What 92 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Fiat 500 Cabrio

The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that upon having the vehicle inspected, the mechanic noticed that the front driver’s and passenger’s side headlamps had failed to operate. The brake warning light and the headlamp warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the mechanic reconnected the front driver’s and passenger’s side headlamp connector. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the contact noticed that the headlamps failed to illuminate. The contact then stated that the rear driver’s and passenger’s side brake lights failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken back the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lighting wirings had burned out and the connectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

NHTSA ODI 11515202

I WORK AT AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR FACILITY. WE HAVE SEEN SEVERAL HEADLIGHT BULB CONNECTOR FAILURES WHERE THE CONNECTOR MELTS. WHEN THE CONNECTOR MELTS, THE LIGHT STOPS FUNCTIONING. THE REPAIR REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE CONNECTOR AND THE BULB.

NHTSA ODI 11363384

WHENEVER I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON, THEY GO OFF. WHENEVER I TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF, THEY GO ON. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE BREAK LIGHTS DON'T WORK. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN BREAK LIGHTS OR HEADLIGHTS. FIAT WANTS OVER $1000 TO FIX ONE MONTH AFTER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI 11176112

LOSS OF TOTAL DASH DISPLAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME , HAVE TO DISCONNECT BATTERY FOR 5MINS RECONNECT TO REGAIN DASH BACK , THIS STARTED DAY 1 OF PURCHASE WHEN PULLING OFF THE CAR LOT .

NHTSA ODI 11104455

MANY DIFFERENT THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH THIS CAR STARTING AT THE FIRST 900 MILES. THE CLUSTER THAT SHOWS YOU SPEED AND RPM WENT OUT AT 900 MILES WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK MAKING IT HARD TO DRIVE. IT TOOK THE DEALERSHIP TWO WEEKS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER THIS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND GAVE IT BACK TO ME. TWO WEEKS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THEN THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH SOMETHING RELATED TO THE CLUSTER. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR A WEEK THIS TIME WHILE THEY REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM. SIX MONTHS LATER A GENERIC LIGHT CAME ON THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR, I BROUGHT IT IN AND AGAIN THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED IT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WENT OUT AND I STARTED GETTING A WARNING TO CHECK THEM, THEY SAID THIS WASN'T COVERED AND WOULD NOT REPLACE THEM. AT ABOUT 65,000 MILES MY HEAD LIGHTS BURNED OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I HAD TO DRIVE 70 MILES AT NIGHT WITH NO HEADLIGHTS ON THE FREEWAY. I REPLACED THESE MYSELF FOR $60. THEN THREE MONTHS LATER MY HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AGAIN. THE LIGHTS WEREN'T BURNT OUT BUT THEY WERE LOOSE AND I HAD TO JIGGLE THEM TO GET THEM BACK. AT THE SAME TIME THEY HAD A RECALL ON THE CLUTCH AND IT TOOK THEM A YEAR TO GET THE PARTS AND REPAIR THE RECALL AT 66,751 MILES. NOW AT 74,500 MILES THE CLUTCH HAS COMPLETELY GONE OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. LUCKILY I HAD JUST GOT TO MY DESTINATION AND LEFT IT PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE ME $3,300 TO FIX THE CLUTCH. THE CAR IS ONLY WORTH $6600 AND I OWE $13000. ALSO I HAVE TRIED TO TRADE IT IN AND NO ONE WILL TAKE IT DUE TO ALL THE PROBLEMS THESE CARS HAVE. FIAT SHOULD BE BANNED FROM SELLING THESE CARS UNTIL THEY STOP TURNING OUT CRAPPY CARS.

NHTSA ODI 11000177