What 161 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Fiat 500 Cabrio

NO SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEMS. OIL CHANGE DONE LESS THAN 3 WEEKS. WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IN LESS THEN 2 MINS LOSS OF POWER UNTIL COMPLETE STOP AND CAR SHUT OFF. TURNS OVER BUT CAR SHAKES GOT IT TOWED HOME. CAR REMAINS UNABLE TO DRIVE. SHAKES WITH NOISES IN THE ENGINE WHEN ON. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS SO I'M SHOCKED I AM HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

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SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR WHEN I PUT IT INTO REVERSE IT SLIPS OUT OF GEAR. IVE HAD IT SINCE 2014. I'VE LOOKED UP RECALLS BUT IT HASN'T BEEN RECALLED YET. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH SEVERAL MODEL CLOSE MINE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN RECALLED ALREADY. I WILL BE TRYING TO REVERSE ON A STREET AND IT POPS OUT OF GEAR AND GRINDES. THIS ISSUES HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND HAS GOTTEN ME CLOSE TO ACCIDENTS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AND REMAINED IN NEUTRAL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO PARK. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL AND ALMOST CRASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

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WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT I HEAR A CLICKING NOISE UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR MAT. IT ALSO MAKES A SNAPPING NOISE. I HAD A MECHANIC PUT MY CAR ON THE LIFT AND BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT RUBBER STRUT MOUNTS APPEAR TO BE QUITE LOOSE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 50K MILES ON IT. I HEAR THE POPPING AND SNAPPING NOISE AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 20 MPH AND WHEN GOING FORWARD OR BACKING UP. I NOW HAVE GREASE KICKING UP FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE.

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ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO/FROM WORK AND NOTICED A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COME ON. WE IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH OUR LOCAL STUDIO AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AS NORMAL. AT THIS POINT, NOTHING WAS GOING ON WITH THE CAR, EXCEPT THAT THE LIGHT CAME ON. A DAY OR TWO LATER, THE LIGHT WENT OFF, AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACT NORMAL. WE ENDED UP CANCELING THE APPOINTMENT, GUESSING THAT THERE WAS A GLITCH WITH THE COMPUTER. THE VERY NEXT MORNING, MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR TO FIND THE ENGINE SHAKING AND THE EXHAUST MAKING A STRANGE SOUND, SO SHE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I GOT A CALL FROM THE STUDIO EXPLAINING THAT THE CAR WAS VERY LOW ON OIL AND THAT IT APPEARS THE CAR'S BEEN CONSUMING OIL AT AN ACCELERATED RATE. HE SAID THEY PERFORMED AN OIL CHANGE AND THAT, PER FIAT'S PROTOCOL, THEY'D PERFORM AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BY LETTING US DRIVE THE CAR FOR 750 MILES AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO LET THEM CHECK EVERYTHING OUT. I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR ONLY TO FIND THE SAME ISSUE THAT MY WIFE HAD DESCRIBED (ENGINE SHAKING, EXHAUST MAKING NOISE). IT WAS LATE AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED, SO I LEFT THE KEY WITH THE RECEPTIONIST AND EXPLAINED THAT THE CAR WAS IN THE SAME CONDITION AS WHEN WE HAD IT TOWED AND THAT I'D LIKE THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE STUDIO CALLED TO EXPLAIN THAT THE ENGINE'S OIL PRESSURE WAS SHOT AND THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CYLINDER 3'S OIL VALVE WAS STUCK AND THE CYLINDER WAS MIS-FIRING. THE STUDIO RECOMMENDED REPLACED THE ENGINE AS OPPOSED TO INVESTIGATING WHAT FAILED, SINCE THE INVESTIGATION COULD TAKE HOURS AND COST MORE THAN AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THIS IS MY SECOND FIAT; THE FIRST EXPERIENCED THE CLUTCH RECALL THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORT TO NHTSA AND THANKS TO MINE AND OTHERS REPORTS, A RECALL WAS ISSUED.

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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

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MCKEVITT CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (700 SHATTUCK AVE #100, BERKELEY, CA 94705, (510) 848-2206). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED FOR $400 AND THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD RETRACT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. CHRYSLER STATED THAT THEY WOULD OPEN A TICKET AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO FILE A VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. *TT

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED ABRUPTLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE ALFA ROMEO OF MANHATTAN DEALER (629 W 54TH ST, NEW YORK, NY) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,000.

