What 394 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth

WHILE DRIVING HOME VIA LOCAL CITY SURFACE STREETS, THE GEARBOX FAIL LIGHT AND THE HAVE TRANSMISSION CHECKED MESSAGE CAME UP ON THE DASH CLUSTER. I DROVE THE CAR 4 MORE MILES TO A SERVICE STATION, STOPPING TWICE ON THE WAY. THE CAR BEGAN RUNNING POORLY. INCLUDING BUCKING, REVVING HIGH, WHILE STAYING AT LOW SPEED, STALLING AND BUCKING AT LIGHTS LOW IDLE OR STOPS. THE SERVICE STATION SAID OTHER THAN A LOW NUMBER (4 TIMES PER 1000 I THINK...A CYLINDER MISFIRE) NO CODES CAME UP. WHEN RESET THE CAR WOULD RUN BRIEFLY AS NORMAL BUTAT FIRST STOP ALL ISSUES WOULD RESUME IN FULL AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME (2 BLOCKS) BUT WAS NOT SURE IT WOULD MAKE IT. IT SITS IN MY PARKING SPOT AS WE SPEAK.

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WE RECENTLY WENT IN FOR A RECALL TO THE SHIFT MECHANISM. UPON COMPLETION, THE DEALER FAILED TO SECURE THE GROUND WIRE BACK TO THE BATTERY. AFTER A FEW SHORT TRIPS, THE LOOSE CONNECTION CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO FAIL. THE DEALER WILL NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS AND WANTS $930 FOR THE REPAIR. CUSTOMER SERVICE BELIEVES THIS IS SIMPLY AN OLD CAR AND WILL NOT SUPPORT IT EITHER. ULTIMATELY THIS WILL CAUSE US TO THINK TWICE BEFORE ACTING ON THE NEXT RECALL NOTICE.

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STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGH PUT CAR IN NETURAL WHEN TRIED SWITCH INTO GEAR COULD NOT HAD TO PUSH CAR OFF ROAD IN HIGH TRAFIC ARE. ON LINE RECALL STATES DUE TO FRACTURE IN DIAPHRAGM CAUSING INABILITY TO SWITCH GEARS

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CAR SOMETIMES CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. ALL GUAGES SPIKE, CAR CUTS OFF. I PULL OVER AND IT STARTS BACK UP. NO CODES WERE STORED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11317810

ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 MY 2012 FIAT 500 BEGAN TO EMIT A STRONG ODOR. I THOUGHT THE CAR WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. THE CAR ALSO MADE A LOUD, SCREECHING AND GRINDING NOISE. WHEN I ARRIVED SAFELY TO MY DESTINATION, A FEW MINUTES AWAY, I STOPPED AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. I HAD TO CANCEL A HAIR APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE DISTANCE IN THE VEHICLE. ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2019 I TOOK MY CAR INTO A FIAT CHRYSLER DODGE RAM JEEP DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND FREE BASIC INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY ALSO HEARD THE NOISE COMING FROM THE CLUTCH AREA BUT NEEDED TO PERFORM AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSTIC. I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY AT THE TIME SO I WAITED UNTIL JANUARY 2, 2020 TO HAVE THE DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND WHILE MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP I TOOK LYFT RIDESHARE FOR TRANSPORTATION AS I DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR. THE CAR STAYED IN THE SHOP OVER THE WEEKEND AND I WAS ABLE TO PICK IT UP ON MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020. THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO A RECALL FCA # S34, NHTSA# 16V-302 THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE YEARS BEFORE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RESOLVED FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT I WAS HAVING SIMILAR AND WORSE PROBLEMS, WHICH ARE DUE TO THE PREVIOUS FAULTY CAR PART. THE FIAT HAS ONLY $113K MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY AND NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A HONDA CIVIC (GAINED OVER 200K MILES) AND A CHEVY AVEO AND NEITHER CAR HAD THIS ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED HAD I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. THE CLUTCH COULD HAVE STOPPED ALL TOGETHER AND WE COULD HAVE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED ON THE INTERSTATE OR STREET TRAFFIC. EVEN WITH THE REPAIRS I AM NO LONGER CONFIDENT IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE DECLARED A LEMON.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V817000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF BURLINGAME LOCATED AT (2 CALIFORNIA DR SUITE A, BURLINGAME, CA 94010) BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PART DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECTS. *DT *JB*DT*JB

