2015 Fiat 500L Complaint Log

Vehicle randomly stuck in park and will not move in reverse or drive, at one point was in drive and moving while saying gear not available. All the complaints of the 2014 models and mine was manufactured in 2014 but labeled a 2015. Fiat is quoting the repair at 3000- to over 10k while second opinion transmission specialist says there is no fix and it's a manufacturer computer defect only temporarily fixed with a new transmission.

I JUST PURCHASED THE 2015 FIAT 500 L . I JUST HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 5 MONTHS AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. 1ST THE OIL RING NEED TO BE REPLACED, THEN MY FRONT CHARGER NOT WORK AND THEN IS PROGRESS TO LED REAR PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT AND NOW IS THE AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT IS ON. RADIO KEEP GOING IN AND OUT AND THE BLUETOOTH IS NOT WORKING.

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.

MY CAR'S GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN PARK. IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. SOMETIMES I SMELL AN ODOR LIKE SOMETHING BURNING.

CAR ONLY HAS 6,000 MILES AND IT HAS A FAULTY OCCUPANT RESTRAINT MODULE THAT CAUSES AIR BAG WARNING TO COME ON IT'S BEEN COMING ON AND OFF FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND MADE APPOINTMENT TO GET IT CHECKED ON 8/12/19 AND THEY FOUND PROBLEM 8/16/19 AND OF COURSE WARRANTY RAN OUT 8/1/19

SUMMARY FACTS: JANUARY 15, 2019 - TRAVELING IN A STATE ADJACENT TO WHERE THE FIAT WAS PURCHASED. TRAFFIC WAS AT A VIRTUAL STAND STILL AND AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES DRIVING, WHITE SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THERE WAS A DISTINCT BURNING SMELL, LIKE ELECTRICAL WIRING BURNING. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ON; WHEN THE WHITE SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL WAS OBSERVED, THE A/C WAS TURNED OFF AND THE BURNING AND SMOKE CEASED. BESIDES THE DRIVER, A PASSENGER IN THE FIAT OBSERVED THE WHITE SMOKE AND EXPERIENCED THE BURNING SMELL AS WELL. THE DEALER THAT SOLD THE FIAT AND WHERE THE FIAT HAS BEEN SERVICED WAS CALLED. THEIR ADVICE WAS TO EXIT THE MOTORWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND CALL THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THERE WAS NOT AN ONGOING ELECTRICAL FIRE WHICH MIGHT CAUSE THE FIAT TO EXPLODE. THE FIRST AVAILABLE EXIT WAS TAKEN AND THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED. UPON THEIR ARRIVAL, NO ELECTRICAL FIRE WAS OBSERVED; THEY ADVISED TAKING THE FIAT TO A QUALIFIED REPAIR SHOP IMMEDIATELY TO BE EXAMINED AND TESTED. LATER, THE A/C WAS TRIED, BUT DID NOT SEEM TO WORK. THE A/C WAS THEN TURNED OFF UNTIL THE FIAT WAS TAKEN TO THE FIAT DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN IN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUPPOSEDLY RAN A FULL RANGE OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE FIAT AND IN PARTICULAR THE A/C, INCLUDING TESTING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, AND FREON LEVELS WHICH WERE OKAY, INDICATING NO FREON LEAKS. THEY TESTED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE A/C; THEY INDICATED IT WAS PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD. THEREFORE, THE FIAT DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE FIAT AND COULD PROVIDE NO PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION WHY WHITE SMOKE WAS BEING EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND THE BURNING SMELL. THEIR ONLY ADVICE WAS TO BRING THE FIAT BACK IN FOR SERVICE SHOULD THE SAME SITUATION RE-OCCUR. THIS RAISES DOUBT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS FIAT.

