Fiat 500L steering problems
12 complaint narratives mention steering terms.
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.
Steering behavior evidence
12 of 209 complaints match this topic (5.7%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
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 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 ↗
Owner report 11046893 · 2017-11-17 (November 17, 2017)
MY 2014 FIAT 500L TREKKING BEGAN TO PRODUCE A HORRIBLE SMELL WHILE AND CUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING MAKING STEERING OUT OF WAY OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME VERY DIFFICULT. THE CAR WENT FROM GOING ABOUT 45-50 MILES PER HOUR TO ABOUT 5 MPH IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECOND, EVERYTHING LOCKED UP MAKING STEERING VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AND THEN FINALLY COASTED TO A FINAL STOP. UPON ME DE RANKING THE CAR I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT IT TO DRIVE AT ALL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHICH I PURCHASED IT FROM ONLY 3 MONTHS EARLIER. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE MID DECEMBER AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11046893 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11061356 · 2018-01-09 (January 9, 2018)
STARTED TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING. I NOTICE IT MOST AT HIGHER SPEEDS, 60-70 MPH. IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE THAN NORMAL TO TO MAKE SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS TO THE WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. AFTER I'VE BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR A WHILE, IT FEELS LIKE I'M FIGHTING THE WHEEL. STICKING" HAS BECOME A REGULAR PROBLEM AT LOWER SPEEDS IN TOWN AND AT TIMES THE WHEEL ALMOST HAS TO BE FORCED TO KEEP THE CAR IN A LANE, WHICH OFTEN TIMES CAUSES OVER-STEERING AND VEERING INTO ANOTHER LANE. THIS REPRESENTS A SAFETY CON…
Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11061356 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11074114 · 2018-02-21 (February 21, 2018)
THE STEERING HANGS OR STICKS. IT STARTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD IT DOES THAT. IT STARTED DOING THIS AROUND 50 TO 70 WHEN FIRST NOTICED AND NOW DOES IT AT ALL SPEEDS. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED IT WOULD COME AND GO AWAY SLIGHTLY BUT NEVER COMPLETELY. NOW IT IS ALL THE TIME AND ANY SPEED. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT MAKES THE VEHICLE STEER SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN THE LANE SINCE YOU CAN'T MAKE SLIGHT STEERING CORRECTIONS. WHEN TRYING TO MAKE STEERING CORRECTIONS THE STEERING WILL STICK OR HAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11074114 at NHTSA ↗