Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Fiat 500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 32 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 32, in the owner's own words
The air bag light will come on then turn off Is their a malfunction of the air bag or is it just coming on and off and will the air bag respond normally in a crash it been happening for approximately a year now it hasn't been inspected
I bought this car from a dealer in Fortville (Carlux) who said it had a clean history, this car was meant to be driven by my 17 year old to school, after driving it for 1 week she noticed weird sounds on turning and the engine being very loud and not responding to acceleration or deceleration, thankfully she made it back home safely, I then took it to my local mechanic who noticed major safety issues with the vehicle and on running the VIN number found out there are 2 safety recalls on it. Is there a law or regulation against the dealership that does that? It could have cost my child's life. Their address is: 222 W Broadway street, Fortville , IN 46040 and contact # is (317) 777 1931
WAS IN A CRASH AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. NOT 1 AIR BAG DEPLOYED.HAPPENRD ON DEC. 9, 2020.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE. DURING THE CRASH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BOTH LEG INJURIES AND A INJURED NECK DURING THE CRASH THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE NOT TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER FIAT OF MELBOURNE LOCATED AT 300 E NASA BLVD, MELBOURNE, FL 32901 AND EXAMINED BY A MANUFACTURERS ENGINEER WHO DETERMINED NO FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
AIRBAG COVER IS LOOSE AND I CAN SEE THE AIRBAG.
ONE DAY MY AIR BAG FAILIURE LIGHT CAME OM ALONG WITH A FUEL CUTOFF UNAVAILBLE LIGHT. BOTH OF THESE LIGHTS WERE TEMPORARILY FIXED BY MANUALLY LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOORS. RECENTLY THAT FIX HAS NOT WORKED. WHILE THESE ERRORS ARE HAPPENING MY CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT TURN ON AT ALL.
I AM BLACK MY 17 YEAR OLD SON IS BLACK WE ARE BOTH DARK SKINNED BLACK PEOPLE DARKER THAN A BROWN PAPER BAG I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR I HAVE NOT MADE A COMPLAINT SINCE 2017 ABOUT VIN [XXX] AND FOR YOUR INFO THE CAR IS NERO BLACK AND IT IS A STICK SHIFT . I AM [XXX] I AM BLACK NOT ANY OTHER RACE I WILL NOT SELL THIS CAR OR TAKE IT BACK TO FIAT I OWN IT! NOW YOU ARE TRING TO STEAL MY IDENTITY IN ORDER TO WIN THIS COURT CASE CHECK....... OUT CASE NO. 1:17-MD-2800-TWT (N.D. GA) I STOP FILING COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS VEHICLE IN 2017 AND WHEN I CALLED TO LET NHTSA KNOW I HAVE NOT FILED A COMPLAINT SINCE 2017 I GOT HUNG UP ON I ALSO LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I AM BLACK AND GOT HUNG UP ON AGAIN! I PROMISE I WILL NEVER GO TO NHTSA CURSE YOUR COURT CASE STOP VIOLATING MY 1ST AND 4TH AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN ORDER TO WIN YOUR COURT CASE . STOP USING THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT FOR THIS SHAM LEAVE MY CHILD AND MY CREDIT REPORT ALONE AND STOP TRYING TO LIE AND SAY THIS IS SOME IDENTITY THEFT STOP TRYING MAKE ME GO AWAY ON PAPER SO THAT YOU CAN WIN QUIT!!! MESSING WITH MY CREDIT SCORE EVERY MONTH ......... SO YOU CAN WIN..............GO BACK TO BEELZEBUB--- BEELZEBUB THAT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO HARM A WOMEN AND CHILD JUST SO YOU CAN WIN SHAME ON YOU!!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWED A 2012 FIAT 500.THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IN STANDSTILL TRAFFIC, ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING AT 45 MPH REAR ENDED THE CONTACT, CAUSING HIS VEHICLE TO PUSH FORWARD AND CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE CRASH AN ERROR MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD "FAULTY AIR BAGS" DISPLAYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDIAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT (NCC# 9650) WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. *DT*JB
AT TIMES, CONSTANT, SOMETIMES INTERMITTENT, WARNING 'AIRBAG FAILURE.' HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM AND FROM WHAT OTHERS HAVE FOUND, INVOLVES THE WIRING HARNESS TO AIRBAG.
