 27 |
| Unknown Or Other | 22 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 |
| Air Bags | 11 |
| Service Brakes | 11 |
| Steering | 11 |
Power Train: 130; Engine: 32; Electrical System: 27; Unknown Or Other: 22; Vehicle Speed Control: 22; Air Bags: 11; Service Brakes: 11; Steering: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 43 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 32 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 33 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 16 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 22 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 43; 25,000 to 49,999: 32; 50,000 to 74,999: 33; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 22; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (43). 63 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 25 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 18 |
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 31 |
| 2020 | 25 |
| 2021 | 11 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2014: 25; 2015: 6; 2016: 8; 2017: 18; 2018: 30; 2019: 31; 2020: 25; 2021: 11; 2022: 11; 2023: 14; 2024: 13; 2025: 13; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 110 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 23 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10572621 · 2014-03-16 (March 16, 2014)
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 BEING AUTOMATIC THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE IN SLOWED TO STOPPED TRAFFIC OR IN PARKING LOTS. ALL THE VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED IN THE PAST WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WHEN I EASE OFF THE BRAKE THE AUTO WOULD START EASING…
Owner-reported narrative. 359 miles reported. Look up ODI 10572621 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10577940 · 2014-04-07 (April 7, 2014)
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 APPLIED THE BRAKES WITH FORCE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE FAILURE WAS INSPECTED, DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250.
Owner-reported narrative. 250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10577940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10594689 · 2014-05-28 (May 28, 2014)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10594689 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10595898 · 2014-06-03 (June 3, 2014)
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 PULLED OUT TO TURN AND THE CAR JUST COUGH AND STALLED AGAIN. I HAD THREE MEN COMING TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE INTERSECTION AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE MOTOR TURNED OVER AND STARTED AGAIN. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH. VERY DANGERO…
Owner-reported narrative. 960 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10569222 · 2014-03-13 (March 13, 2014)
THIS CAR HAS TOTALLY INCONSISTENT BRAKES. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE "BRAKE-BY-WIRE" ELECTRONICS, BUT I'D BET SO, AND THERE PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE A SOFTWARE UPGRADE. THEY CANNOT BE MODULATED NORMALLY. THEY GRAB AND SLAM THEMSELVES AT ONE INSTANT AND THE NEXT ARE SMOOTH AND EASY. JERKS YOU AROUND WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS JUST SIMPLY A FLAW AND THE DEALER SAYS "THEY ARE ALL LIKE THAT",AND "WE HEAR THAT A LOT", BUT THERE IS "NOTHING TO BE DONE". *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10569222 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10572815 · 2014-03-17 (March 17, 2014)
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 NEUTRAL AND GET PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY AND AWAY FROM BUILDING. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. RECEIVED CAR 2 WEEKS LATER AND WAS TOLD AGAIN THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE BUT THE CLUTCH BECAME ENGAGED AND STUCK. HAD CLUTCH, FLY WHEEL AND A FEW OTHER PARTS REPLACED…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10572815 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11013690 · 2017-08-08 (August 8, 2017)
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 INSIDE THE CAR IN THE FRONT DO NOT WORK. I AM NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE FORM THEM TO NOT WORK. I AM NOT SURE IF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE RADIO EITHER.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11013690 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11000534 · 2017-06-21 (June 21, 2017)
WHEN THE CAR IS ON A DOWN SLOPE AND YOU SHIFT TO REVERSE THE CAR WILL LEAP FORWARD AND ON AN UPSLOPE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE IT ROLLS FREELY BACKWARDS. IN THE LATEST INCIDENT WE WERE ON HWY 101 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WAITING IN A LINE IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE TRAFFIC DELAY. WHEN WE SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO DRIVE THE CAR ACCELERATED BACKWARDS . FORTUNATELY THE CAR BEHIND US HAD LEFT AMPLE SPACE. IT ALSO HAPPENED PARKING ON A HILL IN SAN FRANCISCO AND FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ONLY A CURB IN BACK. THE MOVEMENT IS NOT LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN A MANUAL SHIFT CAR. …
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11000534 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
2014: 3; 2015: 2; 2016: 0; 2017: 0