2015 Fiat 500L Electrical System Problems

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.

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

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.

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