FIAT 500L · model year

2016 FIAT 500L

2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2016FIAT500L carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/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 2016 500L is power train with 2 filings. 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.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2016 500L. 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN2

Recent Complaints

20230906POWER TRAIN

When you start up the car for the first time and began to drive it won't shift out of first gear for several blocks. The transmission strains to shift into 2nd. The transmission overall takes a while to get up to speed on the the expressways, it's hard to enter at the prevailing speed. Also, the check engine light won't go off. Even after 4 times ($2,000) to a service garage. There are no Fiat services facilities in my area. Not even the dealer where I purchased it will work on it.

20200103POWER TRAIN

THE ISSUE LOOKS SIMILAR TO FIAT 500L 2014 RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING FOR THE FIRST TIME OF THE DAY. THE AUTOMATIC GEAR DOESN'T SHIFTS EVEN IF THE SPEED GOES HIGHER. IT TAKE ALMOST A MILE OR 2 FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. I HAVE REQUESTED FOR AN SERVICE APPOINTMENT AT LOCAL FIAT DEALER, BUT I THOUGHT OF REPORTING THE PROBLEM AT NHTSA TOO, IF IN CASE IT IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINT.

Mileage: 10

Compare 2016FIAT500L to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2016 FIAT 500L have?
The 2016 FIAT 500L has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 FIAT 500L?
The 2016 FIAT 500L received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 FIAT 500L?
The most-complained component for the 2016 FIAT 500L is POWER TRAIN with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2016 FIAT 500L safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2016 FIAT 500L has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.