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Light NHTSA footprint — 13 owner complaints and 2 active recall campaigns. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
The 2017 FIAT 500 has 13 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is electrical at 3 complaints (~$850 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 500 | 124 | 4 |
| 2015 500 | 92 | 4 |
| 2016 500 | 14 | 4 |
| 2017 500 (this page) | 13 | 2 |
| 2018 500 | 5 | 2 |
| 2019 500 | 0 | 2 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2017 Fiat 500 3 HB FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 18,750 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 2 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 8.4/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
After a sudden stop (no impact), the car would no longer go into or come out of gear while running. When the car is not running it will still shift normally. The repair shop initially thought it was the slave cylinder but the problem persisted. They then changed the clutch and…
There was a sudden and complete lose of steering control. Car pulled hard to the right causing a collision with a parked car. Vehicle was moving at very low rate of speed under 10 MPH. There was no way to stop the vehicle before the collision happened. In addition upon impact…
Car stopped and quickly slowed down without warning. I had very little time to steer car to the side of the road. The rbs/ABS system started slowing the car on its own. I had only been going 30 MPH, however had I been in a center lane on a freeway at 60 MPH, I would have not…
My 2017 Silver FIAT 500 pop has a defective miles odometer that flashes. The car was purchased from Tobin Fiat of Las Vegas on 8/21/2017. I test drove this car to my home for 3 days before buying it. On day 2 it starting flashing. I returned to the dealer, reported it and was…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A TPMS warning light that fails to illuminate can result in the vehicle being driven with improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
If the shifter breaks while the vehicle is in motion, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.4 out of 10 based on 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Fiat 500 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2017 FIAT 500 does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 8.4/10 — above the segment average; 2 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the electrical first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 3 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 8.4 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 13 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is electrical. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 3 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 13 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.