2015 FIAT 500 Complaints

ON FEBRUARY 5, 2015 AT 8:40 A.M. WHILE DRIVING SOUTH IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE AT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY 101 FROM SAN RAFAEL TO SAN FRANCISCO, THERE WAS A TOTAL AND CATASTROPHIC ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND RESULTING ZERO MOTOR POWER OF MY FIAT 500E. I WAS ABLE TO COAST THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER AREA CROSSING FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC. A FIAT REPAIR TECHNICIAN COINCIDENTALLY APPEARED ON THE SCENE AND OFFERED ASSISTANCE. I INDICATED I WAS UNWILLING TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY FURTHER. HE INSTEAD DROVE THE FIAT 500E AND I DROVE HIS GASOLINE FIAT TO THE DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR REPAIR. DEALERSHIP INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS INDICATED DEFECTIVE EVCU. DEALER REPLACED EVCU. ON MARCH 19, 2015 - EVCU FAILURE AGAIN; UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS FROM PARK TO DRIVE WITH "NOT READY" AND ALREADY IN DESIRED GEAR MESSAGES. DEALERSHIP DISCOVERED NO FAULT CODE USING SCAN TOOL. ON MAY 26, 2015 SERVICE PROPULSION SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITH PROPULSION SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP INSPECTION REVEALED "CODE INDICATING BATTERY POSITIVE CIRCUIT HIGH RESISTANCE AT B+ TERMINAL AND POSITIVE BATTERY POST AT 0.11 V OK TEST FUSED B+ WITH TEST LIGHT; TEST PIM CASE GROUND HIGH RESISTANCE FROM PIM CASE TO BATTERY GROUND; FAULT OCCURRED ONCE IN SNAPSHOT DATA. PIM SOFTWARE UPDATE AVAILABLE AND SYMPTOM/CONDITION CAN CAUSE PROBLEM; REPROGRAM POWER INVERTER MODULE TO LATEST SOFTWARE." ON JUNE 23, 2015 R20 SAFETY RECALL" AND RED PLUGGED IN INDICATOR ILLUSTRATED MALFUNCTION/INTERRUPTION DURING VEHICLE CHARGING PROCESS VEHICLE UNABLE TO CHARGE TO PRIOR OPTIMUM LEVEL. CAR BROUGHT TO BURLINGAME FIAT DEALERSHIP FOR FLASH EVCU REPROGRAMMING/ UPDATED SOFTWARE. ON JULY 17, 2015 - SERVICE PROPULSION SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AGAIN APPEARED; UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS; DISPLAY INDICATED ALREADY IN DESIRED GEAR. ON AUGUST 16, 2015 - ALREADY IN DESIRED GEAR; UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS

I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 IN NORTH CAROLINA: 74 MPH; 94 DEGREES OUTSIDE; THERMOSTAT/AIRC ONDITIONER SET AT 70 DEGREES. ALL WINDOWS CLOSED TIGHTLY. 4 LANE, COUNTRY-TYPE HIGHWAY; SEVERAL MILES BETWEEN OVERPASSES/EXITS; NO CAR IN PROXIMITY - EITHER DIRECTION - WITHIN 100 YARDS. SUDDENLY AT NO CAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE, FRONT VENT WINDOW EXPLODED OUTWARD, AND THE ENTIRE WINDOW SHATTERED. NO DAMAGE WHATSOEVER TO EITHER THE EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR OF CAR. THE POSITIONING OF THE WINDOW ITSELF WOULD MAKE IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYTHING TO HIT IT; EVEN IF IT WERE SOMETHING SMALL LIKE A STONE OR PEBBLE KICKING UP, THERE IS NO REASON AT ALL THE WINDOW WOULD HAVE/SHOULD HAVE SHATTERED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A FIAT DEALERSHIP IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.(MY DESTINATION, AFTER ENCASING THE DAMAGED WINDOW IN CARDBOARD AND DUCT TAPE). THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, AND FILED A WARRANTEE CLAIM WITH CHRYSLER/FIAT. FIAT HAS DENIED THAT WARRANTEE CLAIM, INDICATING 'GLASS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE AND 'THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS DEFECTIVE GLASS'. THE BLOGS ARE FULL OF CLAIMS BY FIAT OWNERS OF THIS VERY SPECIFIC INCIDENT OCCURRING. IT HAS TO DO WITH PRESSURE AND ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, NOT DEFECTIVE GLASS, PER SE. I ASK THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD TO INVESTIGATE THIS - AND ALL OTHER CLAIMS. THIS HAS (OR WILL) COST ME THE FOLLOWING: $300 FOR NEW WINDOW/INSTALLATION $75 IN HOTEL ROOM (THE NIGHT THE WINDOW BLEW OUT) $150 IN CAR RENTAL I AM STILL AWAITING THE GLASS TO ARRIVE/BE INSTALLED, SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OTHER COSTS I MAY OCCUR AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. I HAVE TAKE PHOTOS; WILL TAKE MORE AS THE GLASS IS INSTALLED.

I PURCHASED THE CAR ON MAY 22, 2015. LESS THAT A WEEK LATER I NOTICED A LIGHT ON DASH DISPLAY FOR THE TIRE PRESSURE WITH A MESSAGE STATING "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING UNAVAILABLE." I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPT. WORKED ON THE VEHICLE AND STATED IT WAS REPAIRED. NOT 15 MINUTES AFTER DRIVING OUT OF DEALERSHIP THE LIGHT WAS BACK ON. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT BACK IN. DURING THE NEXT APPOINTMENT THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM. HE STATED IT WAS A MODULE THAT NEEDED TO BE ORDERED. I HAD TO WAIT FOR DELIVERY OF THIS PART FOR 3 WEEKS. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK, THEY REPLACED THE MODULE AND THE CAR WAS FINE. THREE WEEKS LATER, THE LIGHT AND MESSAGE WERE BACK ON. THERE IS NOT EVEN 1000 MILES ON THE CAR YET. I AM LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS FOR REMEDY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500E. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO GEICO COLLISION CENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600.

