What 120 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Fiat 500 Cabrio

AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN THE AMOUNT OF 4 FRONT END WRECKS.*DT *AS

NHTSA ODI 11376242

I WAS ON A SIDE STREET TURNING L ONTO A BUSY STREET. THERE WAS A LONG LARGE WHITE VAN BLOCKING MY VIEW FROM TURNING. I WAS AT A STOP SIGN. AS I STARTED TO MOVE OUT I DID LOOK BOTH WAYS FIRST. THERE WAS A RED AUTO OVER A BLOCK TO MY LEFT & RIGHT AN AUTO WAS WAY BEHIND TRACKS. WE HAVE A LONG SET OF TRACKS DUE TO BUSY STREET ON A SLANT. AS I TURN, ANOTHER CAR ON MY LEFT HIT MY CAR SO HARD THAT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD AND I WAS MOVED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT OF CAR & THIS INTENSIFIED IMPACT ON MY LEFT SIDE HEAD TO LEFT DRIVER WINDOW. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. LOC MOMENTARILY, DISORIENTED, TAKEN TO ED VIA AMBULANCE, 2 INCH LACERATION TO SCALP. THIS INITIATED MANY SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS THAT ED NEVER KNEW ABOUT. CT SHOWED IRREGULARITIES TO LEFT BRAIN, I WAS UNABLE TO WRITE LEGIBLE, MY TEXTS WERE NOT UNDERSTANDABLE, MY SISTER STATED SHE HATED TO CALL BECAUSE I WASN'T MAKING SENSE & I FELL CONTINUOUSLY FOR NO REASON. I CAUSED NUMEROUS BROKEN RIBS DUE TO FALLS & ONCE HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED DUE TO RIB SEPARATING FROM STERNUM. MY PSYCHIATRIST PUT ME ON ADDITIONAL MEDICATION DUE TO DEPRESSION. HAD PT TO INCREASE MUSCLE TONE IN LEGS . JUST HAD A RADICAL MASTECTOMY 5 MO PREVIOUSLY AND I KNEW I WASN'T RIGHT. THE POLICE REPORT INDICATED OTHER CAR WAS GOING 25MPH WHICH CAN'T BE CORRECT. THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 30MPH & EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN AREA KNOW OUR TRAINS ARE SO LONG THAT YOU WANT TO CROSS THEM BEFORE A TRAIN COMES. MY CAR WAS NEARLY ON TRAIN TRACKS. I KNOW BY TURNING LEFT, I WAS AT FAULT BUT THE VAN THAT BLOCKED MY VIEW WAS ILLEGALLY PARKED IN A BUS STOP. I ATTEMPTED TO FILE A LAW SUIT AGAINST CHRYSLER/FIAT BECAUSE NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BECAUSE SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD ME IN PLACE. NO LAWYER WANTED TO GO AGAINST A CAR COMPANY. I ALSO HAVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. I WAS HURT BADLY, MY AUTO INSURANCE CANCELED ME. I'VE BEEN ON SSDI SINCE 2011 DUE MULTIPLE SURGERIES. I LIVE OFF SSDI ONLY. *DSY *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11163827

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT REALIZED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO BENSON FIAT (500 A W HAMPTON BLVD, GREER, SC 29650) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHT BULBS AND SOCKETS WERE MELTED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWO YEARS AGO BY THE SAME DEALER FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BOTH TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,025. *TT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11153056

WILL DRIVING ON A CITY STREET I WAS SIDE SWIPED ON DRIVER'S DOOR , FROM SIDE VIEW MIRROR TO END OF LEFT SIDE FENDER AND HOOD. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAME TO REST AT REAR OF ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT OF OF ME PARKED, NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *DT*JB NO VIN AVAILABLE *JB

NHTSA ODI 11150910

IN MOTION ON A HIGH WAY HIT CAR, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED GIVING ME EXTREME LEG TRAUMA THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE EACH DAY. THE PAIN IS VERY SEVERE. NONE OF THE MEDICAL CARE PERSONNEL HAS SEE SUCH BAD LEG TRAUMA. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10940118

