2013 FIAT 500 Structure Problems

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.

Mileage: 118,000

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.

Mileage: 60,000

TWICE SINCE 2014, THE HEAVY DRIVER SIDE, GLASS WINDOW HAS SLID DOWN INTO THE DOOR AND HAS NEEDED EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. DRIVING WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS NOT SAFE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ALSO AT LEAST ONE OR OTHER OF THE HEADLAMPS NEEDED CHANGING, THREE TIMES, CREATING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE UNTIL I HAD THE TIME TO GET IN AND HAVE THEM FIXED. THE DOORS ARE EXTREMELY HEAVY AND THE STOPS THAT HOLD THEM OPEN, DO NOT WORK WHEN THE CAR IS NOT PARKED ON THE LEVEL (WHICH IT HARDLY EVER IS, IN THE HILLY SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA). THIS CREATES A MAJOR RISK OF THE HEAVY DOOR SLAMMING ONTO YOUR LOWER LIMBS AS YOU GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR. THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFECTS IN THE DESIGN OF THIS CAR, AND SHOULD BE REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER.

Mileage: 60,000

DRIVING IN 3RD GEAR SLID AND HIT THE GUARD RAIL AND WHEN VEHICLE STOPPED COULDN'T GET VEHICLE OUT OF 3RD GEAR. HAD TO USE BOTH HANDS TO GET VEHICLE INTO 1ST GEAR. AFTER VEHICLE WAS IN 1ST GEAR THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR. FOUND A RECALL BULLETIN #16V302000 ON FCA US LLC WEBSITE WHICH DESCRIBES A RECALL FOR S34: "IF THE CLUTCH DIAPHRAGM SPRING FAILS, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS OR THE VEHICLE MAY LOSE POWER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH." THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPEN TO THE VEHICLE. FIAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT STAND BEHIND RECALL S34 ON THIS VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING IN 3RD GEAR AND COULDN'T GET VEHICLE TO GO INTO 4TH GEAR STUCK AND CRASHED ON A COUNTY ROAD.

Mileage: 63,109

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRANSMISSION LIGHT COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. AMBIENT TEMP SENSOR RECORDS CRAZY TEMPS AS LOW AS NEGATIVE 40 F. PLASTIC CASING AROUND PASSENGER SIDE VIEW MIRROR MELTED WHICH IS WHERE AMBIENT TEMP SENSOR IS LOCATED AND COULD BE FIRE HAZARD. DEALER HAS CHANGED AMBIENT SENSOR BUT WARNINGS AND WILD TEMPS STILL OCCURRING. INCIDENTS OCCUR AS SOON AS CAR IS TURNED ON AND STAY ON FOR VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF TIME

Mileage: 30,000

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY CAR I HAD ISSUES WITH A TAIL LIGHT GOING OUT WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS. THEN A HEADLIGHT 2 MONTHS AFTER THAT THEN 12 MONTHS A TAILLIGHT THEN ANOTHER TAILLIGHT AND HEADLIGHT WELL YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN THEN THEY RECALLED A CLUCH ON MY CAR BUT THEY DIDNT HAVE A REPLACEMNT PART YET AND THEY NEVER CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE RECALL I ASSUME IT WAS THIS ORGANIZATION BUT WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT THE CLUCH JUST DROPPED OUT FROM UNDER MY FOOT AND ALMOST CAUSE ME TO CRASH WHEN I RECOVERED AND HAD TO STOPO BECAUSE OF A RED LIGHT I THROUGH ON MY EMERGANCIES AND ANOTHER TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT BUT THIS TIME I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS SWITHCHING LANES I NEVER RECIEVED A WARNING LIGHT THAT MY TAILLIGHT WAS OUT NOW I HAVE HAD MY TAIL LIGHT GO OUT AGAIN AND A HEADLIGHT WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER AND STILL NO WARNING SIGN ALSO NOW THE BATTERY IS GOING OUT ON ME SOMETHIMES I CAN START THE SOMETIMES I CANT BUT NO WARNING SIGN UNLESS ITS NOT GOING TO TURN OVER AT ALL THEN I GET ALL THE BELLS GOING OFF FOR THAT WHEN THEY WERE REPAIRING THE CLUCH I ASKED ABOUT MY WARRENTY AND THEY SAID IT ALREADY RAN OUT BUT THAT WASNT TRUE I WAS CLOSE BUT I HAVE RUST PINHOLES COMING FROM UNDER THE PAINT ALL OVER MY WHITE CAR.

Mileage: 49,920

MY 2013 FIAT ABARTH WAS REAR ENDED. I WAS STOPPED. THE OTHER DRIVER, IN A GRAND CHEROKEE, REAR ENDED ME. HIS SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH. I WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BRIEFLY & HAD SEVERE HEAD PAIN. I AM STILL UNDERGOING TREATMENT. NONE OF MY CARS SAFETY FEATURES WORKED, INCLUDING THE FUEL PUMP SHUT OFF. I BELIEVE THE SEAT HIT ME IN THE HEAD. THE ABARTH HAS UNIQUE, HIGH BACKED SEATS WITH A FIXED / INTEGRATED HEAD REST WITH A HARD, PLASTIC INSERT. MY SEATBELTS FAILED TO TIGHTEN AND THE FUEL PUMP FAILED TO SHUT OFF. I WORKED FOR CHRYSLER FIAT AT THE TIME AND DID TELL PEOPLE IN ENGINEERING ABOUT THE CONCERN. I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION & NOW HAVE CONSTANT, DAILY HEADACHES AND MIGRAINES.

Mileage: 12,000

EXPRESSWAY DRIVING AT 55MPH WHEN TRAFFIC CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT. HARD BREAKING TRANSPIRED, ATTEMPT AT EVASION, RESULTING IN A FRONT IMPACT INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THEN A REBOUND IMPACT INTO A RETAINMENT WALL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. NONE OF THE 7 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED...UPDATED 05/07/15 *BF UPDATED 9/16/2015 *JS *TR

Mileage: 20,000

CENTER EMBLEM KEEPS COMING OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE STEERING WHEEL REVEALING THE AIRBAG BEHIND IT. I KEEP "POPPING" IT BACK IN PLACE, BUT IT DOES NOT STAY. THE NEAREST DEALER FOR REPAIRS IS 90 MILES AWAY. I SCHEDULED A TIME FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT, BUT NOW HAVE TO BRING IT IN AGAIN SO THEY CAN KEEP IT LONGER TO DETERMINE IF IT JUST NEEDS THAT PIECE REPAIRED OR IF I NEED A WHOLE NEW STEERING WHEEL. I CAN ONLY HOPE THE AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY FROM BEHIND THIS LOOSE PIECE AS IT IS CLEARLY NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. *TR

Mileage: 500

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

Mileage: 6,500