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Fiat 500L VIN Check

NHTSA holds 197 owner complaints on the Fiat 500L from 52 production runs; the worst run has 11, the typical one 3.8.

NHTSA complaint records · 197 complaints · 52 runs · 2014–2017 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported 500L run is ZFBCFABH9EZ (2014 builds) with 11 complaints, 2.9× the typical run. Power train problems make up 49% of reports; 2014 is the worst model year at 4.5 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for 500L model years 2014–2015.

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 500L has 52 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 25% of every 500L complaint on file.

FIG.01·Fiat 500L — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
ZFBCFABH9EZ••••••201411——
ZFBCFADH5EZ••••••2014101—
ZFBCFADH4EZ••••••201410——
ZFBCFADH0EZ••••••20149——
ZFBCFADH3EZ••••••20149——
ZFBCFACH1EZ••••••20148——
ZFBCFADHXEZ••••••20148—2
ZFBCFADH1EZ••••••20148——
ZFBCFABH6EZ••••••201461—
ZFBCFACH7EZ••••••20146——
ZFBCFABH5EZ••••••201461—
ZFBCFADH6EZ••••••2014611
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 40 500L runs has 6 complaints or fewer. ForCar has checked 28 500L VINs so far, most often 2014, 2015, 2020 builds; 5 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 500L the gap between build years is 3.8×: a 2014 car draws 4.5 complaints per run, a 2015 one 1.2.

FIG.02·Fiat 500L — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20151.22218—
20144.5172385
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2014 at 4.5 complaints per run; lightest is 2015 at 1.2.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 49% of everything Fiat 500L owners report: Power Train, 127 of 197 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Fiat 500L — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Power Train12735
Engine31——
Electrical System29—1
Vehicle Speed Control211—
Unknown Or Other21——
Steering11——
Air Bags102—
Service Brakes91—
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 4 recall campaigns on the Fiat 500L; the 4 below cover build years 2014 to 2015. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Fiat 500L — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
14V481000Air Bags:knee Bolster2014–2015
15V590000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2015
17V192000Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)2014
14V103000Power Train:automatic Transmission2014
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

How serious were they

Of the 197 reports on the Fiat 500L, 2.5% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Fiat 500L — complaint severity
OutcomeFiat 500LAll vehicles
Complaints filed1971,115,966
Involved a crash5 (2.5%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire5 (2.5%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported358,013
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 57% below the all-vehicle rate.

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Fiat 500L share of that is 197 complaints over 52 runs, 0.02% of everything on record.

Everything on the Fiat 500L
Recalls7 campaignsFuel economy28 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems209 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsCargo space22 cu ftUsed prices244 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car2014–2020

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Fiat 500L VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 197 NHTSA complaints from 52 500L runs and 4 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which 500L production run has the most complaints?

ZFBCFABH9EZ, a 2014 build, with 11 complaints. The typical 500L run has 3.8.

Which 500L years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2014 is heaviest at 4.5 complaints per run and 2015 lightest at 1.2.

How many 500L complaints involve a crash?

2.5% of 197 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 5 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.
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