ON NOVEMBER 20, 2018, I HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH MY FIAT 500 SPORT (IMAGES AND VIDEO ATTACHED). I HAVE CONTACTED FIAT IN BRAZIL, USA, EUROPE AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, SO THAT THEY COULD FIND OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, SINCE THE AIR BAG WILL NOT WORK IN MY VEHICLE. I HAVE COMPLETE VIDEO. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ANSWER, FIAT BRASIL SAYS THAT IT IS NOT THEIRS, EUROPE AND THE USA WILL NOT ANSWER ANYTHING, THAT IS, AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THEY ARE OPTIMAL, BUT THE ATTENTION TO THE CLIENT AND THE POST SALE, DISAPPOINTING TO SAY NOTHING WORST. *DSY
CONCERNS THAT VEHICLE S34 RECALL HAS NEVER BEEN COMPLETE VEHICLE IS NOW FOR SALE AT A CAR DEALERSHIP NO PAPER TRAIL ON THE RECALL.
WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. IN THE WINTER WHEN PUSHING THE BAKE DOWN, I GET A FUNNY NOISE AND I HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I REFUSE TO ALLOW MY CHILDREN TO DRIVE DUE TO THIS. ALSO WHEN EVER TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT, ASSESSORIES ON THE CAR WOULD BE TAKEN OFF. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR TO FIAT DEALERSHIP ON RIDGE ROAD AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A FEE FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT. THEN I WAS TOLD BY CARMAX THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR IT. FIAT WANTED THEIR FEE UPFRONT AND CARMAX REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM LOOKED AT, I FINALLY GAVE UP. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST . THE CAR IS A NICE CAR, BUT I CANNOT GET SATISFACTION IN GETTING IT REPAIRED. THE CAR WAS LOADED WHEN I PURCHASED IT AND HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE BUYING IT OF WHICH I WAS NOT TOLD THIS.
SAFETY RECALL IS STILL NOT COMPLETE! CLUTCH SAFETY SWICTH
PASSSENGER AIR BAGS CONSTANTLY WARNING ERROR AND DISABLING.
TAKATA RECALL - CHRYSLER OWNS FIAT AND I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY AIR BAGS ON A 2012 FIAT. I WAS IN A SMALL FENDER BENDER. ALL AIR BAGS OPENED BUT ALL THE FRONT AIR BAGS RUPTURED. NO ONE ELSE WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME BUT THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT DID NOT KICK IN. ALL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I HAD INJURIES WHICH WERE A FRACTURED ELBOW, DISLOCATED MY ARM IN TWO PLACES. SINCE THEN I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY SHOULDER, NECK, HEADACHES, AND MY BACK. I AM GOING TO THE DOCTORS AND PHYSICAL THERAPY. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS I AM GOING TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY CONSIDER IT A TOTAL LOSS. *TR
I HAVE HAD TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO KEN GARFF FIAT AT 198 E 500 S IN SALT LAKE CITY UTAH IN ORDER TO GET THE CLUTCH FIXED THE CLUTCH WENT OUT AT 179840 MILES AND NOW I AM BEING CHARGED $925.00 TO REPLACE THE CLUTH. I AM ALSO BEING TOLD THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE PART ON MY CLUTCH WHEN I KNOW THERE IS AND THAT I MUST REPLACE THE WHOLE CLUTCH I AM ALSO BEING TO TOLD THAT MY STEERING COLUM IS BROKEN HOWEVER AS OF TODAYS DAY NO ONE MECHANIC AT KEN GARFF FIAT HAS DRIVEN THE VEHILCE. I HAVE ALSO BEEN GIVEN A LOANER VEHILC TO DRIVE FROM KEN GARFF FIAT I JUST I WANT MY VEHILCE AND I WANT IT WORING PROPERLY AND I WANT IT TO PASS SAFETY AND EDMISSONS BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS RELEASED TO ME I HAVE CONTACTED CHYSLER AT 888-242-6342 OVER 387 TIMES SINCE 2013 CHYSLER HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO INTERVENE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFTEY OF MYSELF AND MY 14 YEAR OLD CHILD IN THIS VEHILCE. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT KEN GARFF FIAT SINCE 10-03-2016 AND AS OF TODAYS DATE 10-19-2016 THE WORK IS STILL NOT COMPLETE!
PARKED MY 2012 FIAT 500 IN OUR OUTDOOR PARKING SPACE. I OPENED MY DRIVER SEAT DOOR AND GOT OUT SHUT MY DOOR AND TURN TO GO. I THAN HEARD A LOUD POP/ BANG AND TURN TO SEE MY AIR BAGS SIDE CURTAIN AND SEAT AIR BAG HAD DEPLOYED. MY GIRLFRIEND WAS IN PASSENGER SEAT WHEN THEY DEPLOYED. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND IGNITION/ ENGINE WAS OFF WITH KEYS OUT. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. I WAS NOT INJURED BUT MY GIRLFRIEND HAS HEARING ISSUES. WE HAVE HAD NO HELP FROM THE FIAT DEALERSHIP.
