Faults:

None. It has quirks, though, namely with the Multiair system around 25-35 degrees F. The engine will sputter for around 15 (sometimes 25 or so) seconds then clear up & run normally. At colder temperatures it actually does better & the pattern has been consistent. I've grown accustomed to it. At warm temperatures it starts fine. I've read up on the situation & there are a few theories on it. I believe in keeping fresh, thin oil in the engine, which is also used by the Multiair assembly, basically an electro-hydraulic set-up causing the misfiring through its solenoids.. The book calls for 5W-30 oil (only) but I use 5W-20.

Oh, and I did replace the 2 front wheel bearings, doing the work myself other than the removal & pressing in of the bearings themselves.

One more thing, a common problem on these is chafing of the electrical wires going in to the rear hatch. Mine was affected by this. My remedy was to put a universal license plate light on it (original LED lights were blown) & I never use the rear defroster or wiper anyway. I did try to repair the chafing the best I could & have had no issues. It's just a wear location the owner should be aware of. I reckon one fault is that the rear hatch struts have worn out. The hatch is fairly heavy. A broomstick props it up for now.

General Comments:

I bought mine right as Covid came on the scene in May of '20. It had sat on a used car lot for a solid 7 months. She was a little beat up here & there, but it was more cosmetic on the outside. My hunch was the 124k on the speedometer were highway miles but I've no knowledge of the car before I got it.

I agree with all the comments others have made about the car. It is what it is. I've removed the rear seat, tweaked the car to my liking & have had no problems. I believe the clutch to be original, the brakes are wonderful, & I drive it like an old lady these days. I don't even use the A/C. or the Sport button ! I've put six thousand miles on it now, trouble free. I've flushed the radiator & put in fresh Prestone coolant. My biggest improvements to the car were new spark plugs (Autolite), and more recently a new STP air filter, which made a difference. It helps to be mechanically inclined (as with any vehicle) but there's nothing mysterious about the 500. I'm sure the timing belt & water pump are original & so they will remain for quite a while.

Faults:

Window stopped rolling down.

Inside fan switch stopped working.

Shifter trim torn.

The engine just died and needs a rebuild. At 75K miles?

General Comments:

All service done on time and I took very good care of the car. Adult owned and never driven hard. To have the engine break down at 75K miles and need a rebuild is disconcerting and frustrating. The dealer told me sorry and said this sometimes happens.