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What 161 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Fiat 500 Cabrio

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (161)Crash / fire / injury (12)Transmission & drivetrain (76)Engine (21)Electrical system (17)Fuel system (12)Airbags (10)Body & structure (10)Lights (9)Brakes (7)Steering (7)Speed control (5)

12 of 161 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jun 5, 2020Transmission & drivetrainEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. HE ALSO STATED THAT WHITE SMOKE HAD BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. DESPITE THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE VEHICLE DESPITE A RECENT OIL CHANGE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRANSFER PLATE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES DESPITE THE VEHICLE BEING PLACED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,263.

NHTSA ODI 11327477

Jun 19, 2019AirbagsSeat beltsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH ON A STRAIGHT AWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME OUT FROM A SIDE STREET. THE OTHER VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD ON IN THE CONTACT'S FRONT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. AS A RESULT, OF THE CRASH THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN INJURY ON A CARTILAGE ON HER STERNUM, FOREHEAD BRUISE FROM THE SUN VISOR ALONE WITH BRUISES ON THE ARM, CHEST, RIBS, AND BACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION AT AN EMERGENCY FACILITY. THE PERSON THAT CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED AND DIDN'T NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE OTHER PARTIES INSURANCE DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THEY PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ODI 11221179

Feb 27, 2019Transmission & drivetrainBody & structureCrash

DRIVING IN 3RD GEAR SLID AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL AND WHEN VEHICLE STOPPED COULDN'T GET VEHICLE OUT OF 3RD GEAR. HAD TO USE BOTH HANDS TO GET VEHICLE INTO 1ST GEAR. AFTER VEHICLE WAS IN 1ST GEAR THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR. FOUND A RECALL BULLETIN #16V302000 ON FCA US LLC WEBSITE WHICH DESCRIBES A RECALL FOR S34: "IF THE CLUTCH DIAPHRAGM SPRING FAILS, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS OR THE VEHICLE MAY LOSE POWER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH." THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPEN TO THE VEHICLE. FIAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT STAND BEHIND RECALL S34 ON THIS VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING IN 3RD GEAR AND COULDN'T GET VEHICLE TO GO INTO 4TH GEAR STUCK AND CRASHED ON A COUNTY ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11182740

Nov 9, 2018AirbagsCrash

TAKATA RECALL - WE HIT A DEER WITH OUR 2013 FIAT 500 LOUNGE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. OVER $5,000 IN DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 11150242

Apr 26, 2017Transmission & drivetrainFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND WAS RUNNING VERY SLOWLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR FIVE WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

NHTSA ODI 10980807

Apr 26, 2017AirbagsCrash

WE HAD A SEVERE ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 405 WHERE A LARGE SUV HIT US FROM BEHIND AT SPEED AND PUSHED US INTO A STATIONARY TRUCK. BOTH THE REAR AND FRONT OF THE CAR WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED. WE WERE MODERATELY INJURED. WERE GIVEN FIRST AID BY PARAMEDICS AND WE CHOSE NOT TO GO TO EMERGENCY AND GO TO URGENT CARE INSTEAD.

NHTSA ODI 10980843

Dec 7, 2016AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SWERVED TO AVOID A DEER. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE ETS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, A CONCUSSION, AND MUSCLE SPASMS THROUGHOUT THE BODY. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 10933725

Sep 14, 2016AirbagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BY THE CURB IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND CAUSED IT TO EXPLODE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10906445

Aug 9, 2016Transmission & drivetrain1 injury

AFTER CONTACTING CHRYSLER CORP I AM BEING TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO PARTS FOR MY RECALL AND THAT I SHOULD MAKE THE REPAIR ON MY OWN UTILIZING THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT ARE ON RECALL!!! I ALREADY HAD AN ACCIDENT ON 7/29 WHEN THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUSH IT OUT OF HARMS WAY I FELL HARD ON THE CONCRETE. TO PUT IN AT MY COST THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS IS PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER.

NHTSA ODI 10894440

Jun 5, 2015Body & structureFuel systemCrash1 injury

MY 2013 FIAT ABARTH WAS REAR ENDED. I WAS STOPPED. THE OTHER DRIVER, IN A GRAND CHEROKEE, REAR ENDED ME. HIS SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH. I WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BRIEFLY & HAD SEVERE HEAD PAIN. I AM STILL UNDERGOING TREATMENT. NONE OF MY CARS SAFETY FEATURES WORKED, INCLUDING THE FUEL PUMP SHUT OFF. I BELIEVE THE SEAT HIT ME IN THE HEAD. THE ABARTH HAS UNIQUE, HIGH BACKED SEATS WITH A FIXED / INTEGRATED HEAD REST WITH A HARD, PLASTIC INSERT. MY SEATBELTS FAILED TO TIGHTEN AND THE FUEL PUMP FAILED TO SHUT OFF. I WORKED FOR CHRYSLER FIAT AT THE TIME AND DID TELL PEOPLE IN ENGINEERING ABOUT THE CONCERN. I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION & NOW HAVE CONSTANT, DAILY HEADACHES AND MIGRAINES.

NHTSA ODI 10723542

Apr 21, 2015AirbagsBody & structureCrash1 injury

EXPRESSWAY DRIVING AT 55MPH WHEN TRAFFIC CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT. HARD BREAKING TRANSPIRED, ATTEMPT AT EVASION, RESULTING IN A FRONT IMPACT INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THEN A REBOUND IMPACT INTO A RETAINMENT WALL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. NONE OF THE 7 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED...UPDATED 05/07/15 *BF UPDATED 9/16/2015 *JS *TR

NHTSA ODI 10712093

Jul 20, 2014AirbagsCrash1 injury

MY 2013 FIAT 500 WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I BROKE MY ARM AND HAD A HEAD INJURY... UPDATED 08-20-14 *BF--UPDATED 08-26-14*BF UPDATED 09/2/2014 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10614805

Working with the data? Download all 161 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Fiat 500 Cabrio verdict →