2016 Fiat 500X: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 154 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (30% of complaints); the 2017 and 2018 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 1 new complaint in the last 90 days · latest recall Jul 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 154 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“3 times my car had died going under 30 mph, it must turns off or goes into this neutral position and won't let me change gears, when i restart it, the engine makes an awful squealing sound. all these "drive mode unavailable " "check esc system" "service electronic brake" it seems it is related to the S55 / 16V529000 safety defect .... "intermittent switch to neutral while driving"”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2026
“I was driving vehicle and it all of a sudden get stuck in gear in either park gear or some other gear that wont allow me to turn engine off. Sometimes it just slow down to a stop and will not go into gear again for a while or appears the gears are not engaging putting me at risk for accident on highway. Once it slowed down in traffic and I nearly got hit trying to drive it off the highway. The gears were not engaging putting me at risk of many vehicles hitting me. I was praying someone noticed I had car trouble to slow down as I was no longer in full control of vehicle. After some”Owner report · Power Train · May 2026
“Car suddenly slowed down while driving on Christmas Day. This was a very unsafe situation because I was on the highway in traffic traveling at 70 miles per hour and the car suddenly slowed down which could have resulted in an accident leading to harm. A warning light then came on to service transmission right as the car slowed down. I Tried to step on the gas pedal and it would not accelerate. There was no warning light prior to this incident. The car was towed to the dealership the next day. On the following Monday we were told the transmission needs to be completely replaced after they completed a diagnosis test. Enclosed is a pic of the invoice.”Owner report · Power Train · Dec 2025
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“Radio unit failed due to internal short which prevents the blind spot alert, parking sensors and backup camera to no longer function. Fiat no longer manufacturers the replacement part (P/N: 6RV00LXHAA) and states vehicle is not repairable. Car is less than 10 years old and has 25k miles but can no longer be safely operated due to the failed safety systems. Other than this issue car is essentially like new and could provide another decade of use but instead must be added to the overflowing landfills creating yet more pollution. Vehicle manufacturers should be held accountable for such egregious behavior.”Owner report · Back Over Prevention · Apr 2025
“I received a letter stating that there was a recall emissions/catalyst efficiency,I have called a fiat dealership several times to get this fixed and it never did, now I am seeing that there is no recall now. So I'm confused on what's going on. U90 is the emissions recall number.and letter said there are others w80”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Apr 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Fiat 500X. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, several messages stating that the 4-WD system and the drive mode selector system were not available were displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a computer software update was performed, per the manufacturer's recommendation; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure recurred upon starting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Nov 2024
“The contact owns a 2016 Fiat 500X. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the rear taillights failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the motherboard had failed, and the connecting wires had melted. The contact was informed that the motherboard and connecting wires needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,308.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Nov 2024
“Driving on the highway approximately 55 MPH and the vehicle went automatically went into neutral thankfully I was able to pull off to the shoulder. I put it in park and shut the vehicle off and turned it back on again, when I shifted into drive it felt like somebody just picked up the car and dropped it. This has been an ongoing issue. Dealerships don't know what it is. I've done research on this specific vehicle from other owners and they have been experiencing the same thing with this make and model of vehicle”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2024
“The contact owns a 2016 Fiat 500X. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving approximately 75 MPH, the gear disengaged, and the transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2024
“The drivers door is defective and will not open from the outside. Upon request the inspection has a cost of upwards of $1000 and customers who drive Fiat 500x models across the US have reported this as an issue. This becomes a safety problem as if there were to be a major accident, I would not be able to be rescued through the door unless I open it through the inside. This is particularly a problem if I were to have a medical emergency. There were no warnings that appeared until this door suddenly would just not open. Additionally, this is a commonly reported issue, as was confirmed to me in person at the dealership, through online forums, and through a customer support chat attached below.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Feb 2024
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee and 2015 Chrysler 200, Jeep Renegade, RAM ProMaster, and 2016 Fiat 500X vehicles equipped with 9-speed automatic transmissions. The transmission sensor clusters may have insufficient crimps in the transmission wire harness, and as a result, the transmission may unexpectedly shift to neutral. On August 29, 2016 Chrysler added the 2016 Fiat 500X vehicles to this recall.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module and the Transmission Control Module and if necessary replace the transaxle range sensor wire harness, free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S55.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact 500X by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Fiat 500X reliable?
NHTSA has 154 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2016 Fiat 500X. The most complained-about area is power train (30% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2016 Fiat 500X problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 40,000 miles or less.
Does the 2016 Fiat 500X have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning power train:automatic transmission. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.