FIAT 500 Problems to Expect
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- Опубликовано: 2 июл 2024
- I have owned my Fiat 500 Abarth for almost half a year now and in today's video I'd like to discuss all of the common problems to expect on a Fiat 500. In my case, I own a US Spec Fiat 500 Abarth with a manual transmission and I've been enjoying driving this car very much; however, they tend to have a few common problems that I think people need to know before purchasing one. None of these are critical or will destroy your car, but it's good to know what to expect when you are buying a new car and need advice. Most of the video talks about the Fiat 500 Pop, Fiat 500 Lounge, Fiat 500 Sport and Turbo versions. Towards the end, I add some Abarth specific items.
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Thanks everyone for watching.
I guess I have misjudged making this video as I thought it would be nice to have a comprehensive list in one place. Took me weeks to gather all of the information since I like knowing as much about my cars as possible. This video is not meant to be hating on FIAT 500s, it's meant to show you what to look out for. In fact, I have made a video on all the things I love about the FiAT 500: ruclips.net/video/zGIeaKWcnEE/видео.html
I have a 2017 that I bought new and I am happy to say I have seen none of these problems but thanks for the information.
@@combatdoc great to hear! Hope it stays very reliable for you. Mind mentioning what country you're in?
@@SimpleCarGuy US. Yeah, man. I have had 0 issues. Mind you, I just passed 35K this week. Had to replace brake pads twice but I fucking DRIVE this car. I have to upgrade my suspension since I chipped the car and reached it's limits.
@@combatdoc Keep on driving her hard, that's what they are made for! Thanks for the extra info, hope it helps someone in the future make a choice.
Is this only for the Fiat Abarth models? Or every fiat pop and lounge or sport?
Abarth is more modified that’s why I ask?
I own a 2015 POP version and really like it. Luckily I had none of those problems. Only oil changes and windshield wipers replacement during these 5 years. I guess it changes from car to car, as he said in the beginning of the video... I still would recommend this car to anyone who wants a economic fun car :)
I'm glad you've had good experience with the car. I definitely love mine, just thought it would be nice to have list for future owners to watch out for! Thanks for watching.
Thanks now I know this car can be reliable and worth it
I own the same one, in Orange. Mine has had a few issues, in the 3 years I've had it, but either I or my mechanic fix it and I'm back on the road. I actually just got replacement door handles that I'm going to install, myself.
@@bastiansgoofy9136 Two years later, how is it running so far? Any issues?
You drive it much? I do DoorDash and UberEats and drivmve around 130-150 miles a night.
I was writing a list of all the problems!! I gave up after 5 minutes. Thank you!!
These cars have a few problems here and there, but super fun to drive!
Love your response buddy. Hope you're still driving it.
I agree me too I stopped at a dozen and needed help getting of the floor from laughing. This thing is a lemon.
Excellent advice covering most common problems. Some owners have had few problems after 9 years. While you are taking it easy on the doors, you probably won't break a handle. People will yank/jerk the handle and they are made of pot metal. There's a menu option where unlocking the driver's door unlocks all 3 doors. Burnt front light sockets are common and they can be replaced. Up to 1 quart in 500 miles is considered "normal" by Fiat, but most burn little or no oil. Don't neglect checking, it can kill your car. Stock tires last maybe 30K, but mine sold w/ wheels out of alignment. Rear bearings can often last 60K to 120K, brakes 60K. Hard driving on an Abarth can eat them in 30K. For bearing replacement use factory or good quality. The typical ebay/parts store bearings can go out in 10K. For wiring, the 2012 had a problem with the rear hatch harness being too short. Inspect yearly on all, near the left hinge. Excellent advice on not overfilling the gas. More common is one of the roll-over valves will stick closed and you can't fill the tank. Rap on the filler neck where it enters the tank; will usually fix it at least temporarily. (The other roll-over is part of the fuel pump.)
Very good info here! Thank you for your input, it sounds like you've had one for years or worked on them. Hope it helps others keeping their FIATs running for many more years!
That's not why the door handles break. They corrode, seize up the steel pivot pin, then they must be flexed to open the handle which soon causes the pivot casting to fracture. Grease the hell out of them and they won't corrode.
Driver's side door handle is popping off. Can't get into the trunk...latch stopped working. Vanity mirror on driver's side fell off while I was driving & scared the snot out of me. The passenger seat is now hard to move forward to get into the back--ratchety and stuck.
Other than that, pretty good. AND, you have to push DOWN and turn the cap on the coolant well to get into it! The light for the license plate burned out--finding a replacement was challenging and nobody seems to be able to know how to install it...dealer wanted $300. No f'n way. Also the top of the arm rest popped off. I have hair bands around it to keep it together. Warning lights are on but they cannot figure out why--electrical problems that they could not fix...? 2012 Fiat 500 PoP 56,000 miles. Affordable car for my budget at the time..it has done pretty well mechanically, otherwise. Brakes replaced 1x.
@@CynDivine1 Yep, you have the typical Fiat stuff. The door handle hinge kit is $12 on Amazon. For the hatch, that can be corrosion to electric connection pins, the rear hatch wiring fraying/broken near the left hatch hinge (extra common thru mid-2013 but can happen to any), bad/broken rear handle's switch, not having both front doors unlocked (or other reasons the BCM isn't sending electricity to the rear latch) and, rarely, the unlatch solenoid. The license plate light can also be the frayed wiring. I think that's replaced by pulling the inner panel and removing a couple nuts. Access to the interior of the hatch requires removing the inside cover and manually popping the latch. (Videos online... takes 3 minutes.)
Arm rests breaking is so common on 500's that it's considered normal. People use Gorilla Glue to fix them or just remove the armrests.
