Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is recalling more than 16,000 2013 through 2016-model-year Fiat 500e electric cars to address a software glitch. Faulty software could cause the vehicles’ control systems to shut down propulsion in certain situations. Depending on when and where a loss of power occurs, it could increase the chances of a crash.
However, no injuries or deaths related to this issue have been reported to date.
The software glitch was discovered during a “routine component check,” an FCA statement on the recall said.
Owners of affected cars will be contacted by FCA regarding when to take their cars to dealers to have the proper software installed, free of charge. The recall encompasses 16,549 Fiat 500e electric cars built between March 22, 2012, and January 29, 2016.
The 500e is a “compliance car” built solely to satisfy California’s zero-emission vehicle mandate, which requires automakers that sell certain volumes of cars in the state to offer battery-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell models. Fiat only sells the 500e in California and Oregon. Despite fairly positive reviews when the 500e was launched about three years ago, FCA has shown no interest in selling it elsewhere, viewing the little hatchback purely as a compliance car.
