RoadVitals

2015 Fiat 500L

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
23
Latest Feb 2, 2022
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Sep 23, 2015
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 23 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Fiat 500L, most frequently naming the airbags, powertrain (other) and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 76 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Airbags520.0%
  • Powertrain (other)520.0%
  • Electrical416.0%
  • Driver assistance312.0%
  • Engine28.0%
  • Brakes28.0%
  • Steering28.0%
  • Visibility14.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
15V590000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Sep 23, 2015
15 units potentially affected
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015 Fiat 500L vehicles manufactured April 23, 2015, to May 10, 2015. The affected vehicles may be equipped with a passenger frontal air bag that was not folded properly during the assembly process. As a result, the air bag may not deploy as designed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: In the event of a crash, if the air bag does not inflate as designed, the front seat occupant is at an increased risk of injury.
The remedy: Fiat will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2015. Owners may contact Fiat customer service at 1-888-242-6342. Chrysler's number for this recall is R54.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC)Manufacturer number R54View on NHTSA.gov
14V481000

AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER

Aug 6, 2014
25,479 units potentially affected
The defect: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Fiat 500L vehicles manufactured March 3, 2012, to July 25, 2014. Irregularities in the folding process during assembly of the driver's knee airbag may result in its improper deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: If the knee airbag air bag does not deploy properly during a crash, there is an increased risk of driver injury.
The remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on September 26, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P42.
Chrysler Group LLCManufacturer number P42View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 23
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 2, 2022

Vehicle randomly stuck in park and will not move in reverse or drive, at one point was in drive and moving while saying gear not available. All the complaints of the 2014 models and mine was manufactured in 2014 but labeled a 2015. Fiat is quoting the repair at 3000- to over 10k while second opinion transmission specialist says there is no fix and it's a manufacturer computer defect only temporarily fixed with a new transmission.

NHTSA ID
11449900
Incident
Dec 15, 2021
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jul 31, 2020

I JUST PURCHASED THE 2015 FIAT 500 L . I JUST HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 5 MONTHS AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. 1ST THE OIL RING NEED TO BE REPLACED, THEN MY FRONT CHARGER NOT WORK AND THEN IS PROGRESS TO LED REAR PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT AND NOW IS THE AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT IS ON. RADIO KEEP GOING IN AND OUT AND THE BLUETOOTH IS NOT WORKING.

NHTSA ID
11342503
Incident
Jul 30, 2020
Mileage
43,800 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 6, 2020

THE STEERING HANGS OR STICKS. IT STARTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD IT DOES THAT. IT STARTED DOING THIS AROUND 50 TO 70 WHEN FIRST NOTICED AND NOW DOES IT AT ALL SPEEDS. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED IT WOULD COME AND GO AWAY SLIGHTLY BUT NEVER COMPLETELY. NOW IT IS ALL THE TIME AND ANY SPEED. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT MAKES THE VEHICLE STEER SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN THE LANE SINCE YOU CAN'T MAKE SLIGHT STEERING CORRECTIONS. WHEN TRYING TO MAKE STEERING CORRECTIONS THE STEERING WILL STICK OR HANG AND THEN RELEASE ABRUPTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MOVE SLIGHTLY BACK AND FORTH IN THE LANE. AT TIMES IT IS BAD ENOUGH TO RESEMBLE A VERY DRUNK DRIVER OVER CORRECTING. IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT WE DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. IT'S A SHAME FIAT/CHRYSLER WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS BUT NO ACCIDENT YET DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. ALSO THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR ANYWHERE AT ANY SPEED EXCEPT TURNING. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY WHEN GOING STRAIGHT. WHEN IN A TURN AS LONG AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS IN MOTION IT DOESN'T HANG BUT IF IT STOPS AND YOU START TO TURN FURTHER OR GO BACK IT WILL HANG AGAIN. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET HURT.

NHTSA ID
11307410
Incident
Feb 3, 2020
Mileage
51,200 mi
Filed Nov 19, 2019

MY CAR'S GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN PARK. IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. SOMETIMES I SMELL AN ODOR LIKE SOMETHING BURNING.

NHTSA ID
11280987
Incident
Nov 19, 2019
Mileage
54,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 16, 2019

CAR ONLY HAS 6,000 MILES AND IT HAS A FAULTY OCCUPANT RESTRAINT MODULE THAT CAUSES AIR BAG WARNING TO COME ON IT'S BEEN COMING ON AND OFF FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND MADE APPOINTMENT TO GET IT CHECKED ON 8/12/19 AND THEY FOUND PROBLEM 8/16/19 AND OF COURSE WARRANTY RAN OUT 8/1/19

NHTSA ID
11244345
Incident
Aug 12, 2019
Filed Aug 10, 2019

I HAVE OWNED THREE OF THESE 2014-2015 FIAT 500L'S ALL THREE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SUN VISORS NOT STAYING UP NOR FORWARD. THEY WILL RANDOMLY DROP WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING BLOCKING THE VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. IN EACH CASE THE PROBLEMS WERE ON VEHICLES WITH UNDER 40K MILES AND AS LOW AS 27K MILES. THIS WOULD USUALLY HAPPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BUT ALSO HAPPENED AT TIMES WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WAITING FOR IT TO CHANGE.

NHTSA ID
11243034
Incident
Sep 3, 2018
Mileage
37,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 20, 2019

SUMMARY FACTS: JANUARY 15, 2019 - TRAVELING IN A STATE ADJACENT TO WHERE THE FIAT WAS PURCHASED. TRAFFIC WAS AT A VIRTUAL STAND STILL AND AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES DRIVING, WHITE SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THERE WAS A DISTINCT BURNING SMELL, LIKE ELECTRICAL WIRING BURNING. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ON; WHEN THE WHITE SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL WAS OBSERVED, THE A/C WAS TURNED OFF AND THE BURNING AND SMOKE CEASED. BESIDES THE DRIVER, A PASSENGER IN THE FIAT OBSERVED THE WHITE SMOKE AND EXPERIENCED THE BURNING SMELL AS WELL. THE DEALER THAT SOLD THE FIAT AND WHERE THE FIAT HAS BEEN SERVICED WAS CALLED. THEIR ADVICE WAS TO EXIT THE MOTORWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND CALL THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THERE WAS NOT AN ONGOING ELECTRICAL FIRE WHICH MIGHT CAUSE THE FIAT TO EXPLODE. THE FIRST AVAILABLE EXIT WAS TAKEN AND THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED. UPON THEIR ARRIVAL, NO ELECTRICAL FIRE WAS OBSERVED; THEY ADVISED TAKING THE FIAT TO A QUALIFIED REPAIR SHOP IMMEDIATELY TO BE EXAMINED AND TESTED. LATER, THE A/C WAS TRIED, BUT DID NOT SEEM TO WORK. THE A/C WAS THEN TURNED OFF UNTIL THE FIAT WAS TAKEN TO THE FIAT DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN IN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUPPOSEDLY RAN A FULL RANGE OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE FIAT AND IN PARTICULAR THE A/C, INCLUDING TESTING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, AND FREON LEVELS WHICH WERE OKAY, INDICATING NO FREON LEAKS. THEY TESTED THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE A/C; THEY INDICATED IT WAS PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD. THEREFORE, THE FIAT DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE FIAT AND COULD PROVIDE NO PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION WHY WHITE SMOKE WAS BEING EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND THE BURNING SMELL. THEIR ONLY ADVICE WAS TO BRING THE FIAT BACK IN FOR SERVICE SHOULD THE SAME SITUATION RE-OCCUR. THIS RAISES DOUBT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS FIAT.

NHTSA ID
11171006
Incident
Jan 15, 2019
Mileage
25,109 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 15, 2018

THE CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON EVERY 300-500 MILES & DISAPPEARS AFTER ABOUT 200-400 MILES. THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. WE ARE NOT SURE IF THE AIRBAG WILL PROPERLY DEPLOY IN THE INSTANCE OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
11161494
Incident
Aug 15, 2018
Mileage
58,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

S1408000384

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning Lamp On

9100229

SUSPENSION

LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.

9100226

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved.

9100226

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved.

93023

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Warranty Bulletin D-16-03 - "Can / Am" Warranty Coverage - 594 / 595 / 596 WCC (Rev. B)

93120

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

FCA Caribbean Warranty Bulletin ID-23-20 "Can / Am" Warranty Coverage - 594 / 595 / 596 WCC

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Fiat 500L by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2020000—
2019000—
2018000—
2017100—
2016200—
2015Viewing232037.5
20141833051.5

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.