@@mikep490 - Thanks! I think I found the handle on Amazon. I had gotten the hatch to work in the Spring...but then it stopped working...I did a "reset" with the fob that I saw suggested by another Fiat guy, but I can't find it now. I think it was holding the hatch and unlock buttons down for 30 seconds or something like that...
Im just now replacing the original clutch at 115k miles exactly! Damn good car havent had any issues other than a fuel cap went out or the rubber dried out around it. 10 dollars for a new one at 80k. Thats it!!i drive the hell out of this thing. Well worth the 10k i paid for it!!
I hope after I fix all of the issues on mine, (replacing window motor today), it will be good for a couple years! It’s a fun little beast to drive.
My car is dripping oil dont know what it could be
@@JuanJimenez-gr6rf Mine too and I’m barely at 30k but I think it’s expected from this car. I have to fill it a bit every 4-5k miles.
Thanks man for the insight truly thinking about getting one
@@JuanJimenez-gr6rf If its dripping onto the manifold and smoking it could be the turno oil return pipe.
I own a 2015 pop or sport and i love it! I broke the armrest when I first got it so I took it off. I don't even miss it. Someone tried to break in it and broke the driver's door handle then a friend broke the passenger handle. I just got both, from Amazon, as I watch your video. I'm gonna install them, myself; no biggie. My ambient temperature sensor is broken so my engine light is on; I can also fix that myself. Other than that, it's a great car and easy enough to fix, yourself.
Thanks for the feedback on your car, very helpful to everyone! Pop and Sports seem to be more reliable as they don't suffer from the same engine issues and as you said, if you are handy and can work on your own cars, this is a little gem!
I'm the proud owner of a black Fiat 500 Pop with the 1.4 engine.
I purchased it new in May of 2013.
Today is July 6th, 2021. The odometer reads 16,796 miles.
So far, in 8 years, so good. No problems with the car except the armrest, which is a defective part.
Two have collapsed while simply leaning my right arm on it. It's smarter to just remove it from the car. Not as comfortable but safer.
The paint still shines metallic black.
Very peppy with excellent handling.
The acceleration is adequate to impressive. This video was very informative and gives me the heads up as to what I might encounter on down the road. Thanks for the walk-through as well.
Roughly 17k miles for a 2013 car ? You barely drives it
Please let me buy it
2012 500 Sport - Love Hate relationship. Super Fun car to drive and good fuel economy, but…… 50,000 miles replaced rear wheel bearings, steering shaft, shifter boot gasket (twice), rear hatch wiring harness wires broken, passenger seat back release cable broke, brake light/hill hold switch and various intermittent wiring issues. Replacement headlight bulbs cost twice what Japanese cars cost, because of the unique connectors.
I was able to permanently fix and reinforce the arm rest by putting 2 nice copper colored bolts with rivet nuts all the way through the armrest at each end. It actually looks stock and hasnt broken after over a year
That's awesome! I still have the old cracked arm rest, maybe I should give it a go even though I've gotten used to not having one already.
I'm the original owner of a 2013 fiat 500 pop with a manual transmission & it has 120,000+ miles without any problems!
& frankly don't take the best care of her (late oil changes & Detroit potholes the size of elephants).
My niece got a used 2014 pop (automatic) & she hasn't had any problems either.
Sad to hear the Abarth has so many issues :(
Great to hear that other models are keeping it together! Hope you have many more years with yours.
maybe you are blessed or something. or not just bad luck.
I think they’re pretty cool, especially the abarth model. My coworker has an abarth and he was telling me about some issues he’s had with it, and they were pretty much all covered in this video, so I guess it is common.
I have the 2016 500 pop and my radio died at 19,000 miles. I thought that it was a battery issue at first because my car had to get a battery jump to start but it works fine now after I got an aftermarket touch screen radio. I also had an axle problem, the boot on the axle was leaking so it took about 3 weeks to get it replaced since it was a “special part” that had to be ordered. Luckily, I purchased a 10 year warranty on it so it was covered but those are pretty much the only issues I have had so far. 🤞🏽🤞🏽
YOu can unlock the hatch without the keyfob. While in the car, lock the car by pushing the door handle in towards the panel, then pull it back out to unlock. This unlocks the hatch as well.
My 2012 has 27,000 miles on it and had zero issues until I took it in for an oil change. The guys doing the change broke the clips on the side skirts.
Exelent video thanks so much bro
Just got a sliver 2013 fiat 500 sport, couldn’t be more excited!
Very fun car, enjoy!
Re Steering Column clunking. No need buy a replacement shaft. Remove the shaft, lube it liberally with Mobile 1 synthetic GREASE working the shaft up and down (no nasty comments please) and reinstall. Noise will be gone. Cheap fix. Had a 2013 Abarth, ran it hard and sold it at 80K running like new. These are great cars. Underrated and therefore a great deal for an Italian sports car. They're all over europe and known for their reliability. Yes a few annoying things go wrong here and there but mine never left me stranded. Thanks for the video. Played it at 1.5 speed, lol
Thanks for the advice. I ended up replacing the intermediate shaft, but hope it helps others in the future. The cars made in Europe were better quality than the ones in Mexico, but I agree, it's not as bad as it may seen!
Here in Australia fiat 500 and abarths are known to be reliable. Any car after few years will need things changed. The interior and cosmetic issues in the USA might be because your models are produced in Mexico.
It seems that these are great cars outside of the US market cars. I know the engine is even different in Europe. I still love it any issues that come up!
Im an aussie thinking of replacing my mini cooper which is a 2008 model still going strong. I want a new abarth 595 but this video scared the hell out of me? Do u have one? Any advice?