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WIRING BETWEEN BODY AND TRUNK LID BREAKS DUE TO POOR DESIGN AND SHIELDING NOT PROTECTING THE WIRES.. 4 WIRES BROKEN CAUSING THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT TO NOT BE LIT. THIS IS A TICKETABLE OFFENSE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND RESULTS IN A SURCHARGE ON THE DRIVERS LICENSE.

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I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED BOTH FRONT WINDOW REGULATORS AT $189.00 EACH. THE PLASTIC PIECT BREAKS OFF. WHEN I TOOK IT TO FIAT THE REPAIR GUY SAID HE IS CHANGING OUT ABOUT 4 A DAY. I REPLACED MINE IN 2015 AND YET AGAIN THE SAME PIECE HAS BROKEN OFF. HOW IS THIS NOT A RECALL AS MANUFACTURE DEFECT? I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTO.

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MY 2013 FIAT POP WAS CALLED IN FOR A RECALL ON THE CLUTCH PLATE AND SPRING. DESERT FIAT OF VICTORVILLE MADE THE REPAIR AND I DROVE IT UNTIL JUNE 6,WHEN THE CLUTCH FAILED AND I HAD IT TOWED TO THEIR SERVICE CENTER. THEY HAD MY CAR FROM JUNE 6 UNTIL JULY 7. WHEN I SPOKE WITH FCA (888-242-6342 FILE #[XXX])THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO AUTHORIZE THE SERVICE AND THEY WOULD HELP IF THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVER UNDER THE RECALL. THE REPAIR IS 1748.00 AND THEY ARE HOLDING MY CAR HOSTAGE AND WILL NOT NEGOTIATE WITH ME AS THEY SAID THEY WOULD. THEY HAVE THREATEN TO PUT A LIEN ON MY CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED THE BUREAU OF AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR ([XXX])AND THEY HAVE FOUND 3 VIOLATIONS . I AM TRYING TO GET MY CAR BACK IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT REVEALED A EVAP LEAK WHICH HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND MECHANIC FOUND NO LEAK AND SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN GAS CAP. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN FOR THE SAME EVAP LEAK CODE. BUT THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SHUDDER WHILE COMING TO STOP AND RAN ODD. TOOK IT TO FIAT DEALERSHIP. TURNS OUT THERE WERE THREE CODES OR MORE WHICH CANNOT BE READ UNLESS AT DEALERSHIP. SURPRISE SURPRISE. TOTAL REPAIR COSTS WERE 2500 AND I HAD NO IDEA MY CAR WAS MESSED UP CAUSE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT INDICATE ISSUES. KEPT SAYING EVAP WHEN I HAD AN OIL PRESSURE SENSOR MESSED UP. GASKETS LEAKING AND A BLOWN VALVE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY. CAR HAS LESS THAN 45K AND IS WELL MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN. VERY UPSET AT THE LOST OF INCOME. IT HURTS. IT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR NO REASON. DISAPPOINTED IN AMERICAN BUILT CARS.

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WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE CHASSIS AND THE TRUNK LID BREAKS. THERE ARE SEVERAL BROKEN WIRES. THIS IS CAUSING THE "CHECK LICENSE PLATE LIGHT" WARNING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT IS OUT WHICH IS A TICKET-ABLE OFFENSE WITH SURCHARGE IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS WHERE THE CAR IS REGISTERED. THE EXPOSED WIRES COULD ALSO ARC AND CAUSE A FIRE.

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I WAS DRIVING TO AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY FIAT BEGAN TO SHAKE. I TOOK IT TO THE FIAT DEALERSHIP AFTER MY APPOINTMENT ON JUNE 16, 2017. THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY THEY SAID I WAS MY SPARK PLUGS AND I APPROVED CHANGING THEM. WHEN THEY STARTED THE CAR AGAIN THEN THEY GOT A MESSAGE STATING NO COMPRESSION IN CAM 2. I AN THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD THE CAR JUST UNDER 4 YEARS. I HAVE HAD ALL THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE THERE AT THE DEALERSHIP. I HOWEVER HAVE 54K ON THE ENGINE SO I AM JUST OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY. I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH VARIOUS FIAT FORUMS AND SEE THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH CAM 2.

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I PARKED MY VEHICLE IN A PUBLIC LOT AND WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE AND STARTED IT THE LIGHTS TURNED ON THEN SHUT OFF QUICKLY AND THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE WHICH SEEMED TO JUST CHARGE IT AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY RELEASED AND THE POWER, LIGHTS AND WINDOWS ALL WORKING AGAIN BUT WHEN I TURNED TO START THE ENGINE IT DOES NOTHING BUT CLICK. I ALSO TRIED BOTH KEYS THAT I HAVE FOR THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER LOCK AND UNLOCK DOES NOT EVEN WORK.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE AND SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT SUPPLIED THE REMEDY AND PARTS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME. MONTHS AFTER WAITING FOR THE RECALL REPAIR PARTS, THE CLUTCH WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THERE WAS A STRONG VIBRATION COMING FROM THE PEDAL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD A DEALER (BOB FRENSLEY CHRYSLER JEEP RAM FIAT IN MADISON, TN) SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR JULY 6, 2017. IN THE INTERIM, THE CONTACT COULD OBTAIN A RENTAL VEHICLE AND WOULD BE REIMBURSED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHEN DRIVING , I FILED FOR LEMON LAW. I WON. NOW THEY ARE GOING TO SELL THIS CAR ON THE INTERNET AS A BUY BACK.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE OUT OF A PARKING STRUCTURE, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

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I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL RECALLS ON MY CLUTCH. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE JANUARY 11TH, 2017 AND THEY STILL HAVE YET TO CONTACT ME. ALSO I HAVE AN OIL LEAK IN WHICH THEY SAID THEY FIXED. RIGHT AFTER I TOOK IT HOME OIL HAS BEEN FLOODING OUT OF IT AND SPRAYING ALL OVER MY CAR. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM GIVEN MY MILES AND YEAR OF MY CAR. I GOT ALL OF THE NECESSARY OIL CHANGES BUT HAVE NO PROOF SINCE MY HUSBAND DID THEM HIMSELF AND PAID CASH FOR THE ITEMS HE NEEDED. SO THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO WORK WITH ME AT ALL WITH THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THEY MADE THE OIL LEAK WORSE THEN IT ORIGINALLY WAS.

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THE BUCKLING MECHANISM IS JAMMED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAUSING ME NOT TO BE ABLE TO BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT IN MY CAR. THE CAR "THINKS" THERE IS ALREADY A SEAT BELT BUCKLED. I AM USING THE PASSENGER SIDE BUCKLE FOR THE DRIVER'S BELT AT THIS TIME. IF I HAVE A PASSENGER, BOTH OF US CANNOT BE BUCKLED IN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND WAS RUNNING VERY SLOWLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR FIVE WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000.

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WE HAD A SEVERE ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 405 WHERE A LARGE SUV HIT US FROM BEHIND AT SPEED AND PUSHED US INTO A STATIONARY TRUCK. BOTH THE REAR AND FRONT OF THE CAR WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED. WE WERE MODERATELY INJURED. WERE GIVEN FIRST AID BY PARAMEDICS AND WE CHOSE NOT TO GO TO EMERGENCY AND GO TO URGENT CARE INSTEAD.

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MY CAR CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING OR BEING IDLED. I WOULD DRIVE IT IN THE CITY AND AFTER ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES OF DRIVING STOP AND GO. IT WOULD CUT OFF WHILE I'M STOPPED AT A LIGHT. THEN I WOULD PUT IT IN PARK AND IT WOULD RESTART. THEN AFTER THAT IT WOULD READ AS HIGH COOLANT. ALSO GOING UP STEEP HILLS IT WOULD CUT OFF WHEN I TURN IT AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AND READ NOTHING JUST COMPLETELY TURN OFF. I FINALLY GOT TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH FIAT SERVICE AND THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP IT FROM CUTTING OFF. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND REPLACE BY FIAT

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RECALL IN EFFECT SINCE MAY OF 2016. NO REMEDY AS OF YET. PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THIS

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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.

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