12 V battery and brakes on the electric Fiat 500e

Engine / equipment

Fiat 500e (2020 onwards) and Abarth 500e

Period mentioned

2020 onwards

Symptoms

The car will not start or unlock with the key even with a full traction battery, because the 12 V auxiliary battery is flat; “Service 12V Battery” warnings; rusty brake discs and, in the worst case, a seized caliper.

Possible cause described

A German garage cites the 12 V battery as a frequent cause of breakdowns: in city use it gets little charge and some control units draw current at rest. Because the electric motor does most of the braking, the friction brakes are used little and rust. Fiat releases software updates for charging and energy management.

Check for the garage

Measure the 12 V battery and its standby drain; ask for software updates; brake hard now and then and check the calipers.

Cost cited in the source

No verified estimate; ask the garage for a quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Sources from the original database