I just bought a 2012 Abarth from a relative, who bought it new. 143000 miles. Original clutch, still runs great. Drivers door handle has been replaced thrice, has a few quirks you mentioned. Rear hatch doesn’t open with remote, rear wiper has a mind of its own (wire harness gets crunched in the back). All around fun car! I paid $500 for it, as it had a little body damage. I’m pretty sure the timing belt is original too. I’m not looking forward to doing that.
For $500 you got yourself and amazing deal! Even if you have to do the belt and fix some issues here and there, it's still well worth it (as long as you like tinkering with cars). Could also make an awesome little track car. Just watch out for some of the things I mentioned and you are golden.
@@SimpleCarGuy - Wow! 143,000 miles. Amazing. I forgot that yes--my back wiper is funky, too!!
I have a 2012 Fiat 500 sport. Got it used in 2017 for my kid. Had 70k miles on it. 2018 throttle body went out. 2019 the starter went out and one of the headlights. And the window wouldn't roll up. And for some odd reason the odometer blinks. Took the door off and the window regulator the plastic part is completely broken off. 2020 the 02 sensor check engine light came on. Rotors replaced this year and wheel bearing bad on the driverside. And you are right 93 works wonders i can tell the difference
Thank you so much for your comment showing your experience with the car. At first I was like, that's not too bad, sounds pretty normal, but you can't going! They are really fun cars to drive, but this is why I made the video, you have to plan ahead and have some money on the side to fix issues.
Odometar blinks peacose of changing battery. You can't leave the car without electric supply. Probably also the window make you problems
I have a Fiat 2013, bought it brand new... it is 2021 and I am bearly starting to have ‘older car problems’. I am a single girl and takes care of it. My arm rest did brake within like 2 years but got it replaced and has been good ever since. My car looks pretty decent for being a 2013.
That's awesome, congrats on a cool car! What version do you have and how many miles in 8 years?
Nice video. I have a 2012 500 pop. I bought it new and it has 67k miles now. The only one of these problems mine has had was the steering clunk which I had fixed under warranty. I have only replaced the tires once and am still on the original brake pads. I think that possibly the Abarths are more likely to have parts worn out since they tend to be driven and used harder.
What was the clunk in reverse. I am trying to track it down in mine now
@@momndadh8u I don't remember exactly what the cause was. It was something in the steering column and was fixed under warranty.
I have 65k miles on my 2013 fiat 500. Both rear break calipers seized and needed replacement. Th front door handle broke off - fiat cheaper out on parts like that. The front seat ratcheting system broke so I needed to get a new front seat. Hubcaps fall off easily. And obviously the armrests break too easily. The shocks need to be replaced but that’s too expensive compared to what the car is worth. Some electrical issues from bad wiring. The engine is solid so that’s nice.
2013 Abarth
Made in Mexico
Rocker trim was popping
Trunk worked intermittently
Converted all lights to LED
Didn't come with an arm rest but that seems like it would be annoying
Doesn't seem to burn oil though
I’ve owned a 13 Abarth for 4 years and I’ve not heard of half of the issues you describe. I think you got a car built on a Friday afternoon man.
I'm definitely not saying that each car will get these, but the issues are more or less common among the range.
I bought the 2017 Fiat the other day. I like that I can charge my car and save a lot of money on gas. However, my driver’s window stopped working today.
Congrats on the car!
Check this out for the window regulator, might help: ruclips.net/video/3R7sagEOfbM/видео.html
I'm looking to buy a mini car to do deliveries and i need to find parking..a fiat is smaller and less money than a mini cooper
@@oksanasantiago5702 I had both! Mini Cooper S was a lot more luxuries and comfortable to drive, but the Fiat is a lot more fun to drive around town and I love the sound!
@@SimpleCarGuy i think the fiat is what ill buy
@@oksanasantiago5702 don’t buy the fiat I promise you it will have many problems you don’t wanna deal with such as a window stops rolling up and down. I would consider something more like a Honda Toyota or a little bit cheaper, but not as reliable, Hyundai. That is if you want something more dependable I won’t definitely not recommend getting one of these long term and not expecting lots of repairs I’ve worked on many of them and they are just cheaply made.
OH!! Pull the inside driver's door handle towards you, that's how you unlock the passenger door and hatch, whether the key is in the ignition or not. Hope that helps.
Also, I had to get my wheel bearings replaced, early last year. The sound they made almost drove me crazy. I have mechanic friend that keeps my lil girl in tip top shape so I still love her and her flaws. 😁
Thanks for the tips!
I bought a '12 Sport off a lot about 9 months ago. 124k miles. 5 speed. These appeared to be highway miles for the front suffered from a thousand little chips, looking like it did a lifetime of following big rigs down the interstate. It was sporting a replacement windshield however, making that nice & new. The clutch seems fine if not overly strong, the interior was nice other than some driver seat wear. The side armrest, which I never use, is perfect. I knew nothing about the car but will bet it was probably a woman owner. It just seemed too nice on the inside. The heater light was out on one side but I didn't think popping the panel off was a big deal to replace the 2 peanut bulbs. It's brighter now, too. I've replaced the 2 front wheel bearings, bought the cheapest ones from O Reilly. Chinese made. It cost more to have 'em pressed in than the bearings did but I did all the other labor. The new bearings seem fine, nice & quiet. The car had new brake pads all the way around & the original rotors are true as can be. I like the brakes on this thing. I replaced the spark plugs with cheap in price Autolite copper ones. I noticed a difference. I run Phillips 66 premium. My license plate lights didn't work when I bought it, I replaced the whole light(s) with a generic LED assembly that lines up with the lic. plate bolts & wired it in. My reverse lights don't work either but I've yet to look in to it. No hurry. All my other lights work. I find the heater fan is quite noisy & cheap sounding but it works & I can accept it. I never use the A/C, though it works. My driver's side door handle seems more solid than the passenger one, maybe it's been replaced but it feels fine. Both windows work & I don't slam the doors. The engine doesn't leak anywhere, & I've had no issues with the Multiair other than learning it doesn't like 10w30 once winter sets in. It runs fine on it in the summer. I've switched to 5W20 (I know the cap says 5w30) & it started flawlessly the other week at minus 16 F. This summer I will flush the coolant & eventually I'd like to replace the transmission oil. I agree that the roof has some of the thinnest metal around.
