Fiat 500
Owners filed 812 complaints across 9 model years of the Fiat 500. The 2012 drew the most (396).
Model years9
Complaints812
Recalls27
Fires16
Deaths0
Which Fiat 500 years should you avoid?
Going by 812 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Fiat 500 years to avoid are 2012.
- 2012396 complaints, 2.7× a typical 500 year, most often about the transmission.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
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 | 166 | 4 | 2 | 9 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2012Avoid | 396 | 4 | 4 | 21 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.