What 164 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

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RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN JUNE, 2 MONTHS LATER AND THE DEALERSHIP IS STILL TELLING ME THAT FIAT HASN'T SENT THEM THE PARTS AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE RECALL IS RELATED TO THE CLUTCH GOING OUT. THE RECALL NOTICE NOTED THAT THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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AFTER CONTACTING CHRYSLER CORP I AM BEING TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO PARTS FOR MY RECALL AND THAT I SHOULD MAKE THE REPAIR ON MY OWN UTILIZING THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT ARE ON RECALL!!! I ALREADY HAD AN ACCIDENT ON 7/29 WHEN THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUSH IT OUT OF HARMS WAY I FELL HARD ON THE CONCRETE. TO PUT IN AT MY COST THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS IS PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER.

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FIAT 500 STICK SHIFT RECALL I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORPORATE TO INQUIRE ABOUT MY RECALL AND THEY ARE STATING THAT THEY HAVE NO PARTS. IF I WOULD LIKE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR I COULD THEN I COULD "BATTLE IT OUT" WITH CHRYSLER FOR REIMBURSEMENT. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. I ONLY FOUND OUT WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN THE STICK SEIZED UP AND I COULDNT SHIFT MY CAR AND IT LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE STREET. I PUSHED MY CAR OUT OF HARMS WAY AND I ENDED UP FALLING ON THE STREET WHEN I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR PUSHING IT. 2 POLICE OFFICERS CAME TO MY AID. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY HAD IT TOWED. THEN I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE/. I HAVE CALLED CHRYSLER CORPORATION BUT NO ONE WILL ADDRESS MY COMPLAINT. I AM WITHOUT A CAR, A RENTAL NOTHING. I WAS ADVISED 3 TIMES THAT A FIAT MANAGER FROM CORPORATE WOULD CALL ME. THEY HAVE NOT. NO ONE WANTS TO ASSIST ME.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE SHIFTER GEAR FAILED TO SHIFT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/22/16*LJ *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FCA US LLC REGARDING MY VEHICLE'S SAFETY RECALL (S34 / NHTSA 16V-302) ABOUT A MONTH A HALF NOW. EVERY TIME I TRY TO REACH FIAT OR THE FCA RECALL ASSISTANCE CENTER, THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT THE PART HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED. PER THE FCA'S NOTICE IT INDICATES THE FOLLOWING "THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, SHIFT GEARS AND/OR LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING". IT'S BEEN OVER A MONTH THAT I GET IN MY CAR WONDERING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN --WILL I CRASH, GET HURT OR EVEN DIE DUE TO THIS?!!? YET NO ONE IS HELPING AND I KEEP GETTING THE RUN-AROUND. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE PART IN QUESTION? THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS WE TRUST THE CARS WE BUY TO BE SAFE!!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN) WAS RECEIVED. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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THE MANUAL SHIFTER IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE, 1ST AND SECOND GEAR. I WAS TOLD BY FIAT THAT THE REVERSE GEAR IS A QUIRK OF THE CAR AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION. THIS 1 &2 SHIFTING PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE GEARS WERE DIFFICULT DUE TO THE CLUTCH AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. MY CAR HAS 12,400 MILES AND THE CLUTCH WAS NOT COVERED AND I PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT. I WAS SHOCKED THAT MY CLUTCH NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT 12,000 MILES! I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE ABOUT THE DEFECT, BUT FIAT AGREED THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUTCH. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE GEARS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT CLUTCH NEEDED REPLACEMENT, THE CAR HAS A DEFECT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