Thanks for all the info, very useful!!
@@SimpleCarGuy : I've learned from other videos that the wiring harness going to the rear hatch is a high wear & tear item. I was wondering why it was so beat up looking when I bought it. I repaired it the best I can but also unplugged the rear wiper motor (don't need it) & never plan on using the rear defroster. This is probably why my license plate lights were burnt out.
Nothing is low quality it's just biodegrading as designed and on schedule if your car is over 2 years old :)
Ughhhhhhh, these things are TERRIBLE!!!!! I bought a new 2015 Abarth and it’s horrific. They really are not designed to last. This is my last new Fiat. My next car, will be a Roadster Mini. Those cars make much more horsepower, and they can’t be as bad as these. The other thing that helped me make up my mind, is the new ones are much longer and electrical only. That would take away my reasoning, for buying a tiny car. I just got my piece of junk back from the transmission shop. AGAIN!!!!!! They are junk... My car also squeaks, and it makes me crazy. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE, THEY FALL APART!!!
That would not be the case with a Toyota or Honda. These cars, really are junk...
@@cristiancerda578 what’s your mileage? I just got one three weeks ago with less that 27,000 (2015 fiat sport non turbo)
@@cristiancerda578 Lmao why the hell did you buy an Abarth, expecting reliability?
Should've bought a Toyota or Honda, perfect for a boring dude like you.
@@April480p You want me to tell you the truth??? I had an apartment in Manhattan, and parking is an IMPOSSIBILITY!!! I also take the train from a train station, that I don’t have a pass for. If I find a spot, it’s tiny and on the street. I also have a Sprinter Van, I’m going to turn into a camper. Wish me luck, on that project…
Thank u thank u thank u so much for this as I own a 12 500 c n that baby has issues 🥺 this helped me out a lot!
Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!
Yep, I hit almost all the defects mentioned....plus.
The window regulator breakage is not due to slamming so much as shoddy material on the clip that grabs the bottom of the window. It is made of a brittle, low quality plastic that cracks over time. Luckily, repair is easy and relatively inexpensive. The hatchback release uses poor quality adhesives that fail and drops the rubberized switch cover, if you're lucky, into your hand. If not, somewhere on the road. I was lucky so I didn't need to buy a replacement so it only cost me a little time to work out how the metal contact that is held in by the rubberized cover is supposed to line up before applying better adhesive.
But the absolutely worst Fiat 500 defect is the valve actuator design. It's not a super-common defect to come across due to how it is triggered. I was traveling last summer and didn't drive the car for two weeks. It turns out that leaving the car stationary for that long can allow the oil in the actuator to drain. When that happens, the actuator doesn't work properly on all the valves. And it won't automatically refill itself (though there are a few procedures on RUclips with suggestions on how to trick it into refilling.) I've never known a car that couldn't tolerate not being started for only two weeks. Six months, sure, but two weeks?
I like the car overall, but these defects - along with the asinine oil filter placement - makes me warn off anyone thinking of buying one.
Had a 2015 auto for 3 years 42k miles, never had any issues other than driver side window started rattling and was fixed under warranty, replaced battery once, and that’s it! Arm rest was fine, headliner was fine just the audio start button was faded at the end.
I also had my hood and roof bumped I’m not sure how.. never got around to get it fixed.. I guess it has to do with the thin panels.
Also the headlights are so weak! HID or LED is a must have mod.
I have a 2014 pop and you have nailed my common issues especially the
Interior. I drive alot and have 120000 miles I have replaced the o2 senser in the back and the vacumm pump. I would add doing a flush for all the fluids at 100,000 miles but I can't find a way to do the transmission fluid.
I hope you keep her going as these little cars are a blast to drive. Thanks for watching!
Fiats have “lifetime transmission fluid”. The certified Fiat mechanic told me to never let anyone touch the transmission fluid. He said in the 10 years of working on Fiat he’s never replaced a transmission.
@@shaninphxaz Is this referring to manual transmissions or automatic or both?
@@shaninphxaz However long...or short...that life might be...
The last Fiat I owned was a 1972 124 Fiat Spyder. I must say, Marelli certainly must have had a sense of humor, because the electrical system was a joke. I am thinking about getting a used 500 Abarth as a fun toy, at the right price, but have concerns about reliability & parts availability. Also not a fan of Mexican assembly. We'll see...
They sure are fun to drive and I haven't had any major issues that would drive me away from the car. Sure, there are many small, sometimes annoying issues, but they aren't deal breakers. Just don't pay over $10k for the car so your expectations are too high.
great video dude
Thanks!
You have successfully deterred me from purchasing any of these cars - no wonder i see so many of these used cars at dealerships -
Had 2012 Abarth for 8 years. Side skirts coming loose was only issue I had. Sure paint wearing off that just from use. I miss her such personality.
