2012 FIAT 500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN WATER PENETRATED THE REAR BRAKES, IT CAUSED THE BRAKES TO SEIZE. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT 18,000.

THE KEY FOB BUTTON IS NOT RECESSED. THIS MEANS THE IGNITION KEY OFTEN OPENS INTO MY POCKET JUST FROM NORMAL BODY MOVEMENT. IT STABS MY THIGH. THIS IS A VEHICLE SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING MY OTHER VEHICLE AND CAN BE EXTREMELY DISTRACTING. *TR

MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, PROBABLY > 10 TIMES IN PAST TWO MONTHS. AT LOW STEADY SPEED, SUCH AS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT, WHEN I LET UP ON GAS PEDAL, THE CAR DOES NOT SLOW DOWN IMMEDIATELY. ONE EXPECTS THE IMMEDIATE, SLIGHT FEELING OF DECELERATION ON THE BODY, BUT IT DOESN'T COME RIGHT AWAY. USUALLY IT LASTS ABOUT ONE SECOND. IT HAS LASTED UP TO THREE SECONDS. RECENTLY THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING STEADILY AT 30MPH, I LET UP ON ACCELERATOR ENTERING A 20MPH ZONE, AND CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN IMMEDIATELY. THIS WAS THE OCCASION IT TOOK 3 SECONDS. I HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE RECENTLY BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO MUCH. I HAVE NOT NOTICED THIS PROBLEM AT HIGH SPEED, SUCH AS EXPRESSWAY DRIVING. *TR

PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT SECURE TO UNDER CARRIAGE AFTER BEING LEANED FORWARD FOR ENTRY TO BACK SEAT. VIGOROUS MANIPULATION WILL EVENTUALLY SET IT, BUT IF NOT SET SUDDEN ACCELERATION WILL BRING SEAT FORCEFULLY AGAINST THE LEGS OF REAR PASSENGER. THIS OCCURRED TO US LAST YEAR. 3 SERVICE VISITS TO KIRKLAND, WA DEALERSHIP HAVE ALL RESULTED IN OUR BEING TOLD THAT THE SEATS ARE THE #1 COMPLAINT AND THAT THE OPERATION IS NORMAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL GAUGE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY MOVE TO THE FULL MARK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PLACED IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO GET IT TO RESTART. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THEY WOULD NEED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 8,000.

THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A BAD NOISE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY VERIFIED THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN. THEY PUT PART ON ORDER. IT HAS BEEN A MONTH AND STILL NOT IN. I CALLED THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO EXPEDITE THE PART. I EXPLAINED THAT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR A MONTH NOW, AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD CANCEL THE ORDER AND RE ORDER IT. WHAT DO I HAVE TO GET IN A CRASH FIRST AND WAIT ANOTHER MONTH? MAYBE HURT NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT GOD FORBID OTHERS? PLEASE HELP. *TR

THE AIRBAG FAILURE WARNING LIGHT HAS CONSISTENTLY ACTIVATED ON MY NEW FIAT SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. HAVE RETURNED THE CAR FOR SERVICE TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES REGARDING THIS ISSUE; MANY TIMES THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THEY SHOW NO INDICATION OF THE AIRBAG FAILURE LIGHT BEING ACTIVATED. SINCE THEN, I HAVE TAKEN NUMEROUS PHOTOS WITH MY PHONE OF THE AIRBAG FAILURE WARNING LIGHT BEING TRIGGERED AS THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT SEEMED TO NEED MORE EVIDENCE OF THIS OCCURRENCE. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED AND I AM SEEKING RESOLUTION THROUGH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. *JS

BODY SEAMS LEFT OPEN/UNWELDED DURING MANUFACTURING CAUSING WATER LEAKS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING BRAKES, LIGHTING, RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, POWER DOOR LOCKS, WINDOWS, MIRRORS, ABS, ESP, HILL START ASSIST, ETC. OPEN/UNWELDED AREAS ALSO WEREN'T PAINTED DURING MANUFACTURING. IMPROPER REPAIRS PERFORMED. "SEALANT" APPLIED TO CLOSE SEAMS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WELDED. PURCHASED 12/22/2011. FOUND INTERIOR WET ON 12/25/2011. RETURNED TO DEALER ON 01/02/2012. SPENT 21 DAYS IN THE SHOP. PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE, "NUMEROUS OPEN BODY SEAMS MEASURING OVER 10 INCHES LONG THAT WERE LEFT OPEN AND UNWELDED AND UNPAINTED DURING MANUFACTURING." CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME "REPAIRED" ON 1/23/2012. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN EXPERIENCING NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THEN, NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS LEAKING, AGAIN, AND EVEN WORSE, ON 1/30/2012. CAR WAS NEVER REPAIRED/IMPROPERLY REPAIRED. INTERIOR VERY WET. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS GETTING WORSE. PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES AND 'HILL START ASSIST'. FIAT WILL NOT RETURN MY CALLS. I'VE SENT LETTERS ASKING THAT THE CAR BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *KB

REALLY COLD MORNING, UPON STARTING, THE TPMS REPORTED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE LOW ON PRESSURE. AND TIRE LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD ALL 4 TIRES CHECKED AND FILLED TO SPECS, CONTINENTAL TIRES, BUT THE TIRE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR THE NEXT DAY AND A HALF, WHEREIN I DROVE ABOUT 65 MILES, AND TURNED THE CAR ON/OFF NUMEROUS TIMES. (AT WORK, STORE, OVERNIGHT, ETC.) THE TIRE PLACE THAT I TOOK THE CAR TOO TO HAVE THE AIR CHECKED, WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW TO RESET THE TPMS. THERE WAS NOTHING OUT ABOUT THIS CAR YET. (FYI, YOU CAN USE A CHRYSLER RESET UNIT) THE TIRE LIGHT FINALLY WENT OUT THE NEXT DAY ON IT'S OWN ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK. WENT TO THE FIAT DEALERSHIP A FEW DAYS LATER TO FIND OUT HOW TO RESET THE TPMS IF/WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THE SERVICE MANAGER CHECKED IT OUT. LET AIR OUT UNTIL THE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN FILLED IT TO THE CORRECT PRESSURE, THEN DROVE IT ABOUT 50 FEET, AND THE TPMS LIGHT RESET ITSELF. SO, THE SYSTEM APPEARS TO OPERATING PROPERLY NOW AFTER WHAT I HAD OBSERVED. WILL WATCH TO SEE IF IT BECOMES A PROBLEM. *TR

HEAVY MOISTURE APPEARS ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AFTER CAR COOLS. COULD LEAD TO DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. *TR