Is the 2012 Fiat 500 a bad year?
396 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 201.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2012 Fiat 500 were filed between 30k and 78k miles. You're at 49,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 500 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 49,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 201 (51%) | 30k–78k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Electrical system | 63 (16%) | 26k–68k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 53 (13%) | 22k–70k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Air bags | 32 (8%) | 25k–81k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 23 (6%) | 19k–73k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Steering | 19 (5%) | 21k–66k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Suspension | 21 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 13 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 12 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 12 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 11 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 9 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 49,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 396 complaints: 21 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 16 report an injury · 22 say the car was towed.
3 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Manual transmission becomes inoperative without warning due to problem addressed in recall 16V302000. I am receiving absolutely no response from Fiat other then to say the parts to fix the problem are unavailable.
I was driving down a busy thoroughfare at around 30 MPH when my clutch suddenly stiffened up and became impossible to engage.
While driving home via local city surface streets, the gearbox fail light and the have transmission checked message came up on the dash cluster.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 49,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Fiat 500: 4
The shifter cable bushing may fail allowing the cable to detach from the transmission. If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the transmission may not shift into the gear selected by the driver. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away.
The Shifter Shaft may have been improperly manufactured with a through hole for the set screw rather than a blind hole, which may lead to the breakage of the Shifter Shaft. If the shifter breaks while the vehicle is in motion, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The clutch diaphragm spring may fracture and fail, causing an inability to switch gears. If the clutch diaphragm spring fails, the driver may not be able to shift gears or the vehicle may lose motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Some vehicles were assembled with contaminated brake fluid and may experience a degradation of the sealing components within the brake system. This could lead to loss of braking ability increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Fiat: 67
Repair instructions Fiat sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Fiat 500. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK
Gear Ratio DTC's, Transmission Shift Concerns, Does Not Shift At Times, Shudders
Oil Pump Assembly If error code P06DD present on any Pentastar V6 application, please inspect oil pump for relief valve failure
CONDITION: Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Electrical overstress
Neighbouring years
2013 500: 166 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Fiat 500 year
2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · All 500 years side by side
Other Fiat models: Fiat 500L · Fiat 500X. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Fiat 500 a bad year?
396 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 201. At 49,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2012 Fiat 500 were filed between 30k and 78k miles. You're at 49,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Fiat 500?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (201), electrical system (63), engine (53), air bags (32), fuel system (23). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 30k–78k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Fiat 500 have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 19V-817), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 19E044000), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 16V-302), Brakes (NHTSA 11V-550). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.