What 392 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio

WHEN FILLING UP WITH GAS - PUMP CLICKS OFF EVERY FEW SECONDS. TAKES A LONG TIME TO FILL TANK AT A VERY LOW RATE OF FLOW. MAKES IT EASY TO OVERFLOW! MY MECHANIC SAYS SOMETHING IS FAULTY WITH THE GAS TANK.

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CAR HAS OIL LEAK FROM ENGINE MAIN SEAL.ISSUE ADVICED TO DEALER UPON SALE,MECHANICS DENIED UNTIL 3RD PARTY ESTIMATE.THEN DEALER SAID TO HAVE FIXED IT UNTIL ONCE AGAIN THE ISSUE CAME UP--SERVICE DONE FOR MAINTENANCE KEPT. DEALERSHIP SOLD. NEW OWNERS OF DEALERS FOUND SAME PROBLEM. NEW WARRANTY DENIED CLAIMS AND SAID IT WAS A PREX CONDITION THAT WAS NOT TAKEN CARE. CAR CONTINUES TO LEAK OIL AND ISSUE IS NOW ON MY BILL AS RESPONSIBILITY. ISSUE IS A FIAT BRAND FOR THE YEAR 2012 AND SHOULD BE FIAT RESPONISBILILITY TO MONITOR AND RECALL CARS WITH THESE ISSUES TO FIX.FIAT TOO NEEDS TO MONITOR DEALERSHIPS THAT SELL USED CARS WITH PROBLEMS THEY DENY TO SERVICE PRIOR TO SELLING AND AWARE OF THE ISSUE BEFORE IT WAS SOLD ALONG WITH A RECALL THAT HAD NOT BEEN SERVICED PRIOR TO THE SALE AND OLD MANAGER/PRIOR TO SALE OF BUSINESS DID NOT TAKE CARE OF ALTHOUGH AWARE IT WAS IN PLACE..

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GEAR SHIFT IS STUCK IN PARK BUT CAR IS ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. IT WILL NOT MOVE. WAS PULLING IN PARKING SPOT AND REALIZED WHEN I PUT CAR IN PARK AND RELEASE FOOT OFF BRAKE MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. CANNOT CHANGE GEAR.

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WHEN TRYING TO PUMP GAS IN CAR, IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 10 MINS TO PUMP ONE GALLON AND IT WOULD SHUT OFF CONSTANTLY. IN OTHER WORDS WHEN SQUEEZING THE PUMP, IT WOULD PUT A FEW DROPS AND CUT OFF AND IT WOULD CONTINUOUSLY DO THIS. THE PROBLEMS WAS THE ROLLER OVER SHUT OFF VALVE WAS STUCK AND THE SOLUTION WAS TO GET A WHOLE NEW TANK. IN ORDER TO KEEP EXPENSES DOWN AND BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT RECALLED, WE HAD OUR MECHANIC MOVE THE "BALL" AND THIS RESOLVED THE ISSUE UNTIL IT GETS STUCK AGAIN. THE COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $150

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GAS PUMP CONSTANTLY KICKS OFF WHILE PUMPING GAS. BASICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FILL CAR UP WITH GAS. HAVE TO CONSTANTLY SQUEEZE LITTLE BURSTS OF GAS IN A TIME BETWEEN GAS PUMPING KICKING OFF. CHECKING ONLINE FOR OPTIONS TO RESOLVE ISSUES RESULTS IN SEEING THE ISSUE OCCUR IN MANY DIFFERENT FIATS FROM THIS YEAR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 20 MINUTES TO FILL THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL SPILLED OUT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. FIAT OF MELBOURNE (300 E NASA BLVD, MELBOURNE, FL 32901, (321) 727-7711) INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL TANK, FUEL TANK PUMP, AND CANISTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,359. *DT

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AN ISSUE INVOLVING THE STARTER MOTOR BOLTS NOT BEING GROUNDED. CAUSED INTERMITTENT STARTING. THIS ISSUE IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR FIAT UNDER THE FOLLOWING: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTIFICATION N15 STARTER MOTOR MOUNTING BOLTS 2012 (FF) FIAT 500 NOTE: THIS NOTIFICATION APPLIES ONLY TO THE ABOVE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSAXLE (SALES CODE DDF) BUILT FROM MARCH 15, 2011 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2011 (MDH 031500 THROUGH 063023). '' HOWEVER, IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY CAR...BUT IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM...I SEE OTHER FIAT OWNERS REPORTING THIS ISSUE...BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL...THIS CAUSED ME TO MISS APPROX 2 DAYS OF WORK...PAY FOR A TOW TRUCK...AND SEND TO A DEALER TO FIX AT A COST OF 280 DOLLARS FOR A KNOWN ISSUE BY FIAT....

