10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 5
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 48,049 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
On Aug 19th my car went in for service due to the unsafe failures of items replaced during the 2 recalls. The automatic transaxle gear shift module and powertrain control module were both recalled and "fixed". yet on ocotober 7th 2020, I experienced the inability to shift and control the transmission gear selection. I had unintended directional movement. I experienced a diminished ability to accelerate and to maintain vehicle speed as expected. I was only going 20mph-40mph on streets. The car was switching gears on its on and stalling in traffic. When I would push on gas peddle it was rolling back while on an incline. What was most alarming was that as I tried to get the car home it would not accelerate as I pulled out into traffic. I attempted to put the car into reverse to get it into my driveway and it would not go into reverse. Obviously the recalls in both 2014 & 2017 failed to rectify the problem. The car has only been driven per Aug 19th's service recommendations, avoiding aggressive high speeds and when idle put in park to avoid over heating. I have driven it an average of 18miles a day since last serviced. Everything I am experiencing was supposed to be addressed in the two recalls. Unsafe car.
- Tucson, AZ, USA
I was driving and at a stop light. The engine suddenly flashed and said not in gear. It was in drive. It said switch to nuetral. I did and back to drive. The car would barely go. Left me moving at 15 mph in the middle of 55 mph traffic. Then it seemed to want to lunge forward at the next red light. I do not feel safe and the Fiat dealer says there are no recalls. However I could have lost my life. I was almost struck twice.
- Hot Springs, AR, USA
From the moment I bought this car, it had a lot of trouble with acceleration. I have never had a car move so slow when you press the pedal. My car has 77000 miles and now I am told my transmission is leaking fluid and the repair will be $4400. It has not been driving any worse than it always has. It says there are no recalls. Can you help me with this? the closest Fiat dealership is 30 miles away. Service is only open until 5 M-F with no service on weekends. This car is extremely unsafe to drive cuz when I pull out into traffic I have almost gotten hit several times because the car wont accelerate. This car has always had a big problem accelorating
- Buford, GA, USA
Had recall repaired however, still lagging and not wanting to change gears or accelerate.
- Palm Coast, FL, USA
Had the car in N while going through a cash wash. Shifted to D but it would not go. Put it back in N then D and drove away. At the next traffic light, while in D, the computer screen advised to shift into neutral and back to R or D. the transmission light came on. While driving the panel light was, instead of showing D, showing each gear such as D1, D2 etc.
- Oceanside, CA, USA
This morning I got into the car even tried to put it into drive but it said shift back to neutral then to reverse or forward. I tried just like it said and it still continued throw the error. After like three or four times it skipped first gear and shifted to second gear but the car jerked as soon as I stepped on the pedal. I turned it off for about an hour and then try it again and I had the same problem. This time I put it into reverse and actually went in reverse, then it allowed me to go into first gear. I checked the check engine light code and it threw a P1cb1 code which indicated it was something to do with the transmission. I'm trying to make an appointment with the dealership but for some reason they never answer the phone at the only one near me. But everywhere I'm looking and reading it looks like it's going to have to replace the transmission but cannot verify until I get to the dealership.
- Pomona, CA, USA
The Fiat 500L has less than 50,000 miles on it. For the past year, we have experienced a multitude of issues regarding the driving ability of this vehicle. In cold or hot temperatures, the car jerks when in drive. Lately, it stalls at stop signs/lights while idling. It then, will not move forward when the accelerator is engaged. We brought this to the service department at the dealership, and they informed us that there are many issues with the transmission. They will need to pull the transmission out (min. Of $1000) and look further to see what issues they will need to take care of. Possible worst case scenario will be $6000 to fix a car that is not for more than $5000. A year ago, we purchased this vehicle for $10000. There was a recall for the transmission a couple of years ago, but of course the warranty on that recall expired. I don't believe a vehicle that is six years old, less than 50,000 miles should have a transmission replaced.
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
Car was stationary. When shifted into drive, car would not go. Shifted back to neutral, still would not go, shifted to park then to drive, it finally went. This has happened many times. Message came on a nd said check transmission and engine. Repair shop said the. Computer said that there was an issue with the ambient temperature sensor. Ambient temperature sensor part of right outside mirror. Mirror with sensor replaced, problem still exists. Cost of mirror and labor to replace was $589. Couldn't just replace senso. Computer message appears each time the ambient temperature gage goes blank and many times the check engine light comes on. Sometimes light will go off when ambient temp shows up again. Many times the ambient temp gage will go haywire and show wrong temp, such as 32 when is 60 outside.
