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Fiat 500Model year report

2013 Fiat 500 Problems

Compared with other Fiat 500 years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

21/100 0.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

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
166filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
44,000miles, 114 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
4 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
30 mpgcombined, 1.4L 4-cyl FWD · 28 city / 33 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Fiat 500 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2013 Fiat 500 most often describe transmission and clutch problems, particularly on manual-transmission cars where shifting becomes difficult or the gearbox stops engaging gears entirely. A smaller but steady share of complaints covers stalling or loss of power on the road, warning lights and electrical glitches, and engine issues that appear shortly after routine oil changes.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Manual transmission hard to shift or stuck in gear

    • 48 complaints (29%)
    • median 67,500 mi at 6.4 yrs old (40 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners describe difficulty engaging reverse, first and second gears, or suddenly losing the ability to select gears while driving, sometimes leaving only one or two gears usable. Several were told the clutch needed replacement, and some report the problem returning after a clutch job. Shifter cable and bushing failures are mentioned repeatedly, with some owners saying the dealer declined repair because their vehicle identification number was not covered by the related campaign. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 1,000 miles to over 100,000 miles, and often described as sudden rather than gradual.

    Recall 16V302000Recall 19V817000

    What to check: Ask whether the clutch recall work (16V302000) and the shifter cable bushing recall (19V817000) were completed on this vehicle, and confirm it with a dealer by VIN. Test every gear, especially reverse and first, on a cold start.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My vehicle is experiencing the exact problem described in recall 16v302000 so I contacted Fiat. They will not repair the transmission because my VIN is not registered as an effected vehicle. I have on more than one occasion run into problems shifting, the car would physically not go into gear until a downshift first occurred. This has caused drastic slowdowns while driving in traffic.”

    NHTSA complaint #11161294, filed 2018-12, 70,000 miles

    “I was stopped, waiting for a green light in moderate morning traffic; my car was working properly. The light changed, I moved ... Could not engage any gears other than first and reverse. I was able to pull into a small business mall; only 1st and rev. I called for aaa, I was not that far from the dealer from whom I purchased this used Fiat in january 2017- approximate mileage 19,600 in that month. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11286354, filed 2019-12, 23,600 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission or clutch failure with loss of drive

    • 36 complaints (22%)
    • median 63,109 mi at 6.4 yrs old (29 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2015–2026

    Owners report the car losing the ability to move or change gears while driving, with the engine revving but no power reaching the wheels, or the clutch pedal failing to disengage. Some had the car towed; others describe smoke or noise before the failure. Complaints mention quotes for full clutch or transmission replacement and difficulty getting parts for recall repairs. Typically reported between about 30,000 and 130,000 miles, sometimes on highway trips with no prior warning.

    Recall 16V302000Recall 19V817000

    What to check: During a test drive, note whether the clutch engages smoothly and whether the car moves promptly when shifted. Ask for service records showing whether the manual transmission recall was performed and whether the clutch has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The car has had the recall safety recall s34 / NHTSA 16v-302 <br/>manual transaxle clutch pedal performed back at 30,000 mi. Clearly dosent fix the pressure plate issue, as I'm an sure this is what happened when I was getting tires installed and the state inspection at a ntb shop. When you hit the pedal the clitch does not disengage, meaning the clutch is always engaged and you cannot shift gears. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11353357, filed 2020-09, 72,000 miles

    “Vehicle was acting a little strange on a trip to the store. I saw smoke coming from under the hood when I pulled into the parking spot. Upon this happening the car would not go back into gear. Had it towed to a dealership and was informed of the s34 recall on the clutch. The spring had failed causing the clutch to fail. The recall fix was completed and when I picked my car up I noticed it was very hard to shift into gears-but thought it was due to the new clutch. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11406910, filed 2021-04, 74,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Stalling, loss of power or car will not restart

    • 30 complaints (18%)
    • median 32,390 mi at 4.7 yrs old (24 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2013–2025

    Owners describe the engine cutting out while driving, sometimes after the check engine light came on, with the car coasting to a stop and failing to restart. In some cases the engine shakes and runs rough afterward, and dealers have reported low compression or recommended major engine work. Others describe the car decelerating on its own or warning lights cycling before it shuts down. Mostly reported between roughly 10,000 and 100,000 miles, often with little or no warning beforehand.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the car has had repeated check engine lights and whether the powertrain control module software updates were applied. Have a mechanic scan stored codes and check for low compression or misfire records before buying.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “No signs of any problems. Oil change done less than 3 weeks. While driving check engine light came on and in less then 2 mins loss of power until complete stop and car shut off. Turns over but car shakes got it towed home. Car remains unable to drive. Shakes with noises in the engine when on. I've only had the car for 2 years so I'm shocked I am having this problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #11109914, filed 2018-07, 98,414 miles

    “The electronic throttle control (etc) light came on after slowing down and then having to accelerate fast to avoid an oncoming car at an intersection crossing. At the same time the car lost speed and acceleration. We consulted the manual immediately and did what it said, that is to restart the car. We did this and the light went off. To do this we had to pull off the interstate and park and then get back on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10560114, filed 2014-01, 354 miles
  4. Air bags

    Airbags and seat belts not working as expected

    • 11 complaints (7%)
    • median 36,500 mi at 4.0 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2013–2021

    Owners report airbags failing to deploy in frontal and rear impacts, and repeated airbag system warnings requiring multiple dealer visits. Separately, complaints describe seat belts that will not retract or buckle, with dealers quoting repairs and stating the belt would still work in a crash. Reported from very low mileage up to about 70,000 miles, mostly in collision-related reports.

