2014 Fiat 500: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
124 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
17,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2014 model year. Data snapshot: . 103 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 65 of 124 complaints (52.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 47 | 37.9% |
| Engine operation | 12 | 9.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 9.7% |
| Braking behavior | 11 | 8.9% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 7.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.8% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 65 |
| Electrical System | 22 |
| Engine | 19 |
| Unknown Or Other | 15 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Steering | 6 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 4 |
Power Train: 65; Electrical System: 22; Engine: 19; Unknown Or Other: 15; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Steering: 6; Air Bags: 5; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 66 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 24 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 66; 25,000 to 49,999: 24; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (66). 21 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 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 15 |
| 2015 | 42 |
| 2016 | 28 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 4 |
2013: 2; 2014: 15; 2015: 42; 2016: 28; 2017: 12; 2018: 8; 2019: 5; 2020: 1; 2021: 2; 2022: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2025: 4
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 47 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10532417 · 2013-07-29 (July 29, 2013)
TODAY IS THE 30TH DAY OF THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR AND HAVEN'T MAKE A PAYMENT YET. WHILE DRIVING IN THE NORMAL MORNING COMMUTE TRAFFIC AT 5 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR AND MAKING FREQUENT STOPS DUE TO THE TRAFFIC JAM, SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE AIR VENT. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT THE VENT WAS OPEN TO THE OUTSIDE AND THE SMELL BELONGED TO A TRAILER NEXT TO ME; BUT NO... THE AIR WAS CIRCULATING FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR HEAVY SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING TO SET ON FIRE, I WAS TRAPPED BE…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10532417 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10542985 · 2013-09-10 (September 10, 2013)
AFTER A WEEK, CAR MIL STARTED TO BLINK , BUT MANUAL MENTIONS IT CAN BE DRIVE AND COMPUTER MAY RESET ITSELF, BUT THEN MALFUNCTION LAMP WAS ON ALL TIME , AND THEN CAR STARTED TO STALL , TO STOP COMPLETELY . STARTED CAR JUST TO PARK IT, THEN WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM EXHAUST WHEN REVERSING . IMMEDIATELY TOWED CAR TO REPAIR SHOP, IT TOOK 3 WEEKS FOR REPAIR AS PARTS ARE NOT EASY AVAILABLE. PARTS AFFECTED ARE: MULTI AIR ACTUATOR , GASKET NO, GASKET CY , AND WIRING EN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 60 miles reported. Look up ODI 10542985 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10561386 · 2014-01-24 (January 24, 2014)
CAR DOES NOT SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. INSTRUMENT PANEL RELAYS MANY WARNINGS (GEAR NOT AVAILABLE, TRANSMISSION WARNING, SEEK SERVICE) AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS OCCURRING DAILY NOW AND FIAT DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. CODES CAN BE CLEARED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE IS WHERE THE WARNINGS ARE STORED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO LET THE CAR WARM UP FOR 2 MINUTES BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10561386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10561396 · 2014-01-24 (January 24, 2014)
WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE SINCE BEFORE CHRISTMAS WITH OUR NEW FIAT 500. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON, AND ONCE IN A WHILE THE SHIFTER PANEL LIGHTS FLASHING FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT WHILE WE WAITED FOR PARTS. IT TOOK TWO WEEKS FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO GET A NEW CONTROL MODULE IN, FIRST THEY GOT A MODULE THAT DIDN'T WORK, THEN THEY GOT ONE THAT DID WORK AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED. LAST NIGHT MY WIFE IS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND SUDDENLY THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,984 miles reported. Look up ODI 10561396 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10563416 · 2014-02-07 (February 7, 2014)
WHILE IN MOTION, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR -- UP OR DOWN. I ALSO TRIED SHIFTING MANUALLY WITHOUT SUCCESS. I STOPPED VEHICLE ON SIDE OF ROAD. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOT START -- NO ENGINE CRANKING. AFTER 10 MINUTES, SOMETHING WAS FELT DISENGAGING AND VEHICLE STARTED AND WAS DRIVEN WITHOUT INCIDENT TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. ANOTHER 500L LOANER CAR WAS PROVIDED AND THE NEXT DAY, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO IT. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR. CAR AND DRIVER ALSO RELEASED THEIR REVIEW IN FEB…
Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10563416 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10564421 · 2014-02-14 (February 14, 2014)
ON DECEMBER 26TH MY KEY WAS NO LONGER RECOGNIZED BY THE FIAT IGNITION SYSTEM. I CALLED HOME, HAD A SPARE DELIVERED, AND THE SPARE STARTED THE CAR UP. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TWO WEEKS LATER THE KEY WAS REPLACED. ON FEBRUARY 14TH I ONCE AGAIN HAD THE SAME ISSUE WHERE THE IGNITION SYSTEM WOULD NOT DETECT THE KEY. ONCE AGAIN I HAD THE NEW SPARE DELIVERED AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP. I AM CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE BAD KEY REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. BOTH TIMES THE BAD KEYS WOULD GIVE THE INDICATION OF A CAR WITH A PADLOCK O…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10564421 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10567494 · 2014-03-05 (March 5, 2014)
ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE IDLING ROUGH ,TRANSMISSION SHIFTER LIGHT BLINKING, TRNASMISSION GEAR LAGS ON SHIFT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 4,120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10567844 · 2014-03-07 (March 7, 2014)
DOES NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE DRIVING, VERY DANGEROUS BEING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH FAMILY. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIFT AGAIN. REPEATED PROBLEMS OCCUR SPORADIC THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 6,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567844 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V291000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 2015-05-18 (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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗16V302000 · Power Train:Manual Transmission
Reported: 2016-05-16 (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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗24V474000 · Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Reported: 2024-06-25 (June 25, 2024)
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not illuminate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence: A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the TPMS electronic control unit module, free of charge. Owners were mailed July 11, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 80B.
NHTSA campaign record ↗