FIAT Complaints

AFTER ASKING I WAS TOLD THAT THE ISSUE IS CALLED CABIN PRESSURE. THIS OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS OVER 20MPH THE PRESSURE INTERFERES WITH YOUR ABILITY TO HEAR. GIVES YOU ALMOST A HEADACHE IT HURTS YOUR EARS. IT OCCURS WHEN A WINDOW IS ROLLED DOWN MORE THEN 1 INCH. SOMETIMES YOU CAN STOP IT BY ROLLING DOWN ANOTHER WINDOW BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO ROLL DOWN A 3RD WINDOW TO MAKE IT STOP. IT IS WORSE WHEN THE WINDOW IS ROLLED DOWN 1/4 OF THE WAY OR MORE. *JS

THE VEHICLE "POPS" OUT OF 5TH GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 60MPH OR HIGHER. THE TACHOMETER GOES INTO THE RED AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN IN TRAFFIC OR ON A HILL UNTIL PLACED INTO GEAR AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FIAT 500L. THE CONTACT WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V103000 (TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER). THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED UP A HILL, DOWN A HILL OR FLAT LAND THE GEARS SLIPPED FORWARD IN DRIVE AND BACKWARD WHILE IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES WITH FORCE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE FAILURE WAS INSPECTED, DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250.

I'M A POLICE OFFICER THAT INVESTIGATED A CRASH INVOLVING A FORD F150 P/U TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH; REAR ENDING, STRAIGHT ON, A 2012 FIAT 500C THAT WAS STOPPED WAITING TO MAKE A TURN. UPON IMPACT BOTH FRONT SEATS IN THE FIAT COMPLETELY RECLINED AND TWISTED OUTWARD TO THE EXTENT THE SEATS COULD NOT RETURN TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE OUTWARD SIDES OF THE SEAT BACKS WERE WEDGE AGAINST THE "B" PILLAR. LEG INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY IF THERE WERE BACK SEAT PASSENGERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATE. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN RESTARTED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOUR TIMES FOR THE RECURRING FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,600.

I PURCHASED MY FIRST CAR 2013 FIAT, I AM A STUDENT AND I DRIVE ABOUT 1.20 HRS TO MY UNIVERSITY FROM HOME. ON 3/17/14 I WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL THAT I HAD A FLAT TIRE .I FOUND OUT THIS CAR IT DOES NOT COME WITH SPARE TIRE JACK AND TOOLS, THERE IS A SMALL AIR PUMP UNDER THE SEAT THAT YOU HAVE TO REMOVE IT AND PLUG IT IN TO THE OUTLET AND PUT AIR IN TO THE TIRE, I TRIED TO PUT AIR INTO THE TIRE BUT THE PUMP DID NOT WORK. I CALLED FIAT THEY TOLD ME THE PUMP IS GOOD ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE LOW AIR IN THE TIRE BUT IF YOU HAVE A FLAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO CHANGE THE TIRE OR FIX IT I CALLED MY FATHER TO COME AND HELP ME BECAUSE I WAS STRANDED AND FRIGHTENED AND LATE FOR MY SCHOOL AND NO SPARE TIRE CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE NO WERE OR I HAVE TO TAKE SOMEBODY TO THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY OR....A YOUNG GIRL WITH OUT NO SPARE TIRE WHAT WOULD HAPPENED TO ME OR ANY OTHER FIAT OWNERS. MY FATHER CAME AND CHECK THE TIRE ALL OVER AND TOOK PICTURES OF IT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF NO NAILS INTO THE TIRES. HE CALLED FIAT ROAD SIDE ASSISTANT THEY TOLD HIM YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR 90 MINUTES FOR TOW SERVICE AND WHEN HE COMPLAINT TO THEM FOR LONG HOUR WAIT THEY TOLD MY FATHER YOU CAN PAY FROM YOUR POCKET AND DEAL WITH IT..!! . I THINK THE SPARE TIRE AND JACK & TOOLS ARE NECESSITY AND A SAFETY ISSUE FOR A VEHICLE AND THEY MUST HAVE IT IN THE CAR IN CASE YOU ARE FAR AWAY AND NO ACCESS TO ANY DEALER AROUND YOU AND YOUR LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. MY FATHER ASK THE FIAT OVER THE PHONE WHY THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE SPARE TIRE PACKAGE THEY TOLD HIM YOU SHOULD ASK THE DEALER AT THE TIME OF THE SALE TO SELL IT TO YOU..??? ALL THE CARS MANDATORY BY LAW MUST HAVE SAFETY FEATURES FOR THE CONSUMERS ONE OF THEM IS SPARE TIRE PACKAGE. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST FIAT AND FIAT DEALERS FOR SELLING UNSAFE VEHICLE TO THE CONSUMER. *TR