AIR CONDITIONER ELECTRICAL FIRE AND TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING OR MOVING WHILE ON IDLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10918994

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500L. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE AND IDLING, THE TRANSMISSON CLUCTH STARTED TO HEAT UP AND SMOKE. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER FOR THE FAILURE TO STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMERIOUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. ON THE FIRST VISIT, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD STOP EVENTUALLY. ON THE SECOND VISIT, THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NETURAL TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

NHTSA ODI 10853585

FIRST INCIDENT WAS TWO WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE FIAT 500L. THE BRAKES JAMMED AND I ENDED REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS SIX WEEKS AGO AFTER REPLACING THE FRONT BRAKES. I PURCHASED NEW ROTORS AND PADS;THAT EVENING THE BRAKES JAMMED AND CAUSED ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE TWICE. MY FIAT 500L HAS EXPERIENCED LOSING COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMPUTER TO THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO STALL ON VARIOUS STREETS AND WHILE IN MOVING TRAFFIC. ON FRIDAY 13, 2015; MY FIAT 500L MADE A NOISE SO LOUD THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE ENGINE AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A LARGE HEAVY PIECE OF METAL WAS TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH THE ENGINE WALL. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND WAITED FOR 20 MIN. I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE NOISE WENT AWAY. AS I PULLED OFF THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A REAL LOUD NOISE AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER FIAT IS ONLY CONCERNED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MY ISSUE IS NOT THE MILEAGE; HOWEVER MY SAFETY. I AM NOT EASILY SCARED; HOWEVER I FELT LIKE MY FIAT 500L WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS CAR, FCA NEEDS TO BUY BACK EVERY LAST ONE.

NHTSA ODI 10790455

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INSTRUCTING THE CONTACT TO PLACE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THEN INTO THE DRIVE POSITION. THE CONTACT FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE SUCCEEDING. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT THEN ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RELUCTANT TO ACCELERATE AND DRIVE SLOWLY. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS FOR THE JOLTING. THE DEALER ADVISED THE COMPUTER WAS LEARNING THE DRIVER'S HABITS AND WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. AFTER THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED A 60,000 MILE WARRANTY, NO DEDUCTIBLE, FREE OF COST AND $500.00 FOR COMPENSATION. THE CONSUMER WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THE OFFER. UPON RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONSUMER TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WHILE AT A STOP, BECAUSE ONE OF THE CLUTCHES SLIGHTLY DRAGS AND WOULD EVENTUALLY BURN UP, WHICH IS WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT WAS UNACCEPTABLE.*JS

NHTSA ODI 10759913

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WARNING LIGHTS CYCLED THROUGH FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER INDICATING ISSUES WITH ESC , DTS, A SPROCKET WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT, A CAR ON ROUGH TERRAIN, THIS CONTINUED AS I TRAVELED DOWN THE ROAD...ALL OF THESE LIGHTS ARE INDICATORS OF ISSUES WITH THE ABS SYSTEM I MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE STEERING WAS DIFFERENT I WAS TRYING TO GET OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT HOWEVER AS TRAFFIC SLOWED I WAS UNABLE TO STOP MY VEHICLE AND MY BRAKES REACTED DIFFERENTLY WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AND I REAR ENDED THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME

NHTSA ODI 10759957

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 GRUMMAN LONGLIFE (NA). WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT CLOSED THE DOOR AND HIS MIDDLE FINGER WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE SLIDING DOOR AND THE DOOR FRAME. AS A RESULT, 1/3 OF THE CONTACT'S FINGER WAS AMPUTATED. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS OUT OF BUSINESS AND COULD NOT BE NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000. MA 08/11/15 UPDATED 10/19/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10724702

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHILE AT A STOP, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TIRES. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BALL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

NHTSA ODI 10721710

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 42 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE REAR WINDOW. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10716216

WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IN DETROIT. CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE HEAVILY AS IF ON FIRE, AND ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND STALLED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DO IMMEDIATE DIAGNOSIS OF CAR. CAR HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON IT AND WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN OCTOBER 2014. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10706447