THE CAR IS SHOWING THE SAME SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN THE 2014 500L TRANSMISSION RECALL. IT WILL EITHER STAY IN THE PARKING GEAR OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS IN SWITCHING GEARS. WE FIRST SAW THE ISSUE WITH A PARKED, COLD CAR. FIRST USE IN THE MORNING. IT WAS NEVER MOVED FROM THERE OTHER THAN BEING TOWED TO 2 DIFFERENT SHOPS. CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE IS AT A SHOP WAITING FOR A SECOND ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR. THE FIRST DIAGNOSTIC CAME FROM A FIAT DEALER FOLLOWED BY A VERBAL ESTIMATE AT MORE THAN $3900. SEE ATTACHED. THIS VEHICLE WAS BUILT ON JAN 2015, SHORTLY AFTER THE 2014 RECALLED MODELS. THE RECALL DID NOT COME OUT UNTIL 2017. COULD THESE 2015 MODELS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT LED TO THE 2014 MODEL RECALL?

I HAVE OWNED THREE OF THESE 2014-2015 FIAT 500L'S ALL THREE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SUN VISORS NOT STAYING UP NOR FORWARD. THEY WILL RANDOMLY DROP WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING BLOCKING THE VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. IN EACH CASE THE PROBLEMS WERE ON VEHICLES WITH UNDER 40K MILES AND AS LOW AS 27K MILES. THIS WOULD USUALLY HAPPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BUT ALSO HAPPENED AT TIMES WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WAITING FOR IT TO CHANGE.

THE CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON EVERY 300-500 MILES & DISAPPEARS AFTER ABOUT 200-400 MILES. THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. WE ARE NOT SURE IF THE AIRBAG WILL PROPERLY DEPLOY IN THE INSTANCE OF AN ACCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING AND A COUPLE OF TIME WHILE PARKED THE CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT GOES OFF. SOMETIMES THERE IS A PASSENGER THAT WEIGHS OVER THE LIMIT BUT HAS SEAT BELTS ON AT ALL TIMES. THIS WEEK ALONE HAPPENED 3 TIMES WITH ONLY THE DRIVER DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM. THEY HAVE IT AGAIN FOR 3RD TIME.

MY FIAT HAS NEARLY 5300 MILES, THE ENGINE STARTED TO EMIT A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE WHILE I WAS IN PARK AND HAD DRIVEN IT APPROXIMATE 15 MILES. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF FOR 15 MINUTES, RESTARTED AND THE SMOKE AGAIN STARTED COMING OUT NEAR THE RADIATOR. ALSO THE AIR CONDITION STOPPED BLOWING COLD AIR. I HAVE GOT IT AT THE DEALERSHIP. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500L. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE RPMS INCREASED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CONTACT OBSERVED AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 23,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 (NA) FIAT 500L. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LACK OF ACCELERATION. THE TTMS AND ELECTRICAL THROTTLE BODY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE STILL DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,800. UPDATED 05/06/16*LJ *TR

HAVING PROBLEM WITH FRONT BRAKE SHUDDER AFTER ONLY 11,000 MILES. WILL PROBABLY REPLACE THEM MYSELF WITH SLOTTED AND DRILLED ROTORS TO DISSIPATE HEAT. WISH THEY WOULD RECALL AND FIX ALL THE ROTORS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 (NA) FIAT 500L. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,696. ## VIN PASSED ## FIAT 500L 2014 ## UPDATED 04/08/16*LJ THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE SOLD THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 04/13/16.*JB