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V817000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTO NATION FIAT NORTH DENVER LOCATED AT (749 W 104TH AVE SUITE 100, NORTHGLENN, CO 80234 303-578-6121) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500 SPORT HATCHBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE RIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SMOOTH. THE CONTACT THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS AN ODOR OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FIAT OF BURLINGAME LOCATED AT 2 CALIFORNIA DR SUITE A BURLINGAME, CA 94010, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE PCV VALVE SEAL AND ALSO REPAIRED THE CABLE SHIFTER IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V817000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CONTACTED PUTNAM CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE 3 CALIFORNIA DR, BURLINGAME, CA 94010 WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER CONTACTING THE LOCAL DEALER STEVEN WADE FIAT (1724 S. HILTON DR. ST. UTAH), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN) WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT PRESENT ON THE VEHICLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V817000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. FIAT OF BURLINGAME LOCATED AT 2 CALIFORNIA DR, DIRECTION BURLINGAME, CA 94010; PHONE NUMBER 650-753-1537, WAS CONTACTED BUT WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PART NOT YET AVAILABLE.

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BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ON OCT 19TH 2019 WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION SKIPPED SEVERAL TIMES THIS IS A 2012 500 POP MODEL FIAT AUTOMATIC. .AFRAID TO DRIVE FAST FEAR OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE ,SPECIALLY NOTICABLE WHEN GOING UP A GRADE AND WHEN DEPRESSING FUEL PEDAL TO PASS .

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OIL PRESURE LIGHT COMES ON SAYING STOP TURN ENGINE OFF LOW IOL PRESSURE AFTER I DRIVE IT FOR ABOUT 10 MINS I GUESS AFTER IT GET HOT. THEN CHEXK ENGINE LIGGT COMES WITH IT. OTHER PEOPLE HAS AND ARE GOING THREW THE SAME THING WITH 2012 FIAT 509 SPORTS. ITS ALL OVER THE YOU TUBE WHY IS THIS HAPPING. I REPLACE OIL PRESURE SENSOR AND CHANGED MY OIL SAME THING IT DIDNT CHANGE ANYTHING ASKING FOR A RECALL ON THE OIL PUM OR WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. PLUS IT MAKEA A SOUND AFTER DRIVING AT THE SAME TIME IT SHOWS UP WHILE PUSHING GAS PEDAL

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2012 FIAT POP WITH 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAY LEAK OIL FROM CASE SEAM AND AT HALF SHAFT SEALS. FIAT DEALERSHIP REPLACED FIRST TRANSMISSION AFTER 600 MILES. LEAKING AGAIN AT 30,000 MILES. OIL IS SLUNG FROM INNER CV JOINT BOOTS INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ONTO GROUND. THIS COULD CREATE HAZARDS OF FIRE FROM HOT EXHAUST, LOSS OF TRACTION FROM OIL ON ROAD SURFACE. FIAT REFUSES TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM AFTER SECOND ROUND AND DEALERSHIP FUMBLING REPAIR. STILL HAVE LEAKS, COMPROMISED TRANSMISSION ...UNSAFE CAR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO OPERATE. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE TO ENTER A PARKING SPACE AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO PARK, THE GEAR SHIFTER ENGAGED INTO NEUTRAL INSTEAD. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE GEAR OUT OF NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SECURE THE VEHICLE IN THE PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: R20. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

