2019-2024 Fiat 500X 1.3L Turbo Engine (T4): Problems, Longevity, and Specs

The Fiat 500X never proved to be a popular model in the US. This is not a bad car though. And with its current price tag, it doesn't seem like a bad purchase. For about $30,000, you get a cool European-design compact SUV with a wonderful interior and a real personality that differs it from all those much-alike SUVs on the market. But what about the available engines?

Today, I will tell you about the 1.3L 4-cylinder turbo engine that's available for the Fiat 500X now in North America. I will cover its problems and main advantages. Also, I will try to show you why this small turbocharged engine is still better than other engines of the kind available on the US market right now.

Here's what exactly I'm going to cover here:

• What are the key features of the 1.3-liter Fiat engine in the 500X?
• How long will this engine last in your new Fiat 500X?
• What are the most common problems with the engine?
• Can you prolong its life and what should you do for this?

Let's get started!

What should you know about the 1.3 Turbo engine in the Fiat 500X?

This is the only engine available now for the US market in this model. And that's a pity because up to 2018, you could buy this car with the 2.4L non-turbocharged engine which seemed to be a much better option. But technologies develop to emit less gases in the atmosphere and that's the reason why manufacturers tend to downsize their engines.

By the way, the 1.3-liter engine became the reason for the fatal drop in sales for the Fiat 500X. US drivers just don't like such engines and that's one of the worst marketing steps Fiat-Chrysler made in recent years. But still, let's have a look at the engine and see if it's really that bad.

Here are some key features of the powerplant:

• this is the 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine with a turbocharger and it offers 177 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque - a lot for this displacement;
• the engine is all-aluminum, it has a timing chain and a little more advanced technology compared to the previous 1.4L turbo;
• this is the direct injection engine which adds some performance but also makes the engine more expensive to maintain;
• the engine has a variable displacement oil pump and also a variable flow water pump and there is an additional auxiliary water pump;
• the engine is paired with the 9-speed automatic transmission which is good news, the transmission is pretty good and reliable;
• you will enjoy AWD - all Fiat 500X now come with all-wheel drive and it's a great advantage for most buyers;
• you will get approximately 24 MPG in the city and 30 MPG on highways which is a little frustrating.

When you see that a certain model is powered by a 1.3-liter engine, you should immediately think that well, OK, but it will give me at least 40 MPG on highways which makes it almost as economical as an electric vehicle. But no, this won't work with the Fiat 500X - its gas mileage is almost the same as with the previous model powered by the 2.4L engine.

But this is the 4-cylinder engine and it makes it a little more advantageous than, for example, the GM 1.3L Turbo that has only 3 cylinders. The engine in the Fiat will work smoothly and won't make so much noise and vibrations.

What's the average longevity of the 1.3L Turbo engine in the 500X?

Well, Fiat 500X has never been the icon of durability. It still has some problems with the reliability of its technologies. Including the 1.3L engine under the hood of this car.

In my opinion, this engine will go for about 140,000 miles and then it will require extremely expensive repairs and will have to be replaced with a new one. But the good news is that once you replace the engine, the car will be good to drive another 140,000 miles without a lot of investment.

The durability of the engine is questioned because of several new technologies Fiat introduced in it. Also, the predecessor, the 1.4 MultiAir engine wasn't that durable. Now we see even riskier technologies used in this 1.3L engine and I'm really concerned with its durability.

But the transmission should be good to go at least 200,000 miles and all other units of the vehicle won't ask for expensive repairs. So, I don't think the estimated longevity of the Fiat 500X new engine is that bad. It's still better than the durability of other small-displacement turbocharged engines.

What are the common problems with the 1.3L MultiAir engine?

The engine is really new and was only launched in 2019. We still don't know which issues will it suffer from after hitting a lot of miles. But I can presume what units will cause more problems in the future. Of course, right now, when this engine is still very fresh and has just a few miles on it, it may seem like a very reliable powerplant. But it will have a lot of issues in the future.

Here are some of the most common expected problems:

1. Timing chain issues

First of all, the timing chain is quite noisy. Even in new engines, you can hear it really well, especially when you start the cold engine. This is a sign that the chain will not survive 140,000 miles and will have to be replaced. I recommend replacing this chain at about 80,000 miles to avoid it stretching and jumping or even breaking.

If Fiat left the belt as it was in the 1.4L Turbo engine, the belt would be quite silent and required change every 60,000 miles or so. And also the belt is not as expensive to change as the chain. So, this improvement is very questionable, in my opinion.

2. Water pump issues

Fiat knew that the variable-flow water pump is not the most reliable thing in the world, so they added an auxiliary electric water pump. So, the main pump is driven by the chain and there is the auxiliary pump that doesn't depend on the chain. It's cool, but I feel that in the worst-case scenario, both pumps may fail and the engine will fatally overheat.

I also want to add that the oil pump is not much more reliable. It can also fail when the mileage is high and the engine will most likely fail until you understand what is going on.

3. Gas mileage problems

I don't know why but even optimistic EPA-estimated gas mileage is not that good. It says you can go 24 MPG in the city. But Fiat, my Honda CR-V 2.4 AWD goes 24 MPG in the city if there are no traffic jams. This sounds like the worst thing in this vehicle and it proves one my guess: the engine is too small in displacement to carry this not-that-small vehicle.

I don't like the idea that Fiat squeezed 177 horsepower from a little 1.3-liter engine. It means that the durability of such an engine may be so bad that you will not be able to enjoy it for long. And my estimated 140K miles of the longevity may appear even worse, in the end.

4. Ecology equipment problems

This engine has the EGR which is the bad news for Fiat 500X owners. The cooled EGR will most likely have problems with the cooler that may crack and leak antifreeze outside or directly into the combustion chamber. Also, the EGR valve will obviously cause problems, especially when the mileage is quite high.

But there is one more issue - the badly placed catalytic converter. To let it heat faster, Fiat placed the converter directly in the exhaust manifold. After 50-70 thousand miles, the converter may start destroying and the small ceramic parts may easily get directly into the cylinders. This will cause fatal problems with the engine, eventually.

Can you prolong the life of the 1.3L Fiat 500X engine?

Although your driving habits will change the lifespan of the engine, I wouldn't say this is the key factor for durability. Yes, aggressive driving will obviously kill this Fiat engine much faster than you expect, but if you drive just like an average American driver, the habits are not that important.

Still, I will give several recommendations on how to use the 1.3L Fiat engine longer:

• avoid abusing your engine - it hates when you think it's a sporty engine;
• don't even think about towing something using the new Fiat 500X;
• warm up the engine for about 1 minute before you start driving in the morning;
• provide it with high-quality maintenance with only OEM fluids and parts;
• once you see any message or warning light, stop driving and make sure it's not hazardous.

Don't ignore the warning in your Fiat 500X. Even slight overheating or some other issue like bad oil pressure can easily lead to the death of this engine. Drive carefully and maintain the engine at least once a year or with the mileage intervals required by the manufacturer. This is the best way to drive your Fiat 500X for much longer than average.