2012 Fiat 500 problems & reliability
394 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Fiat 500, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
16 complaints report injuries (17 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2012 Fiat 500 vehicles were involved in 14 fatal crashes with 14 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 200 | 51% |
| Electrical System | 63 | 16% |
| Engine | 51 | 13% |
| Unknown OR Other | 35 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 32 | 8% |
| Suspension | 21 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 19 | 5% |
| Steering | 19 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 12 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 48,598 miles (middle 50% between 26,500 and 71,041 miles), based on 275 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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.”
Power Train · filed May 12, 2026
“I have been dealing with identity theft and not really sure why when I put vin number to my vehicle I purchased September 25 2025 it says a different color”
Unknown OR Other · filed Oct 8, 2025
“The vehicle had been stalling out on numerous occasions one being a freezing Xmas eve in Drive thru if it had happened somewhere isolated the driver could have frozen. I rented cars several times and replaced the alternator ,battery and at the final point at the dealership the mechanic suggested I purchase a $600…”
Electrical System · filed Jun 20, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Electrical overstress
Engineering Analysis EA19001 · opened Apr 19, 2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024 · led to recall 20V024
Technical service bulletins
132 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Fiat 500. The 10 most recent:
Broken Exterior Driver And/Or Passenger Door Handles XB2 Warranty Extension Customers may comment the following: ● One or both exterior door handles are broken. This bulletin involves replacing one or both exterior door…
23-021-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 4, 2026
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders:
9100624 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 8, 2025
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Lubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily available, please review Service Library for specifications so a suitable alternative can be used
9100196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2023
wiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK
1804823 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 15, 2023
Approved Use of Weld Through Primers This bulletin documents the FCA US LLC position regarding the use of weld through primer when using Squeeze Type Resistance Spot Welding (STRSW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)…
3100122 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2022
Approved Use of Weld Through Primers This bulletin documents the FCA US LLC position regarding the use of weld through primer when using Squeeze Type Resistance Spot Welding (STRSW) and Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)…
3100122 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2022
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2012 Fiat 500 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Fiat 500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 48,598 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.