What 392 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio

THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 6 TIMES ALREADY. WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF AND COASTS UNTIL YOU STOP TO SHUT IT OFF AND TURN BACK ON. THE BATTERY AND OIL PRESSURE LIGHTS COME ON DURING THE COASTING. CAME VERY CLOSE TO BEING HIT TWICE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALER SAY THEY HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10629299

PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION, MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING "ESC DISABLED" AND MULTIPLE LIGHT WARNINGS FOR THE GEARBOX, THE STEERING, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL, GENERAL MALFUNCTION LIGHT, ESC OFF LIGHT, AND ESC MALFUNCTION LIGHT, AND LOST POWER STEERING, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHILE TRYING TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY WITH NO CHANGE. AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR A HALF-HOUR, THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND STEERING WAS RESTORED AND NO WARNING LIGHT WERE ON. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND PARKED UNTIL IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DROVE THE CAR OVER 50 MILES AND WERE UNABLE TO REPEAT THE INCIDENT OR IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM SO THEY RELEASED THE UNREPAIRED VEHICLE TO THE OWNER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10598709

PERIODICALLY THE STARTER WILL NOT ENGAGE. IT DOES A WHINE AS THOUGH THE STARTER ON THE VEHICLE IS A STARTER THAT IS GOING OUT. I TOOK IT BACK TO BUTLER FIAT IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN ON APRIL 1ST , AS THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE AND WORSE. THEY REPLACED THE STARTER UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT. SOMETHING WAS MENTIONED AT THE TIME ABOUT FAULTY BOLT OR A PART IN THE STARTER CAUSING A MALFUNCTION. IF ANYONE HAS EVER HAD A STARTER GO OUT IN A CAR IT IS THE SAME SOUND WHEN THE ROTARY DOES NOT ENGAGE AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. MY VEHICLE STILL HAS LESS THAN 13,000 MILES ON IT AND I NEED THE PROBLEM FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10592031

AFTER DEALER REPLACED FAULTY REAR MAIN SEAL IN JULY/AUGUST 2013, REAR WIPER BLADE WOULD ACTIVATE WITH CONTROLS IN OFF POSITION, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO MOVE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL ARM UP AND DOWN, AND THEN REAR WIPER BLADES WOULD STOP. ALSO THE CAR STARTER WOULD INTERMITTENTLY MAKE A ELECTRICAL NOISE AFTER TURNING THE KEY AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START, THEN I HAD TO TURN KEY TWO TO THREE TIMES TO START CAR. AFTER TWO MONTHS WITH ABOVE, IN COLD WEATHER BELOW 35 DEGREES THE STEREO, CD PLAYER, BLUEME SYSTEMS WON'T WORK! IT ONLY STARTS TO WORK AFTER THE CAR AND SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT REACHES 40-45 DEGREES. CALLED INTO DEALER AND HAVE APPOINTMENT FOR CHECKING ALL AND REPAIR/REPLACE COMPONENTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND SAFELY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551414

AIR BAG LIGHTS ARE NOT SHOWING ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT WORKING! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550428

REPORTED ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL THRU VENTILATION SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP DENIED ELECTRICAL BURNING BUT FOUND GAS PUNCTURE IN PLASTIC GAS TANK, SAYS SMELL IS FROM BURNING GAS. (OWNER DISAGREES) HOWEVER WITH NO OTHER SUSPENSION OR BODY DAMAGE FOUND EXCEPT THE GAS TANK PUNCTURE THERE IS GREAT CONCERN THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW. THAT THE TANK CAN BE PUNCTURED SO EASILY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF DRIVER OF ANY EVENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548386

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE KEY BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ODI 10536743

I OWN A 2012 FIAT POP THAT I PURCHASED NEW ABOUT A YEAR AGO. ONE THING THAT DID NOT GO AWAY AND WAS EVER PRESENT AT ANY TIME WAS THE LIMP MODE FOR THE ENGINE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. RECYCLING DID NOT WORK TO CORRECT PROBLEM AND GAUGES WERE OUT. THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON PANEL SHOWED IN LIMP MODE WHEN IT WORKED. GAUGES KEPT GOING ON AND OFF SOMETIMES FOR SHORT PERIODS AND OTHER TIMES FOR LONGER PERIODS. ON 6/10/13 MY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE DASHBOARD. I WAS TRAVELING BACK FROM THE STORE IN LIMP MODE HOPING IT WOULD GO OUT BUT NEVER DID.I PARKED THE CAR IN FRONT OF MY DEVELOPMENT POOL AND WENT TO VISIT MY EMPLOYEE THERE. WITHIN ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR SO SHE SAID THAT MY LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. I CHECKED AND WENT TO THE VEHICLE. IT WAS ENGULFED WITH SMOKE AND A NASTY ELECTRICAL SMELL. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE FIRE INSPECTOR TO COME AND EXAMINE MY VEHICLE. HE CAME. BEGAN TEARING MY DASHBOARD APART TO FIND THE CAUSE OR SOURCE OF THE FIRE. IT WAS DETERMINED BY HIS KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT THE BODY CONTROL UNIT HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. VEHICLE IS TOTALED. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY ABOUT 4000 MILES ON IT. EARLIER THAT DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT I HAD CALLED THE LOCAL FIAT DEALER. EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM OF THE GAUGES NOT WORKING, AND LIMP MODE, I ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND HE SAID YES. AT THIS POINT I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT HOPEFULLY THAT DAY. ONLY OPENING WAS NEXT DAY AT 2PM. I HAVE FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10516179

