Engine complaints by model year
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I purchased my vehicle in 2020. I was not aware there was an open recall on this vehicle for an oil consumption issue. The dealer did not tell me and I received no notice from Fiat/Chrysler over the next two years. I began having a problem with the engine cutting out as I was driving down the road without any warning. There were no low oil or engine lights coming on to let me know there was a problem. My car was literally stopping on the road as I was driving! The potential for disaster was high! Fortunately we were able to get the car to the dealer without incident. We actually found out about the recall through our own investigation. The car was 3.5 quarts low and has since had two oil consumption tests that were supposed to "fix" the problem. It is now July 2023 and am still dealing with the car burning oil at a rate of about 1.5 quarts every 1500 miles. …
I purchased my 2018 Fiat 500X POP used in April 2023 with only 22k miles. This past weekend 12/16 when I would first start my car up and get ready to leave in the mornings after having been parked for the night, my car would start up normal and I could proceed down the street. The minute I apply the break my car would lose power, stall out or shut off completely. I would press the start button, release the break, shift the gear to drive and proceed forward. I would go about 20 mph as I was driving in a residential area then my car would stall out and shut off again leaving stuck in the roadway. I repeated the start process to pull over to a safe location. I called the dealer and they said there are no recalls for this issue, however, I located one, but my VIN is not coming back as one of the affected vehicles. …
The contact owns a 2017 Fiat 500x. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly stall. After restarting the engine, the vehicle would operate as normal. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who discovered no engine oil was present inside the engine. The contact indicated that the engine oil had continued to be low shortly after oil changes were performed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but no failure was determined. The vehicle was later serviced at the dealer for an oil consumption test as part of a manufactures service campaign. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failures. The failure mileage was 1500.
I received a customer satisfaction notification from FCA US LLC stating they were recommending some improvements on my 2017 Fiat 500X equipped with a 2.4L engine. They had determined that some vehicles may have been consuming more oil than usual. We had noticed our car running low on oil between oil changes so we took it to our local Fiat dealer with the letter and they stated it wasn't coming up in their system so they couldn't run the test for us. We contacted Fiat directly and they stated the same thing. We did receive a letter so I don't understand what the issue is. My daughter drives the car and now I feel it's a safety issue for her. I wrote a letter to the FCA and have not yet received a response. I need help with this issue and running out of resources to help.
The contact owns a 2016 Fiat 500X. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unintendedly shifted from drive(D) to neutral(N). The RPM became elevated; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. While driving approximately 15 - 20 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. While in LIMP Mode, the contact coasted to the side of the road and waited for several minutes before continuing to drive. The failure had occurred twice. Additionally, the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle had been taken to a certified mechanic, who determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be rebuilt. The dealer also diagnosed that there was a failure with the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster lights were cleared; however, the transmission was not repaired. The check engine warning light remained illuminated. …
The contact owns a 2016 Fiat 500X. The contact stated upon making a complete stop at a traffic light, the vehicle vibrated. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the vehicle experienced hard shifting from second to third gear. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that three motor mounts were fractured and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer diagnosed that the spark plugs, and an unknown seal needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not under recall, and the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 79,300.
Frequently asked questions
Which Fiat 500X years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2016 (52), 2018 (7) and 2017 (6) model years. Engine complaints make up 34% of all complaints for the 2016.
Is there a recall for Fiat 500X engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Fiat 500X model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Fiat 500X engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 33,000 miles; 80% happened 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.