Reliability & cost of ownership
Fiat 500 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Fiat 500? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Fiat 500 problems by model year
25 recall entries and 807 owner complaints on file across 8 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 500 | 2 | 5 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2017 500 | 2 | 13 | 4.0 | Reliability forecast → |
| 2016 500 | 4 | 14 | 4.0 | Reliability forecast → |
| 2015 500 | 4 | 92 | 4.0 | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 500 | 4 | 124 | 4.0 | Reliability forecast → |
| 2013 500 | 4 | 164 | 4.0 | Reliability forecast → |
| 2012 500 | 4 | 394 | 3.0 | Reliability forecast → |
| 2011 500 | 1 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Fiat 500, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- power train388 complaints
- electrical system135 complaints
- engine108 complaints
- unknown or other89 complaints
- air bags52 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system40 complaints
- steering38 complaints
- service brakes35 complaints