The loom tubing on every car does the same. Plastic cracks after being exposed to high temperatures over years. Use heat shrink wire loom or electrical tape. When done correctly it looks very good. My neice but bought a 500l that has 120,000 miles on it and I told her it was a bad idea especially when she said the transmission felt weird when she test dri5ve it. I guess we live and we learn.
Many cars do have the same issues, but honestly, this is the first car I've seen this on in person. Between the cars my parents have owned and the cars I've bought and sold, this is the first car where it crumbles like that. As long as the electronics keep working, I'll be happy as this car is a blast to drive.
I drive a 500x and it is fitted with a 9 speed made by ZF everyone who drives this car thinks their Trans is going out,that is just the nature of this transmission it doesn't always know where to shift when decelerating or accelerating one after another but it will last forever and for me has been shifting well. It's one of those transmissions that "learn"
I was thinking of picking one of these cars up for my son, you answered my question. HELL NO, I’ll pass. On a side note, me and my wife were crying 😂 funniest car review ever. Love it. So what you’re saying is it will write itself off on your driveway.
Everything can't be as reliable as a Corolla, but that should be the goal and seems like Fiat isn't even trying.
Have a 2016 Fiat 500 Linea Rossa Sport in Australia. No issues at all, very reliable.
I think Australia got the good Euro version of the car, not the one built in Mexico like we did here in US.
Sharp looking Abarth. Mine is white. Sideskirts do tend to peel off.
I couldn't find a white one for reasonable money. I love that look with red accents.
I've read before these Abarths come from the factory with a bit of an inward facing camber? Or something to that affect and that contributes to wear
For the paint issue on radio buttons, I bet most people don't know that you have radio controls on back side of steering wheel
The dark spots on the connectors are caused by heat due to a bad connection. Unplug connector and spread the terminals a little so it makes a better connection.
That's a good idea! Thanks for sharing.
Hello, I just bought a Fiat 500 sport 2016, and has a terrible leak on the trunk. Is there any way I can fix this issue myself? Thank you!
I have a European Twin Turbo cabrio for 3 years, none of the mentioned difficulties. I am happy with my car.
European version is a different car, much better quality as well.
My Sister bought a 2013 model with only 55,000 miles. After using it for a few days I now want one because I thought it was fun to drive.
It is very fun to drive! I would take it on drives for absolutely no reason.
Other than the interior falling apart in the first two years, the door handles falling off, the window motor failing from the door being closed, body molding falling off, closing, electronic locks that fail, failing steering shaft, wiring problems... it is a good car. Wow.
When I put my abarth at 4th gear and accelerate it pops out and grinds idk if it shifter cable or it needs to be adjusted
have had my 2015 abarth for 8 months now only had to change rear tailights hvac lights and now when i got my oil change discovered i have coolant leak. 32000 btw only driven it 4500 miles
That's very miles, so hopefully that's all the issues you will have. I'm hoping to keep mine at least for a year or so.
I also had the evap box replaced and 1 cv boot. The fiat dealership charged $1000 for the boot. Finding mechanics that want to work on this car is dificult other than at CDJR
Excellent review of the problems. Thank you!!!
Thanks for making this video I'm looking at either a 2014 Fiat 500l trekking or a 2006 Mini Cooper s Supercharged Jcw . I think I'll be definitely buying the Fiat as they seem to be easier to work on and fix the issues as they arise.
Those are very different cars. I had a 2010 Mini Cooper S and it was a much more refined car, but the me Abarth was probably a little more fun and lively to drive.
the 500l is risky...big transmission issues
I have a 2013 lounge (European version) and no issues at all. Do you think the MIM has more issues ?
I don’t know much about the European version, but I believe they are much better quality all around.
@@SimpleCarGuy if you don't know much about the European version, then you have no idea if it's better quality all around. Where do you get this crap?
I don’t know as much because I don’t live there, but I still follow the groups and forums.
The plug for headlight needs to be replaced. It's melted due to loose connection. Also why you burn bulbs, possible it loses connection and goes on and off. It happens in lots of vehicles.
Thank you! I added some liquid 'tape', but I guess I'll have to do a proper fix on it.
I wonder if the voltage runs high, maybe they have a funky voltage regulator
The "guage" of contact is too high. There is not enough metal to dissipate heat and provide contact, so it radiates into plastic, and makes it turn into carbon. No moisture boots or dielectric grease to keep moisture away are also not a factory consideration.
Don't get me wrong, I am still smitten by these 500's. They get great gas milage, and are faster than others in micro-kei car like segment here in the U.S.A.
How many miles do you have on your car? I'm not saying they're durable, but I've never seen headliner issues, or any shift knobs that worn.
About half the issues are things any car will have with age (lights burning out)...
The fuel overfilling issue is a concern on pretty much any modern car.
And a good number of the other issues do happen but aren't necessarily going to happen to everyone.
I got 84,000 miles on mine. These are great cars, but you just have to take care of them a little more than other cars I’ve had experience with.
My 2013 POP had only 2 problems: The hubcaps kept falling off...If I could catch one before I could use some gorilla glue to give a hubcap about a year more life. Eventually I bought some Made in China hubcaps for ¼ the cost and so far no problems in about 8 months. 2nd: The gas tank was not venting, and when filling the gas nozzle would stop every few seconds; it took forever to fillup. There is another youtube video and also a thread on the FIAT 500 owners forum that addresses this and the solution is simple and zero cost.
Can someone help me I have a Fiat 500 year 2014, it comes up start/stop unavailable check engine, and then my car looses power when pulling off especially at a hill with traffic lights, sometimes goes off and then it happens again, I've had new sensors put on and it hasn't made a different with the fault, also an air hose was tightened up to the engine and its still happening to me while driving, my mechanic has tried some things diagnostics I'm so baffled any ideas, I've also turned key partially and put my foot on accelator 6 times and it goes off sometimes but a few days later the car looses power again
I have 2017 Fiat 500 Abarth I purchase it new and have 44 000 mi on her no problems just beautiful I service her as recommended and bring her in for service at Fiat dealer. I have same mechanic every time she goes in. I trust no one else to touch her . Bella!