FIAT 500 ABARTH 2015 AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 30 MIN. I PARKED THE CAR AND AFTER RETURNING TO LEAVE I STARTED THE CAR BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND THE ENGINE JUST DIED. TRIED TO START IT 3 TIMES WITH NO CRANKING SOUND. PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PUSHED THE CAR BACK INTO PARKING SPACE. 5 MINUTES LATER STARTED THE CAR WITH NO PROBLEM. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON BUT NOT BLINKING. I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE GAS CAP AND PUT IT BACK ON. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR ABOUT A DAY AND THEN WENT OUT. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN APPOINTMENT.. THE DIAGNOSE WAS A FAILED INTAKE BRICK AND REPLACED THE INTAKE ACTUATOR. THEN DID A PCM FLASH, FLASH, PERFORMED PCM SOFTWARE UPDATE/ THEN A TCM FLASH, FLASH, PERFORMED TCM SOFTWARE UPDATE.

BLUETOOTH DISPLAY SAFETY ISSUE. A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING A NEW 2015 FIAT 500 ABARTH, THE DISPLAY FOR BLUETOOTH / BLUE&ME STOPPED WORKING ON THE CENTRAL CLUSTER DISPLAY. (I.E. NO INFO DISPLAY WHEN A CALL COMES IN, NO ACCESS TO PHONEBOOK). TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO RESET IT. WORKED FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND FAILED AGAIN, SO TOOK IT BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CTM (CONVERGENCE TELEMATICS MODULE). THE NEW CTM THEN CAUSED INTERFERENCE TO THE SATELLITE RADIO, SO NOTIFIED THE DEALER. WAITED A WEEK AND NO RESPONSE, SO DECIDED TO CALL SIRIUSXM MYSELF FOR SIGNAL RESET. ALL GOOD FOR ANOTHER MONTH UNTIL THE BLUETOOTH DISPLAY FAILED AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. SO BASICALLY SAME PROBLEM EVERY MONTH SINCE PURCHASE AND PER THE DEALER, THERE ARE SIX OTHER FIATS AT HIS DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND CANNOT BE FIXED. TALKED TO MY CASE MANAGER AT FIAT CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO SAID THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT. ANOTHER MONTH HAS PASSED BY AND STILL NO RESOLUTION TO THIS MATTER. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BUTTON FAILS AND STOPS DISPLAYING INCOMING CALL INFO ON THE CLUSTER, ONE HAS TO LOOK AT THE PHONE TO SEE WHO IS CALLING, WHICH TAKES ATTENTION OFF OF THE ROAD - EXACTLY WHAT THE DISPLAY SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS AND SPEEDOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 350.

3 DAYS AFTER DRIVING MY NEW FIAT 500E WHICH I AM LEASING , I BEGAN TO NOTICE EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE PHYSICAL SENSATIONS. THE ONLY THING I CAN COMPARE IT TO IS TAKING ON AN OLD CELLPHONE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S A SIMILAR KIND OF FEELING OF POWER AND RADIATION. I HAVE TAKEN AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE FOR RIDES IN THE CAR. 3 OF THEM REPORT SIMILAR SENSATIONS, WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED IN ANY WAY WHILE SOME ARE NOT AWARE OF THE THE RADIATION. EFFECTS/SYMPTOMS (PARTIAL LIST ) : HEAD ACHE, TINGLING ON FACE AND AROUND EARS ,PRESSURE FEELING IN EARS, PRESSURE FEELING IN CENTER OF CHEST, FOGGY FEELING IN HEAD, WHICH CONTINUES FOR 15 TO 60 MINUTES AFTER DRIVING. NOTES: I HAVE TESTED MYSELF SITTING IN THE CAR WITHOUT IT TURNED ON FOR 30 MINUTES. THERE ARE NO NEGATIVE EFFECTS WHATSOEVER. THE SYMPTOMS ARE WORSE WHEN: 1) THE AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON 2) MORE ACCELERATION IS USED, USING MORE POWER. THESE ARE NOT DUE TO THE FEELING OF THE AIR, OR G FORCE FROM ACCELERATION. I HAVE MADE SURE TO RULE OUT BOTH OF THESE FACTORS. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE. IT HAD BEEN TESTED AS "NORMAL" BY FIAT MECHANICS. THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL NORMAL ABOUT THIS AND SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.

WHILE UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION THE VEHICLE STOPPED RESPONDING TO THROTTLE INPUT, SEEMINGLY STUCK IN GEAR AND COASTING. ATTEMPTS TO USE MANUAL SHIFT MODE TO PROMPT AN UP/DOWN SHIFT FAILED, AFTER A NUMBER OF SECONDS THE CAR STARTED RESPONDING AGAIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE FULL THROTTLE INPUT. THIS RESULTED IN A RAPID DOWNSHIFT IN GEARS AND NEARLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR AS IT SURGED FORWARD. THIS ISSUE RE-OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES, DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE.

CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND STALLED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD AND HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE. CAR WAS ONLY 3 WEEKS OLD. FIAT CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT DEFECT FOR YEARS BUT CHOOSE TO HIDE DEFECT INSTEAD OF RECALL/FIXING. THEY DID RECALL ONLY AFTER DUMPING HUNDREDS IN A GROUP LEASE SUSPICIOUSLY DAYS/WEEK JUST BEFORE NOTIFYING NHTSA/DOT OF DEFECT AND PROBLEMS. I'VE HAD THE "FIX" DONE AND IT DIDN'T WORK !