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Fiat 500Model year report

2012 Fiat 500 Problems

Compared with other Fiat 500 years

More complaints than typical for this model

69/100 1.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2013

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
396filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
47,566miles, 288 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
3 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
30 mpgcombined, 1.4L 4-cyl FWD · 28 city / 33 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Fiat 500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2012 Fiat 500 report most often about the manual transmission and clutch, with complaints scattered from very low mileage up past 150,000 miles. Electrical gremlins (gauge clusters, lighting, wiring into the hatch) and occasional refueling trouble at the gas pump also come up regularly in the sample.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Clutch pedal sticks to floor / clutch failure

    • 95 complaints (24%)
    • median 47,433 mi at 4.6 yrs old (85 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 11 quotes)
    • filed 2011–2026

    Owners of manual-transmission cars describe the clutch pedal going stiff, sticking near the floor, or failing to disengage, so the car will not shift into or out of gear. Several complaints say the problem appeared without prior slipping or warning, and in some cases the engine had to be shut off to get the car back into gear. Complaints mention dealers diagnosing a failed clutch pressure plate or diaphragm spring, and several owners note the recall repair parts were unavailable or that the failure returned after the recall work. Reported from about 25,000 miles to over 150,000 miles, often while driving at normal road speeds.

    Recall 16V302000

    What to check: On a manual car, press the clutch through its full travel and check for stiffness, sticking, or noise, and ask whether recall 16V302000 was performed and with what parts. Ask for clutch service records.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The clutch peddle recall s-34 does not fit the problem with the Fiat clutch assembly. The root cause of the problem is excessive pressure on the throw out bearing and subsequently the pressure plate. My clutched failed at 105170 miles at under 1 MPH while going from a stop to putting it into reverse to park at my workplace in baton rouge, la. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10938881, filed 2016-12, 105,170 miles

    “I was driving down a street by a school doing 20 MPH. Went to down shift and the clutch locked up. I could not push it to the floor. Since I could not push the clutch down I could not shift gears. I have driven a clutch for over 30 years and never had to replace a clutch. There was no warning with this. Just happened with no previous slipping or any indication something was going bad with the clutch.”

    NHTSA complaint #10654756, filed 2014-11, 54,000 miles
  2. Electrical system

    Instrument cluster and lighting electrical faults

    • 91 complaints (23%)
    • median 47,000 mi at 4.6 yrs old (74 state mileage)
    • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,300 (median of 8 quotes)
    • filed 2012–2025

    Owners report sections of the gauge cluster going dark, gauges spiking, and warning lights for exterior bulbs appearing intermittently while the lights still work. Some describe the car stalling or failing to restart with multiple warning lights on, and dealers responding with PCM reprogramming or module replacement. Others describe wiring in the hatch area chafing, or the trunk release and rear brake light wiring failing. Spread from very low mileage up to about 100,000 miles, with no clear weather pattern in the complaints.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: With the key on, check that all cluster gauges and warning lamps illuminate, test every exterior light and the trunk release, and ask whether any PCM reflash or wiring repair has been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The wiring harness gets crimped when it goes from the main body of the car into the hatch creating shorts and malfaction of electric components. As, does the rear wiper hose. Which leaks and empties into the wiring harness. This happens everywhere, at all times.”

    NHTSA complaint #11277752, filed 2019-11, 42,000 miles

    “Intermittent exterior marker light failure. Front passenger marker light and rear driver's side brake light fail to operate on occasion. The light sensor in the gauge cluster alerts to failure. When later investigating, all lights appear to function properly.”

    NHTSA complaint #11323042, filed 2020-05, 67,000 miles
  3. Transmission and drivetrain

    Shifter cable detaches, car stuck in gear or Park

    • 49 complaints (12%)
    • median 49,418 mi at 5.0 yrs old (42 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,030 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2026

    Complaints describe the shift cable coming loose from the transmission, leaving the car unable to move out of Park or into a selected gear. Owners report the cable being reattached temporarily or replaced, and some say the cable detached again shortly after the recall repair. Others report the transmission failing to respond in Reverse or losing motive power while driving. Across a wide mileage range, roughly 40,000 to over 180,000 miles, often during routine shifting.

    Recall 19V817000

    What to check: Work the shifter through every position and confirm the gear indicator matches; ask whether recall 19V817000 was completed and whether the cable or bushing has been replaced since.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “We've replaced the shifter cable on the Fiat twice on our own. Recently, Fiat replaced it under recall no. 19v817000. Fiat's replacement cable/bushing lasted three shifts. Shifted into drive to leave the dealership. Shifted into park at home. Shifted into drive on next use and the cable was detached. Fiat's solution is not an improvement. Comparing the replacement bushing with the old bushing, there isn't any difference that will prevent this issue. This is a dangerous issue. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11317681, filed 2020-03, 149,000 miles

    “Car will not start and will not come out of park. Lights are all on, and checked battery and all is fine. Being told it is the gear shift module. Time/date: 6:45 am 02/08/20 vehicle was stationary.”