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I DRIVE A MANUAL FIAT, AND I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL AND MY CLUTCH WASN'T ENGAGING PROPERLY, I WAS LOSING TORQUE,AND THERES A LOUD SQUEAKING WHEN I PRESS ON THE CLUTCH.

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ON NOVEMBER 20, 2018, I HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH MY FIAT 500 SPORT (IMAGES AND VIDEO ATTACHED). I HAVE CONTACTED FIAT IN BRAZIL, USA, EUROPE AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, SO THAT THEY COULD FIND OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, SINCE THE AIR BAG WILL NOT WORK IN MY VEHICLE. I HAVE COMPLETE VIDEO. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ANSWER, FIAT BRASIL SAYS THAT IT IS NOT THEIRS, EUROPE AND THE USA WILL NOT ANSWER ANYTHING, THAT IS, AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THEY ARE OPTIMAL, BUT THE ATTENTION TO THE CLIENT AND THE POST SALE, DISAPPOINTING TO SAY NOTHING WORST. *DSY

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CONCERNS THAT VEHICLE S34 RECALL HAS NEVER BEEN COMPLETE VEHICLE IS NOW FOR SALE AT A CAR DEALERSHIP NO PAPER TRAIL ON THE RECALL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING, THE CLUTCH FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE RELEASING THE PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. *DT *JB

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THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK IS NO LONGER ABLE TO ACCEPT FUEL PROPERLY FROM ANY GAS STATION DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE FUEL TANK'S ROLLOVER PROTECTION VALVE. AFTER A WEEKS WORTH OF TESTING THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME THAT THE CORRECT COURSE OF ACTION IS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE FUEL TANK AS THE PART IS INTEGRAL TO THE TANK. FIAT ADMITS THAT THERE IS A FAULT WITH THE TANK AND THEREFORE IT SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN RATHER THAN A CONSUMER BURDEN TO REPAIR AND REPLACE. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AMONGST THE 2012-2013 YEAR MODELS WITH MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF OWNERS HAVING TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FOR THE PROBLEM TO ONLY RE-OCCUR AGAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS WITH THE MOTOR SHUT OFF AND FUEL CAP OPEN TO ACCEPT FUEL. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $2,000 WHICH IS ABOUT 1/3 OF VEHICLES COST DUE TO DEPRECIATION.

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VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THIS PART WAS ALREADY REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY WITH FIAT ADMITTING THAT THE PART IS DEFECTIVE/SUBSTANDARD FOR PURPOSE IT FILLS IN THE CARS STEERING FUNCTIONALITY. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME (APPX 3 YEARS OR 36K MILES) IT STARTS MAKING A CLUNK WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS. IF LEFT UNREPAIRED IT WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHEN VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. APPROXIMATE COST OF REPAIR IS $500 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. WHEN CONTACTING FIAT ABOUT THIS CONCERN AND THAT IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE FOR BEING FAULTY I WAS TOLD THAT MY WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND IT WAS MY BURDEN TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. NEW PART ONLY CARRIES A 1 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM MAINLY OCCURS AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN MAKING FULL TURNS HOWEVER IT COULD FAIL AT HIGH SPEED LEAVING DRIVER WITH NO VEHICLE CONTROL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TONY DOMIANO AUTO (LOCATED AT 900 SCRANTON CARBONDALE HWY, EYNON, PA 18403, (570) 876-3919) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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FRONT SEAT MECHANISM WILL NOT OPERATE, OCCUPANTS CAN NOT GET OUT OF CAR ON DRIVER'S SIDE BECAUSE THE SEAT MECHANISM DOES NOT WORK AND THE BACK OF THE SEAT DOES NOT FLIP FORWARD

