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2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
392 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 24, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (51% of complaints, typically reported near 30k miles).
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#240 of 460Among the 2012 models with a matured record, the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio ranks #240, scoring higher than 48% of them. See the 2012 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (32) · Fuel system (23)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
51%199 complaints · typically near 30k mi · 3 in the last 2 years
“Front Wheel hub bearings grinding, very fast wear and tear Transmission still not shifting right after recall shifter cable replaced not grabbing gears”
Electrical system
16%63 complaints · typically near 27k mi · 2 in the last 2 years
“The wiring harness bundle leading to the trunk failed between the trunk & upper drivers side of the car. Upper brake lights stopped working, then rear defroster, then …”
Engine
13%51 complaints · typically near 30k mi
“JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT OWNS A 2012 IT WON'T HOLD OIL PRESSURE”
Airbags
8%32 complaints
“WAS IN A CRASH AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. NOT 1 AIR BAG DEPLOYED.HAPPENRD ON DEC. 9, 2020.”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 3 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 392 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 27 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Fiat before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report transmission & drivetrain problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 30k miles). Has this car shown any transmission & drivetrain symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 27k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 Fiat 500 CABRIO beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every 500 Cabrio model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.