FORCAR
Go Pro

Fiat 500 VIN Check

NHTSA holds 754 owner complaints on the Fiat 500 from 248 production runs; the worst run has 31, the typical one 3.

NHTSA complaint records · 754 complaints · 248 runs · 2012–2018 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported 500 run is 3C3CFFAR2CT (2012 builds) with 31 complaints, 10.3× the typical run. Power train problems make up 44% of reports; 2012 is the worst model year at 5.6 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for 500 model years 2012–2019.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Fiat 500 has 248 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 12% of every 500 complaint on file.

FIG.01·Fiat 500 — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
3C3CFFAR2CT••••••2012311—
3C3CFFAR0CT••••••201218——
3C3CFFAR1CT••••••201216——
3C3CFFAR9CT••••••201215—1
3C3CFFAR4CT••••••20121411
3C3CFFBR1CT••••••201214——
3C3CFFBRXCT••••••2012132—
3C3CFFAR7CT••••••201213——
3C3CFFBR0CT••••••201213——
3C3CFFBR7CT••••••201212——
3C3CFFAR5CT••••••2012121—
3C3CFFBR6CT••••••201212——
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 236 500 runs has 12 complaints or fewer. ForCar has checked 86 500 VINs so far, most often 2012, 2015, 2013 builds; 8 of them belong to one of the 12 runs above.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Fiat 500 the gap between build years is 5.1×: a 2012 car draws 5.6 complaints per run, a 2017 one 1.1.

FIG.02·Fiat 500 — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20181.343—
20171.114132
20161.214123
2015283423
20141.9108577
20132.4154639
20125.63776719
ROWS 7·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2012 at 5.6 complaints per run; lightest is 2017 at 1.1.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 44% of everything Fiat 500 owners report: Power Train, 363 of 754 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Fiat 500 — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Power Train36366
Electrical System12636
Engine9813
Unknown Or Other8363
Air Bags4825—
Fuel/propulsion System372—
Steering364—
Service Brakes346—
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 7 recall campaigns on the Fiat 500; the 6 below cover build years 2012 to 2019. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Fiat 500 — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
19E044000Power Train:manual Transmission:floor Shift Assembly2012–2019
24V474000Tires:pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems2014–2019
16V302000Power Train:manual Transmission2012–2016
15V291000Power Train:automatic Transmission2013–2015
19V817000Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift2012–2013
16V667000Equipment:other:labels2016
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

How serious were they

Of the 754 reports on the Fiat 500, 5.7% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Fiat 500 — complaint severity
OutcomeFiat 500All vehicles
Complaints filed7541,116,631
Involved a crash43 (5.7%)64,221 (5.8%)
Involved a fire15 (2%)26,977 (2.4%)
Injuries reported3358,047
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Upgrade to Pro

You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.

  • Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
  • The original window sticker and factory options
  • Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
  • Decode a whole list of VINs at once
  • No ads, no tracking — and much more
See plans → Start free →
Free plan available — no credit card needed

How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,116,631 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 299,142 production runs. The Fiat 500 share of that is 754 complaints over 248 runs, 0.07% of everything on record.

Everything on the Fiat 500
Recalls33 campaignsFuel economy116 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems810 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsCargo space22 cu ftUsed prices730 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car2012–2019

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Fiat 500 VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 754 NHTSA complaints from 248 500 runs and 7 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which 500 production run has the most complaints?

3C3CFFAR2CT, a 2012 build, with 31 complaints, 1 of them after a crash. The typical 500 run has 3.

Which 500 years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2012 is heaviest at 5.6 complaints per run and 2017 lightest at 1.1.

How many 500 complaints involve a crash?

5.7% of 754 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 15 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
Found this useful?

Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.

Prefer ForCar →