Fiat 500 Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2012 draws 5.63 complaints per run and the 2014 1.89, a 3.0-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 71.1% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Power Train, with 363 complaints, typically at 4.5 years.

Fiat 500 years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Fiat 500 — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2018	1.33	4	3	yes
2017	1.08	14	13	yes
2016	1.17	14	12	yes
2015	1.98	83	42	yes
2014	1.89	108	57	yes
2013	2.44	154	63	yes
2012	5.63	377	67	yes

ROWS 7·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2012 500 asks a median $3,999, against $5,727 for a 2013, the next model year: about 30% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 4 Fiat 500 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2012, 2013, 2015; the three worth hunting are 2014, 2015, 2013.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Fiat 500 — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	58	7.9%	covered
1 year	93	20.5%	covered
2 years	62	28.9%	covered
3 years	89	40.9%	you pay
4 years	132	58.8%	you pay
5 years	70	68.3%	you pay
6 years	60	76.4%	you pay
7 years	60	84.6%	you pay
8 years	37	89.6%	you pay
9 years	26	93.1%	you pay
10 years	16	95.3%	you pay
11 years	19	97.8%	you pay
12 years	10	99.2%	you pay
13 years	3	99.6%	you pay
14 years	3	100%	you pay

ROWS 15·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 28.9% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 71.1% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 61% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Fiat 500, the early trouble is Electrical System and Engine — reported at around 4 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Power Train at 4.5 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Fiat 500 — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Power Train	363	4.5 yrs	6	6
Electrical System	126	4 yrs	3	6
Engine	98	3.9 yrs	1	3
Unknown Or Other	83	5.2 yrs	6	3
Air Bags	48	4.3 yrs	25	—
Fuel/propulsion System	37	5.4 yrs	2	—
Steering	36	4 yrs	4	—
Service Brakes	34	3.8 yrs	6	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the 500's vehicle class. Per production run, the Porsche 911 draws 1.48 and the Mini Cooper 5.55, against 3.04 for the 500.

FIG.05·Fiat 500 — rivals in the same class
Same class as the 500	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Porsche 911	107	287	1981–2026
Mini Cooper	3,512	33	2002–2010
Toyota 86	14	5	2017–2020
Toyota GR86	47	4	2022–2026
Subaru BRZ	101	13	2013–2026
Porsche 944	19	14	1981–1991

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Fiat 500

Recalls33 campaigns Fuel economy116 mpg best Common problems810 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space22 cu ft Used prices729 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2012–2019

Frequently asked questions

Is the Fiat 500 reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 3.04 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which 500 years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2012, 2013, 2015. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2014, 2015, 2013. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do 500 problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Power Train, typically at 4.5 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover 500 problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 28.9% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 61% of the complaints here.

Is the 500 more reliable than the Porsche 911?

No: 3.04 complaints per production run for the 500 against 1.48 for the Porsche 911.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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