Most common 2013 Fiat 500E problems
Share of the 16 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Fiat 500E complaints by model year
Best 500E years: 2024, 2015. Compare all years →
2013 Fiat 500E recalls (4)
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Fiat 500e vehicles manufactured March 22, 2012, to January 29, 2016. The power inverter module (PIM) may experience voltage spikes which can cause the propulsion system to shut down and loss of motive power.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the PIM software, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Fiat 500 EV vehicles manufactured March 27, 2012, to November 1, 2014. If the vehicle goes in to limp home mode, incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) may cause the electric propulsion system to…
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software to ensure compatability between components, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Fiat 500e Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) vehicles manufactured September 24, 2012, through April 4, 2014. The affected vehicles have cooling plates for the Power Inverter Module (PIM) that may leak coolant into areas of the high voltage circuitry,…
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PIM, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P23.
Power train
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 Fiat 500e electric vehicles manufactured December 16, 2012, through August 13, 2013. The half shaft joints may loosen and separate causing noise and a loss of driving capability.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and Fiat dealers will replace the fasteners attaching the half shaft inboard joints, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2013. Owners may contact Fiat at 1-888-242-6342.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 Fiat 500E:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2013 Fiat 500E owners say
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Fiat 500e. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V235000 (electrical system). The contact attempted to schedule a recall repair several times and the dealer indicated that the contact had to take the vehicle to california to have the repair performed because it was an electric vehicle. The contact experienced a failure with the vent controls and the dealer repaired the vehicle; however, the contact had to make several attempts to get the vehicle repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer and the dealer did not mention this to the contact when the vehicle was purchased. Due to the fact that the contact relocated to another state, the authorized dealer would not repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was unable to schedule a recall appointment within a reasonable timeframe. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000.
While slowing to take a right hand turn the car jerked back and had moved itself from drive to neutral. Immediately the "service electric vehicle system" light came on and made a loud noise. I stopped, but was unable to move the car back into drive. The car would not reverse either. Only park or neutral were working. I was forced to put the car in neutral and had someone get out and push the car so we could move to the side of the road. The car was towed to Fiat dealer where they indicated it was a glitch in the software and that it was fixed with a software update "rrt 15-001". Exactly one week later the same incident has occurred, and the car is being towed again to the dealership.
Fuel & propulsion system
As we pulled away from a stop sign in a residential neighborhood, the car made a loud popping sound and lost power to the drive system. The dashboard immediately displayed a "propulsion system warning" message and could no longer be driven. The car was towed (flat bed) to a dealer for repair. After a week, and the dealer's techs talking with technicians in detroit, detroit suggested replacing the car's power inverter. This repair will cost more than the car is worth. This car had the power inverter replaced by the same shop in response to the recall to prevent sudden power failure. Our experience with the popping sound and sudden power loss is identical to descriptions from other owners who had the recall for the power inverter replacement. Glad no one was hurt and that we were not on a highway.
While slowing to take a right hand turn the car jerked back and had moved itself from drive to neutral. Immediately the "service electric vehicle system" light came on and made a loud noise. I stopped, but was unable to move the car back into drive. The car would not reverse either. Only park or neutral were working. I was forced to put the car in neutral and had someone get out and push the car so we could move to the side of the road. The car was towed to Fiat dealer where they indicated it was a glitch in the software and that it was fixed with a software update "rrt 15-001". Exactly one week later the same incident has occurred, and the car is being towed again to the dealership.
Engine & cooling
Fiat 500 e (electric engine) was fully charged. Started car and backed out of driveway. Headed down residential street at approximately 25mph. Within 1/8 mile, "service electrical vehicle system" warning light came up. Car started to lose power, but was able to pull over before car stopped. Car would start, show warning light, but could not be put into drive or reverse to be driven. Was able to put it in neutral and push it to the side of the road. Had towed (flat bed) to Fiat dealer - where car restarted without problem. Fiat dealer could not duplicate problem. Kept car for one week, tested for 100+ miles. Told me "corporate" knew of the problem and was working on a "software fix" - but to take the car home and drive it. This car has been part of a Fiat recall (work completed two months prior) to prevent this type of problem. Did not have the problem before the recall. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Fiat 500e. The contact stated that the check electrical system sensor began flashing and remained illuminated. The sensor illuminated whether the vehicle was fully charged, halfway charged, or low. The contact notified the local authorized dealer several times, but no remedy was provided. The contact was later informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V235000 (engine). The dealer stated that the parts needed to repair the vehicle would not be available for months. The manufacturer was notified. The sensor remained illuminated and the contact heard a loud noise coming from the engine compartment each time the vehicle was started. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 150.
2013 Fiat 500E engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | FWD | 122 / 108 / 116 MPGe | 87 mi |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Fiat 500E a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 500E rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the 500E at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Fiat 500E?
The electrical system — 8 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (4) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 2013 Fiat 500E have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2013 Fiat 500E, the most recent from May 16, 2016 (traction battery). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Fiat 500E?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2024 and 2015. See the full Fiat 500E years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Fiat 500E problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 4,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.