2013 Fiat 500 Engine Problems

In June 2025, while driving my 2013 Fiat Abarth at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. This happened on one of the hottest days of the year with another person in the car, creating a serious risk of a high-speed collision. The cause was later confirmed by a different Fiat dealership: a port in the intake/PCV system had been left completely uncapped after service at a Fiat dealership in 2024. The mechanic who worked on my car apparently believed this was only a “vent” and not part of the vacuum system — a dangerous misunderstanding that allowed unmetered air into the engine. This disrupted the air/fuel mixture and led directly to the stall. I have written proof from the dealership admitting to the “vent” claim. A competent technician should know the difference between a vent and a vacuum port. Returning a vehicle in this condition is negligence and puts lives at risk. The component is still available for inspection, and I have documentation supporting my claims.

Real main seal leak Valve cover leak Vacuum pump leak Leaks went on to the starter and caused the starter to fail

While driving down the highway, I noticed my engine began to shake violently and began to make a strong knocking noise. The check engine light then illuminated and started blinking, indicating a serious problem. I immediately attempted to pull over because the car was no longer safe to drive. I waited a few hours on the side of the road and had the car towed to a mechanic shop. They told me that there was an engine misfire on cylinder 3. They then pointed me toward the dealership. At the dealership, they found that three cylinders had exhaust valves that were burnt out, and needed to be replaced. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - The exhaust valves of cylinders 1, 2, and 3. I have photos of what the valves looked like, but may not be able to retrieve the defective valves. I can retrieve an invoice as soon as I receive it. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Immediately once the issue started, it was no longer safe to continue driving on the highway. If I had continued to drive, it could have started a fire, or the engine could have stopped working, meaning that I would be stranded in the middle of the highway. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - Yes. The dealership has determined the exhaust valves were at fault. The same dealership also had another vehicle with the same issue in the shop at the same time mine was in the shop. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - Yes, the dealership has inspected the part. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - There were no prior warning signs to this issue besides a slightly higher idle than usual. Immediately when the issue happened, the check engine light illuminated and started blinking.

LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. OIL LEVEL WAS FINE. THEN LOSS OF POWER. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP AND NEED NEW ENGINE

NO SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEMS. OIL CHANGE DONE LESS THAN 3 WEEKS. WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IN LESS THEN 2 MINS LOSS OF POWER UNTIL COMPLETE STOP AND CAR SHUT OFF. TURNS OVER BUT CAR SHAKES GOT IT TOWED HOME. CAR REMAINS UNABLE TO DRIVE. SHAKES WITH NOISES IN THE ENGINE WHEN ON. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS SO I'M SHOCKED I AM HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO/FROM WORK AND NOTICED A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COME ON. WE IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH OUR LOCAL STUDIO AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AS NORMAL. AT THIS POINT, NOTHING WAS GOING ON WITH THE CAR, EXCEPT THAT THE LIGHT CAME ON. A DAY OR TWO LATER, THE LIGHT WENT OFF, AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACT NORMAL. WE ENDED UP CANCELING THE APPOINTMENT, GUESSING THAT THERE WAS A GLITCH WITH THE COMPUTER. THE VERY NEXT MORNING, MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR TO FIND THE ENGINE SHAKING AND THE EXHAUST MAKING A STRANGE SOUND, SO SHE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I GOT A CALL FROM THE STUDIO EXPLAINING THAT THE CAR WAS VERY LOW ON OIL AND THAT IT APPEARS THE CAR'S BEEN CONSUMING OIL AT AN ACCELERATED RATE. HE SAID THEY PERFORMED AN OIL CHANGE AND THAT, PER FIAT'S PROTOCOL, THEY'D PERFORM AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BY LETTING US DRIVE THE CAR FOR 750 MILES AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO LET THEM CHECK EVERYTHING OUT. I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR ONLY TO FIND THE SAME ISSUE THAT MY WIFE HAD DESCRIBED (ENGINE SHAKING, EXHAUST MAKING NOISE). IT WAS LATE AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED, SO I LEFT THE KEY WITH THE RECEPTIONIST AND EXPLAINED THAT THE CAR WAS IN THE SAME CONDITION AS WHEN WE HAD IT TOWED AND THAT I'D LIKE THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE STUDIO CALLED TO EXPLAIN THAT THE ENGINE'S OIL PRESSURE WAS SHOT AND THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CYLINDER 3'S OIL VALVE WAS STUCK AND THE CYLINDER WAS MIS-FIRING. THE STUDIO RECOMMENDED REPLACED THE ENGINE AS OPPOSED TO INVESTIGATING WHAT FAILED, SINCE THE INVESTIGATION COULD TAKE HOURS AND COST MORE THAN AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THIS IS MY SECOND FIAT; THE FIRST EXPERIENCED THE CLUTCH RECALL THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORT TO NHTSA AND THANKS TO MINE AND OTHERS REPORTS, A RECALL WAS ISSUED.

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT REVEALED A EVAP LEAK WHICH HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND MECHANIC FOUND NO LEAK AND SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN GAS CAP. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN FOR THE SAME EVAP LEAK CODE. BUT THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SHUDDER WHILE COMING TO STOP AND RAN ODD. TOOK IT TO FIAT DEALERSHIP. TURNS OUT THERE WERE THREE CODES OR MORE WHICH CANNOT BE READ UNLESS AT DEALERSHIP. SURPRISE SURPRISE. TOTAL REPAIR COSTS WERE 2500 AND I HAD NO IDEA MY CAR WAS MESSED UP CAUSE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT INDICATE ISSUES. KEPT SAYING EVAP WHEN I HAD AN OIL PRESSURE SENSOR MESSED UP. GASKETS LEAKING AND A BLOWN VALVE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. CAR HAS LESS THAN 45K AND IS WELL MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN. VERY UPSET AT THE LOST OF INCOME. IT HURTS. IT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR NO REASON. DISAPPOINTED IN AMERICAN BUILT CARS.

THE CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING MAY FATIGUE AND/OR FRACTURE. SAFETY RISK: A FAILED CLUTCH COVER DIAPHRAGM SPRING MAY RESULT IN THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, SHIFT GEARS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. REMEDY: IMPLEMENT A CLUTCH PEDAL LIMITER AND A CLUTCH PEDAL SWITCH. RECALL STATUS: RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE

I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A TAPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AFTERNOON AFTER I DROPPED OFF MY CAR I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE ADVISER TELLING ME THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM AN INTERIOR COMPONENT OF MY ENGINE AND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE DID NOT COME IN UNTIL JULY 20, 2015. WITHIN A DAY OR TWO I RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE SERVICE ADVISER TELLING ME THAT THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE WAS WORN DOWN TO THE METAL AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT THIS PARTICULAR PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY AND I WOULD NOW INCUR AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. AT FIFTY THREE YEARS OF AGE I HAVE HAD SEVERAL VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND NEVER HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CLUTCH LET ALONE WITH THE PRESSURE PLATE. SOON AFTER I RESEARCHED SEVERAL VEHICLE REVIEW WEB SITES TO LEARN THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE VEHICLES WITH MILEAGE FROM 11K TO 25 K.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATE. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN RESTARTED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOUR TIMES FOR THE RECURRING FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,600.