Fiat 500
Owners filed 809 complaints across 9 model years of the Fiat 500. The 2012 drew the most (395); the 2019 the fewest (0).
Model years9
Complaints809
Recalls27
Fires16
Deaths0
Every Fiat 500 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2018 | 5 | 2 | — | — | Seats | Routine | |
| 2017 | 14 | 2 | — | 2 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2016 | 14 | 4 | — | 3 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2015 | 92 | 4 | 3 | 4 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2014 | 124 | 4 | 7 | 9 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2013 | 164 | 4 | 2 | 9 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2012 | 395 | 4 | 4 | 21 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine |
Which Fiat 500 years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2012 is the weakest year on record, with 395 complaints concentrated in the power train. It carries 4 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.