2014 Fiat 500

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

Message flashing "service power steering, hill climb and ESC" appears on an average of once a month for the last few years. No loss of control yet, but it came on three starts in a row for the first time. Usually goes away with a second start. Making an appointment with a dealer (Putnam) in Burlingame, Ca to diagnose. $250 to scan and who knows how much to repair.

NHTSA ID

11703545

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

While traveling on a PA interstate, I hit the brakes to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of me and the wheels locked up. The anti-lock system appeared to not work on my Fiat 500c. I hard steered L and avoided a head on collision hitting the trailer in front of me on the passenger side front of the car.

NHTSA ID

11686803

Incident

Sep 11, 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving on a neighborhood street at 10 MPH, the transmission experienced an abnormal difficulty in the shifting gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact coasted to a stop on the side of the road, and had the vehicle towed to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the shifter cable assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,222.

NHTSA ID

11648100

Incident

Mar 11, 2025

Mileage

50,222 mi

Dealer saw me that is needing a battery replaced On February 14, I took my fiat 500 E to the dealer for repairs. They then told me that it has a bad main battery problems and has to be replaced they gave me a price of $17,000. As a City employee. We do not make that much money. I bought this vehicle for my daughter. She’s is an A honor student.

NHTSA ID

11647084

Incident

Dec 26, 2024

The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and TPMS warning lights illuminated and the vehicle began to hesitate while accelerating. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the powertrain control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.

NHTSA ID

11581215

Incident

Dec 15, 2023

Mileage

126,000 mi

On 1/24/2024 the check engine came on. I went to auto zone the same day and they check the alert. They advised the code possibly could be the spark plugs or ignition coil. The engine light went off on 2/6/2024 and I went to the dealership for them to check the code information. The code that appear PCM P0301-00 Active Cylinder 1 Misfire-

NHTSA ID

11570365

Incident

Jan 24, 2024

the electric vehicle was previously recalled for battery malfunction but now the OBCM module malfunctioned making the vehicle unable to charge(receive power) leaving me stranded in the charging station and unable to go home. The module is the brain of the battery and should have been replaced with the battery if it's what's causing a similar issue. OBCMFAILED CAUSING BPCMAND EVCU NOT TO WAKE UP . NEED TO REPLACE OBCMAND PROGRAMTO VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

11524421

Incident

Apr 26, 2023

Vehicle was operating as normal. Came to a stop, shifted car into neutral to rest foot, light turned green, tried to shift back in to gear from a stop and the clutch pressure plate was all wrong, wouldn’t allow the car to go back in to gear. Luckily this happened at 3am and no traffic on the roads. The clutch it self did not go out, other clutch components are the issue. Lots of other fiat owner are all having the same issue. Gives out with no warning.

NHTSA ID

11480469

Incident

Aug 22, 2022

Broken Exterior Driver And/Or Passenger Door Handles XB2 Warranty Extension Customers may comment the following: ● One or both exterior door handles are broken. This bulletin involves replacing one or both exterior door handles.

Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates.

Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates.

Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates

Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders:

"Aluminum Body Panel Corrosion Repair Aluminum corrosion or bubbling along the leading edge of hood, hinges or other exterior surface areas of the hinges, doors, fenders, swing gates or liftgates. NOTE: Verify current warranty policy to determine if digital imaging pre-authorization is required or pre-approval is required from the Regional Office; depending on market. This bulletin involves inspecting and if necessary removing corrosion and refinishing the suspect aluminum panels on the vehicle, hood, door, fenders, hinges, swing gates or liftgate panels."