FIAT 500L
Reliability, NHTSA Complaints & Recall History
7 model years analyzed (2014–2020). All data sourced directly from the NHTSA public complaints and recall database — the same data used by federal regulators.
Checking a specific FIAT 500L? Run a VIN check for its exact history.
⭐ NHTSA NCAP Crash Test Ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
AI Interpretation
High ConfidenceBelow AverageComplaints for the FIAT 500L are heavily concentrated in the 2014 model year, with power train issues being the most frequently reported component. Other notable areas include the engine, electrical system, and vehicle speed control. The data suggests that later model years (2016–2020) have significantly fewer complaints.
- The 2014 model year accounts for the vast majority of complaints.
- Power train complaints are the most numerous, with 130 reports.
- Engine, electrical system, and vehicle speed control each have over 20 complaints.
- There are 5 crash-related complaints and 5 recalls across all years.
- POWER TRAIN issues are the most common complaint.
- ENGINE problems are the second most reported.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM failures are also frequently cited.
The 2014 model year has the highest complaint count, driven primarily by power train issues, followed by engine and electrical system problems.
Model years 2016–2020 show very few or zero complaints, which may indicate improved reliability or lower sales volumes.
- Inspect the POWER TRAIN, including transmission and drivetrain, for known issues.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for engine, electrical, and speed control components.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
🔔 NHTSA Safety Recalls
5 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
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Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2014–2020. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
🔧 Most-Reported Problem Areas
Based on component keywords extracted from all 208 NHTSA complaints.
📋 NHTSA Complaint Reports
208 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Will not pass emissions due to sensors not going into "ready" state. We have taken it to 4 different mechanics and we were told that the abs module is not communicating. So we replaced it and still nothing. Now we are told that the PCM is not storing memory. There have been no lights illuminated on the dash this whole time, and no codes to determine the underlying electrical issue. With issues like these the car can stall, get stuck in gear, no Abs could cause a crash and not to mention once again will not pass emissions testing due to these issues. The issues have been confirmed by a mechanic at an independent service center. Again, no warming lights or codes, or pending codes for the issues listed above.
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated that while the vehicle was coming to a stop at an intersection, the vehicle became inoperable while attempting to shift gears, with the message “Gears Unavailable” displayed. The contact attempted to shift gear several times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the residence. A mobile mechanic arrived at the residence and retrieved DTC: B1011, B1181, and U1736. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V103000 (Power Train), and that the shifter module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for additional assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE SHIFTING GEAR ISSUE. WENT TO A MECHANIC WHO DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON IT AND THE RESULTS ARE: Transmission Error Messages U0415 and P1CB1 and OBDII Codes ($03) shows the same error message as Transmission P1CB1 Manufacturer Specific. the closest Chrysler Dealership is unable to perform anything on this vehicle as they no longer are licensed for the Fiat Software. Hence, they are unable to inform me if this is covered by Fiat or if this is something that I need to fix out of pocket. Seeing that the 214 Fiat 500L does have a Power Train-Automatic Transmission Control Module and Power Train: Automatic Transmission (moving the transmission shift lever may have a delayed effect or no effect on selecting a transmission gear) = I believe it is covered, but it is not showing as a recall for my VIN #. How do I submit this or where/who can assist is getting this recalled and corrected? Thank you, [XXX] Email Address: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
after looking at all of the complaints within NHTSA there are approximately 50 pages of combined complaints with each page showing 4 "call outs" and the majority being Power Train and reading pretty much all of them it appears that they are all the same issue. Their vehicles along with mine were not recalled; but we are having the same issues. What is needed or what needs to happen for all of the 500L Fiat being recalled for the Power Train issue? Does somebody need to die due to the failure of the Power Train when they are in traffic and the vehicle basically shuts down and/or off? Note, the miles on these complains vary from 55,000 up to 100,000
parked car, getting ready to leave and would not shift into gear. Finally shifted into gear and there was little to no power when accelerating. shifting into gears is hard, jerks vehicle when it does drop into a gear. No acceleration and when it does shifts gear with a lot of difficulty
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was running, the transmission warning light illuminated, and a "Possible Ice" message was displayed even though there was no inclement weather. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the failure was not replicated. On another occasion while stopped, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to accelerate. The message "Shift into Neutral and Then Select Gear" was displayed. The contact shifted from Neutral to Drive. The vehicle was turned off and restarted. The vehicle was then towed to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the lifters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred within a month. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the dealer stated that the vehicle was already repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, but no diagnostic result was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.
The transmission went out and radiator fluid temp high light came on. Fiat started to not be able to shift or too easily shifted by itself. The safety of others and myself were at risk because the car could have stopped or switched into other gears on the road and caused an accident.
