2013 Fiat 500 Complaint Log

MY 2013 FIAT 500 WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I BROKE MY ARM AND HAD A HEAD INJURY... UPDATED 08-20-14 *BF--UPDATED 08-26-14*BF UPDATED 09/2/2014 *JS

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

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.

HAD TO REPLACE THE OEM TIRES ON MY 2013 FIAT 500 @ 5000 MI BECAUSE OF SIDEWALL BULGE,. TIRE SIZE IS 185 55 15 FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GT. NO LETTERS AFTER GT,FIRESTONE STORE TOLD ME ITS A ROAD HAZARD PROBLEM. I LOOKED ON THE WEB FOR FIAT TIRE PROBLEMS,OTHERS ARE HAVING SAME PROBLEM BUT SEEMS TO ONLY BE CARS WITH FIRESTONES.SO I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM,NONE OF MY 5 OTHER CARS,WHICH GO THE SAME PLACES HAVE A TIRE PROBLEM. I JUST TRIED TO CALL IN TO VSH HOTLINE AND GOT TREATED LIKE AN IDIOT. I'VE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR OVER 30 YEARS,I MAY HAVE SOME INSIGHT OF WHAT IS NORMAL TIRE PERFORMANCE. *TR

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

WHILE ACCELERATING THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT READ ANY HIGHER THAN 20 MPH, EVEN WHEN GOING SPEEDS WELL OVER 20 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD READ AT 0, HOWEVER ONCE ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING FROM OVER 20 MPH WOULD NOT BE REGISTERED. THE CAR WAS TURNED ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES, AND SHIFTED THROUGH ALL THE GEARS, STILL NO FIX. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500 SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE SAME DEFECT OCCURRED WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60.

THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) LIGHT CAME ON AFTER SLOWING DOWN AND THEN HAVING TO ACCELERATE FAST TO AVOID AN ONCOMING CAR AT AN INTERSECTION CROSSING. AT THE SAME TIME THE CAR LOST SPEED AND ACCELERATION. WE CONSULTED THE MANUAL IMMEDIATELY AND DID WHAT IT SAID, THAT IS TO RESTART THE CAR. WE DID THIS AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. TO DO THIS WE HAD TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE AND PARK AND THEN GET BACK ON. WHEN GETTING BACK ON I HAD TO SLOW DOWN AND AGAIN ACCELERATE QUICKLY AGAIN TO PROPERLY MERGE WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON THE 4 LANE WE WERE TRAVELING. THE ECT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND WE AGAIN STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE ECT LIGHT WENT OUT. ABOUT 4 MILES LATER AT AN INTERSECTION I SLOWED THEN ACCELERATED AFTER MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN (THE LIGHT WAS GREEN).THE ECT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THIS TIME I IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER AND ACCELERATION AND COULD NOT GET THE CAR ABOVE ABOUT 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR.WE HAPPENED TO BE TRAVELING TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP ON ANOTHER MATTER (PHONE PAIRING) AND WE WERE ONLY A HALF A MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP SO WE TOOK IT IN TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. THEY GAVE US THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS A LOANER.WE WENT A FEW MILES THE ECT LIGHT CAME ON IN THIS CAR (FIAT 500) SO WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THIS IN TWO CARS. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT I HAD TOUCHED OR PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDDLE AND THE ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME AND THIS CAUSES THE ECT SYSTEM TO ACTIVATE AN ECT LIGHT TO COME ON. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT IF YOU EVEN TOUCH THE BRAKE FOR EVEN A SECOND WHILE THE ACCELERATOR IS ENGAGED OR ESPECIALLY IF IT IS TRYING TO INCREASE SPEED TO THE TIRES THE ECT WILL ENGAGE AND LIGHT WILL COME ON AND TO RESET YOU HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP THE CAR TURN IT OFF SO THE SYSTEM WILL RESET. THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE TO ME WOULD INDICATE A SAFETY PROBLEM OR A DESIGN DEFECT. SIMILAR PROBLEMS SEEN ON INTERNET WITH THE ECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE LIGHTLY DEPRESSED AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE TURNED IN ORDER FOR THE NOISE TO SUBSIDE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. A WEEK LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT STRUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKES FAILED AND THE CALIPER SEIZED, WHICH CAUSED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE ROTOR TO ABNORMALLY DETERIORATE. THE ROTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CLUTCH COULD NOT BE DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,171.

EXPERIENCED REPEATED FAILURE OF THE AIR BAG SAFETY SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR FOUR TIMES AND FAILURE REOCCURED AT BETWEEN 1 AND 80 MILES DISABELING THE AIR BAG SAFETY SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17. *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.