    NHTSA complaint #11308690, filed 2020-02, 78,500 miles
  4. Air bags

    Airbags not deploying in a crash

    • 23 complaints (6%)
    • median 43,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (17 state mileage)
    • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2012–2022

    Several complaints describe collisions, including front and rear impacts, in which the airbags did not deploy, with some owners reporting injuries. A few mention an airbag fault message appearing on the dash afterward, and owners say they got little explanation from the dealer or manufacturer. Reported between roughly 74,000 and 100,000 miles, at the time of a collision.

    What to check: Turn the key on and confirm the airbag warning lamp cycles and then goes out; ask for any airbag system diagnostics or repairs in the service history.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “One day my air bag failiure light came om along with a fuel cutoff unavailble light. Both of these lights were temporarily fixed by manually locking and unlocking the doors. Recently that fix has not worked. While these errors are happening my cruise control will not turn on at all.”

    NHTSA complaint #11299935, filed 2020-01, 74,000 miles

    “On november 20, 2018, I had an accident with my Fiat 500 sport (images and video attached). I have contacted Fiat in brazil, USA, europe and the dominican republic, so that they could find out what has happened, since the air bag will not work in my vehicle. I have complete video. I have not had any answer, Fiat brasil says that it is not theirs, europe and the USA will not answer anything, that is, at the time of purchase they are optimal, but the attention to the client and the post sale, disappointing to say nothing worst.”

    NHTSA complaint #11166733, filed 2019-01, 100,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that includes the clutch and shifter operation, a check of the cluster and lights, and a real refueling attempt covers most of what owners report. Ask for the recall repair records and confirm which campaigns were completed on the specific car.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 396 consumer complaints for the 2012 Fiat 500. 288 of the complaints include a mileage, and 55% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 47,566 miles. Of all complaints, 21 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 17 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 132 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Fiat 500 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 69 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (12), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (11), Body and structure (9), Electronic stability control (8), Wheels (8), Seat belts (6), Seats (6), Engine cooling (2), Equipment (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “I was driving home from work on big tree road in south daytona florida as I approached my neighborhood I attempted to shift gears and was not able to engage or disengage the clutch nor could I shift the gears. I lost control of the vehicle so I braked and managed to drift in neutral to my driveway at my home.”

NHTSA complaint #10957777, filed 2017-03, 29,637 miles

Electrical system: “My Fiat has less than 36k miles my driver's side door handle has broken off and has been on national back order for over a month. I can not even get it fixed right now. Also my starter does not work and I have to pop start the engine at the moment because I can not order the starter to replace it. The car has less than 36k miles”

NHTSA complaint #10896195, filed 2016-08, 35,250 miles

Engine: “I car warning lights started coming on and staying on all the time. I took the car in for an oil change and was advised I needed a new motor. The car is constantly stalling, cutting off all the time, bearly restarting and only able to drive less than 25 MPH. This is the problem every time I start it up.”

NHTSA complaint #11128207, filed 2018-09, 60,000 miles

Other or unknown: “My gear shifter wire broken to the point it would gets stuck in drive or park or reverse even though I had shifted to a different position. When I would turn off my car even thought I put it in park it still believed that it was in reverse and would roll.”

NHTSA complaint #11047548, filed 2017-11, 49,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

55% of the 288 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 25,000 and 70,000 miles.

15%0–109%10–2531%25–5023%50–7510%75–1008%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (288 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 47,566 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’12’14’16100’18’20’22’24’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Fiat 500. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
500 · hatchback FWD★★★☆☆4 / 3234 · 14.5% risk
500 · hatchback FWD★★★☆☆4 / 3334 · 14.7% risk

Neighbouring years: 2013: 4 stars overall. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2012 Fiat 500 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
500 FWD1.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual303732$2,550
500 FWD1.4L 4-cyl6-speed automatic273329$2,850
500 Abarth FWD1.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual283330$2,750
500 Cabrio FWD1.4L 4-cyl6-speed automatic273229$2,850

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2012 Fiat 500 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 132 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 132 bulletins →

Other model years of the Fiat 500

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2018512,0001—27—Not enough data
20171415,8731430—Not enough data
20161425,0003430—Not enough data
20159226,000343036 · TypicalFalling
201412417,000343061 · TypicalRising
201316644,000343021 · FewerFalling
201239647,566333069 · MoreFalling

All Fiat 500 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Fiat 500?

Owners of the 2012 Fiat 500 report most often about the manual transmission and clutch, with complaints scattered from very low mileage up past 150,000 miles. The issues reported most often: Clutch pedal sticks to floor / clutch failure; Instrument cluster and lighting electrical faults; Shifter cable detaches, car stuck in gear or Park.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Fiat 500 have?

NHTSA recorded 396 consumer complaints for the 2012 Fiat 500 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Fiat 500 is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 201 complaints (51% of the total), followed by electrical system with 63.

Has the 2012 Fiat 500 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2012 Fiat 500 do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2012 Fiat 500 3 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Fiat 500 get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Fiat 500 (500 Abarth, 1.4L 4-cyl) at 30 mpg combined, 28 city and 33 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,750 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Fiat 500 reported?

Among the 288 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 47,566 miles and the middle half falls between 25,000 and 70,000 miles; 55% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.