VEHICLE GOES INTO "LIMP MODE" ANYTIME WHEELS SLIP, UNTILL COMPUTER CLEARS NO THROTTLE OR MOTION, VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE FOR OVER 5+ SECONDS AND THEN ACCELERATED AT WHATEVER POSITION THROTTLE IS AT. DEALER AND MECHANICS SAY ALL NEW FIATS 2 AND 4WHEEL DRIVE ALL HAVE THIS ISSUE AND THEY CANNOT FIX. I PULLED OUT INTO TRAFFIC, WHEEL SLIPPED AND WENT INTO LIMP IN MIDDLE OF LANES UNTILL IT CLEARED AND TOO…
2016 FIAT 500X powertrain problems
moderate 46 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
46
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 12 most recent
I SLIGHTLY OVERSHOT A STOP SIGN AT THE BOTTOM OF A STEEP HILL. I SAW THAT A CAR WITH THE RIGHT OF WAY WAS RAPIDLY APPROACH THE INTERSECTION SO I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE WITH THE INTENT TO BACK UP THE CAR A COUPLE OF FEET. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND INSTEAD OF ENGAGING THE GEAR IN REVERSE, THE CAR ROLLED FORWARD IN NEUTRAL FARTHER INTO THE INTERSECTION BEFORE THE GEA…
While driving, the vehicle will randomly shift to Neutral with a message appearing about shifting gears. When this happens I cannot accelerate or brake, and cannot shift gears. The only way to get the car to operate properly again is to turn the engine off and back on. Suddenly losing the ability to drive the car while on the road like this is definitely a safety risk, to me and other drivers. …
I RECEIVED THE ERROR MESSAGE "DRIVE MODE UNAVAILABLE" WITH A SERVICE ENGINE MESSAGE AFTER MY LAST REGULAR SERVICE APPOINTMENT AND OIL CHANGE. MY CAR IS AT 27,400 MILES AND AFTER THROWING THAT CODE BARELY COULD MAKE IT UP A RESIDENTIAL HILL. AFTER THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED IT, 3 MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE MESSAGE POPPED UP AGAIN AND DRIVING WAS DIFFICULT. MY LOCAL DEALER…
MY 500X THAT I PURCHASED IN JULY OF 2016 HAS SHIFTED GEARS TO THE + SYMBOL 4 DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE IM DRIVING. IT STARTED IN SEPT BUT I THOUGHT I HAD IT A BUMP OR SOMETHING. IT HAPPENED AGAIN 3 TIMES I DID GO BACK TO THE BETTENHAUSER DEALER FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES AND THEY SAID I HAD TO NOT TURN THE CAR OFF AND GET TO THEM BEFORE THEY CLOSED BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT SEE CODES TO THE PROBLEM .AT THIS POI…
WHILE DRIVING AND SLOWING TO A STOP THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT INTO 1ST EARLY CREATING A JUMP OR SURGE WHILE SLOWING. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS FROM OCCURRING IS TO SWITCH TO MANUAL SHIFTING AND DOWN SHIFT MANUALLY WHEN ALMOST TO A COMPLETE STOP.
TRANSMISSION HESITATES TO ENGAGE AFTER PRESSING ACCELERATOR AND ALSO SHIFTS ROUGHLY WHEN IT DOES CHANGE GEARS. ALL AVAILABLE SOFTWARE PATCHES HAVE BEEN APPLIED BY DEALER, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN MERGING OR TURNING INTO TRAFFIC, SINCE ACCELERATION CAN LAG RANDOMLY WHEN IT IS NEEDED THE MOST. BECAUSE OF THE ACCELERATION BURSTS AND LAGS WHEN SHIFTING, THE…
The contact owns a 2016 Fiat 500X. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, the vehicle stalled without warning. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V529000 (Power Train) which she linked to the failure. The contact called the manufacturer who referred her to the dealer. The dealer advised her to drive the vehicle for 2,000 miles to track the failure and t…
Since the car was purchased, the electrical system seems to have an issue that no dealership has been able to diagnose or fix. The forward collision warning system will intermittently turn itself off upon starting or even while driving. The car also frequently blows passenger side lights. More recently at about 67,000 miles, the check engine and transmission warning lights came on while highway d…
I lease a 2016 fiat 500x in may of 2020. I received a letter saying there was a recall on my vehicle. Recently my car has completely stopped working. It was using up oil to fast. My car would stall out in the middle of the road. Or my car would not turn on completely. I kept up with maintenance ( oil changes etc. ) in June of 2022 my car started over heating. The day before I had just got my oil c…
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2016 FIAT 500X?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 46 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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