2012 Fiat 500 problems and complaints
Owners have filed 396 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Fiat 500. The most-reported areas: Power Train (201), Electrical System (63), Engine (51).
Key takeaways
- 396 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 21 involve a crash, 4 a fire, 17 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 201 | 51% |
| Electrical System | 63 | 16% |
| Engine | 51 | 13% |
| Unknown Or Other | 36 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 32 | 8% |
| Suspension | 21 | 5% |
| Steering | 19 | 5% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 19 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 | 3% |
| Structure | 9 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Fiat 500 3 HB FWD Later Release | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| 2012 Fiat 500 3 HB FWD Early Release | 3/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Power Train - filed 2026-09-21
The contact owns a 2012 Fiat 500. The contact stated that upon shifting the gear shifter into drive(D), park(P), or reverse(R), the transmission failed to shift into the intended gear and shifted into a different gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer after each failure. The dealer repaired the vehicle under NHTSA C...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-09-10
I am filing a complaint concerning a recurring gear shift failure in my 2012 fiat 500c. The same failure has occurred three times between June 10 and September 8, 2026. On June 10, 2026 I was able to move shift lever but the transmission remained in reverse and would not shift into another gear despite multiple attemp...
Power Train - filed 2026-05-12
The clutch went out while downshifting upon making a turn onto a street. The gear shift became wobbly and would not shift into any gear. This happened without warning. Minutes before, my passenger and I were driving across town on a freeway.
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More for the 2012 Fiat 500
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.