Transmission will not shift up or down in automatic, was in the middle of traffic unable to maintain a safe speed.
I was driving my car down a busy road when I approached a red light and slowed to a stop. I kept my foot on the brake and the car in drive until the light turned green. Then, I tried to use the gas pedal without success and got an error message about needing to switch the gear to neutral. I was stuck in the road, unable to make the drive or neutral options work with the gas. Then, I tried switching my car into park and turning it off and back on again. It flashed on the "P" several times before I turned it off and refused to switch to the driving gear when I turned it back on. I had to put it in neutral and have strangers help push my vehicle off the road into a parking lot. The incident occurred on a busy street in the middle of a holiday weekend afternoon and caused tons of traffic and inconvenience and honking and stress.
When pressing on accelerator, it would not accelerate properly. Therefore having to press accelerator more while not going at accurate speed. Furthermore as driving the vehicle one day fully pressing on accelerator vehicle would not accelerate. Therefore, having to stop in the middle of the road going uphill.
CLUTCH STALLS VEHICLE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, confirmed by inspection. Not inspected by police, no warning messages
Engine randomly stalls and will not restart upon entering on-ramps. Automatic transmission randomly fails and slips into limp mode while accelerating from stop lights or accelerating into highway traffic. This issue has caused numerous light rear end collisions with other vehicles following too closely when the transmission malfunctions, causing the other vehicle to impact the rear bumper of the 500L. I had to have the vehicle towed out of traffic because it would not restart or move under it’s own power
I took my car in to have a regular oil change. Got a call from the mechanic telling me that all of a sudden, the car will not get out of park and says there is a transmission error now on the display screen. During the 2 days that it took for them to get the car out of park the mechanic informed me that there is a known issue for 2014 Fiat 500L vehicles "all of a sudden" not getting out of park and that it is a recall. I called Chrysler and told them the issue, but they informed me that my VIN number is not showing as a recall. I would like for some help in looking into this issue because my car was working just fine before the oil change and now it is having the exact issues others have faced having the same year, same model and same make of vehicle.
My car refuses to shift gears despite being able to start. The car and its gear shift (and transmission, power train, and any other potentially affected parts) are available for inspection upon request; however, the vehicle would have to be towed as it cannot be driven. There was zero prior warning, notice, etc. Cold weather may be a contributing factor, but this issue has been reported numerous time across this vehicle's make, model, and year (2014 FIAT 500L) by other owners to the NHTSA already. I've driven it sparingly since I moved states, so there is zero reason for the vehicle to stop shifting gears all of a sudden. Again, the car issued no warning lamps nor other messages nor symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, the failure simply occurred without warning. The vehicle is stuck in my driveway and blocking other cars. Had I been driving when this event occurred, there could have been a serious danger and/or disaster that could have put my life (and others) at risk.
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 50 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power and failed to properly accelerate. The contact's daughter pulled over to the side of the road, where the vehicle stalled. The service engine warning light illuminated on and off. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure and the mechanic suggested that the vehicle be taken to the dealer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
Car will not shift into gear automatic transmissions will not shift readily out of park and won’t go into park sometimes. The transmissions does not receive, or is slow to receive, an intended gear selection. Vehicle came to a complete stop while driving. Get message there is no manual mode available.
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 50 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, and the contact became aware that the vehicle had shifted into neutral independently and was unable to shift back into gear. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the body control module. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000.
The contact owns a 2014 FIAT 500L. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the transmission began slipping out of gear. The transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal, before accelerating forward. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact learned online of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V192000 (Power Train). The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 105,000.
When in traffic on the highway the car all of a sudden would not shift out of first. Following that, all power was lost to the drivetrain, but accessories were still powered and working. Before the car gave no power to the drive, the oil light came on in addition to the engine light, when the oil levels were checked they were confirmed to be normal. The car has been inspected by a mechanic who suggests replacing the entire transmission.
Showing 20 of 208 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check a Specific FIAT 500L
This page shows fleet averages across all 7 model years. Enter a VIN to see the exact accident history, odometer records, title brands, and open recall status for a specific car.
📖 Understanding This Data
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The FIAT 500L has 208 complaints on record across 7 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The FIAT 500L has 5 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 5 of the FIAT 500L's 208 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the AI Rating Calculated?
The AI reliability rating (Below Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. The rating provides a plain-English summary for buyers who want a quick verdict without parsing raw numbers. It is one input in your buying decision — always verify with a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all FIAT 500L vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two FIAT 500L vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The FIAT 500L has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.