Problems · by component

2014 Fiat 500 Abarth power train problems

65 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2014 Fiat 500 Abarth cite power train, 54% of all 120 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
65
54% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2024Power trainODI 11581215
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2022Power trainODI 11480469
“The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500. The vehicle had previously been serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V302000 (Power Train) however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was not able to downshift and the gear shifter was stuck in neutral(N). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 10, 2022Power trainODI 11464040
“BOUGHT MY FIAT FROM 1ST OWNER WITH 40,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. 2ND DAY OF HAVING THIS CAR MY FAMILY AND I GOT IN OUR VEHICLE & CLUTCH WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR & WAS STUCK IN GEAR. 3 MONTHS LATER I FOUND THE RECALL ONLINE FOR MY VIN. WE HAD TO PUT DOT 3 BRAKE FLUID IN EVERY OTHER DAY IN THE BEGINNING AND AT THIS POINT WE PUT IT IN AT MINIMUM 3 TIMES DAILY JUST TO BE ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE FIAT SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE THE RECALL SITUATION RESOLVED BUT THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PARTS WHICH HAS TAKEN 3 WEEKS FOR THEM TO ARRIVE. AFTER A WHILE WE COULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER LOSING 2ND GEAR, WE LOST 3RD GEAR. TRYING TO PULL ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND MERGE INTO TRAFFIC GOING 65 MPH IS VERY DANGEROUS. ALL THE WHILE DEALING WITH THE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FOR THE CLUTCH AND NEVER KNOWING WHEN IT WILL JUST NOT SHIFT INTO THE NEXT GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US IN THE MIDDLE OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY WHILE TRYING TO DOWNSHIFT TO TURN. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT STOP SIGNS AND STOP LIGHTS & TURNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN. MY RECALL APPOINTMENT IS FOR 9AM FEBRUARY 26TH. THE EVENING OF THE 25TH I AM LEAVING MY HOME AND EXIT MY DRIVE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2019Power trainODI 11182593
“I HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION OF MY 2014 FIAT 500 SPORT DUE TO THE RECALL IN 2016. ON 1/15/19, I LOST USE OF THE TRANSMISSION IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR JUST BEFORE I GOT HOME. AS THE CAR LIMPED TO THE CURB OUTSIDE MY HOUSE, I COULD SMELL THE CLUTCH BURNING. THE STICK SHIFT FELT COMPLETELY BROKEN AND JUST FLOPPED AROUND ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED VIA FLAT BED TO MY FIAT DEALER/SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE SHIFTER CABLES BROKE AND THE CLUTCH DESTROYED. I HAD EVERYTHING REPLACE TO THE COST OF $2,436.60. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A CITY STREET WHILE IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE HAS 40,507 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND WAS PURCHASED NEW. I FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT AFTER DUE DILIGENCE ON MY PART TO HAVE THE CLUTCH REPLACED VIA THE RECALL, THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2019Power trainODI 11170675
“CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS TO FLOOR WHEN RELEASING IT. HAVE TO MANUALLY PULL IT UP. VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. INCREASING ENGINE RPM SEEMS TO POP THE PEDAL UP (NO LONGER AT THE FLOOR) THERE IS NO BRAKE FLUID LEAK ANYWHERE. SLAVE CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND BLED PROPERLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2018Power trainODI 11129449

Showing 6 of 65 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.