FIAT Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SAFETY RESTRAINT LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SRS WIRE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,803.

"TAKATA RECALL" MECHANICAL DEFECT HAS BEEN DETECTED. MY CAR WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY IT RANDOMLY BEGAN STATING TO "CHECK TRANSMISSION SEE HANDBOOK." I TOOK IT TO A FIAT DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED THEM OF THE DIAGNOSIS CODE P0741 HAD BEEN PROVIDED TO THEM AT DROP OFF BEFORE ANY WORK WAS PERFORMED - TONY (THE SERVICE ADVISOR) SAID THAT WAS NOT HELPFUL COULD MEAN ANYTHING. (DIAGNOSIS MEANS: TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH CIRCUIT PERFORMANCE OR STUCK OFF) I WAS ADVISED NUMBERS LIES AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TURNS OUT THERE IS A FAULT IN THE WIRING OF THE SYSTEM AND COMPUTER WHICH IS NOW CAUSING CAR TO NOT STAY IN GEAR. I WANT TO RAISE ALL AWARENESS TO THIS ISSUE. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR (ONLY 58K IN MILEAGE) I HAVE HAD TO PERSONALLY REPLACE THE FOLLOWING: NUMBER OF RADIATOR REPAIRS: 2 SUNROOF: 1 TRANSMISSION: FAULTY MECHANICAL ERROR TOTAL TUNE UPS: 2 BRAKE INSTALLMENTS: 3 I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF ANY PRIOR ISSUES BEFORE PURCHASE ALL ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO MANUFACTURE NEGLIGENCE! NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. PLEASE ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.

DRIVING CAR ON FREEWAY IN FAST LANE GOING TO WORK GOING ABOUT 65 MPH CAR SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER, GAS PEDAL NOT WORKING. NO WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH EVERYTHING THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE. PUT FLASHERS ON TRIED TO PULL OVER IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. FINALLY GOT TO SIDE TURNED CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. HAD IT TOWED SHOP SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING BUT AN OLD CODE THAT SHOWED UP AND WAS NOT ACTIVE. I COULD OF EASILY BEEN KILLED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500L. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND PARKING IT FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN IT WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V103000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. ......UPDATED 04/01/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AFTER FIVE WEEKS. UPDATED 04/14/16. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500 ABARTH. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CLUTCH FAILED AND PREVENTED THE TRANSMISSION FROM SHIFTING OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

AT ABOUT 33,000 MILES THE FUEL ROLLOVER VALVE FAILED MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PUMP FUEL INTO MY TANK AND AT TIMES CAUSING FUEL TO SPILL FROM THE FILLER TUBE. THE VALVE IS NOT REPLACEABLE SO THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ABOUT 3,200 MILES LATER THE ROLLOVER VALVE FAILED AGAIN. EVEN THOUGH THE TANK ONLY HAD A FEW THOUSAND MILES ON IT FIAT/CHRYSLER REFUSED TO WARRANTY THE REPLACEMENT TANK DUE TO THE CAR ITSELF BEING OUT OF NEW CAR WARRANTY BY A FEW MONTHS. I REFUSED REPLACEMENT OF THE SECOND TANK AT MY EXPENSE. THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS, DISCUSSIONS, AND A PROMISE BROKEN BY FIAT/CHRYSLER THAT ARE MISSING HERE BECAUSE OF AVAILABLE CHARACTERS TO TYPE. SIMPLY PUT THOUGH, FIAT ADMITS HAVING A ROLLOVER VALVE PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MANY OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM BELIEVE IT IS CAUSED BY THE FUEL PUMP NOZZLE ITSELF SO THEY HAVE NOT COMPLAINED TO FIAT. ONE OF THE 3 DEALERS I SPOKE WITH MENTIONED THEY ARE HAVING TO REPLACE TANKS BECAUSE OF THE ROLLOVER VALVE THAT "STICKS". UPON CHECKING THE VALVE MYSELF I SAW NO EVIDENCE OF STICKING YET SOMETHING WAS BLOCKING FUEL FROM COMING IN. IS IT SO SENSITIVELY CALIBRATED THAT ONE CAN'T ACTUALLY TELL IF IT WORKS WITHOUT SPECIAL MEASURING TOOLS? HOW DOES FIAT SERVICE TEST IT? IF IT IS STICKING CLOSED, CAN IT STICK OPEN RENDERING THE ROLLOVER SAFETY COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE? REGARDLESS, THIS VALVE WAS DESIGNED NOT TO FAIL, OTHERWISE IT WOULD REQUIRE AN INEXPENSIVE REPLACEABLE PART RATHER THAN A $800.00 FUEL TANK REPLACEMENT. I ALSO CONTEND, THAT, FOR IT TO CEASE TO OPERATE CORRECTLY AFTER JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES (DO THE MATH) A GOOD INDICATION IS THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE WHEN INSTALLED. BUT FIAT REFUSES TO BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY. FINALLY, THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER. I BELIEVE EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTIES EXIST FOR RAM TRUCKS AND OTHER DODGE VEHICLES FROM ABOUT 2003 TO 2007 FOR A SIMILAR PART.

