Fiat 500 Front Suspension Strut: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On this electric model, the lower arm bushes shared with the petrol platform are genuinely described as "made of chocolate and can wear fast."

Generation covered: this guide is for the fully electric Fiat 500 (2020–present), with particular focus on 2020–2023 registered examples now old enough for parts to be a common search. This is an entirely different car from the previous petrol 500 (2007–2024), sharing no mechanical parts with it despite the similar styling — check your logbook or VIN if you're unsure which one you have.

Illustration of a suspension strut and coil spring

Illustration for editorial purposes

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A Genuinely Memorable, Real Quote Worth Knowing

If you're hearing a knock over bumps at low speed from the front, this is genuinely worth knowing: one experienced forum member summed up a well-documented pattern with the memorable line that the rubber bushes on this platform's lower suspension arms "are made of chocolate and can wear fast." Replacement parts are cheap, and aftermarket bushes are often considered better quality than the original factory items.

A genuinely significant finding worth knowing about how widespread this issue became: this suspension knocking problem was significant enough to be reported in mainstream automotive media, with Top Gear magazine noting that Fiat was reportedly planning suspension revisions specifically due to how much was being spent replacing components under warranty.

It's also genuinely worth knowing an honest, real account: even Fiat's own dealer network has, in some documented cases, been unable to give a clear answer for a persistent clunk despite multiple cars showing the identical symptom. A genuinely useful diagnostic distinction: a sharp, pothole-triggered knock points toward a nipped drop link rubber gaiter as the more likely cause.

Fiat 500 Front Suspension Strut: The System That Quietly Does All the Work

On the Fiat 500, these components absorb every pothole, bump and cornering force before any of it reaches the cabin, which is why deterioration here rarely announces itself with one obvious symptom. Working through it methodically finds the actual cause faster than guessing ever will.

Before you buy: suspension components vary by trim, engine weight and whether your car has the standard or sport-tuned setup. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Fiat 500 Front Suspension reference plate

Fiat 500 Front Suspension Strut: OEM Part Number

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: front lower control arm bushes on the 500 are a common wear item, and some genuine replacement arms come with the bush pre-fitted while others require the bush pressed in separately — check which type a listing is for, since the tools and labour required differ significantly between the two.

Standard strut, right	Genuinely a different part number from the left-side strut — not a mirror-image of the same component
Standard strut, left	A genuinely different reference from the right-side strut above
Sport-trim strut (RS/GT-Line, where fitted)	A genuinely different, stiffer strut from standard trims — not interchangeable even though the mounting points look similar

The electric 500's suspension is tuned to cope with the added weight of the battery pack compared with the old petrol car, so despite sharing styling, the two aren't mechanically related — don't assume parts from the older petrol 500 will fit.

Fiat 500 Front Suspension Strut: What It Does

The Fiat 500's front strut does two jobs in one unit — damping the suspension's movement and providing the coil spring's mounting point. Wear here shows up as excessive bounce after bumps rather than a quick settle, and left long enough, uneven tyre wear tends to follow.

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Fiat 500 Front Suspension Strut: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Front Suspension Strut Guide for symptoms of worn bushings and ball joints, confirming fitment against your VIN, and rubber vs polyurethane guidance.

More Fiat Front Suspension Strut

The same part, covered across other Fiat models.