2013 FIAT 500 Complaints

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FILL UP GAS AT A FUEL FILLING STATION THE CAR WILL NOT TAKE IN ANY FUEL FROM THE GAS STATION PUMP. IT REACTS LIKE THE TANK IS FULL BUT IT IS NOT. A VERY SMALL STEADY FLOW OF FUEL WILL FLOW (APPROX 20CENTS) AND THEN OVERFLOW AS IF IT IS FULL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AT THAT THE GAS PUMP AND HAS ALSO CAUSED ME TO RUN OUT OF FUEL ON THE FREEWAY AS WELL WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. FIAT DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS ISSUE, BUT I AM FINDING 1000'S OF OWNERS ONLINE WITH THE SAME ISSUE.

I WAS STOPPED, WAITING FOR A GREEN LIGHT IN MODERATE MORNING TRAFFIC; MY CAR WAS WORKING PROPERLY. THE LIGHT CHANGED, I MOVED ... COULD NOT ENGAGE ANY GEARS OTHER THAN FIRST AND REVERSE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A SMALL BUSINESS MALL; ONLY 1ST AND REV. I CALLED FOR AAA, I WAS NOT THAT FAR FROM THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THIS USED FIAT IN JANUARY 2017- APPROXIMATE MILEAGE 19,600 IN THAT MONTH. THE DEALER DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MY DIFFICULTIES; WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT FOR 3-5 DAYS AND THEN WOULD AUTOMATICALLY ATTACH A $275 CHARGE - "JUST TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT". I ASKED THEM TO NOT LOOK AT IT AND LEFT WITH MY RIDE. THE DEALER'S FIRST EFFORT WAS TO LOOK AT MY FIAT'S WARRANTY STATUS - NONE, EXPIRED DUE TO DATE ON JANUARY 7, 2017!! TWO DAYS LATER, I RETURNED, I COULD NOT HAVE AAA TOW ME FROM THAT LOCATION SO, - HAVING JUST 1ST AND REV, I DROVE OUT INTO A BUSY BOULEVARD TO 'RELOCATE' THE CAR FOR A TOW TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP NEAR MY HOME. THERE, A FEW DAYS LATER IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANS AXLE HAD FAILED; HE PREPARED AN ESTIMATE OF $2,700 TO REPLACE IT WITH A USED TRANS AXLE. I AM A 76 YEAR OLDSENIOR CITIZEN TRYING TO SURVIVE ON JUST SS; AFTER A LENGTHY TIME TRYING TO CONVINCE FCA THEIR CAR FAILED AT 19,600 AND SEEKING PRO BONO LITIGATION, I FINALLY HAD TO TAKE OUT A PERSONAL LOAN THAT WILL COST ME $3,762!!! THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP HAS VERY QUALIFIED TECHNICIANS ON STAFF, THEIR VP WORKED IN NASCAR THEIR SHOP IS AAA CERTIFIED. NONE OF THESE QUALITIES ARE PROVIDED BY THE DEALER. SINCE AUGUST 15TH I HAVE A USED TRANS AXLE WITH APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MILES ON IT FROM AN ABARTH ON MY CAR. TO DATE IT'S PERFORMING 'OKAY'. THERE IS LITTLE TRUST WHENEVER I DRIVE IT; I'M NOT TRUSTING IT ENOUGH TO TAKE A LONG TRIP. WHEN I GOT THE FIAT, THE TIRES WERE ALMOST BALD (DANGEROUS); THEY WERE REPLACED IN JANUARY 2018, OTHER 'ISSUES' ARE SLOWLY APPEARING, BROKEN DASH VENTS, ETC.

STEERING SHAFT/INTERMEDIATE SHAFT/INSIDE STEERING COLUMN ISSUE, OUR CAR HAS BARELY 19K MILES.

THE WHITE CLIP WHICH CONNECTS TO THE MASTER CYLINDER ROD HAS BROKEN AND COME OFF THE CLUTCH PEDAL

WHILE DRIVING, I LOST THE ABILITY TO SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS USING THE MANUAL SHIFT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE CLUTCH AND IT COST ME $2600. THIS LOST OF SHIFTING IS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL FOR FIATS BY MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH CAUSES THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL, (NO LONGER LATCH), WHICH IN TURN CAUSES THE AIR BAG TO DISABLE WHILE THE DRIVER IS IN THEIR SEAT AND THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. FAILURE OCCURS AT ANY SPEED. EXPOSES DRIVER AND FRONT-SEAT PASSENGER TO DANGER OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

TAKARA RECALL: MY 2013 FIAT ABARTH HAS BEEN GIVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TURBO AND SIDE MOLDINGS. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, THE MOLDINGS WERE NOT ATTACHED COMPLETELY AND THE DEALER PROMISED TO REPAIR UNDER THE WARRANTY; HOWEVER, THE MOLDINGS CONTINUE TO PEEL OFF EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. SECONDLY, MY VEHICLE CONTINUES TO THROW A P0299 CODE WHILE I'M DRIVING EVEN AFTER I SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO REPAIR IT; CONSEQUENTLY, MY VEHICLE IS NOW NOT PASSING THE VEHICLE INSPECTION.

FIAT'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON,AND UPON BEING DIAGNOSED NO CODES CAME UP FOR THIS CAR. SOON AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY CODE, MY CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED BEING ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING, ALTHOUGH IT CHANGES JUST FINE WHEM IT IS TURNED OFF. THE FIRST INCIDENCE OF THIS HAPPENING OCCURED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND POSED A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HERITAGE FIAT (11216 REISTERSTOWN ROAD, OWINGS MILLS, MD 21117, (866)-866-3241) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRUNK PANEL AND WIRING HARNESS WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER REMOVED SOME RUST FROM THE TRUNK PANEL AND LUBRICATED THE WIRING HARNESS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE SEPARATED FROM THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE DOOR HANDLE INSPECTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF GEAR AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOSES FIAT-ALFA ROMEO (2041 MACCORKLE AVE, ST ALBANS, WV 25177, (304) 722-4900). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE FAILURES OCCURRED AFTERWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER MORE THAN ONCE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SAME OEM PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER TURNED THE CONTACT AWAY TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.