- Taylors, SC, USA
Powertrain. It get blocked in P, doesn't go R, and, just on some selective D... it says that you have first to put to N. it suddenly goes from D2 to D4 and D6, no D, no D3, no D5, no reverse. This is a major concern, even after the recalls made. It still has issues, fixed already one time, again, it got issues. Brought to the dealer for service. They asked for a prohibitive amount of dollars to fix (?) it and they got money also jut for the evaluation. The issue is about the safety, going only forward, D2 D4 and D6 may be a serious issue (and sometimes from D6 to D4 it goes N by itself). Really worried.
- San Diego, CA, USA
2014 Fiat 500 L: the transmission will not shift into the proper gear. Turning on the car and placing in D or R the vehicle hesitated and would not move. After retrying multiple times the car will eventually go into drive. The check engine and transmission warning indicators illuminated. In addition, "switch to neutral then to drive" appeared on the instrument panel. Waiting to get appointment at dealership.
- Chicago, IL, USA
In the cold weather for the past year, the computer screen has intermittently advised driver to shift into neutral before shifting back into R/D. last month, the car lost acceleration like it was not even in gear. The dealership found a faulty transmission control module was to blame for this. After doing some research I found a recall on the tcm from 2014, stating the same problems and that they were reprogrammed/replaced at the manufacturer's discretion. I do not believe a recalled part should be having the exact problem as it did 5 years later. My wife and I are looking for a new car and Fiat is on our list, but if I can only expect a 5 year shelf-life on the computer system, we may have to reconsider. Perhaps our car is the only one to have this recurring problem. Please address this issue.
- Franklin, OH, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500 L. the contact stated while driving at approximately 30 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact also stated that the transmission failed to operate as designed. Neither the dealer nor manufacturer was informed about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
- Pembroke, FL, USA
Moving transmission shifter in cold weather results in flashing shifter indicator light and car not able to leave park.
- Keyport, WA, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated that the check engine and service transmission warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle started, but did not engage in gear. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the transmission failed and recommended taking the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.
- Pompano Beach, GU, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated that the vehicle would not accelerate past 20 mph and the gear shifter would not move out of the neutral position. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who stated that the module for the gear selector needed to be reprogrammed. The contact had the vehicle towed to hometown Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (located at 228 S wilson St, vinita, ok 74301, 918-323-4307) where it was determined that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 17V192000 (power train) and 14V103000 (power train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 42,540.
- Quapaw, OK, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. While driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle lost power and 'put the vehicle in neutral and reverse' was displayed. The contact followed the instructions, but the vehicle did not move. The vehicle was towed to Fiat of North miami (305-948-6794, located at 2065 ne 151 St, N. miami, fl 33162) where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The contact called an independent mechanic and was informed to call the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
- Miami Beach, FL, USA
2014 Fiat 500L my car will not shift out of park. Finally after putting it in drive, park, reverse it went into drive and I took it to cutter Fiat in honolulu immediately. They informed me it needed a new transmission. ($9,000) we purchased the car brand new July 2014 from cutter Fiat in honolulu. My cars VIN number isn't listed as a recall but why is it having the same problems as the recalled cars? please help
- Honolulu, HI, USA
When I bought my 2014 Fiat 500L in 2017, it had an open recall that was supposed to address the shifting issues but it did not. I periodically get errors to shift to neutral and then reverse/drive B/C to try to get out of a parking spot. On 10/22/18, I started getting "gear unavailable" errors and had to have my car towed out of a parking spot B/C it would not shift into reverse. Last winter in cold weather, it started slipping into "limp mode" when trying to accelerate on route 42 where all I could do was pull over and restart the car (but no error message that the mechanic could address). On 9/30/19 I took it to the Fiat dealer in maple shade, NJ, where they told me at 35,000 miles the transmission would not engage (P1cb1 gear shift actuator failure) and need to be replaced. But when the insurance adjuster got there he could not replicate the issues so they would not cover a new transmission. Fiat customer service offered no assistance even though the issues with this year make/model are well-known.
- Bellmawr, NJ, USA
The car week not respond in acceleration it took too long to click in gear.. on ramps it struggled to get to speed going into the freeway. The dealer said it fixed this after a recall. It did not work however and it won't shift tests at times. Another mechanic sure its because its a jet fueled engine N I needed to give it gas. When I did it just idled the same. Now the transmission broke N I stilk owe 5K on it! it costs 9K to fix.I drove to a mechanic and had to leave it there, the gears did not work anymore.
- Chandler, AZ, USA
- Madison, AL, USA