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2014 Fiat 500L problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2014 Fiat 500L has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 3safety recalls
- 183owner complaints
- 5crash reports
- 5fire reports
- 34%fail the UK MOT
The most complained-about Fiat 500L year on file: 183 complaints, against an average of 23 for the other 1 model year.
Every Fiat 500L model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2014 Fiat 500L?
The components named most often in the 183 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2014 Fiat 500L owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 183 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2014 Fiat 500L?27 owners · 14.8%
- Has the 2014 Fiat 500L had transmission failures?25 owners · 13.7% · Recall 17V192000
- Why does my 2014 Fiat 500L stall, lose power or shut off while driving?24 owners · 13.1%
- Why does my 2014 Fiat 500L idle rough, misfire or hesitate?9 owners · 4.9%
- Why does my 2014 Fiat 500L smell of burning or smoke?9 owners · 4.9%
Has the 2014 Fiat 500L been recalled?
3 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014 Fiat 500L vehicles. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software calibration maybe incorrect, limiting the engine to idle speed and torque even when accelerator pedal is fully pressed.
Risk: If the vehicle does not accelerate as expected, there may be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began April 13, 2017. Owners may the Fiat Information Center at 1-888-242-6342. Chrysler's number for this recall is T19.
Air Bags: Knee Bolster Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Fiat 500L vehicles manufactured March 3, 2012, to July 25, 2014. Irregularities in the folding process during assembly of the driver's knee airbag may result in its improper deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: If the knee airbag air bag does not deploy properly during a crash, there is an increased risk of driver injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's knee air bag, free of charge. The recall began on September 26, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P42.
Power Train: Automatic Transmission Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2014 Fiat 500L vehicles manufactured April 5, 2013, through January 22, 2014. In certain temperatures, moving the transmission shift lever may have a delayed effect or no effect on selecting a transmission gear.
Risk: If there is no effect, the vehicle might not shift out of the Park position. If there is a delayed effect, the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter module or update the shifter software, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 31, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number associated with this recall is P06.
Is the 2014 Fiat 500L recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSASupplementary heater wiring may become damaged and cause an electrical short-circuit
Risk: On some Fiat 500L vehicles a layout non-conformity could cause abrasion of the supplementary heater (PTC) wiring. This could result in possible electric short-circuiting with the possibility of a loss of some vehicle safety. In the worst case it could cause a vehicle fire..
Fix: Apply a cut-proof sheath on the supplementary heater wiring to protect it from abrasions.
EU Safety GateThe insulation of the electric cable in the auxiliary heater may become damaged.This could lead to a short circuit and cause a fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe adhesive bond between the windscreen and the camera bracket may fail.Years estimatedThis can cause the camera to dislodge and cause the vehicle to stop unexpectedly.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Other; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 01/10/2015
EU Safety GateThe knee airbag may not open correctly in case of an accident.Years estimated
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Other; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 23/10/2014
How often does the 2014 Fiat 500L fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2014, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2014 Fiat 500L owners report?
12 of the 183 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
Will not pass emissions due to sensors not going into "ready" state. We have taken it to 4 different mechanics and we were told that the abs module is not communicating. So we replaced it and still nothing. Now we are told that the PCM is not storing memory. There have been no lights illuminated on the dash this whole time, and no codes to determine the underlying electrical issue. With issues like these the car can stall, get stuck in gear, no Abs could cause a crash and not to mention once again will not pass emissions testing due to these issues. The issues have been confirmed by a mechanic…
The contact owns a 2014 Fiat 500L. The contact stated that while the vehicle was coming to a stop at an intersection, the vehicle became inoperable while attempting to shift gears, with the message “Gears Unavailable” displayed. The contact attempted to shift gear several times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the residence. A mobile mechanic arrived at the residence and retrieved DTC: B1011, B1181, and U1736. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V103000 (Power Train), and that the shifter module had failed and needed to be…
The transmission went out and radiator fluid temp high light came on. Fiat started to not be able to shift or too easily shifted by itself. The safety of others and myself were at risk because the car could have stopped or switched into other gears on the road and caused an accident.
I was driving my car down a busy road when I approached a red light and slowed to a stop. I kept my foot on the brake and the car in drive until the light turned green. Then, I tried to use the gas pedal without success and got an error message about needing to switch the gear to neutral. I was stuck in the road, unable to make the drive or neutral options work with the gas. Then, I tried switching my car into park and turning it off and back on again. It flashed on the "P" several times before I turned it off and refused to switch to the driving gear when I turned it back on. I had to put it…
CLUTCH STALLS VEHICLE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, confirmed by inspection. Not inspected by police, no warning messages
Engine randomly stalls and will not restart upon entering on-ramps. Automatic transmission randomly fails and slips into limp mode while accelerating from stop lights or accelerating into highway traffic. This issue has caused numerous light rear end collisions with other vehicles following too closely when the transmission malfunctions, causing the other vehicle to impact the rear bumper of the 500L. I had to have the vehicle towed out of traffic because it would not restart or move under it’s own power
Issues with shifting out of park. Random acceleration, stalling, lagging, & jerking while on the road & in full speed traffic. When took car to dealership was told issues with my PCM. PCM had been recalled & fixed with previous owner in 2017. Now the second time having a PCM issue, couldn't do anything with the already fixed recall so i was forced to pay almost 2,000. Now still leaving me with the same issues. Cruise control accelerates on its own, almost causing accident with other cars on highway. Will be going 60 in traffic & it will randomly start to decrease in speed while foot is fully…
CAR INTERMITTENTLY SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL WHEN faced with an uphill grade forcing car backwards. We have had over 5 nrear accidents involving rolling off hillsides ar onto property or into traffic behind. Car will not engage we have been desperately against a steep hill many times. Also front ABS brakes intermittently grab 1 wheel forcing car sideways at 40 mph. Also car emits rattle sound coming from lower gearbox or engine area noticeable through cab, both before and after a complete $4300 transmission rebuild. Service completed by FIAT and Alfa Romeo od Van Nuys California. This…
While driving in traffic the check transmission light came on and car would no longer accelerate coming to a stop in traffic. Gears were not recognized per dash lights. Towed to shop for transmission repair which failed again within a six month time frame when once again while driving check engine light, check transmission light, check temp light all alternately started flashing, car quit accelerating and coasted to stop.
