Fiat 500 Transmission Problems

Transmission complaints by model year

Which parts fail

• Clutch assembly
  12
• Clutch assembly › Pedal/hand lever(motorcycle)
  2
• Manual transmission › Column shift assembly
  1
• Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
  1
• Manual transmission › Internal › Gears
  1

Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  8431%
• 25k–50k
  7428%
• 50k–75k
  5621%
• 75k–100k
  2911%
• 100k–150k
  156%
• 150k+
  114%

What owners report

After a sudden stop (no impact), the car would no longer go into or come out of gear while running. When the car is not running it will still shift normally. The repair shop initially thought it was the slave cylinder but the problem persisted. They then changed the clutch and are now recommending replacing the inner CV axle boot. The problem described is similar in symptons to the existing recall on 2012-2016 Fiat 500s and the partial recall on 2017 Fiat 500s. It seems logical that all of these issues are somehow related to a flaw in the design or manufacturing.

Car has moved out of "park" 4 times and the last time rolled down my drive way and hit another car. I want to have this vehicle returned and get another car. We took this vehicle into the dealer about 4 months ago for electronic gauge and system problems. They said there was nothing wrong with it. I don't believe them anymore.

The contact owns a 2016 Fiat 500. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The failure recurred several times. The contact restarted the vehicle and forcefully shifted the transmission into 2nd gear to prevent losing motive power. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,350.

Passenger side drive axle failed on 2016 500e with only 35650 miles but no longer under warranty. Method of failure: Bolts holding axle to transmission sheered resulting in a loss of power. Car was brought to Orange County Chrysler for repair. Dealer informed me that there was a Chrysler Recall N51 for 2013 Fiat 500e for the same problem, but it didn't apply to my year. Numerous blogs on the internet show similar failures for newer models. A sound engineering fix should be developed and implemented as a Safety Recall.

The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that after driving at low speeds, upon parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle was slow to respond while stopping. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer again to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the clutch and clutch cord needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the failure was due to her driving style. On another occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 48,204.

The contact owns a 2015 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH and attempting to downshift, the vehicle failed to respond as intended while the RPM continued to rev. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was significantly difficult to move up or down, causing difficulty in engaging the brake as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the manual transmission gear pin had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 16V302000(Power Train) nor 19E044000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500. The vehicle had previously been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train) however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was not able to downshift and the gear shifter was stuck in neutral(N). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving on a neighborhood street at 10 MPH, the transmission experienced an abnormal difficulty in the shifting gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact coasted to a stop on the side of the road, and had the vehicle towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the shifter cable assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,222.

Related recalls (3)