2014 Fiat 500L Steering Problems

Steering sticks at center, smooth straight roads are the worst. 70 mph small steering corrections cause the slight swerving to keep it in its lane. The amount of force is increasing as the vehicle ages, currently at 47,390 miles in 05/15/2023. The steering problem was first reported in 2016 and it has never had a successful repair. Multiple dealers have said they can’t duplicate the problem.

CAR INTERMITTENTLY SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL WHEN faced with an uphill grade forcing car backwards. We have had over 5 nrear accidents involving rolling off hillsides ar onto property or into traffic behind. Car will not engage we have been desperately against a steep hill many times. Also front ABS brakes intermittently grab 1 wheel forcing car sideways at 40 mph. Also car emits rattle sound coming from lower gearbox or engine area noticeable through cab, both before and after a complete $4300 transmission rebuild. Service completed by FIAT and Alfa Romeo od Van Nuys California. This car is going to kill us. Fiat is dragging their feet. I will list the first incident below at March 18, 2023 but then many more occurred after, even after trans rebuild. This design is life-threatening. Who rebuilds a trans at under 50,000 miles??

FIRST, I HAVE LOVED THIS CAR - EXCEPT: RIGHT NOW I HAVE 22,315 MILES ON MY 2014 FIAT 500L. THERE IS A DEFINITE STEERING PROBLEM THAT IS INTERMITTENT BUT EVERY TIME IT REOCCURS IT'S WORSE. TODAY I HAD DIFFICULTY KEEPING THE CAR IN THE LANE AND WHEN I GOT HOME FELT AS THOUGH I'D BEEN DRIVING A TRUCK! THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHEN IT WAS NEW AND I COULD DRIVE FOR 5-6 HOURS ON THE FREEWAY WITH NO ISSUES. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER ONCE AND WAS TOLD THAT'S THE WAY THE CAR IS SUPPOSED TO DRIVE. THAT WAS ON 2/20/18 WITH 10,966 MILES. SPEED DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER. MY HUSBAND AND I THINK THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE THEY DRIFT OUT OF THEIR LANE.

RAKATA RECALL,I HAVE PROBLEMS WHIT MY CAR WHEN I LOST MY BATTERY OUT OF CHARGE WHEN I WAS RUNNING ,SO I PUT CHARGE WHIT A SMART CHARGER AND BY MY SURPRISE THE CAR DON'T START I GO TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER SAYS THAT I BURNED THE COMPUTER BUT IT'S NOT TRUE I DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING SO ANYWAYS I HAVE 28000 MILES IN 3 YEARS OLD CAR AND THE COMPANY DON'T WANT TO REPAIR BECAUSE THEY DON'T SO I NEED TO PAY + 1200 TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THE CAR THAT I KNOW HAVE WARRANTY.

THE CAR HAS NO SUSPENSION AT ALL, THE STEERING IS NOT GOOD AT ALL AND THIS VEHICLE IS REGULARLY SERVICED AND MAINTAINED.

THE STEERING HANGS OR STICKS. IT STARTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD IT DOES THAT. IT STARTED DOING THIS AROUND 50 TO 70 WHEN FIRST NOTICED AND NOW DOES IT AT ALL SPEEDS. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED IT WOULD COME AND GO AWAY SLIGHTLY BUT NEVER COMPLETELY. NOW IT IS ALL THE TIME AND ANY SPEED. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT MAKES THE VEHICLE STEER SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN THE LANE SINCE YOU CAN'T MAKE SLIGHT STEERING CORRECTIONS. WHEN TRYING TO MAKE STEERING CORRECTIONS THE STEERING WILL STICK OR HANG AND THEN RELEASE ABRUPTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE SLIGHTLY BACK AND FORTH IN THE LANE. AT TIMES IT IS BAD ENOUGH TO RESEMBLE A VERY DRUNK DRIVER OVER CORRECTING. IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT WE DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. IT'S A SHAME FIAT/CHRYSLER WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS BUT NO ACCIDENT YET DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. ALSO THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR ANYWHERE AT ANY SPEED EXCEPT TURNING. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY WHEN GOING STRAIGHT. WHEN IN A TURN AS LONG AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS IN MOTION IT DOESN'T HANG BUT IF IT STOPS AND YOU START TO TURN FURTHER OR GO BACK IT WILL HANG AGAIN. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET HURT.

STARTED TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING. I NOTICE IT MOST AT HIGHER SPEEDS, 60-70 MPH. IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE THAN NORMAL TO TO MAKE SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS TO THE WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. AFTER I'VE BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FOR A WHILE, IT FEELS LIKE I'M FIGHTING THE WHEEL. STICKING" HAS BECOME A REGULAR PROBLEM AT LOWER SPEEDS IN TOWN AND AT TIMES THE WHEEL ALMOST HAS TO BE FORCED TO KEEP THE CAR IN A LANE, WHICH OFTEN TIMES CAUSES OVER-STEERING AND VEERING INTO ANOTHER LANE. THIS REPRESENTS A SAFETY CONCERN AS YOU DONT HAVE FULL CONTROL OF YOUR CAR.

EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE, THE POWER STEERING WON'T ENGAGE WHEN I TURN ON THE CAR. I CAN TURN THE WHEEL, BUT IT ONLY TURNS SLOWLY WITH A LOT OF PRESSURE APPLIED. I HAVE TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON TO FIX IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR (APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS). IT HAS ALWAYS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY OR THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, WHERE I NORMALLY PARK.

WHEN THE CAR IS ON A DOWN SLOPE AND YOU SHIFT TO REVERSE THE CAR WILL LEAP FORWARD AND ON AN UPSLOPE SHIFTING INTO DRIVE IT ROLLS FREELY BACKWARDS. IN THE LATEST INCIDENT WE WERE ON HWY 101 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WAITING IN A LINE IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE TRAFFIC DELAY. WHEN WE SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO DRIVE THE CAR ACCELERATED BACKWARDS . FORTUNATELY THE CAR BEHIND US HAD LEFT AMPLE SPACE. IT ALSO HAPPENED PARKING ON A HILL IN SAN FRANCISCO AND FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ONLY A CURB IN BACK. THE MOVEMENT IS NOT LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN A MANUAL SHIFT CAR. IT FEELS AS IF IT IS ACCELERATING IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE INTENDED. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS IN THE STEERING. WE WERE ON A VERY TIGHT WINDING ROAD HWY20. DRIVING FROM WILLETS TO FT. BRAGG AND BACK AND THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED AND RESISTED TURNING IN THESE TIGHT CURVES. IT FELT AS IF THE POWER STEERING WAS FAILING OR THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN DANGER OF LOCKING. I JUST TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WAS GIVEN A WARNING FROM CHRYSLER THAT THE '(HSA) MAY NOT ACTIVATE AND SLIGHT ROLLING MAY OCCUR'. THE ROLLING IS NOT SLIGHT AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR ON MOUNTAIN SIDES JUST PLAIN DANGEROUS. THE STEERING PROBLEM DID NOT MANIFEST ITSELF TO THE TECH. THIS CAR HAS HAD A NUMBER OF POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEMS. THESE BEING THE MOST RECENT. IT TOOK THE RECALL, AFTER TWO YEARS AND FOUR TRIPS TO THE DEALER, TO ADDRESS THE THROTTLE PROBLEM WHICH WAS TERRIFYING. LOSING CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE ON A 8 LANE HWY IN HEAVY 75 MPH TRAFFIC IS HEART STOPPING.THIS CAR HAS SERIOUSLY FLAWED ENGINEERING. CHRYSLER IS NOT ACCEPTING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS LATEST PROBLEM. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE.