Fiat 500: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
812 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Fiat 500, model years 2011 to 2018. 3 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2012 (transmission); 2013 (transmission); 2014 (transmission). Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 500FEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 1 | |
| 2012 500 | 396 | transmission | 4 | |
| 2013 500 | 166 | transmission | 4 | |
| 2014 500FEW REPORTS | 124 | transmission | 4 | |
| 2015 500FEW REPORTS | 92 | — | 4 | |
| 2016 500FEW REPORTS | 14 | — | 4 | |
| 2017 500FEW REPORTS | 14 | — | 2 | |
| 2018 500FEW REPORTS | 5 | — | 2 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Fiat models
Fiat 500L · Fiat 500X. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 20122013