NHTSA ODI 11232872

SHIFTER CABLE AT TRANSMISSION LINKAGE BROKEN. WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS. VEHICLE WAS PARKED/TURNED OFF AT GAS PUMP. TURNED VEHICLE ON AND WOULD NOT GET OUT OF PARK/SHIFT GEARS. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED BYPASS THE 'PARK' TO PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TO BE TOWED AND WAS NOT ABLE TO.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. HARTSVILLE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (900 E BOBO NEWSOM HWY, HARTSVILLE, SC 29550, (843) 309-9892) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT SMELLED CARBON MONOXIDE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED, BUT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, THE ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CLUTCH WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES RECURRED. AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE TRANSMISSION HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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CAR HAS OIL LEAK FROM ENGINE MAIN SEAL.ISSUE ADVICED TO DEALER UPON SALE,MECHANICS DENIED UNTIL 3RD PARTY ESTIMATE.THEN DEALER SAID TO HAVE FIXED IT UNTIL ONCE AGAIN THE ISSUE CAME UP--SERVICE DONE FOR MAINTENANCE KEPT. DEALERSHIP SOLD. NEW OWNERS OF DEALERS FOUND SAME PROBLEM. NEW WARRANTY DENIED CLAIMS AND SAID IT WAS A PREX CONDITION THAT WAS NOT TAKEN CARE. CAR CONTINUES TO LEAK OIL AND ISSUE IS NOW ON MY BILL AS RESPONSIBILITY. ISSUE IS A FIAT BRAND FOR THE YEAR 2012 AND SHOULD BE FIAT RESPONISBILILITY TO MONITOR AND RECALL CARS WITH THESE ISSUES TO FIX.FIAT TOO NEEDS TO MONITOR DEALERSHIPS THAT SELL USED CARS WITH PROBLEMS THEY DENY TO SERVICE PRIOR TO SELLING AND AWARE OF THE ISSUE BEFORE IT WAS SOLD ALONG WITH A RECALL THAT HAD NOT BEEN SERVICED PRIOR TO THE SALE AND OLD MANAGER/PRIOR TO SALE OF BUSINESS DID NOT TAKE CARE OF ALTHOUGH AWARE IT WAS IN PLACE..

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GEAR SHIFT IS STUCK IN PARK BUT CAR IS ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. IT WILL NOT MOVE. WAS PULLING IN PARKING SPOT AND REALIZED WHEN I PUT CAR IN PARK AND RELEASE FOOT OFF BRAKE MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. CANNOT CHANGE GEAR.

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I DRIVE A MANUAL FIAT, AND I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL AND MY CLUTCH WASN'T ENGAGING PROPERLY, I WAS LOSING TORQUE,AND THERES A LOUD SQUEAKING WHEN I PRESS ON THE CLUTCH.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING, THE CLUTCH FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE RELEASING THE PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. *DT *JB

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TONY DOMIANO AUTO (LOCATED AT 900 SCRANTON CARBONDALE HWY, EYNON, PA 18403, (570) 876-3919) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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THE FIAT HAD THE RECOMMENDED RECALL FIX FOR MAUAL TRANSMISSION PERFORMED IN 2017. WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT DISENGAGE PROPERLY. GEARS COULD ONLY BE CHANGED WITH THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED AND THE ENGINE OFF. REPAIR IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM "PRESSURE PLATE FINGERS HAVE FAILED BECAUSE OF S34 RECALL. THIS RUINED THE CLUTCH PLATE CAUSING SHIFITNG ISSUES."

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CAR STARTED SOUNDING BAD AND ONE NIGHT THE CLUTCH GOT STUCK SO I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE CLUTCH. DEALERSHIP IS AN HOUR AWAY AND WOULDN'T COVER TOWING "UNLESS THEY WERE SURE IT WAS A RECALL ISSUE" SO EITHER I COULD PAY FOR TOWING (I DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THAT) OR DRIVE IT IN. NO MENTION THAT DRIVING IT COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE NOT COVERED. SO I DROVE IT IN WITH THE BAD CLUTCH. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEN AND THEY AGREED TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUTCH. WHEN THEY STARTED REPAIRS, THEY NOTICED DAMAGE TO THE FORK SHAFT AND TRANSMISSION, WHICH WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. $2400. I GOOGLED THE RECALL TO FIND OUT DETAILS AND THE RECALL EXISTS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE CLUTCH PROBLEM CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. SO I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WON'T COVER IT ONCE THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.

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