Home · 2016 Fiat 500 · Complaints

What 14 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Fiat 500

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 (14)Crash / fire / injury (3)Transmission & drivetrain (8)Brakes (3)Electrical system (3)Engine (3)Airbags (2)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (2)Body & structure (1)Suspension (1)Wheels (1)

2 of 14 complaints match · Airbags · clear filters

Mar 31, 2020AirbagsBody & structureCrash1 injury

MY VEHICLE WAS T-BONED ON MY DRIVERSIDE DOOR. THE VEHICLE THAT HIT ME WAS GOING 50MPH ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT. I WAS CROSSING THE STREET AT ABOUT 10-15MPH. NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG ENGAGED, SIDE CURTAIN, SEAT, ETC. IT WAS ON A CITY STREET AND THE CAR THAT HIT ME WAS SPEEDING.

NHTSA ODI 11319855

Sep 27, 2019Transmission & drivetrainAirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE MANUAL CLUTCH FAILED AND PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM CHANGING GEARS. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT DROVE INTO A CEMENT BARRIER TO AVOID TRAFFIC. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, CAUSING THE CONTACT'S HEAD TO STRIKE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT INJURED HER NECK, LEFT SHOULDER, AND LEFT FOOT. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY FAMILY MEMBERS. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000. *DT *TR *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11258624

Working with the data? Download all 14 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 13, 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 2016 Fiat 500 verdict →