2012 Fiat 500 Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 32about this part
- Share
- 8%of 396 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 66,500miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 32 complaints about the air bags of the 2012 Fiat 500, 8% of the 396 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 66,500 miles. 13 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“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“I constantly get a driver side air bag failure, see handbook notification on my dashboard. There's no rhyme or reason. No set speed when it happens. It happens typically if you go over bumps, like there's a short in it. But no one can fix it.”
NHTSA complaint #10693614, filed 2015-03, 43,000 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“I have had to take my vehicle to ken garff Fiat at 198 e 500 s in salt lake city utah in order to get the clutch fixed the clutch went out at 179840 miles and now I am being charged $925.00 to replace the cluth. I am also being told that there is no recall for the part on my clutch when I know there is and that I must replace the whole clutch I am also being to told that my steering colum is broken however as of todays day no one mechanic at ken garff Fiat has driven the vehilce. …”
NHTSA complaint #10917242, filed 2016-10, 179,880 miles“I took my car in to Fiat in slc utah ken garff they took my car said I had an oil leak then came back and said I needed a catalyst converter I believe the electronic system has been hacked into by the dealership in order to make money which puts me and my 13 year old child are at risk in this car please help I have been though this same thing in buford ga please help I want Fiat to buy my car back I own it out right please I dont trust the dealer something is going on with the electonic system”
NHTSA complaint #10778316, filed 2015-09, 122,290 milesAir bags: other model years
Other parts of the 2012 Fiat 500
201 complaintsElectrical system
63 complaintsEngine
51 complaintsOther or unknown
37 complaintsFuel system
23 complaintsSuspension
21 complaintsSteering
19 complaintsBrakes
13 complaintsExterior lighting
12 complaintsVehicle speed control
12 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
11 complaintsBody and structure
9 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Fiat 500
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology