CSR

Fiat · NHTSA safety record

2013 Fiat 500E

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

16

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 Fiat 500E have filed 16 safety complaints with NHTSA between November 2013 and June 2019. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 8 of them (50%). The typical failure was reported at 3,556 miles, the median across the 14 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

16V303000 · May 16, 2016

The defect
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Fiat 500e vehicles manufactured March 22, 2012, to January 29, 2016. The power inverter module (PIM) may experience voltage spikes which can cause the propulsion system to shut down and loss of motive power.
The risk
Loss of motive power can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the PIM software, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S26.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) · up to 16,584 vehicles across all model years covered

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

15V179000 · March 27, 2015

The defect
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Fiat 500 EV vehicles manufactured March 27, 2012, to November 1, 2014. If the vehicle goes in to limp home mode, incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) may cause the electric propulsion system to fully shut down.
The risk
An electric propulsion system shut down will cause a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software to ensure compatability between components, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R15.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) · up to 5,660 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

14V235000 · May 7, 2014

The defect
Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Fiat 500e Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) vehicles manufactured September 24, 2012, through April 4, 2014. The affected vehicles have cooling plates for the Power Inverter Module (PIM) that may leak coolant into areas of the high voltage circuitry, resulting a short circuit that could cause the related service fuse to blow.
The risk
If the service fuse blows, the vehicle would have a loss of propulsion while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PIM, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P23.

Chrysler Group LLC · up to 4,141 vehicles across all model years covered

POWER TRAIN

13V358000 · August 14, 2013

The defect
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 Fiat 500e electric vehicles manufactured December 16, 2012, through August 13, 2013. The half shaft joints may loosen and separate causing noise and a loss of driving capability.
The risk
A loss of driving capability increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Chrysler will notify owners and Fiat dealers will replace the fasteners attaching the half shaft inboard joints, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2013. Owners may contact Fiat at 1-888-242-6342. Chrysler's recall number is N51.

Chrysler Group LLC · up to 491 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 16.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8 50%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 25%
ENGINE 3 19%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 19%
AIR BAGS 1 6%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 6%
POWER TRAIN 1 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 6%
STRUCTURE 1 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 6%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 7.

2013 2014 2019
2013 to 2019

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 550 miles

NEW CAR ROLLED AS I SWERVED AND STRUCK A PARKED TRUCK. GOING ONLY 27 MPH THE CAR THEN ROLLED OVER, THE ROOF CRASHED. NO SUDDEN MOMENTS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. NO AIR BAGS WENT OFF BUT GLASS IN THE WINDSHIELD AND ROOF SHATTERED. DRIVER THROWN INTO PASSENGER SEAT AND RECEIVED CUTS AND BRUISES. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10553656. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

42,000 miles

AS WE PULLED AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, THE CAR MADE A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND LOST POWER TO THE DRIVE SYSTEM. THE DASHBOARD IMMEDIATELY DISPLAYED A "PROPULSION SYSTEM WARNING" MESSAGE AND COULD NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. THE CAR WAS TOWED (FLAT BED) TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR. AFTER A WEEK, AND THE DEALER'S TECHS TALKING WITH TECHNICIANS IN DETROIT, DETROIT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE CAR'S POWER INVERTER. THIS REPAIR WILL COST MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THIS CAR HAD THE POWER INVERTER REPLACED BY THE SAME SHOP IN RESPONSE TO THE RECALL TO PREVENT SUDDEN POWER FAILURE. OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE POPPING SOUND AND SUDDEN POWER LOSS IS IDENTICAL TO DESCRIPTIONS FROM OTHER OWNERS WHO

NHTSA complaint 11222461, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THERE IS AN EXISTING RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE TRIED TWICE TO GET IT REPAIRED AT THE NYLE MAXWELL FIAT DEALERSHIP IN AUSTIN TEXAS. THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO MAKE THE REPAIR. THIS IS COMING FROM THE REPAIR MANAGER MR. AUSTIN MORIN.

NHTSA complaint 11003438. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

24,000 miles

WE RECEIVED RECALL S26/NHTSA 16V-303 FOR OUR 2013 FIAT 500E. WHEN I CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CLOSEST FIAT DEALER, THE EARLIEST APPOINTMENT WAS MORE THAN FOUR WEEKS OUT. BECAUSE THERE ARE NO FIAT DEALERS NEAR WHERE I LIVE, I NEED A LOANER VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I'VE BROUGHT THIS CAR FOR PREVIOUS RECALLS TO THIS SPECIFIC DEALER AND HAVE ALWAYS RECEIVED EITHER A LOANER OR A RENTAL, FREE OF CHARGE. TODAY, THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME SHE CANNOT PROMISE ME A LOANER AND THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE FOR A RENTAL. THE DEALERSHIP IS FIAT OF THOUSAND OAKS AND I LIVE IN SANTA BARBARA, CA. THIS IS A HUGE WASTE OF MY TIME, BEING THAT I HAVE TO DRIVE FOR AN HOUR, USING ALL THE VEHICLE'S

NHTSA complaint 10888467, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

2,609 miles

OUR FIAT DIED THREE TIMES WITHIN A FOUR MONTH PERIOD, SPECIFICALLY ON 6/20/2014 (2,609 MILES), 8/11/2014 (3,101 MILES), AND 10/20/2014 (4,050 MILES). A "SERVICE ELECTRIC VEHICLE SYSTEM" WARNING LIGHT APPEARED EACH TIME IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE, STOP, OR STEER. OF THE THREE INCIDENTS, THE FINAL INCIDENT ON 10/20/2014 WAS THE MOST DANGEROUS: THE CAR DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WHILE CROSSING TRAIN TRACKS (LIGHT-RAIL) WHILE A TRAIN WAS APPROACHING. CHRYSLER-FIAT HAS SINCE REPURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 5/2015 PER CALIFORNIA LAW.

NHTSA complaint 10722598. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2,000 miles

ON 1/18/2014 WE LEASED A 2013 FIAT 500E ("THE CAR")FROM KEARNY MESA FIAT. VIN [XXX]. IT HAD LESS THAN 20 MILES ON IT WHEN WE TOOK POSSESSION OF IT. ON 3/3/2014 IT WOULD NOT CHARGE GIVING ME A LARGE YELLOW INDICATOR SAYING THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE SYSTEMS WERE NOT WORKING. THIS FLASHED AND THEN DROPPED OFF THE SCREEN. ON 3/17/2014 THE SAME LIGHT ON CONSTANTLY. THE CAR WAS WITH THE DEALER FOR REPAIR UNTIL APRIL 8, 2014, FOR A TOTAL OF 22 DAYS. FIAT OFFERED, AND I ACCEPTED A CASH SETTLEMENT FOR THIS REPAIR. ON 10/3/2014 THE LIGHT RETURNED. THERE WERE 11747.4 MILES ON THE CAR. KEARNY MESA FIAT PERFORMED RECALL WORK. ON 10/11/2014 THE LIGHT ALTERNATED WITH THE TURTLE LIGHT. THEN THE CAR STOPPED IN

NHTSA complaint 10717170, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

5,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500E. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V235000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE A RECALL REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE CONTACT HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THE REPAIR PERFORMED BECAUSE IT WAS AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE VENT CONTROLS AND THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER DID NOT MENTION THIS TO THE CONTACT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CONTACT RELOCATED TO ANOTHER STATE, THE

NHTSA complaint 10695434, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Fiat 500E

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2015 11 2
2014 16 3

Other 2013 Fiat models

Every Fiat on this site — 18 vehicles, 24 recall campaigns and 0 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst