What 92 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Fiat 500 Cabrio

THERE IS A MANUAL TRANSAXLE CLUTCH RECALL THAT CAN CAUSE THE INABILITY TO SHIFT POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE BUT FIAT HAS NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER TWO CALLS TO FIAT, THE MOST RECENT ON 9/2/2016, THERE IS NO DATE AVAILABLE FOR PARTS AVAILABILITY AN NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO ADDRESS THE RESULTING SAFETY ISSUE. WE ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO WAIT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

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MY COMPLAINT HAS TO DO WITH A SAFETY RECALL SENT TO ME FOR MY CAR (FIAT 500 POP, 2015), DATED BACK IN JUNE. THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED, AND I'VE NOT BEEN PROVIDED A FIX IN A REASON TIME (IT'S ALMOST SEPTEMBER), AND I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THE PARTS ARE STILL NOT YET AVAILABLE, WHEN IT STATES THAT THE ISSUE "MAY RESULT IN THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, SHIFT GEARS, AND/OR LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER . . . WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING." AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP DRIVING AROUND MYSELF AND MY 11 YEAR OLD SIMPLY HOPING IT DOESN'T HAPPEN? FOUR TO SIX WEEKS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME FOR A LARGE COMPANY TO FIX THIS. IT'S BEEN OVER 2 MONTHS WHICH I FIND UNACCEPTABLE FOR A NEW CAR GIVEN THE ADMITTED POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH HAPPENING. I WANT A PROPER FIX FOR THIS AND CONTACT ABOUT WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, OR FURTHER STEPS TO TAKE.

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MY CLUTCH SPRING HAS BEEN RECALLED AND STATES THAT IT CAN STOP WORKING WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED MY SERVICE CENTER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NO FUTURE DATE OF IF THEY WILL HAVE A FIX. WHICH MAKES MY CAR UNFIXABLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND SUPER DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.IN TRAFFIC WHICH I DO EVERYDAY

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S34 RECALL TAKING EXCESSIVE TIME MAY 10TH - S34 RECALL PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED, AFFECTED POWER TRAIN, THEREFORE A FIX IS VITAL TO SAFETY AND URGENT JUNE 28TH - LETTER RECEIVED FROM FIAT STATING THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO FIX. JULY 10TH - SINCE IT WAS 2 MONTHS SINCE THE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED, CALLED FIAT TO ASK WHEN PARTS/A FIX WOULD BE IN PLACE. WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHEN/IF PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE AND THAT THE NEED FOR A RECALL WAS ONLY IDENTIFIED BY FIAT IN LATE JUNE 2016 SO IT WASN'T URGENT YET. AUGUST 12TH - 3 MONTHS SINCE THE NEED FOR THE RECALL WAS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED, STILL NO PARTS AVAILABLE, STILL NO NEWS FROM FIAT ON WHEN/IF PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. NO PHYSICAL INCIDENT AS YET, BUT THE RECALL IS TAKING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME, AND SINCE THE RECALL IS TOLERANCE/FATIGUE BASED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN INCREASES THE POTENTIAL OF AN INCIDENT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 FIAT 500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED BY A 2002 E450 RV DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO A NEARBY FIRE STATION WHERE THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED EXTENSIVELY AND DECLARED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. LESS THAN TWO MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/22/16*LJ *CN

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V302000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.....UPDATED 08/29/16 *BF UPDATED 08/31/16.*JB

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HUBCAP DETACHED FROM THE WHEEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITH ALL THE HUBCAPS ON THE VEHICLE DETACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MULTIPLE DEALERS WHO WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SAFETY RESTRAINT LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SRS WIRE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,803.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AFTER THE CRASH, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WHEN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OVERHEATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER, RESTART THE ENGINE, AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION AFTER THE ENGINE COOLED DOWN. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL MANUALLY WHEN THE BURNING ODOR EMITTED OR THEY COULD REPROGRAM THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; HOWEVER, IT WOULD NOT PERMANENTLY CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

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BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE THE FIRST TIME IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR FOR PARKING SPACE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN THE FOLLOWING DAY WHERE I TRIED TO HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND NOTHING!!! I RETRIED AGAIN A SECOND TIME AND TOO LATE CAR WAS HIT TWICE IN THE FRONT DESTROYING WHOLE FRONT END. CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW. I HAVE CONTACTED FIAT HQ TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS DEADLY SAFETY ISSUE.

