Used Fiat 500 Drive Shaft

Both years fall within the first-generation Fiat 500, which ran from 2007 onwards, so there is a reasonable chance of compatibility — but the engine code is the critical detail, not the model year. A 500 with the same engine code across those years is your strongest starting point; supply your engine code and registration to the breaker and ask them to cross-reference against their donor car. Never assume fitment purely on year.

The first-generation Fiat 500 received a facelift in 2015, and while the fundamental platform carried over, whether a drive shaft crosses that boundary cleanly is something you should confirm with the breaker against your specific registration and engine code. Ancillary and mounting details can change mid-production without a formal facelift, so the year boundary is a useful starting point but not a guarantee. Give the breaker both the donor year and your reg so they can check part numbers directly.

For a standard 500 Pop or Lounge, trim level does not affect drive shaft fitment — what matters is the engine code, gearbox type, and which side (NS nearside or OS offside) you need. The Abarth 595 is a different situation entirely, as it uses a uprated engine and drivetrain, so parts from a standard 500 are very unlikely to be compatible with an Abarth and vice versa. Always lead with your engine code rather than your trim badge when speaking to a breaker.

Yes, fuel type can matter because the 500 was offered with different engine families across petrol and the TwinAir units, and these can differ in their driveline components. The safest approach is to match the engine code exactly rather than assuming all petrol engines are interchangeable with one another. Tell the breaker your engine code — found on your V5C or via a VIN check — and they can confirm whether their donor vehicle is a true match.

NS (nearside) is the left-hand side of the car as you sit in the driver's seat, which is the passenger side on a UK right-hand-drive 500, and OS (offside) is the driver's side on the right. The two shafts are different lengths and are not interchangeable, so make sure you specify NS or OS clearly when requesting a quote from a breaker. If you are unsure which shaft is faulty, a mechanic or MOT tester can confirm before you order.

Gearbox type directly affects the drive shaft, so a shaft from an automatic-gearbox 500 is very unlikely to be a straightforward swap into a manual car and vice versa. Always tell the breaker whether your car is manual or automatic alongside the engine code, as these details together narrow the search considerably. Confirm the exact match with the breaker before purchasing, as fitment cannot be guaranteed without checking part numbers against your specific vehicle.