I own 2012 fiat 500 pop suddenly stopped working although I replaced the starter recently I don’t know what’s the problem!
Still love this car, never owned one, too bad they don't sell them in US anymore
I would get a new one if they brought the ones they sell in Europe!
They sell these on carvana I'm getting one next week, they're used obviously but it's an option
I got one
I have to replace the gear shift bushing on mine once every six months. It's a fun car but it can be a bit of a headache.
I'm surprised all those little issues have come up within a few months like bulbs and a few arm rests. I've put 10k miles on my 2012 500 Abarth and I've only had to replace two bulbs. Arm rest hasn't crscked or anything. That oil drinking issue can be helped by servicing the PCV. Usually when I hear about someone's Abarth drinking oil they haven't ever serviced their PCV. As for wiring issues, yup.. Toasty connectors for the headlights. I think switching to good LED's can help that. Generally though, a lot of the interior issues and door handle issues are easily avoided except for the arm rest if you actually use it and the headliner. Just have to really take care of the car.
To be fair, I got my car at an auction and it didn't seem that the previous owner really took care of the car. I have replaced, fixed, cleaned, steamed and polished many items on this car over the past few months so that it can be presentable and pleasant to drive. The bulbs are very strange and I dont really understand how it could go through so many, must be overheating or slightly shorting somewhere. I bought an OEM arm rest and it cracked after a few weeks, maybe I put too much weight on it. Thanks for the advice on the PCV service, I wasn't aware of it.
Appreciate you watching and leaving a constructive comment!
@@SimpleCarGuy Ah, that makes a lot of sense. Auction cars are rough. That explains all the work that needed to be put into it. I got unlucky with my purchase an had to replace the side mount intercoolers drivers side CV axle, and a timing cover. I could also tell the PCV (AOS) had never been serviced and the pcv seal and pcv valve had never been touched and was leaking oil for a long time lol. Had to steam clean the interior but besides that the exterior had been taken care of.
Thanks for the advice, & great video. My 19yo son is considering a 2015 Fiat 500 Pop for his first car, buying it himself with cash & we’re unfamiliar with this make. But the insurance rates on Fiats is the lowest in the USA but still astronomical for a college kid...anyways, any advice or suggestions you have would be appreciated! He wanted a Prius but the insurance was $300-400 a mo! And similar for other Toyotas & Honda’s😒
Forgot to mention, he’s a bigger guy/almost 6ft & I wonder how this car holds up in terms of its upholstery, leg/arm space, & I imagine the seat would be all the way back, leaving zero space in the rear
POP will have a lot less issues than the Abarth like in the video. They aren't the most reliable cars on the road (like Toyotas), but if it has decent service history and he takes care of it, it shouldn't be too bad at all. As far as size, I'm 5' 10 and it fits me perfect with space for a smaller person in the back. When I had a bigger friend in the passenger seat, he struggled to find room, but the height was not an issue.
Thanks, he test drove it yesterday & decided it’s def too small for him, his knees were too close to the dash...but the agility was great, very responsive!
Oh & during the test drive it went into “sport mode”?/manual shifting & he had no idea how to operate it lol. Then the salesman said it’s a little touchy...
I was about to buy one of these. I hope it's a good one. Any updates?
No issues with my 2013 Abarth after four months of ownership daily driving it.
Now that I have fixed a bunch of stuff on the car, I hope to have it for at least a year or two without any major issues.
I have a 2013 500c abarth...I drive it hard...never had any issues with it. My arm rest even works, lol...the only thing is the buttons on the radio are fading. From a person that has owned many cars, my personal opinion is that this car rocks...my worst car was a WRX..It goes to show you that sometimes its just luck
We have a 13 yr old 500 Lounge From New . Problems : Gear shift gaiter ring broke: Wiring loom on tailgate split : Buttons fell off stereo. Back light on Air con controls failed ... Little tap now & then and it's restored .
Things they are know for : Top mounts & bushes WILL Wear out ! & those pesky little lights right at the bottom of the front valance WILL Blow bulbs & if you have big hands .. Forget about replacing the bulb.
In general we have been lucky ..
'13 Abarth bought in '18 w/ 6k miles. Now at 80k. Wipers, eats oil, window regulator, rear glass washer pump (didnt fix), Removed the whole interior on day two adding 80lbs of Dynamat for rattles and upgraded stereo. Removed bottom of steering column as knees always hit. Stock headlights are horrible. Installed HIDs on headlights and fogs for improved night time driving. Blow thru tires and its stressful not having a spare. Left the car on the highway shoulder 3 times up on the jack to get a tire replaced. Gas mileage is decent at around 38ish. Oil changes are okay for somebody who enjoys tinkering but the average Joe will do dealerships only. It requires loosening of the entire fresh air system at the turbo and filter. Most will have to purchase some new tools to be able to reach the filter. Remove the skid pan and drain. Definitely not a car for everyone.... I like it for city driving only..... on the highway I would get a car that has a spare or purchase run flats.
Great review of your experience, thank you very much for posting it here! Everything you've mentioned sounds about right for the car, it's definitely an enthusiast car and those that have the time and the will for it enjoy it very much! I've been enjoying it myself for a while now and thinking of taking it auto-crossing now. I wouldn't go in it on a long trip, though.