THE FIAT 500L WAS PARKED WITH THE HAND BRAKE UP (6 SPEED). THE BRAKE FAILED AND THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 IN NORTH CAROLINA: 74 MPH; 94 DEGREES OUTSIDE; THERMOSTAT/AIRC ONDITIONER SET AT 70 DEGREES. ALL WINDOWS CLOSED TIGHTLY. 4 LANE, COUNTRY-TYPE HIGHWAY; SEVERAL MILES BETWEEN OVERPASSES/EXITS; NO CAR IN PROXIMITY - EITHER DIRECTION - WITHIN 100 YARDS. SUDDENLY AT NO CAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE, FRONT VENT WINDOW EXPLODED OUTWARD, AND THE ENTIRE WINDOW SHATTERED. NO DAMAGE WHATSOEVER TO EITHER THE EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR OF CAR. THE POSITIONING OF THE WINDOW ITSELF WOULD MAKE IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYTHING TO HIT IT; EVEN IF IT WERE SOMETHING SMALL LIKE A STONE OR PEBBLE KICKING UP, THERE IS NO REASON AT ALL THE WINDOW WOULD HAVE/SHOULD HAVE SHATTERED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FIAT DEALERSHIP IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.(MY DESTINATION, AFTER ENCASING THE DAMAGED WINDOW IN CARDBOARD AND DUCT TAPE). THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, AND FILED A WARRANTEE CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER/FIAT. FIAT HAS DENIED THAT WARRANTEE CLAIM, INDICATING 'GLASS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE AND 'THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS DEFECTIVE GLASS'. THE BLOGS ARE FULL OF CLAIMS BY FIAT OWNERS OF THIS VERY SPECIFIC INCIDENT OCCURRING. IT HAS TO DO WITH PRESSURE AND ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, NOT DEFECTIVE GLASS, PER SE. I ASK THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD TO INVESTIGATE THIS - AND ALL OTHER CLAIMS. THIS HAS (OR WILL) COST ME THE FOLLOWING: $300 FOR NEW WINDOW/INSTALLATION $75 IN HOTEL ROOM (THE NIGHT THE WINDOW BLEW OUT) $150 IN CAR RENTAL I AM STILL AWAITING THE GLASS TO ARRIVE/BE INSTALLED, SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OTHER COSTS I MAY OCCUR AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. I HAVE TAKE PHOTOS; WILL TAKE MORE AS THE GLASS IS INSTALLED.

HAVE THE 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SEVERAL TIMES IT HAS LOCKED IN THE PARK POSITION AND COULD NOT DISENGAGE TO ANY OTHER SELECTION. LEARNED THERE WAS A CAP NEAR THE SHIFT LEVER TO UNLOCK. SO FAR THIS HAS WORKED BUT STILL A PAIN.

HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY AT AROUND 5000 MILES. IT WOULD NOT HOLD CHARGE AND BE RANDOMLY DEAD USUALLY AFTER NOT USING CAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. I REPLACED THE BATTERY WITH A TOP NAME BRAND AND HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE SINCE. I NOTICED WHEN I WAS LOOKING TO BUY EVERY FIAT 500L THAT THE DEALER WAS GOING LET ME TAKE A TEST DRIVE IN HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED.

THE CAR RIGHT DAY LIGHT STOP WORKING ON 03/07/2015,ON 4/08/2015 MY CAR COULD NOT GO IN REVERSE AND PUT ME AND OTHER PEOPLE IN DANGER. THERE IS RECALL EXACTLY FOR THIS PROBLEMS ,BUT AT THE DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOT RECALL, THE CAR IS NOT RELIABLE AND I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY! TODAY IS 2 MOTHS FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED IT! I BOUGHT THE CAR ON 02/16/2015! PLEASE HELP ME TO GET MY MONEY BACK AND RETURN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER!!!! I DO NOT TRUST THIS PEOPLE!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500L. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REVERSE CAMERA SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WHERE ALL FOUR REAR SENSORS AND THE CAMERA INSIDE THE VEHICLE WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,200. UPDATED 5/26/15*CN

WHILE UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION THE VEHICLE STOPPED RESPONDING TO THROTTLE INPUT, SEEMINGLY STUCK IN GEAR AND COASTING. ATTEMPTS TO USE MANUAL SHIFT MODE TO PROMPT AN UP/DOWN SHIFT FAILED, AFTER A NUMBER OF SECONDS THE CAR STARTED RESPONDING AGAIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE FULL THROTTLE INPUT. THIS RESULTED IN A RAPID DOWNSHIFT IN GEARS AND NEARLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR AS IT SURGED FORWARD. THIS ISSUE RE-OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES, DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE.

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER 2014 REGARDING THE KNEE AIRBAG MODULE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED ON MY 2014 FIAT 500L, DUE TO RECALL. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED JULY 15 2014 FROM DRIVER'S VILLAGE LOCATED AT 5885 E. CIRCLE DRIVE, CICERO, NY 13039. AFTER REPEATED CONTACT WITH THE DEALER, TO DATE THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE THE PART. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED FIAT AND WAS GIVEN CUSTOMER CARE #25864389 TO LEARN WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. WE ARE NOW PAST 6 MONTHS WITH NO PART AVAILABLE TO REPLACE PER NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL. *TR