IN MAY 2014 MY 2014 FIAT 500L WAS BROUGHT TO ZIEGLER DEALERSHIP FOR A SAFETY RECALL CONCERNING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE GEAR SHIFT MODULE AND THEY FLASHED THE ESM (RECALL ON NHTSA WEBSITE). IN JANUARY 2015 WE NOTICED A BURNING SMELL UNDER THE ENGINE. IF WE PUT CAR INTO REVERSE AND GAS PEDAL PUSHED, CAR HESITATED 1-2 SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR WOULD START MOVING. CAR LURCHED FORWARD SEVERAL TIMES ON ROAD AT A DEAD STOP. ROUGH SHIFTING ON ROADS. CHECK TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN EARLY FEB 2015 AND WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO ZIEGLER. THEY DETERMINED IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. ONLY 4 MODULES IN THE ENTIRE US, AND ALL WERE SPOKEN FOR (4 OTHER FIATS IN FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM). ZIEGLER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO GET AN "UPGRADED" TRANSMISSION MODULE, NOT THE ONE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR THE CAR. AFTER BEING TOLD IT WOULD BE 1 1/2 MONTHS TO GET THE UNIT, IT SHOWED UP MID FEBRUARY. I CONFIRMED THAT WE GOT THIS "UPGRADED" UNIT AND DEALER SAID YES. TOOK POSSESSION OF MY CAR ON 2/13/15. THIS PAST WEEK, WE AGAIN HAD A BURNING SMELL IN THE ENGINE, ENCOUNTERED CAR LURCHING WHILE CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND FOOT SECURELY ON THE BRAKE. SLOW ENGINE REACTION WHEN HITTING GAS WHEN PUTTING CAR INTO REVERSE, ROUGH SHIFTING. WAS PLANNING ON CALLING DEALER ON MONDAY 3/2, HOWEVER ON SATURDAY 2/28/15 THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A DRIVER SIDE T-BONE CRASH AS THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS PUSHED. CAR TOTALLED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE THE CAR DID NOT MOVE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED. FIAT IS NOW FIRESELLING THESE 2014 MODELS AND ARE NOT OFFERING THIS "DUAL CLUTCH" TRANSMISSION IN 2015 MODELS. THEY KNOW ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSION ISSUES BUT THEIR "FIX" IS STILL PUTTING LIVES IN JEOPARDY. IF YOU OWN THIS CAR, GET RID OF IT ASAP! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10691739

WHILE PARKED AT A MCDONALDS DRIVE-THRU WINDOW IN DETROIT MI IN MY 2014 FIAT 500L AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 A.M. THE CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE PROFUSELY. THE SMOKE FILLED THE INTERIOR CABIN AND UNDER THE HOOD AREA. THE CAR SMELLED HORRID LIKE BURNING ELECTRICAL COPPER WIRES. THE CAR THEN SHUT OFF, BUT CONTINUED SMOKING. I RAN OUT OF THE CAR AND A POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS EATING LUNCH INSIDE RAN OUT TO HELP ME. THE OFFICER AND MCDONALDS EMPLOYEES PUSHED THE CAR AWAY FROM THE DRIVE-THRU WINDOW. NO FLAMES WERE SEEN, ONLY SMOKE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO GOLLING FIAT IN BLOOMFIELD HILLS MI. THE DEALERSHIP RETURNED THE CAR TO ME DAYS LATER AS IS, STATING THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND NOR REPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR ANY PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE SERVICEMAN [XXX] DID STATE TWO TIMES THAT HE SMELLED SMOKE AND BURNING WIRES UNDER THE HOOD, BUT TOLD ME THAT "MAYBE THE BURNING SMELL IS JUST A FLUKE". NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. I'M VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS CAR ALSO HAS A HISTORY OF LEAKING GASOLINE. NOW IT IS SMOKING AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. I WAS PREVIOUSLY CHARGED $2100 TO REPLACE THE LEAKING GAS TANK AFTER THEY TOLD ME THE TANK WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY NEW CAR WARRANTY! I HAVE REPORTED BOTH THE LEAKING GASOLINE COMPLAINT AND SMOKE COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10683485