TAKATA RECALL? TRAVELING ON A POORLY DESIGNED NEW TOLLWAY HEADING TOWARD AN EXIT RAMP DECELERATING FROM THE 70 MPH SPEED LIMIT, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND IMPACTED A RETAINING WALL. THE DRIVER, PASSENGER, AND LOWER CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN THE CAR. THE DRIVER WAS STRUCK IN THE UPPER RIGHT CHEST WITH SOMETHING THAT SLICED THROUGH THE FLEECE LINED RAIN JACKET WORN, AND WHATEVER IT WAS WAS SO HOT THAT IT MELTED THE EDGES OF THE CUT MATERIAL. THE DRIVER ALSO SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DEEP BRUISING IN THE LOCATION OF THE STRIKE. HAD THE DRIVER NOT BEEN WEARING THE JACKET, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE FLESH BEYOND BRUISING, AND HAD THE STRIKE HAPPENED SLIGHTLY HIGHER, INJURIES LEADING TO DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THERE IS NO PUBLISHED INFORMATION STATING THAT THE AIRBAGS IN THIS VEHICLE ARE TAKATA, BUT THE DAMAGE AND INJURIES RESULTING FROM THE DEPLOYMENT SUGGEST THAT THEY ARE. THE DRIVER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. ALL INJURIES WERE SEATBELT AND AIR BAG RELATED. THE DRIVER'S CORNEAS ARE ALSO SEVERELY ABRADED DUE TO PATICULATE MATERIAL PROJECTED DURING THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
WARNING SAYS AIRBAG MALFUNCTION,ALL THE TIME.BRAKES WEAR EVERY 1000 MILES.WHEEL BEARINGS WENT OUT AT 70,000 MILES..THESE MALFUNCTIONS HAPPEN WHEN MOVING...
I TOOK MY CAR IN TO FIAT IN SLC UTAH KEN GARFF THEY TOOK MY CAR SAID I HAD AN OIL LEAK THEN CAME BACK AND SAID I NEEDED A CATALYST CONVERTER I BELIEVE THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM HAS BEEN HACKED INTO BY THE DEALERSHIP IN ORDER TO MAKE MONEY WHICH PUTS ME AND MY 13 YEAR OLD CHILD ARE AT RISK IN THIS CAR PLEASE HELP I HAVE BEEN THOUGH THIS SAME THING IN BUFORD GA PLEASE HELP I WANT FIAT TO BUY MY CAR BACK I OWN IT OUT RIGHT PLEASE I DONT TRUST THE DEALER SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH THE ELECTONIC SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,500.
BRAKES ALMOST FAILED WHILE DRIVING,IGNITION STALLED SEVERAL TIMES,STEERING IS LOOSE AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING. REPORTED ON JULY 27,2015 TO LANDMARK FIAT OF ATLANTA, GA.ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND NO ONE HAS GOTTEN BACK TO ME AS YET FOR REPAIRS! SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE!
MY 2012 FIAT 500 VEHICLE WAS MOVING @ 55MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT PULLED ACROSS ITS PATH. THE FIAT STRUCK OTHER THE VEHICLE BROADSIDE NEAR THE REAR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WITH RIGHT HALF OF FRONT OF FIAT. FIAT THEN PITCHED TO THE RIGHT AND THEN ROLLED (SIDE TO ROOF) TWICE LANDING FINALLY ON ITS WHEELS. AS THE DRIVER, I ASSURE YOU I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. HOWEVER, NOT EVEN ONE SINGLE AIRBAG IN THE FIAT DEPLOYED --- NOT THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG, NOT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG, NOT THE SIDE AIR BAGS, NOT THE REAR HEAD AIR BAG AND NOT THE SIDE HEAD CURTAIN AIR BAGS. THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN ANY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THIS FIAT. THIS FIAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT A FCA/CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY MENTION OF ANY AIR BAG PROBLEMS BY ANY OF THE SERVICE PERSONNEL WHO HAVE SERVICED THE VEHICLE DURING ANY OF THE SERVICE VISITS. PART OF MY DECISION TO BUY THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE INSTEAD OF ANOTHER COMPACT CAR WAS THE VEHICLES ABUNDANCE OF AIR BAGS AND 4 AND 5 STAR OVERALL, FRONTAL, SIDE AND ROLLOVER CRASH RATINGS. IF THE AIRBAGS DO NOT DEPLOY ON THESE VEHICLES, I DO NOT THINK THE SAFETY RATING CAN BE CONSIDERED CORRECT. .UPDATED 07/21/15 *BF UPDATED 9/22/2015 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT ENDURED A SHOULDER INJURY AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED A NECK INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OR NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A COLLISION CENTER AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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