My airbag light keeps coming on. It has been happening for the last 4 years. Everytime there is a temperature change more than 10 degrees the light comes on and stays on during driving. After the car is driven for a while and it's parked and turned off it resets. I've had the dealership check it and they say there is no code that shows the light being on. The app says I don't have any unresolved recalls but I think the replacement part is faulty.
I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 75MPH ON THE HIGHWAY IN TUCSON, ARIZONA. SUDDENLY THE CAR BEGAN TO SPEED UP AND SLOW DOWN. THE DASH DISPLAYED (! MANUAL UNAVAILABLE) THE CAR BEGAN TO JUMP FROM PARK, NEUTRAL, D2 AND D6 UNTIL THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT TOOK THREE OF US TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE FREEWAY. PRIOR TO THIS I HAVE NOTICED THAT OVER THE PAST MONTH WHEN I PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE. THEN IT SUDDENLY STARTS GOING. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS WITH REGARDS TO MY CAR.
CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS 3/2/15 CAR STALLED MONTHS FOLLOWING PURCHASE OF THE CAR NEW TOLD IT WAS A ISSUE WITH THE COLD TEMPS AND BATTERY WAS NOT SWAPPED UPON ARRIVAL IN US. MONTHS LATER 11/17/15 THE CALL BEGAN TO STALL AGAIN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND TOLD A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND HE CAR NEEDED TO BE UPDATED AND IT WILL CORRECT THE ISSUE. CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO STALL 12/17/15 AND BACK IN THE SHOP DID NOT IDENTIFY ISSUE UNTIL 12/26/15 AND TOLD THE ISSUE WAS CONTROL MODULE 9/9/17 CAR STARTED TO STALL AGAIN DID NOT IDENTIFY ISSUE. 10/26/17 STALLING AGAIN DID NOT IDENTIFY ISSUE BE BELIEVE…
2014 Fiat 500L: questions owners ask
Is the 2014 Fiat 500L reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 183 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Fiat 500L; the most common categories were power train (123, 67.2%), engine (30, 16.4%), electrical system (25, 13.7%). There are 3 safety recalls. 5 complaints mention a crash, 5 mention a fire, 3 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Fiat 500L?
Across 183 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are power train (67.2% of complaints), engine (16.4% of complaints), electrical system (13.7% of complaints), vehicle speed control (10.9% of complaints), service brakes (4.9% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2014 Fiat 500L have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2014 Fiat 500L; the most recent (campaign 17V192000, 2017-03-21) concerns Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2014 Fiat 500L?
27 of the 183 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Fiat 500L (14.8%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "While driving in traffic the check transmission light came on and car would no longer accelerate coming to a stop in traffic. Gears were not recognized per dash lights." (NHTSA complaint 11559241, December 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2014 Fiat 500L had transmission failures?
25 of the 183 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Fiat 500L (13.7%) describe transmission failure, slipping or a replaced transmission. 2 related recalls exist: campaign 17V192000 (power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)). The fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the PCM software, free of charge. One owner wrote: "The transmission went out and radiator fluid temp high light came on. Fiat started to not be able to shift or too easily shifted by itself." (NHTSA complaint 11670821, July 2025). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2014 Fiat 500L stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
24 of the 183 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Fiat 500L (13.1%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Engine randomly stalls and will not restart upon entering on-ramps. Automatic transmission randomly fails and slips into limp mode while accelerating from stop lights or accelerating into highway traffic." (NHTSA complaint 11638595, January 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2014 Fiat 500L idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
9 of the 183 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Fiat 500L (4.9%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "2014 fiat 500 l: the transmission will not shift into the proper gear. turning on the car and placing in d or r the vehicle hesitated and would not move. after retrying multiple times the car will eventually go into drive." (NHTSA complaint 11312088, February 2020). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2014 Fiat 500L smell of burning or smoke?
9 of the 183 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2014 Fiat 500L (4.9%) describe a burning smell or smoke. One owner wrote: "Tl* the contact owns a 2014 fiat 500l. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shake and vibrate before suddenly stalling." (NHTSA complaint 11406927, April 2021). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own 500L
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2014 only.