FIAT Complaints

POWER CUT OUT AND CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC FOUR TIMES IN ONE DAY AS I WAS DRIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CAR ONLY HAD 4,900 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE MY COMPLAINTS ABOUT STALLING. I HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A RECALL COMPUTER SERVICE UPDATE REPAIR DONE TO THE CAR IN JUNE 2015. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CAPACITOR 08035025, AND OTHER WIRING. AND THE CAR SEEMS TO BE WORKING NOW, BUT FEAR OTHERS MIGHT NOT BE AS LUCKY IF THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY.

MY WIFE WAS IN TRAFFIC AND HER VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO AND THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON. SHE WAS STRANDED AND HAD TO CALL A WRECKER. THE DEALER TESTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG EXCEPT THAT IT WAS THE DOUBLE CLUTCH DESIGN FLAW AND STATED I NEEDED TO CALL FIAT AND PLACE A COMPLAINT. I DID SO AND FIAT SAID IT WAS A NATURAL DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC AND SE NEEDS TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHEN IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. LETS FACE IT IF THE DEALER WOULD OF STATED THAT WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED IT. HOW STUPID DOES FIAT THINK WE AMERICANS ARE? I AM GOING FORWARD WITH A LAWSUIT. DO NOT EVER PURCHASE A FIAT PRODUCT !!!

AS I WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO A DIAGONAL PARKING SPOT THERE WAS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND MY CAR SURGED 20 FEET FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER PARKED CAR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND A NEED TO SHIFT OCCURS, THE CLUTCH WILL LOCKUP, COMPLETELY FROZEN, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU PUSH, TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT GEAR. THIS HAPPENS EVERY 20,000 MILES AND EACH TIME, DEALER SERVICE DEPT SAYS IT'S A "BENT PRESSURE PLATE". BUT FIAT CLASSIFIES THIS A "WEAR & TEAR" ITEM AND CANNOT HELP. DEALER SERVICE WANTS $2000 EACH TIME (THOUGH INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS LIKELY WOULD CHARGE LESS). THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE AND FIAT WILL NOT HELP. HARD TO BELIEVE THAT FIAT BELIEVES THIS IS NORMAL EXPECTED BEHAVIOR ON THEIR VEHICLES, FOR OWNERS TO HAVE TO FORK OUT $2000 EVERY 20,000 MILES FOR NEW PRESSURE PLATES. WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU, IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS DEPENDING WHERE YOU HAPPEN TO BE AT THE TIME. INTERNET SEARCHES FOR FIAT PRESSURE PLATE WILL SHOW A PATTERN OF THIS ISSUE, AND NO OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM FIAT.

CAR SUDDENLY STOPS RUNNING WHILE JUST DRIVING FORWARD. IGNITION KEY REMAINS IN "ON" POSITION, BUT ALL ACCESSORY/WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES, THE FIRST WHILE CAR HAD 950 MILES ON IT IN OCTOBER 1012. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WHEN I RECEIVED IT BACK I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD "CHANGED THE SOFTWARE". THE SECOND TIME THE CAR CEASED RUNNING (5,414 MILES) WHILE BEING DRIVEN FORWARD, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND RECEIVED IT BACK WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR OCCASIONALLY DRIVING IT AROUND MY QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED UP. ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2015, I DECIDED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A NEARBY TARGET (APPROX. 1.5 MILES FROM MY HOME). THE CAR DROVE THERE PERFECTLY BUT CEASED RUNNING AS I DROVE TOWARDS HOME. AGAIN I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT FIAT/ALFA ROMEO OF AUSTIN. TODAY FIAT CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLED ME AND SAID THE SERVICE FACILITY WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND WAS RETURNING THE CAR TO ME AGAIN WITHOUT DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIR OF THE PROBLEM. MY CASE NUMBER WITH FIAT CUSTOMER SERVICE IS: 278-579-22. ALL THREE OF THESE VERY FRIGHTENING SUDDEN STALLS OCCURRED ON CITY STREETS. THERE IS NO UNUSUAL NOISE OR WARNING, THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY STOPS RUNNING. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD EACH TIME. THE ENGINE WAS NOT HOT OR WERE THERE ANY UNUSUAL ODORS OR SOUNDS. I TURNED ON MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS, TURNED THE IGNITION KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION, PUT THE SHIFT LEVER IN "PARK" AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED AGAIN AND RAN WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY. I WAS VERY, VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT HIT FROM BEHIND AS THE LAST TWO INCIDENTS WERE IN BUSY TRAFFIC AREAS. I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN.

