Total Complaints
141 filings
FIAT 500 · model year
141 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2015FIAT500 carries 141 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 3 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2015 500 is power train with 30 filings, followed by electrical system (26) and unknown or other (15). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2015 500. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
141 filings
Crashes Reported
8 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 30 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 26 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 15 |
| ENGINE | 12 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 6 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| STEERING | 5 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 4 |
| SEATS | 4 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 4 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 3 |
| SUSPENSION | 3 |
| WHEELS | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 3 |
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
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 Monitor
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
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.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
DLT, LLC. is recalling certain CravenSpeed Fiat Short Shifter shafts sold for use in 2011-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The Shifter Shaft may have been improperly manufactured with a through hole for the set screw rather than a blind hole, which may lead to the breakage of the Shifter Shaft.
The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH and attempting to downshift, the vehicle failed to respond as intended while the RPM continued to rev. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was significantly difficult to move up or down, causing difficulty in engaging the brake as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the manual transmission gear pin had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 16V302000(Power Train) nor 19E044000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
Mileage: 42,000
The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the manual transmission was unable to shift into gear. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the clutch diaphragm spring and clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 54,000.
Mileage: 54,000
A recall has been open on this vehicle for over 5 years. I have been waiting for a year and 2 Fiat dealerships cannot complete the recall because the manufacturer has failed to manufacture a spring part for the repair. The spring has been back ordered since May 2023 for my order, but according to the Madison dealership, owners before me were waiting for 8+ months with no parts available. Recall info: Manufacturer Recall NumberS34 NHTSA Recall Number16V-302 Recall Status: Recall Incomplete Summary THE CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING MAY FATIGUE AND/OR FRACTURE. Safety Risk A FAILED CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING MAY RESULT IN THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, SHIFT GEARS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500 Pop Hatchback. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train) however, the parts to repair were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The local dealer was notified of the recall notice and confirmed that the parts were not available. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the manual clutch failed and the contact was unable to steer the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided with a customer care case number 89214492. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
Mileage: 48,000
The quality of the exterior door handle is an issue. My passenger side door handle has snapped completely off and my drivers side door handle has partially broken, but still functions. The rear door hatch also stopped working. The arm rests both broke rather easily as well. My last car was a 2013 fiat 500 pop and the exterior door handles both broke, the rear latch stopped working, and both arm rests broke. I live in Iowa and it gets extremely cold, but I'm unsure if that's related. I have not been aggressive with any of these parts so I don't know what the issue is.
In March 2023 my wife was driving our Fiat 500 on the freeway and the sunroof exploded with a loud bang. Small pieces of glass shattered everywhere and fell all over here. The sound and glass caused her to swerve, luckily no other cars were around. We got insurance involved and sent the car to a body shop to get fixed. No one really knew what caused the problem, though they all suspected a pebble. There was no other evidence to suggest a pebble. In August 2023 when entering the freeway (speed was less than 45 mph) the sunroof exploded again with a loud bang. My wife and I were both in the car. Once again we got insurance involved and the car was sent to a different body shop. The body shop did not find and evidence that a rock or pebble did the damage and were not sure how it could have been caused. This is our family car and we need to drive it daily. It puts everyoneâs safety at risk when driving since the shock of falling glass and the sound of the sunroof exploding c
The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that upon having the vehicle inspected, the mechanic noticed that the front driverâs and passengerâs side headlamps had failed to operate. The brake warning light and the headlamp warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the mechanic reconnected the front driverâs and passengerâs side headlamp connector. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the contact noticed that the headlamps failed to illuminate. The contact then stated that the rear driverâs and passengerâs side brake lights failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken back the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lighting wirings had burned out and the connectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised
Mileage: 52,000
The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that upon having the vehicle inspected, the mechanic noticed that the front driverâs and passengerâs side headlamps had failed to operate. The brake warning light and the headlamp warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the mechanic reconnected the front driverâs and passengerâs side headlamp connector. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the contact noticed that the headlamps failed to illuminate. The contact then stated that the rear driverâs and passengerâs side brake lights failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken back the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lighting wirings had burned out and the connectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised
Mileage: 52,000
The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that after driving at low speeds, upon parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle was slow to respond while stopping. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer again to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the clutch and clutch cord needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was due to her driving style. On another occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 48,204.
Mileage: 48,204
The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that after driving at low speeds, upon parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle was slow to respond while stopping. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer again to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the clutch and clutch cord needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was due to her driving style. On another occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 48,204.
Mileage: 48,204
Driver side seat belt has worn prematurely, no longer retractable or locking in place. Seat belt is often wet during rainy weather, the vehicle is only 6yrs old to already have a safety belt malfunction. It is unknown to me why the seat belt has malfunctioned.
After bringing vehicle to a complete stop at a traffic light, it died and gave a propulsion system warning. After about 20 attempts to turn off and reboot the vehicle, it restarted and behaved as if nothing had happened. This was a very dangerous situation with the vehicle stuck in the middle of the road. There have been two recalls on this very specific issue (and this vehicle has had that related software updates). Vehicle did the exact same behavior for no reason. (NHTSA campaign: 16V303000 & 15V179000). And because the vehicle wasn't sold in Georgia, no local dealers know how to work on it.