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I CAR WARNING LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON AND STAYING ON ALL THE TIME. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS ADVISED I NEEDED A NEW MOTOR. THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY STALLING, CUTTING OFF ALL THE TIME, BEARLY RESTARTING AND ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE LESS THAN 25 MPH. THIS IS THE PROBLEM EVERY TIME I START IT UP.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE TRUNK, BUT IT WAS UNABLE TO UNLATCH AUTOMATICALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK COULD BE ACCESSED BY PULLING THE BACK SEAT DOWN; HOWEVER, WITH THE BACK SEAT LOWERED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO LOAD OR UNLOAD A SUITCASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF EDMOND (14113 BROADWAY EXTENSION HIGHWAY, EDMOND, OKLAHOMA 73013, (405)-696-0631) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRUNK WIRES COULD NOT BE REPLACED INDIVIDUALLY; THEREFORE, THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WIRING HARNESS WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 34994853. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RON LEWIS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM FIAT CRANBERRY (21145 US-19, CRANBERRY TWP, PA 16066, (724) 452-4040) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER MOUNTING BOLT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

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TRUNK / HATCH PINCHED WIRE HARNESS CAUSING SHORT. COULD NOT OPEN TRUNK, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. FIAT DOES NOT MAKE A PIG TAIL REPLACEMENT, SHOP HAD TO RE-WIRE TRUNK COUSTING 180.00 FOR NEW DECK HANDEL, AND 600.00 FOR SPLICING IN NEW HARNESS

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THE FIAT HAD THE RECOMMENDED RECALL FIX FOR MAUAL TRANSMISSION PERFORMED IN 2017. WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY. GEARS COULD ONLY BE CHANGED WITH THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED AND THE ENGINE OFF. REPAIR IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM "PRESSURE PLATE FINGERS HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF S34 RECALL. THIS RUINED THE CLUTCH PLATE CAUSING SHIFITNG ISSUES."

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCH AND SUN ROOF FAILED TO OPEN. THE DEALER (HARPER FIAT, 10045 PARKSIDE DR, KNOXVILLE, TN 37922, (865) 243-3220) STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURES, BUT NO REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HANDLE THOSE TYPES OF COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTED THE CONTACT CALL NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO UNLOCK THE TRUNK, IT FAILED TO OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF BURLINGAME (2 CALIFORNIA DR, BURLINGAME, CA 94010, (866) 413-7332) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRUNK WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,927.

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THE HATCH SWITCH HAS HAD TO BE REPAIRED 3 TIMES. ITS A DESIGN FLAW THAT SHORTS OUT THE SWITCH. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL!

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THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO SHOPPING CENTER, PARKED OK BUT WHEN LEAVING THE VEHICLE STARTED, THEN ENGINE CUT OUT. NOW THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. ENGINE CRANKS BUT ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS GOES ON. TOWED TO JEEP/CHRYSLER DEALER (DON ALLEN IN NANTUCKET) AND THEY SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL ISSUE. TOWED TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT (ELECTRICAL ISSUE). CALLED FIAT AND THEY SAID NOT THEIR PROBLEM. CAR HAS 27,000 MILES.

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CAR STARTED SOUNDING BAD AND ONE NIGHT THE CLUTCH GOT STUCK SO I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE CLUTCH. DEALERSHIP IS AN HOUR AWAY AND WOULDN'T COVER TOWING "UNLESS THEY WERE SURE IT WAS A RECALL ISSUE" SO EITHER I COULD PAY FOR TOWING (I DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THAT) OR DRIVE IT IN. NO MENTION THAT DRIVING IT COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE NOT COVERED. SO I DROVE IT IN WITH THE BAD CLUTCH. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEN AND THEY AGREED TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUTCH. WHEN THEY STARTED REPAIRS, THEY NOTICED DAMAGE TO THE FORK SHAFT AND TRANSMISSION, WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. $2400. I GOOGLED THE RECALL TO FIND OUT DETAILS AND THE RECALL EXISTS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE CLUTCH PROBLEM CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. SO I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WON'T COVER IT ONCE THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.

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