WHILE AT A STAND STILL IN GEAR AT A DRIVE THRU, CAR STARTED SMOKING HEAVILY. STRONG SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. TOOK CAR IN TO SERVICE DEPT. WAS TOLD THAT THIS PARTICULAR MODEL VEHICLE HAS BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. RESEARCHED PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE SEEM S TO BE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE DDCT TRANSMISSION ON THESE CARS. CALLED FIAT USA AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THE PROBLEM AND WAS ADVISED THAT WE HAD TO PLACE THE VEHICLE (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) IN NEUTRAL AT EVERY STOP AND GO SITUATION. DEALER CHECKED CLUTCH SYSTEM ON VEHICLE AND ADVISED US THAT YES THERE WAS SIGNS OF CLUTCH OVERHEATED. CALLED FIAT USA AGAIN AND ADVISED THEM OF WHAT DEALER HAD SAID AND FIAT USA TOLD ME THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE I DID NOT READ MY OWNERS MANUAL. I READ THE ENTIRE MANUAL, PAGE BY PAGE AND NOWHERE IN THE MANUAL DOES IT STATE THAT THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE PLACED IN NEUTRAL AT STOP AND GO SITUATIONS. FIAT USA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERES SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH SYSTEM ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THERES A LOT POST ON THE TOPIC ON THE INTERNET

I BARELY HAD THE CAR OVER ONE YEAR BEFORE THE CLUTCH GOES OUT WITHOUT WARNING PREMATURELY AS I'VE NOTICED IS THE CASE WITH SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS. THEY WON'T FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY AND WORD IT "WEAR AND TEAR" TO KEEP FROM PAYING FOR IT. IT COST ME $1200 TO FIX AN ALMOST BRAND NEW CAR. I PULLED INTO A FRIEND'S DRIVE AND WITH NO WARNING I HEARD A POP WHEN I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND IT WOULD.NO LONGER MOVE OR ALLOW ME TO SHIFT.

AT ABOUT 36,000 MILES IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CHANGE GEARS AND THEN SHIFTER SUDDENLY BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL WHILE ON THE ROAD. GOT OFF THE ROAD AND CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO FIRST GEAR, AND WHEN TRYING TO REVERSE IT MADE A HORRIBLE GRINDING SOUND. CAR WAS IMMOBILE. TURNS OUT THAT SOME 2012 FIATS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO HAVE FAULTY PRESSURE PLATES INSTALLED. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS MY PRESSURE PLATE AND QUOTED A PRICE OF 1100+ AS THEY SAID CLUTCH IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I FOUGHT THAT AND FIAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION ENDED UP PAYING FOR THE NEW CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. A PHOTO OF PRESSURE PLATE WERE EMAILED BY DEALER WITH THE NOTE: AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE PICTURE THE FINGERS FOR THE PRESSURE PLATE ARE BENT IN 3 PLACES CAUSING THE ISSUE YOU ARE EXPERIENCING. THE GOOD NEWS IS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH ERICKA FROM FIAT CHRYSLER HEADQUARTERS AND THIS WILL BE WARRANTIED BY THEM AT NO COST TO YOU FOR THE PARTS, LABOR OR RENTAL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AFTER THE CRASH, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.