I TOOK MY CAR IN TO FIAT IN SLC UTAH KEN GARFF THEY TOOK MY CAR SAID I HAD AN OIL LEAK THEN CAME BACK AND SAID I NEEDED A CATALYST CONVERTER I BELIEVE THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM HAS BEEN HACKED INTO BY THE DEALERSHIP IN ORDER TO MAKE MONEY WHICH PUTS ME AND MY 13 YEAR OLD CHILD ARE AT RISK IN THIS CAR PLEASE HELP I HAVE BEEN THOUGH THIS SAME THING IN BUFORD GA PLEASE HELP I WANT FIAT TO BUY MY CAR BACK I OWN IT OUT RIGHT PLEASE I DONT TRUST THE DEALER SOMETHING IS GOING ON WITH THE ELECTONIC SYSTEM

I HAD TO HAVE MY FRONT TWO TIRES REPLACED ON MY 2013 FIAT 500 ABARTH IN MAY 2015 AFTER ONLY 17 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP (BOUGHT IT NEW AT THE END OF 2013) AND 12,666 MILES, AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY. THESE WERE THE PERELLI 205/40R17XL BSW 3 SEASON TIRES. THE WEAR WAS SO BAD THEY WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2012 FIAT 500 SPORT WITH PERELLI'S AND HAD IT FOR 17 MONTHS, BUT PUT 30,105 MILES ON IT, AND ONLY HAD TO REPLACE TWO TIRES BECAUSE ONE GOT A NAIL IN IT. I KNOW ROTATING THE TIRES WHEN RECOMMENDED IS IMPORTANT. I HAVE HAD MY RECOMMENDED SERVICES FOR BOTH CARS AS THE DEALERSHIP HAS RECOMMENDED.

AT LEAST 3 TIMES SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED THE BATTERY DIED. THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES HAPPENED IN THE WINTER AND THE CAR WAS LEFT PARKED FOR 2-3 DAYS. IN FEBRUARY THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. THE FIAT DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED AT THE TIME THAT IN THE COLD I SHOULDN'T LET THE CAR SIT FOR TOO LONG, BECAUSE ON THE FIAT THE SYSTEMS USE THE BATTERY EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS NOT ON. I THOUGHT IT ODD, BUT FIGURED MAYBE THE COLD WEATHER COULD DO THIS. THIS SUMMER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR WAS NOT USED IN 3 DAYS. IT DIDN'T START AND I HAD TO GET JUMPED. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THIS TIME THEY SAID THAT THEY FOUND OUT FROM FIAT THAT UNFORTUNATELY THE CAR IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT DRAINS ON THE BATTERY WHEN NOT IN USE AND THAT I CAN'T LET THE CAR SIT FOR MORE THEN 3 DAYS WITHOUT STARTING IT. HOW CRAZY IS THAT! THEY TOLD ME THAT IF I WENT AWAY AND HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR, THAT I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE CABLES FROM THE BATTERY. ARE THEY KIDDING? HOW CAN ANYONE DESIGN A CAR LIKE THAT. THEY JUST SHOOK THEIR HEADS AND SAID THERE IS NO FIX AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CAR THIS WAY. HOW SAFE AM I IF I HAVE TO LEAVE THE CAR PARKED FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND THEN WHEN I HAVE TO USE IT, THE BATTERY IS DEAD. THERE NEEDS TO BE A FIX FOR THIS. THANKS

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON, "CLUTCH OVER HEATING" DISPLAYED AND THE CAR STOPPED SHIFTING SMOOTHLY. THE DEALER "RESET" THE CLUTCH; AFTER DRIVING 1 MILE, IT HAPPENED AGAIN STOPPING IN TRAFFIC ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR "WAIT WHILE THE CLUTCH COOLS DOWN" ALMOST CAUSING CRASHES AS CARS VEERED TO GET AROUND MY STOPPED CAR. THE DEALER REPLACED THEN CLUTCH. IN LESS THAN 2 MILES, THE CAR HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, BUT WOULD ONLY AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO GEARS 2, 4, 6 AND WOULD SHIFT IN A JERKING MANNER AT BEST. REVERSE GEAR WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND ALARMS WOULD SOUND IF I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL OR REVERSE ("THIS GEAR NOT AVAILABLE" WOULD DISPLAY.) THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION AND THE FLYWHEEL AND TOLD ME THIS MODEL HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS NOW JUST GONE OVER 10,000 MILES. I DO NOT TRUST THIS CAR. I WANT AND NEED A REPLACEMENT. I DO NOT BELIEVE AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS - TWICE LEAVING ME STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY - THE CAR IS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A LEMON.

I WAS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC ON AN EXTREMELY BUSY ROAD. THERE IS ALWAYS HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THIS ROAD SO YOU MUST PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC QUICKLY. WHEN DOING SO I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR DID NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. IT WAS LIKE IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. THE RPM'S REVED AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. I WAS ALMOST HIT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICAL. THIS HAPPENED ON SATURDAY SEPT. 5TH. ON TUES. SEPT 8TH I WAS ON AN ON RAMP TO THE INTERSTATE. I ONCE AGAIN PRESSED FIRMLY ONTHE GAS PEDEL TO BE ABLE TO MEGER INTO TRAFFIC AND QUICKLY GET UP TO SPEED. WHILE DOING SO, THE CAR ACTED THE SAME WAY. IT WAS LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. I WAS ONCE AGAIN ALMOST HIT BY SEVERAL CARS. I CALLED FIAT IN PORTLAND AND DEMANDED THEY LOOK AT THE CAR. AT FIRST THEY COULD'NT GET ME IN AS THEY WERE OVER BOOKED. I EXPLAINED THAT I HAVE SURGERY IN MASS. ON FRIDAY THE 11TH AND I CANNOT DRIVE THIS CAR ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. I FEEL EXTREMELY UNSAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE MANY OTHER MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING INTO AS WELL. THIS IS THE WORST CAR THAT I HAVE EVER PURCHACED. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED FIAT USA.