2012 FIAT 500: raw data

Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.

vehicle2012 / fiat / 500
known issues6 clusters (reviewed 2026-09-04)
complaints395 on file (2011-10-28 → 2026-09-10)
recalls4
investigations1
fars32 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
indexedyes
licenseCC BY 4.0 (derived)

Known Issues clusters all years →

Clutch diaphragm spring and gear-shift cable failurePOWER TRAIN75 complaints2016-11 → 2026-05fiat-500-2012-clutch-gear-shift-failure
  • 11318406 STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGH PUT CAR IN NETURAL WHEN TRIED SWITCH INTO GEAR COULD NOT HAD TO PUSH CAR OFF ROAD IN HIGH TRAFIC ARE. ON LINE RECALL STATES DUE TO FRACTURE IN DIAPHRAGM CAUSING INABILITY TO SWITCH GEARS
  • 11423619 While driving it fails to switch gears.It gets stuck on first gear
  • 11350422 FIRST OF ALL WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN MY CLUTCH STARTED FEELING LOOSE, 2 DAYS LATER CHANGING GEARS GETTING HARDER. I WAS TOLD BY A SHOP THAT I NEED TO REPLACE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, CLUTCH, & CLUTCH PLATE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ALL TAKEN CARE OF WITB THE RECALL?
Fuel tank rollover valve blocking refuelingFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM13 complaints2018-02 → 2022-01fiat-500-2012-fuel-tank-rollover-valve
  • 11190205 WHEN FILLING UP WITH GAS - PUMP CLICKS OFF EVERY FEW SECONDS. TAKES A LONG TIME TO FILL TANK AT A VERY LOW RATE OF FLOW. MAKES IT EASY TO OVERFLOW! MY MECHANIC SAYS SOMETHING IS FAULTY WITH THE GAS TANK
  • 11190879 WHEN PUTTING FUEL IN TANK, I COULD ONLY PUT ABOUT ONE GALLON AND IT STARTED BUBBLING OUT OF TANK. FUEL ROLLOVER VALVE IS PROBLEM AND HAS TO BE REPLACED BY REPLACING ENTIRE FUEL TANK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND COVERED ON THE 2012 FIAT 500 POP
  • 11182209 GAS PUMP CONSTANTLY KICKS OFF WHILE PUMPING GAS. BASICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FILL CAR UP WITH GAS. HAVE TO CONSTANTLY SQUEEZE LITTLE BURSTS OF GAS IN A TIME BETWEEN GAS PUMPING KICKING OFF
Hatch/trunk wiring harness failureELECTRICAL SYSTEM15 complaints2017-07 → 2024-10fiat-500-2012-hatch-wiring-harness-failure
  • 11120030 TRUNK / HATCH PINCHED WIRE HARNESS CAUSING SHORT. COULD NOT OPEN TRUNK, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE
  • 11113549 THE HATCH SWITCH HAS HAD TO BE REPAIRED 3 TIMES. ITS A DESIGN FLAW THAT SHORTS OUT THE SWITCH. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL!
  • 11091517 THIRD HIGH CENTER BRAKE LIKE WIRES KEEP BREAKING. THEY RUN ALONG ROOF TO TRUNK LID AND THE OPENING OF THE TRUNK LID CAUSES THIS
Starter motor grounding bolt and oil pressure failureENGINE9 complaints2017-08 → 2020-12fiat-500-2012-starter-oil-pressure-failure
  • 11384496 JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT OWNS A 2012 IT WON'T HOLD OIL PRESSURE
  • 11120531 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES
  • 11016007 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED
Steering shaft and suspension control-arm failureSTEERING10 complaints2018-04 → 2025-02fiat-500-2012-steering-suspension-component
  • 11083239 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING IT IN EITHER DIRECTION
  • 11490546 While I was driving on a busy dyreet the warning light flashed and my car shut off, I was nearly hit by another vehicle
  • 11154353 VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THIS PART WAS ALREADY REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY WITH FIAT ADMITTING THAT THE PART IS DEFECTIVE/SUBSTANDARD FOR PURPOSE IT FILLS IN THE CARS STEERING FUNCTIONALITY
Airbag warning light and non-deploymentAIR BAGS10 complaints2017-06 → 2022-09fiat-500-2012-airbag-warning-nondeployment
  • 11002480 PASSSENGER AIR BAGS CONSTANTLY WARNING ERROR AND DISABLING
  • 11350426 AIRBAG COVER IS LOOSE AND I CAN SEE THE AIRBAG
  • 11385650 WAS IN A CRASH AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. NOT 1 AIR BAG DEPLOYED.HAPPENRD ON DEC. 9, 2020

NHTSA complaints (summary) all years →

countearliest_datelatest_datecrash_flaggedfire_flaggedtop_components
3952011-10-282026-09-10214POWER TRAIN:200; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:63; ENGINE:51; UNKNOWN OR OTHER:36; AIR BAGS:32

Recalls all years →

campaign_numberreport_received_datecomponentsummaryconsequenceremedy
11V55000010/11/2011SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUIDCHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 DODGE JOURNEY AND FIAT 500 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 24, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 26, 2011. SOME VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH CONTAMINATED BRAKE FLUID AND MAY EXPERIENCE A DEGRADATION OF THE SEALING COMPONENTS WITHIN THE BRAKE SYSTEM.THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE ALL BRAKE COMPONENTS THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 1, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
19E04400003/07/2019POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLYDLT, LLC. is recalling certain CravenSpeed Fiat Short Shifter shafts sold for use in 2011-2019 Fiat 500 vehicles. The Shifter Shaft may have been improperly manufactured with a through hole for the set screw rather than a blind hole, which may lead to the breakage of the Shifter Shaft.If the shifter breaks while the vehicle is in motion, it can increase the risk of a crash.DLT has notified owners, and will provide a complete replacement shifter assembly with an updated shaft, free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2019. Owners may contact DLT customer service at 1-503-505-6886.
16V30200016/05/2016POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSIONChrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2016 Fiat 500 vehicles manufactured June 21, 2010, through January 12, 2016, equipped with a manual transmission. The clutch diaphragm spring may fracture and fail, causing an inability to switch gears.If the clutch diaphragm spring fails, the driver may not be able to shift gears or the vehicle may lose motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.The remedy for this recall will include the installation of a clutch pedal limiter and a clutch pedal switch. The recall began on November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S34.
19V81700015/11/2019POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFTChrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Fiat 500 vehicles equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions. The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the cable to detach from the transmission.If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the transmission may not shift into the gear selected by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away. These scenarios may increase the risk of a crash.Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable adjuster, free of charge. The recall began January 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB4.

Investigations all years →

action_numberstatussubjectcomponentsopenedclosedrecall_campaignsummary
EA19001closedElectrical overstressAIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE2019-04-192024-09-1920V024The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mount

FARS occupant deaths all years →

crash_yearsoccupant_deathsmatch_typevpic_recovered
2010-202432legacy-code0

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.

Cite this

Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.

Wrench.Pro (2026). 2012 FIAT 500 vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2012/fiat/500
@misc{wrenchpro_2012_fiat_500_2026,
  author = {Wrench.Pro},
  title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2012 FIAT 500},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2012/fiat/500}},
  note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}

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