THE KEY FOB BUTTON IS NOT RECESSED. THIS MEANS THE IGNITION KEY OFTEN OPENS INTO MY POCKET JUST FROM NORMAL BODY MOVEMENT. IT STABS MY THIGH. THIS IS A VEHICLE SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING MY OTHER VEHICLE AND CAN BE EXTREMELY DISTRACTING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10492227

BODY SEAMS LEFT OPEN/UNWELDED DURING MANUFACTURING CAUSING WATER LEAKS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING BRAKES, LIGHTING, RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, POWER DOOR LOCKS, WINDOWS, MIRRORS, ABS, ESP, HILL START ASSIST, ETC. OPEN/UNWELDED AREAS ALSO WEREN'T PAINTED DURING MANUFACTURING. IMPROPER REPAIRS PERFORMED. "SEALANT" APPLIED TO CLOSE SEAMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELDED. PURCHASED 12/22/2011. FOUND INTERIOR WET ON 12/25/2011. RETURNED TO DEALER ON 01/02/2012. SPENT 21 DAYS IN THE SHOP. PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE, "NUMEROUS OPEN BODY SEAMS MEASURING OVER 10 INCHES LONG THAT WERE LEFT OPEN AND UNWELDED AND UNPAINTED DURING MANUFACTURING." CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME "REPAIRED" ON 1/23/2012. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN EXPERIENCING NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THEN, NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS LEAKING, AGAIN, AND EVEN WORSE, ON 1/30/2012. CAR WAS NEVER REPAIRED/IMPROPERLY REPAIRED. INTERIOR VERY WET. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS GETTING WORSE. PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES AND 'HILL START ASSIST'. FIAT WILL NOT RETURN MY CALLS. I'VE SENT LETTERS ASKING THAT THE CAR BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *KB

NHTSA ODI 10446594

REALLY COLD MORNING, UPON STARTING, THE TPMS REPORTED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE LOW ON PRESSURE. AND TIRE LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD ALL 4 TIRES CHECKED AND FILLED TO SPECS, CONTINENTAL TIRES, BUT THE TIRE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR THE NEXT DAY AND A HALF, WHEREIN I DROVE ABOUT 65 MILES, AND TURNED THE CAR ON/OFF NUMEROUS TIMES. (AT WORK, STORE, OVERNIGHT, ETC.) THE TIRE PLACE THAT I TOOK THE CAR TOO TO HAVE THE AIR CHECKED, WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW TO RESET THE TPMS. THERE WAS NOTHING OUT ABOUT THIS CAR YET. (FYI, YOU CAN USE A CHRYSLER RESET UNIT) THE TIRE LIGHT FINALLY WENT OUT THE NEXT DAY ON IT'S OWN ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK. WENT TO THE FIAT DEALERSHIP A FEW DAYS LATER TO FIND OUT HOW TO RESET THE TPMS IF/WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THE SERVICE MANAGER CHECKED IT OUT. LET AIR OUT UNTIL THE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN FILLED IT TO THE CORRECT PRESSURE, THEN DROVE IT ABOUT 50 FEET, AND THE TPMS LIGHT RESET ITSELF. SO, THE SYSTEM APPEARS TO OPERATING PROPERLY NOW AFTER WHAT I HAD OBSERVED. WILL WATCH TO SEE IF IT BECOMES A PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10443976

I'D PULLED OVER IN A PARKING LOT TO TAKE A PHONE CALL (BLUETOOTH RECEPTION WAS STATIC-Y), AND WAS SITTING WITH MY FOOT RESTING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I FELT A KICK UNDER MY FOOT, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AS I COMPLETED THE CALL. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND PULLED TO THE EDGE OF THE LOT'S EXIT, I OF COURSE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO STOP AND CHECK FOR TRAFFIC, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STUCK AND I ROLLED INTO THE STREET. I HOPE I USED THE HANDBRAKE TO STOP THE CAR, ALTHOUGH I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER. I DID REVERSE BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT, USING THE SLIGHT SLOPE OF THE DRIVEWAY TO ENSURE I COULD STOP ONCE OUT OF THE STREET. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. IT'S PROBABLY UNRELATED, BUT THE VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEM WAS WORKING SPORADICALLY THAT SAME MORNING. *KB

NHTSA ODI 10441958

CAR WAS STALLING AND SHUTTING OFF. HAD MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. COULDN'T START THE CAR AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS. THEN AFTER WAITING A GOOD 3 MINUTES STARTED THE CAR AND REVVED THE ENGINE AT 4000 RPM AND EVERYTHING SEEMED BACK TO NORMAL. DEALER HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10434217