Which Fiat 500 years should you avoid?

2012, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Fiat 500 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the Fiat 500?

2017 is the best-scoring Fiat 500 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 90.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Fiat 500 have?

7 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Fiat 500 model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which Fiat 500 years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2012 and 2014 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Fiat 500 Full report

Grade 2012–2017

2012 vs model median 2.6×

Model median3× median

Drivetrain 83

Electrical 27

Engine 23

Avoid

2012 · 2014

Best

2016 · 2017

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Fiat 500
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2012	2.64×	239	F
2013	1.13×	93	C
2014	1.55×	143	D
2015	0.88×	85	C
2016	0.35×	23	B
2017	0.18×	11	A

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2012 F 239 reports · median 27,800 mi

Drivetrain 83

The contact owns a 2012 fiat 500 sport. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to shift gears. The vehicle was driven onto the emergency lane and the generic warning light was illuminated. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 27

Really cold morning, upon starting, the TPMS reported the left front tire low on pressure. And tire light stayed on. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 23

Car was stalling and shutting off. Had my daughter in the car. Couldn't start the car after 3 attempts. Then after waiting a good 3 minutes started the car and revved the engine at 4000 RPM and everything seemed back to… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

19 crash · 2 fire · 11 injuries

2014 D 143 reports · median 16,000 mi

Drivetrain 57

Car does not shift from park to drive. Instrument panel relays many warnings (gear not available, transmission warning, seek service) and check engine light comes on. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 19

After a week, car MIL started to blink , but manual mentions it can be drive and computer may reset itself, but then malfunction lamp was on all time , and then car started to stall , to stop completely . owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 17

Engine light came on, engine idling rough ,transmission shifter light blinking, trnasmission gear lags on shift. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

7 crash · 8 fire · 6 injuries

The best year for the 500

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2017 is the best-scoring 500 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 90.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2017	0.18×	11	A
2016	0.35×	23	B
2015	0.88×	85	C

Recalls

7 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
19V817000	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT	2012, 2013	51,788
16V302000	POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION	2012–2016	39,185
24V474000	TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS	2014–2017	12,675
15V291000	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION	2013–2015	3,851
19E044000	POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY	2012–2017	740
11V550000	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID	2012	340
16V667000	EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS	2016	32

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2012 were reported at a median of 27,800 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Fiat 500 years should you avoid?: 2012, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Fiat 500 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Fiat 500?: 2017 is the best-scoring Fiat 500 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 90.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Fiat 500 have?: 7 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Fiat 500 model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2012 500

Complaints in window: 239
Severity-weighted: 353
Model median (weighted): 134
vs model median: 2.64×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 4
Open investigations: 0

Score 24 F