U.S. public vehicle records

2016 Fiat 500X problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

154 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

40,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 101 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 52 of 154 complaints (33.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	41	26.6%
Engine operation	21	13.6%
Electrical and battery issues	21	13.6%
Braking behavior	20	13.0%
Steering behavior	9	5.8%

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.

Engine

Power Train

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Exterior Lighting

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Vehicle Speed Control

Steering

Engine: 52; Power Train: 49; Electrical System: 46; Unknown Or Other: 33; Exterior Lighting: 13; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 10; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Steering: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 43; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 1

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (43). 53 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.

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2016: 2; 2017: 16; 2018: 20; 2019: 29; 2020: 29; 2021: 13; 2022: 7; 2023: 10; 2024: 13; 2025: 7; 2026: 8

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 41 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 21 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 21 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 10958689 · 2017-03-05 (March 5, 2017)

I JUST FILED A COMPLIANT REGARDING MY CAR SHIFTING GEARS TO NEUTRAL SCINCE SEPT. I WAS DENIED MY COMPLIANT AND REQUEST OF A REPURCHASE BY THE NCDS THIS FEBURARY .I HOPE YOU GOT MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT. I DID STATE THAT MY COMPUTER WON,T UPLOAD INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS BUT I HAVE IT. I WAS DENIED BECAUSE FIAT OF TINLEY PARK SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND CODES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM .MY CAR WAS IN MOTION EACH TIME ON A CITY STREET AND I CAME VERY CLOSE TO VERY SEROUS CRASHES. SOMETHIG IS WRONG WITH MY CAR BUT I CAN,T PROVE IT. IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH …

Owner-reported narrative. 2,378 miles reported. Look up ODI 10958689 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11021571 · 2017-09-05 (September 5, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FIAT 500X. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED SEVERE JERKING AND HESITATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (CROWN CHRYSLER/FIAT LOCATED IN CHATTANOOGA, TN) WHERE THE PCM, TCM, AND TRANSMISSION WERE REPROGRAMMED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11021571 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10958793 · 2017-03-06 (March 6, 2017)

MY FIAT 500X IS BRAND NEW BARELY 350 MILES...IT HAS BEEN TOWED TWICE SO FAR AND IS PRESENTLY BEING WORKED ON NOW. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT SINCE IT STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING AND EVENTUALLY WILL NOT RESTART. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND SIMILAR ISSUES. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND COULD END UP BEING IN OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT SINCE I WAS ALMOST HIT BOTH TIMES MY CAR STALLED OUT...ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE OTHER TIME MOST RECENTLY IN HIGH CITY TRAFFIC. I JUST WANT A REPLACEMENT OF EQUAL VALUE.

Owner-reported narrative. 352 miles reported. Look up ODI 10958793 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11039728 · 2017-10-25 (October 25, 2017)

ENGINE IS VERY SHAKY WHEN STALLED AT STOP LIGHTS, ETC. SERVICE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON AND CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR EVALUATION AS IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE COOLING FAN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BUT IS ON A NATIONAL BACKORDER WITH NO ETA. CAR CAN NO LONGER BE DRIVEN IN TRAFFIC AS IT QUICKLY OVERHEATS.

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11039728 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11128027 · 2018-09-07 (September 7, 2018)

HAPPENED AGAIN -- THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN NOV 2016. ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. FIAT DEALER APPARENTLY CLUELESS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HOW TO REPAIR. TOOK CAR TO SAME DEALER ALL THREE TIMES THIS HAPPENED - EACH TIME THEY'VE GIVEN ME A RIDICULOUS REASON THE CAR IS LITERALLY SHUTTING OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE STREET!! FIRST TIME THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE COMPUTER NEEDED UPDATING?!?! SECOND TIME (POSTED ON NHTSA WHEN 2ND TIME HAPPENED) THEY SAID IT WAS A LOOSE CABLE CONNECTION TO THE BATT…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11128027 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11144110 · 2018-10-30 (October 30, 2018)

AROUND OCTOBER 9, I TRIED TO TURN ON THE IGNITION AS USUAL WITH THE KEY FOB. THE ENGINE WOULD'T TURN, SO I RECHARGED THE BATTERY. AFTER 10 MINUTES, IT FINALLY CRANKED. THE BATTERY IS GOOD, HOWEVER, SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY IN THE FOB. ON OCTOBER 19, I USED THE KEY FOB AND ALL KINDS OF INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. WHEN I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE, SEVERAL LIGHT INDICATORS (SERVICE ENGINE, CHECK TRANSMISSION, ETC.) AND IT WAS LIKE SOMETHING INSIDE THE ENGINE DROPPED AS IF THE CAR SHIFTED INTO ANOTHER GEAR. THE 'R' AND THE 'D' BLINKED STEADILY. I CA…

Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11144110 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11004856 · 2017-07-12 (July 12, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FIAT 500X. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE GEAR SELECTOR ERRONEOUSLY SWITCHED FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (RICK CASE FIAT/CHRYSLER OF DAVIES, FLORIDA), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, LOCKED UP, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE …

Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11004856 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11041469 · 2017-10-30 (October 30, 2017)

BRAKE PADS REPLACED AT 4,600 MILES. BRAKES WERE SCREAMING. STARTING CAR SETS OFF SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND DRIVE MODE UNAVAILABLE MESSAGE. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE THE PROBLEM AFTER 5 RETURN VISITS..

Owner-reported narrative. 4,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11041469 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11073180 · 2018-02-15 (February 15, 2018)

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN A MIDDLE LANE GOING ABOUT 50MPH WHEN I NOTICED THE CAR WAS NO LONGER RESPONSIVE TO GAS OR STEERING. BRAKES WERE HARDER TO PRESS THAN USUAL & I REALIZED THE CAR HAD TURNED ITSELF OFF. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET IT STARTED AGAIN WAS TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP & PUT IT IN PARK, RE-START, DISENGAGE THE AUTO-EMERGENCY BRAKE, THEN PUT IT IN DRIVE. ALL WHILE CARS WERE FLYING AROUND THE BEND OF THE HIGHWAY ALMOST HITTING ME AND ALMOST HITTING EACH OTHER TRYING TO AVOID HITTING ME.

Owner-reported narrative. 17,047 miles reported. Look up ODI 11073180 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11233703 · 2019-07-21 (July 21, 2019)

ON JULY 20, 2019, MY 2016 FIAT 500X PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. PRESSED THE IGNITION BUTTON TO START AND NO START INSTEAD ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING IN SEQUENCE. COOLANT TEMPT TOO HIGH! SERVICE TRANSMISSION! SERVICE AIRBAGS! SERVICE POWER STEERING! SERVICE ELECTRONIC PARK BRAKE! EVERY AMBER AND RED WARNING JUST CONTINUALLY REPEATS THE FLASHING SEQUENCE. OF COURSE, CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO STARTING AND NO POWER BUTTONS RESPOND. NO ELECTRONIC BRAKE THE BATTERY IS GOOD. COOLANT IS NOT TOO HOT BECAUSE CAR HAS NOT BEEN STARTED/DRIVEN FOR 5 D…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,005 miles reported. Look up ODI 11233703 at NHTSA ↗