I replaced the battery on my fiat 500 sport 2015. Now it won’t start. Can anyone tell me how to reset the computer? Should that take care of the problem?
my key fob is broken and doesn't work i wonder how much it would cost for a new one i am using my key now for everything
I’ve had sensor issues with my convertible top and trunk sensor. As well as complete failure on the key fob. Both fobs stopped working. Changed batteries etc. won’t lock or unlock but will start and lock from inside. Weird right ♥️ but I still love it. 2017 500c lounge
Yes Robin I also am experiencing relay problems. ABS,ESC, and Hill start relay. Which seems to be as common as the key fobs. I’m currently looking into getting it repaired.
@@Stealthiker right I think I have to go to dealer ASAP. As I can’t lock my doors. I can but when I unlock with the key the old fashioned way the alarm sounds. I do hate going to dealer. Thanks
@@robinwyatt7994 see if you can find a fix for the key fob issue first. Now a days a good locksmith is also capable of fixing car keys.Also consider a dodge dealer instead of a fiat dealer. Fiat is manufactured by Dodge/Mopar and is a lot less expensive. Good luck
@@Stealthiker will do. I’ve done some research. My local fiat dealer is the worst. I’ll keep looking.
Hey there Robin, Update! Took the vehicle to my local Dodge dealer, they told me the vehicle is still under warranty. They suggested to bring it back to Fiat and demand that the car be repaired under warranty, which covers everything under the basic and corrosion warranties. Are you still under warranty?
do you have a link for the armrest?
Jeez mate that makes the abarth sound like the worse car on the road, we've owned our abarth 595 turismo for 4 & half years from 30k miles now on 74k miles and all we have had is, one broken door handle, one headlight bulb replacement, pair of wheel bearings on the rear, I run it on yokohama's and the rear pair have been on it nearly 2 and half years, with a good tread still on them, however on 2nd set of front yokies, cambelt changed at 60k at my request, regular oil changes twice a year at my request, I just added a stainless steel back box for looks and better sound and a 4" pipe outlet..
Ours has been a cracking little car, I had civic type r gt myself as well and spent more on that than we did with the abarth including 2 clutches in 4 years...
Long live the abarth ! Our little Bella as the Mrs calls it 👌
Push the interior door handle in, that locks and unlocks the car without using the key. I have a 2015 fiat 500 Abarth.
Very cool! I included this in my things you didn't know about fiat 500 video. Was a new feature to me for sure.
thank you
Thanks!
Thanks for watching! Appreciate the support!
Headlight bulbs go all the time…probably replaced 10 times! Bearings replaced 3 times so far!!!! Crazy!!!! Rotors and pads - the car eats them!!! Clutch went. Headliner peeling. Water leaking from the drivers side A pillar. Front Windshield cracked. Passenger side widow blew up while driving on the highway….glass all over me!!! Door handles replaced multiple times. Windshield washer tubes leaked.
Hey, another Abarth owner in Illinois, sweet! I thought I was the only one haha. If you don't mind me asking, which county are you in?
Don’t see a ton of these cars around here! I’m in cook county!
@@SimpleCarGuy Yeah I hear you. I'm down in St. Clair County near Saint Louis and the only plentiful cars down here are unfortunately chargers. I guess we kind of share a family tree with them and all- you know the whole Mopar thing. Anyways man keep up the vids! You definately earned a sub from me! : )
@@jonsmidt3701 Appreciate it, man! Thanks for watching.
Do any of these issues apply to the electric version's?
Everything that isn’t engine or Abarth specific will apply.
Turbo versions are different animals than the non turbo versions. 2 intercoolers, the associated plumbing, and the turbo take up a lot of room. Also, HEAT, probably the reason the rubber & plastic suffers under the hood. No fun to work on. The non-turbo, not so bad. The 500 was the only model one could get the standard engine. Everything else, 500 Turbo, Abarth, 500X, 500L, Jeep Renegade, Jeep Compass, they're all turbocharged. Even the Dodge Darts, turbocharged.
Dodge Darts are nothing more than a rebadged Fiat.
@@briankeithnull194 : Sure they are. But, every one of them (1.4 Dart) are turbocharged. I'm guessing here, but I'd say out of all the 1.4 litre engines made at the Dundee, Michigan plant, only 10% or so were non-turbo engines, which made its way into the FIAT 500 and maybe the 500L. ps, From what I can tell, the only internal difference between the 2 engines are a set of pistons. The non-turbo engine benefits from all the stronger parts used on the boosted 1.4.
Thank you for the honest review. It doesn’t seems to have a good quality. How is the engine, fuel ? Dangerous car, fragile for a crash
These cars can be hit or miss, some very good quality and some not so much. The engine is pretty strong on these cars and I get about 35-37mpg on the highway, which is amazing.
I have replaced all air hoses. Deleted both arm rests. I need to fis drivers side head lamp, which is a bad wire. All abarth. Teplaced tire roda. Skirts are broken. The hood needs more ventilation due to heat soak in engine.
I have an oil leak I dont know where its leaking from or from where dont want to be buying parts that are still good any advice on what it could be??
That's hard to guess without seeing the car. How do you know you have an oil leak? Do you see oil on top or bottom of the engine?
Drops in the bottom
Oil in bottom and side
@@JuanJimenez-gr6rf If it's towards the bottom, then it's most likely the oil pan gasket going bad. I would suggest, cleaning the oil off with a rag and then checking after some driving to see where exactly the fresh oil is coming from. Is this the US Abarth version?
No it's a fiat 500 pop or sport has sport mode it comes out at pop
This makes me want to sell my Abarth! Sounds very expensive to repair if you aren’t mechanically inclined.