FIRST INCIDENT IN JAN. 2014 DEAD BATTERY, SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE WAITING IN DRIVE THROUGH LINE FOR FOOD. CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMELL HORRIBLE. PEOPLE CAME RUNNING TO ME TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF CAR BECAUSE IT COULD BLOW UP. STEERING LOCKED . NEEDED TO START CAR AGAIN TO PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND GET PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY AND AWAY FROM BUILDING. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. RECEIVED CAR 2 WEEKS LATER AND WAS TOLD AGAIN THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE BUT THE CLUTCH BECAME ENGAGED AND STUCK. HAD CLUTCH, FLY WHEEL AND A FEW OTHER PARTS REPLACED. I AM 85 AND BECOMING VERY AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. DON'T THINK A CAR THAT IS NOT YET 1 YEAR OLD SHOULD BE ACTING THIS WAY AND DEALERSHIP SEEMS SURPRISED EACH TIME SOMETHING HAPPENS. DOES SOMETHING SERIOUS HAVE TO HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE THEY REALIZE THERE IS A TRUE PROBLEM HERE. *TR

HAD CAR FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND AFTER COMING HOME FROM VACATION, 1 WEEK, BATTERY TOTALLY DEAD. AFTER AAA ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE BATTERY 3 TIMES IT FINALLY CHARGED UP BUT WAS TOLD TO DRIVE DIRECTLY TO DEALERSHIP. I GOT ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HOME WHEN CAR AGAIN DIED IN MIDDLE OF ROAD BUT WAS ABLE TO STEER TO THE SIDE BEFORE STEERING LOCKED. AFTER CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THEY NEVER REALLY SAW THIS BEFORE, A TOTALLY DEAD BATTERY THAT WOULD NOT CHARGE UP. NO EXPLANATION, ACCUSED ME OF POSSIBLY LEAVING LIGHTS ON WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE. THEY SAID IF I WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE CAR SITTING FOR EVEN A FEW DAYS I SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE START CAR TO KEEP BATTERY CHARGED. FUNNY BUT MY DAUGHTER'S 2010 FORD FOCUS SAT FOR THE SAME WEEK WITHOUT BEING STARTED AND WHEN I STARTED IT THAT CAR HAD NO PROBLEM. *TR

WHEN STOPPED ON A UPWARD SLOPE AND I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARDS 15 FEET OR MORE UNTIL I STEP ON THE BRAKE AGAIN. IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THEREFORE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN NEUTRAL OR HAD A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, BUT BEING AUTOMATIC THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE IN SLOWED TO STOPPED TRAFFIC OR IN PARKING LOTS. ALL THE VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED IN THE PAST WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WHEN I EASE OFF THE BRAKE THE AUTO WOULD START EASING FORWARD NOT ROLLING BACKWARD. THIS FEELS LIKE DRIVING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITHOUT THE NEED TO SHIFT GEARS. *TR

THIS CAR HAS TOTALLY INCONSISTENT BRAKES. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE "BRAKE-BY-WIRE" ELECTRONICS, BUT I'D BET SO, AND THERE PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE A SOFTWARE UPGRADE. THEY CANNOT BE MODULATED NORMALLY. THEY GRAB AND SLAM THEMSELVES AT ONE INSTANT AND THE NEXT ARE SMOOTH AND EASY. JERKS YOU AROUND WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS JUST SIMPLY A FLAW AND THE DEALER SAYS "THEY ARE ALL LIKE THAT",AND "WE HEAR THAT A LOT", BUT THERE IS "NOTHING TO BE DONE". *TR