    What to check: Pull each seat belt out fully and confirm it retracts and buckles, and check that the airbag warning light comes on briefly at startup and then goes out. Ask for any prior airbag or seat belt service records.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The buckling mechanism is jammed on the driver's side causing me not to be able to buckle the seat belt in my car. The car thinks there is already a seat belt buckled. I am using the passenger side buckle for the driver's belt at this time. If I have a passenger, both of us cannot be buckled in.”

    NHTSA complaint #10983330, filed 2017-05, 92,000 miles

    “Takata recall - we hit a deer with our 2013 Fiat 500 lounge while driving on the highway. Over $5,000 in damage to the front of the car. None of the airbags deployed.”

    NHTSA complaint #11150242, filed 2018-11, 77,000 miles
  5. Electrical system

    Warning lights, electrical faults and dead battery symptoms

    • 34 complaints (20%)
    • median 51,500 mi at 6.3 yrs old (26 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2025

    Owners report clusters of warning lights, fluctuating gauges and the car shutting down or refusing to restart, sometimes traced to control modules or battery/charging issues. Some describe repeated window regulator breakage and trunk wiring that breaks and is repaired with splices that fail again. Others mention wiring diagram errors that complicated repairs at the dealer. Spread from low mileage up to over 120,000 miles, with several reports in the 40,000 to 80,000 mile range.

    Recall 15V2910004 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check that all windows, the trunk release and the sunroof operate smoothly, and ask whether the battery and charging system were tested recently. Scan for stored electrical codes during a pre-purchase inspection.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “As I was driving down the highway, (76 east in akron ohio)to take my car to the shop for a check engine and battery light that came on, warning lights of all sorts started to pop up. It basically appeared to cycle through all of the warning lights. I was probably only at 45 MPH, barely highway speed, but it is hard to know as the rmp and speedometer kept fluctuating wildly. Then the car slowly died to a dead stop while on the highway. I still had lights and air, and all other electrical things but the car would not restart. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11123115, filed 2018-08, 52,000 miles

    “So - I've got a 2013 500e and it started doing this last week or so. The rbc, the ESC, the ABS, and even the hill assist transiently, and once or twice even went into 'propulsion system service' error mode and wouldn't run. After a re-start it would then run. Even did the battery trick. Not sure if it helped or not. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11340069, filed 2020-07, 66,000 miles

Buying note. A 2013 Fiat 500 with a manual transmission deserves a careful clutch and shift test plus confirmation that the open recalls were completed on that specific vehicle. Budget for potential clutch or transmission work, and get a pre-purchase inspection that includes a code scan.

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 166 consumer complaints for the 2013 Fiat 500. 114 of the complaints include a mileage, and 54% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 44,000 miles. Of all complaints, 9 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 133 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 21 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer 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: Tires (5), Vehicle speed control (5), Seat belts (4), Electronic stability control (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Suspension (2), Wheels (2), Latches, locks and linkages (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “Fiat's check engine light came on,and upon being diagnosed no codes came up for this car. Soon after being diagnosed as a faulty code, my car suddenly stopped being able to change gears while the car is running, although it changes just fine whem it is turned off. The first incidence of this happening occured while I was driving and posed a huge safety hazard”

NHTSA complaint #11243137, filed 2019-08, 113,000 miles

Engine: “About a month ago, my wife was driving to/from work and noticed a check engine light come on. We immediately scheduled an appointment with our local studio and continued to drive the car as normal. At this point, nothing was going on with the car, except that the light came on. A day or two later, the light went off, and the car continued to act normal. We ended up canceling the appointment, guessing that there was a glitch with the computer. …”

NHTSA complaint #11065424, filed 2018-01, 75,097 miles

Other or unknown: “We had a severe accident on interstate 405 where a large SUV hit us from behind at speed and pushed us into a stationary truck. Both the rear and front of the car were severely damaged. We were moderately injured. Were given first aid by paramedics and we chose not to go to emergency and go to urgent care instead.”

NHTSA complaint #10980843, filed 2017-04, 41,000 miles

Electrical system: “I have already replaced both front window regulators at $189.00 each. The plastic piect breaks off. When I took it to Fiat the repair guy said he is changing out about 4 a day. I replaced mine in 2015 and yet again the same piece has broken off. How is this not a recall as manufacture defect? I have attached photo.”

NHTSA complaint #11033865, filed 2017-10, 120,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

54% of the 114 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 18,000 and 74,000 miles.

15%0–1021%10–2518%25–5021%50–7516%75–1008%100–1501%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (114 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 44,000 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.

’14’1634’18’20’22’24’26
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 2013 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 / 3534 · 14.7% risk

Neighbouring years: 2012: 3 stars overall; 2014: same overall rating. 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 2013 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 manual303834$2,400
500 FWD1.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual283330$2,750
500 FWD1.4L 4-cyl6-speed automatic273329$2,850
500 Abarth FWD1.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual283330$2,750

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 2013 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. 133 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 133 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 2013 Fiat 500?

Owners of the 2013 Fiat 500 most often describe transmission and clutch problems, particularly on manual-transmission cars where shifting becomes difficult or the gearbox stops engaging gears entirely. The issues reported most often: Manual transmission hard to shift or stuck in gear; Transmission or clutch failure with loss of drive; Stalling, loss of power or car will not restart.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Fiat 500 have?

NHTSA recorded 166 consumer complaints for the 2013 Fiat 500 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2013 Fiat 500 is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 80 complaints (48% of the total), followed by engine with 22.

Has the 2013 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 2013 Fiat 500 do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2013 Fiat 500 4 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Fiat 500 get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Fiat 500 (500, 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 2013 Fiat 500 reported?

Among the 114 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 44,000 miles and the middle half falls between 18,000 and 74,000 miles; 54% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 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.