After bringing vehicle to a complete stop at a traffic light, it died and gave a propulsion system warning. After about 20 attempts to turn off and reboot the vehicle, it restarted and behaved as if nothing had happened. This was a very dangerous situation with the vehicle stuck in the middle of the road. There have been two recalls on this very specific issue (and this vehicle has had that related software updates). Vehicle did the exact same behavior for no reason. (NHTSA campaign: 16V303000 & 15V179000). And because the vehicle wasn't sold in Georgia, no local dealers know how to work on it.
After bringing vehicle to a complete stop at a traffic light, it died and gave a propulsion system warning. After about 20 attempts to turn off and reboot the vehicle, it restarted and behaved as if nothing had happened. This was a very dangerous situation with the vehicle stuck in the middle of the road. There have been two recalls on this very specific issue (and this vehicle has had that related software updates). Vehicle did the exact same behavior for no reason. (NHTSA campaign: 16V303000 & 15V179000). And because the vehicle wasn't sold in Georgia, no local dealers know how to work on it.
I was driving our Fiat 500e (31K miles) in late June, when suddenly the HV Battery System (and primarily the PIM/Power Inverter Module that controls the HV battery system and propulsion system) failed, causing my moving vehicle to lose it's ability to use power steering. I was on a steep hill and was barely able to control the car. I contacted my local Fiat dealer, had the car towed there, and it has sat there for 3.5 months, while the dealership and Fiat USA have argued over how to repair it. In the meantime, the 8 year warranty on the HV battery system has winnowed down and will go out of warranty this month. It is my belief that Fiat USA has purposely delayed a resolution so they could not have to pay to repair the car under warranty. The PIM controls the HV system and propulsion and yet Fiat claims that the PIM is not their responsibility to repair. This is an otherwise perfect car with only 31K miles and the idea that it would be junked and sent to landfill over a bad PIM co
I was driving our Fiat 500e (31K miles) in late June, when suddenly the HV Battery System (and primarily the PIM/Power Inverter Module that controls the HV battery system and propulsion system) failed, causing my moving vehicle to lose it's ability to use power steering. I was on a steep hill and was barely able to control the car. I contacted my local Fiat dealer, had the car towed there, and it has sat there for 3.5 months, while the dealership and Fiat USA have argued over how to repair it. In the meantime, the 8 year warranty on the HV battery system has winnowed down and will go out of warranty this month. It is my belief that Fiat USA has purposely delayed a resolution so they could not have to pay to repair the car under warranty. The PIM controls the HV system and propulsion and yet Fiat claims that the PIM is not their responsibility to repair. This is an otherwise perfect car with only 31K miles and the idea that it would be junked and sent to landfill over a bad PIM co
Rear end car crash. Seat back collapsed and threw me into back seat where I sufferred brain injury.
Bought the vehicle used and it had zero issues. I bought 4 new tires and immediately after the RBS and ESC warning lights appeared but disappeared one day later. Fives days after the new tires the RBS & ESC warning lights reappeared but remained. I took it to the FIAT Dealership for a diagnostic and they stated that after following the flow chart it states to replace ABS Module due to internal failure. I held off on replacing the ABS module because a separate mechanic stated that itâs common with Fiats for the RBS & ECA warnings to appear after changing all tires. One month later the BRAKE warning light turned on (without the emergency brake in use) and the car began to jerk when in drive or when using the brakes (as I was driving). I had to drive slow with little pressure on the gas so that I would not have to use the brakes as every time I did the car would jerk very roughly and felt as if it was going to break.
Bought the vehicle used and it had zero issues. I bought 4 new tires and immediately after the RBS and ESC warning lights appeared but disappeared one day later. Fives days after the new tires the RBS & ESC warning lights reappeared but remained. I took it to the FIAT Dealership for a diagnostic and they stated that after following the flow chart it states to replace ABS Module due to internal failure. I held off on replacing the ABS module because a separate mechanic stated that itâs common with Fiats for the RBS & ECA warnings to appear after changing all tires. One month later the BRAKE warning light turned on (without the emergency brake in use) and the car began to jerk when in drive or when using the brakes (as I was driving). I had to drive slow with little pressure on the gas so that I would not have to use the brakes as every time I did the car would jerk very roughly and felt as if it was going to break.
Our FIAT was rear-ended on October 20. My wife suffered multiple critical injuries. The accident occurred in Manatee County Florida. I have the accident report, a picture of the vehicle, and a reported recall of the vehicle for a seat problem that took place in Australia. There has been no recall in the U.S. I will upload the relevant documents. The company reports the front seatâs guide tracks may not comply to safety standards do to a manufacturing fault. If the guide tracks are faulty, the seat could suddenly shift backwards or forwards during a crash, which poses an increased risk of injury.
Mileage: 20,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.