2013 Fiat 500E Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 500E years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Fiat 500E. That is the most of any 500E model year in the database (7 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (8 complaints, 50%), typically at around 4,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 16owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Fiat 500E problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 8 | 50% | 4,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 25% | 7,890 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 19% | 5,100 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 19% | 13,556 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 6% | 550 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 6% | 550 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 6% | 2,400 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 6% | 2,435 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 6% | 550 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 6% | 2,609 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Fiat 500E recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Fiat 500e vehicles manufactured March 22, 2012, to January 29, 2016. The power inverter module (PIM) may experience voltage spikes which can cause the propulsion system to shut down and loss of motive power.
Risk: Loss of motive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the PIM software, free of charge. The recall began on July 5, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S26.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Fiat 500 EV vehicles manufactured March 27, 2012, to November 1, 2014. If the vehicle goes in to limp home mode, incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit (EVCU) and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) may cause the electric propulsion system to fully shut down.
Risk: An electric propulsion system shut down will cause a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software to ensure compatability between components, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R15.
Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Problem: Chrysler Group, LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Fiat 500e Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) vehicles manufactured September 24, 2012, through April 4, 2014. The affected vehicles have cooling plates for the Power Inverter Module (PIM) that may leak coolant into areas of the high voltage circuitry, resulting a short circuit that could cause the related service fuse to blow.
Risk: If the service fuse blows, the vehicle would have a loss of propulsion while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PIM, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P23.
Power train
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2013 Fiat 500e electric vehicles manufactured December 16, 2012, through August 13, 2013. The half shaft joints may loosen and separate causing noise and a loss of driving capability.
Risk: A loss of driving capability increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners and Fiat dealers will replace the fasteners attaching the half shaft inboard joints, free of charge. The recall began on September 4, 2013. Owners may contact Fiat at 1-888-242-6342. Chrysler's recall number is N51.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
As we pulled away from a stop sign in a residential neighborhood, the car made a loud popping sound and lost power to the drive system. The dashboard immediately displayed a "propulsion system warning" message and could no longer be driven. The car was towed (flat bed) to a dealer for repair. After…
There is an existing recall on my vehicle. I have tried twice to get it repaired at the nyle maxwell fiat dealership in austin texas. The dealership is refusing to make the repair. This is coming from the repair manager mr. Austin morin.
We received recall s26/nhtsa 16v-303 for our 2013 fiat 500e. When i called to make an appointment with the closest fiat dealer, the earliest appointment was more than four weeks out. Because there are no fiat dealers near where i live, i need a loaner vehicle from the dealership. I've brought this…
Our fiat died three times within a four month period, specifically on 6/20/2014 (2,609 miles), 8/11/2014 (3,101 miles), and 10/20/2014 (4,050 miles). A "service electric vehicle system" warning light appeared each time in the instrument panel. The car would not drive, stop, or steer. Of the three…
On 1/18/2014 we leased a 2013 fiat 500e ("the car")from kearny mesa fiat. Vin [xxx]. It had less than 20 miles on it when we took possession of it. On 3/3/2014 it would not charge giving me a large yellow indicator saying the electric vehicle systems were not working. This flashed and then dropped…
Other Fiat 500E years
See all Fiat 500E problems by year, every Fiat model, or the Fiat VIN decoder.
Similar Fiat models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Fiat 500E?
Owners most often report electrical system, fuel/propulsion system, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Fiat 500E?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Fiat 500E a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 500E model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.