134k mile '13 big turbo owner here... There's truly nothing low quality about the wire looming in this car... It's just that they have an outrageous amount of engine bay heat from the turbo and everything all crammed in there, so all that crap is regularly baking at 200F+, which will make nylon wire looming turn to peanut brittle lol
I noticed someone mentioned those European ones has better build quality, it that an actual case? I know so little and I want to know more about that.
That seems to be the common consensus on these cars. Euro cars have a different engine and are more reliable. I don't have personal experience to confirm it, though.
Yeah, they are not built in Mexico.
Thanks
I came upon this site because I’m searching for common problems with this vehicle. I bought the 2017 500 pop brand new from a So.Florida dealer. It now has 38000 miles on it. I’ve experienced small but annoying problems such as the small window rubber trim is flaking off, (not covered under warranty). Original windshield wiper failure with in 3months. Battery replacement before 3years which is common in Fla. Now I’m experiencing sensor error codes, I know there sensors because the car wouldn’t run if the codes matched the failure. But so far the car seems dependable, it has little get up and go when you need to. Unless you keep it in sport mode. I can only hope I don’t have some of the issues your subscribers have. I’m considering the Mopar extended warranty?????
Any fiat 500 owners out there have any input?
Update,apparently my 2017 Fiat 500 is still under warranty for two more weeks despite what the fiat dealer says. So hopefully they will fix the sensor and small window rubber trim. The Fiat dealer in my area is a complete joke.
I'd have to say it's a decent amount of issues/annoyances for a 3 year old car, but they are so much fun to drive, it almost doesn't matter. I'm not familiar with the mopar extended warranty to recommended, but if it isn't expensive and you plan on keeping the car for a few years, it might be worth it. Also, depends if you do any of the work yourself.
@@Stealthiker Can you offer more information on this Mopar extended warranty, I feel lucky to have noticed your post now, (not sure I can take advantage of it or not, I'm in the market for the eletric version of the 500E 2017 model year)
Do you ever have AC issues with yours? The AC in my wife's 500 is pretty intermittent. Thinking it might be the blend door actuator
Never had an issue with either of those.
@@SimpleCarGuy thanks for the reply. Ended up being the condenser
the one problem ive been having on my fiat 500 is torque steer ive owned my car for 4 or 5 months and already needs a 2nd alignment
I have a bit of torque steer if I really punch it, but nothing like that. I'd have your suspension checked.
Got me scared with your list. We’re about to pick up a 2016 sport with 12k. The only issue we found was that the fuel door is cracked. It’s only being used as a commuter car so hoping we don’t have too many of those issues.
At 12k miles, you should have to worry about anything at least for a few years. Congrats on the car if you get it.
@@SimpleCarGuy We bought it. We replaced the mirror flag covers. Not sure why at 12k the rubber had disintegrated. Also replaced the shift knob. It was loose. Whoever designed it sure didn’t allow for easy access. The cover is glued on so we replaced it with a cravenspeed one. Much more substantial and cover is held in with six screws. Oh yes, we have a chrome fuel door replacement to put on. Other than that she’s a keeper!
I have a problem with an Abarth. It's starting making a loud popping/clicking sort of noise when going over bumps, but only when a single wheel hits a bump, not when 2 hit it at the same time. It's really annoying, you can hear it from outside the car quite clearly.
I had that, my struts had to be replaced. It’s so annoying, I didn’t get it fixed for like a year and a half because I was just too lazy.
@@d.allensmith6001 I found the problem, the droplink bolts had come loose.
After that the rear wheel bearings went :/
I bought a brand new fiat panda hybrid cross a few weeks ago and already the hybrid charge system has failed. Waiting for the dealer to fix it, the old fix it again tomorrow definitely stands with fiat 🙈
Hope it's not a sign of things to come! How do you like the Panda? We don't have those here, but I'd love to drive it after all the buzz from old school Top Gear.
Own a fiat 500 L 2014 so far a starter a right side strud and now is consuming all the oil before the 5000K it only has 75000K any idea out there??
Replacing struts isn't so bad, oil consumption is a problem though. How much oil is it consuming at 5000 km?
The headlight wiring def somebody installed the wrong bulbs, creating to much power draw causing over heating. People have done the same thing with the 986 Boxster and 996 911 burning the headlight lens. 🤦
I seem to not have any of these problems with my 2012 fiat 500 I’ve had it for many months and it’s fine. Odd
I have a 2016 fiat 500x easy so far I like it but the gas is terrible got it from the dealership not sure if I need a tune up or a fuel cleaning done
You shouldn't need either of those on a 2016 car. How bad is your fuel economy?
@@SimpleCarGuy it’s really bad like I can fill up and have a full tank and like I drive from my house to my job like the meter goes down a notch not sure if that makes any sense on how to explain it
I have a black 2013 POP with 100k miles on it. Not looking forward to the timing belt change
Was thinking off buying a 2017 abrath. Now sacred after watching the video. Its like nitemare on abrath Street
honestly it sounds like the car tends to fall apart @@ it kinda broke my heart since i wanted one very bad , but even second ( or third even) hand , they seem very expensive considering all what you warn us about @@ ... so i wonder why the price ... sigh thank you for your honestly ...
Glad you found the video helpful! If you want a more reliable version, I'd go for the Sport and skip on the Abarth. They are cheaper and more reliable.
Looks like Fiat hasn't improved anything since my 850 and 128 from the 70s. I loved driving them, but eventually got tired of spending so much time fixing them
They definitely have improved, but there are still issues. It's about the same quality as any other Chrysler product.
The title of the video is missing a comma.
Fiat, 500 problems to expect.
Yeah, you can expect to have about 500 problems.
That’s actually really funny!!