Quick answer: Spark Plug Replacement on a 2012–2019 Fiat 500 is rated Advanced and takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour. You'll need 7 tools for this job, and parts cost about $115. This guide walks you through the full job step by step, including the mistakes to avoid.
| Part Name |
Part Number |
Price |
Buy |
| Correct spark plug set for the gasoline/ICE engine in 2012-2019 Fiat 500; verify engine, heat range, gap, and VIN fitment |
— |
$115.00 |
|
| Coil-boot seals or ignition coils only if inspection finds damage Optional |
— |
$35.00 |
|
About prices: shown prices are typical retail averages and change frequently; cheaper alternatives may be available. Confirm the current price before buying.
💡 Pro tip: Order all parts at once to save on shipping
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these steps carefully
1
Lift the air box off to expose the coil packs
Park it cold and pop the hood. On the standard 1.4L MultiAir (Pop, Lounge) and the turbo Abarth alike, the four coil packs hide under the air box and engine trim. Start by disconnecting the intake hose and the two or three small breather hoses clipped to the air box, then lift the air-box assembly off its rubber mounts — the rear mounts slide, the front ones pop. Set the whole air box aside; you've just exposed all four coil packs lined up across the valve cover.
2
Unplug and unbolt the four coil packs
Each coil is held by its own 10mm bolt. Squeeze the connector tab, rock the plug off, remove the bolt into a tray — one coil at a time. The connector locks get brittle with age: wiggle, don't yank.
3
Swing the blocking hose aside for the last coil
On Abarths especially, the far-left coil hides behind a hose that won't budge at the coil end. Don't fight it — trace the hose to its other connection, pop it off there, and swing the whole hose aside.
4
Pull the coils, check for oil, and blow out the tubes
Twist each coil as you pull it straight up out of its tube. Shine a light down each tube, wipe light residue with a rag, then blast compressed air down each tube so no grit falls into the open cylinder.
🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker
The 1.4L is notorious for oil weeping past the tube seals — when a boot comes out soaked, I know the valve-cover gasket and tube seals are due. New plugs alone won't fix that leak.
5
Spin the old plugs out with a long extension
Drop a 5/8-inch spark plug socket on a long extension down each tube — the plugs sit deep, so a magnetic or rubber-grip socket keeps you from dropping one. Crack each plug loose and spin it out by hand on the extension. Keep the old plugs in order and give them a look: even tan coloring across all four is what you want, while one black, oily plug points at that cylinder's seals or rings. Don't let anything fall into an open plug hole.
🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker
I keep the old plugs in order and read them — even tan across all four is what you want; one black, oily plug points at that cylinder's seals or rings.
6
Gap-check the new plugs and thread them in by hand
Check each new plug's gap with a feeler gauge against the specification in your owner's manual or on the emissions sticker under the hood — the turbo and non-turbo 1.4L call for different gaps, so confirm which engine you have. Lower each plug in on the socket and thread it by hand until the washer seats; back it out and restart at the first sign of binding. Snug it about a quarter to a half turn past washer contact with the ratchet. Many modern plugs ship with pre-coated threads — follow the plug maker's guidance on that.
7
Reverse the teardown and confirm it runs right
Slide each coil back down its tube, reinstall the 10mm bolts, and click every connector home until the tab engages. Refit the air box — slide the rear mounts in first, pop the front down — and reconnect the intake hose plus every breather hose you removed; a forgotten hose gives you a start-then-die with no codes. Reconnect the battery, start it, and confirm a smooth idle, then take a short drive. A flashing check-engine light means a connector isn't seated — recheck before driving far.
🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker
If the check-engine light flashes right after this job, I recheck every coil connector before driving anywhere — it's almost always one that isn't seated, and I want to find it in the driveway, not on the highway.
All Done!
Test your repair before closing everything up. If something doesn't work right, double-check your steps.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- • Skipping the air-box removal on the Abarth and fighting the far-left coil blind — the hose blocking it pops off at its other end in seconds.
- • Mixing up coil order — the 1.4L has no plug wires to keep you honest, so do one coil at a time or label them.
- • Forgetting one of the three breather hoses on reassembly — the car will start, run a second or two, and die, with no codes to explain it.
