Fiat 500 312 1.2 8V, 69 PS, 5-speed automated manual (2008–2015)

Research for this car

• Generation guide Fiat 500 (312, 2007-2024): known problems and buying guide

  Check the Dualogic gearbox first: slow, jerky or stuck shifts. Then the 0.9 TwinAir valve unit and the 1.2 timing belt.

• Engine guide Fiat 1.2 8V petrol engine: problems, costs and what to check

  Belt due at 5 years or 120,000 km. Oil use and Dualogic gearbox faults are reported. Buy with a belt invoice and a gearbox test.

Known issues for this car

Before you buy this car

From the generation guide

1. Drive off from rest and make several up-shifts. Shifts should be quick and smooth. Bad result: slow, late or jerky shifts, or the car stays in one gear.
2. Look under the Dualogic gearbox for hydraulic fluid. Bad result: a wet unit or a leaking actuator (the part that moves the gears).
3. Ask for the oil change records of the TwinAir. Bad result: no records, or oil that is not the approved grade. Old or wrong oil carbonises the valve solenoids.
4. Let the TwinAir idle and listen. Bad result: rough idle, power loss or limp mode.
5. Ask for proof that the 1.2 timing belt, rollers and water pump were changed. Bad result: no record. The job costs 450 to 750 EUR in Germany (year not stated).
6. Ask when the starter was last changed. Bad result: never changed, with more than about 100,000 km. A new starter costs 220 to 340 EUR in Germany (year not stated).

From the engine guide

1. Gearbox test (Dualogic cars only, no scanner). Start the car from cold, then drive with several stops. Bad: shift errors, a jerk, or a fuse that blows again.
2. Belt record and engine code (no scanner). Check the code on the engine: 188A4 or 169A4. Ask for a dated invoice with the mileage of the last belt change. Bad: no record, or more than 120,000 km or 5 years since the change.
3. Water pump (no scanner). Check the coolant level when the engine is cold, and look under the car for wet stains near the pump. Bad: low coolant or a wet stain. Ask whether the pump was changed with the belt.
4. Oil level (no scanner). Check the dipstick and ask for the oil top-up history. Bad: the level falls between services.
5. Recall check. Enter the VIN in the official recall check for the car's country. Bad: an open campaign on the car.

Running costs

ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months

ADAC versions