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I OWNED THE SECOND FIAT 500 THOUGHT THE BRAKE'S ISSUE WOULD GO AWAY WHEN DRIVING IN THE WINTER TIME. BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR AND EVEN YOU PRESSED IT ALL THE WAY DOWN. I HEARD FROM A FRIEND WHO LOST CONTROL OF HER FIAT'S BRAKE THIS LAST WINTER IN BOSTON, MA AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IT'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLES AS WELL BEFORE THE WINTER THIS YEAR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE LATCH MALFUNCTIONED AND THE HATCHBACK COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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AT 25,000 MILES I HAD AN OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION. AFTER THAT, I NOTICED UNSAFE FEELING ON MY STEERING ON HIGH SPEED (OVER 75MPH) THAT I NEVER FELT BEFORE THE SERVICE. IT JUST DIDN'T FEEL STEADY. BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN THEN THEY REPLACED AN INTERNAL SHAFT BUT DIDN'T HELP. BROUGHT BACK IN TWICE MORE AND THEY TEST DROVE IT AND CHECKED EVERYTHING (SO THEY SAID) BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRES WERE GETTING OLD AND TO JUST GET USED TO IT AND NOT TO DRIVE SO FAST. BUT ON INTERSTATES, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO WITH THE FLOW AND THAT FLOW CAN BE THAT HIGH SPEED. I TALKED TO TWO SERVICE PERSONNEL BUT THEY SEEMED LIKE THAT THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND MY CONCERN NOR CARE ABOUT IT. I POSTED MY CONCERN ON FIAT USA FACEBOOK PAGE AND SOMEONE FROM THE FIAT HEADQUARTERS CONTACTED ME WHICH WAS NICE BUT NOT MUCH HELP BECAUSE MY DEALERSHIP DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THEM. I WAS EVEN SUGGESTED BY A PERSON FROM THE HEADQUARTERS TO CHANGE THE DEALERSHIP. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I WILL HAVE TO BUY NEW TIRES ABOUT 6,000 MILES FROM NOW BUT THIS KIND OF THING NEVER HAD HAPPENED TO ANY OF MY PREVIOUS CARS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, WHILE DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH TO SLOW DOWN, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND AND THE GEAR FAILED TO SHIFT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TO A PARKING AREA. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. ...UPDATED 02/19/16 *BF *CN

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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.

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I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A TAPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AFTERNOON AFTER I DROPPED OFF MY CAR I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE ADVISER TELLING ME THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM AN INTERIOR COMPONENT OF MY ENGINE AND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE DID NOT COME IN UNTIL JULY 20, 2015. WITHIN A DAY OR TWO I RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE SERVICE ADVISER TELLING ME THAT THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE WAS WORN DOWN TO THE METAL AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT THIS PARTICULAR PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY AND I WOULD NOW INCUR AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. AT FIFTY THREE YEARS OF AGE I HAVE HAD SEVERAL VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND NEVER HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CLUTCH LET ALONE WITH THE PRESSURE PLATE. SOON AFTER I RESEARCHED SEVERAL VEHICLE REVIEW WEB SITES TO LEARN THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE VEHICLES WITH MILEAGE FROM 11K TO 25 K.

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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.

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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.

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AT LOW SPEEDS 20 MPH AND BELOW YOU COULD HEAR A GRINDING NOISE THAT SOUNDED MUCH LIKE BAD BRAKES BEARINGS. SECOND TIME WE SUGGESTED THIS PROBLEM. FIRST TIME THE TECH SAID HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE NOISE. THIS TIME THEY FOUND BOTH OF THE REAR BEARING HAD BEEN COMPLETELY EATEN AWAY BY BRAKE DUST INSIDE THE BEARING ASSEMBLY.

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TECH FOUND TRANSMISSION LEAKING AND SEALED WITH EPOXY. SECOND LEAK WAS UNAWARE A REPAIR HAD BEEN MADE UNTIL I RETURNED CAR TO DEALER FOR A LEAK FOUND MY OIL CAN HENRY'S

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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

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THE TIRES ON THIS FIAT ARE PIRELLI NERO ZERO . ALL FOUR ARE VERY CHOPPY AND BADLY WORN. THEY WERE ROTATED AT 5,000 MILES. THE ROAD NOISE IS SO LOUD IT OVERPOWERS THE FACTORY RUMBLING OF THE FLOW THROUGH EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE TIRES AFFECT THE HANDLING AS I GET VIBRATIONS AND THE CAR DARTS FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON UNEVEN ROAD SURFACES. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE TURNING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMPUTER BE REPROGRAMMED. THE REPAIR FAILED TO REMEDY THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

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