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I PURCHASED THE CAR ON MAY 22, 2015. LESS THAT A WEEK LATER I NOTICED A LIGHT ON DASH DISPLAY FOR THE TIRE PRESSURE WITH A MESSAGE STATING "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING UNAVAILABLE." I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE DEPT. WORKED ON THE VEHICLE AND STATED IT WAS REPAIRED. NOT 15 MINUTES AFTER DRIVING OUT OF DEALERSHIP THE LIGHT WAS BACK ON. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT BACK IN. DURING THE NEXT APPOINTMENT THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM. HE STATED IT WAS A MODULE THAT NEEDED TO BE ORDERED. I HAD TO WAIT FOR DELIVERY OF THIS PART FOR 3 WEEKS. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK, THEY REPLACED THE MODULE AND THE CAR WAS FINE. THREE WEEKS LATER, THE LIGHT AND MESSAGE WERE BACK ON. THERE IS NOT EVEN 1000 MILES ON THE CAR YET. I AM LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS FOR REMEDY.

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FIAT 500 ABARTH 2015 AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 30 MIN. I PARKED THE CAR AND AFTER RETURNING TO LEAVE I STARTED THE CAR BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND THE ENGINE JUST DIED. TRIED TO START IT 3 TIMES WITH NO CRANKING SOUND. PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND PUSHED THE CAR BACK INTO PARKING SPACE. 5 MINUTES LATER STARTED THE CAR WITH NO PROBLEM. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON BUT NOT BLINKING. I DECIDED TO REMOVE THE GAS CAP AND PUT IT BACK ON. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR ABOUT A DAY AND THEN WENT OUT. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN APPOINTMENT.. THE DIAGNOSE WAS A FAILED INTAKE BRICK AND REPLACED THE INTAKE ACTUATOR. THEN DID A PCM FLASH, FLASH, PERFORMED PCM SOFTWARE UPDATE/ THEN A TCM FLASH, FLASH, PERFORMED TCM SOFTWARE UPDATE.

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BLUETOOTH DISPLAY SAFETY ISSUE. A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING A NEW 2015 FIAT 500 ABARTH, THE DISPLAY FOR BLUETOOTH / BLUE&ME STOPPED WORKING ON THE CENTRAL CLUSTER DISPLAY. (I.E. NO INFO DISPLAY WHEN A CALL COMES IN, NO ACCESS TO PHONEBOOK). TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO RESET IT. WORKED FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND FAILED AGAIN, SO TOOK IT BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CTM (CONVERGENCE TELEMATICS MODULE). THE NEW CTM THEN CAUSED INTERFERENCE TO THE SATELLITE RADIO, SO NOTIFIED THE DEALER. WAITED A WEEK AND NO RESPONSE, SO DECIDED TO CALL SIRIUSXM MYSELF FOR SIGNAL RESET. ALL GOOD FOR ANOTHER MONTH UNTIL THE BLUETOOTH DISPLAY FAILED AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. SO BASICALLY SAME PROBLEM EVERY MONTH SINCE PURCHASE AND PER THE DEALER, THERE ARE SIX OTHER FIATS AT HIS DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND CANNOT BE FIXED. TALKED TO MY CASE MANAGER AT FIAT CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO SAID THEY ARE LOOKING INTO IT. ANOTHER MONTH HAS PASSED BY AND STILL NO RESOLUTION TO THIS MATTER. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BUTTON FAILS AND STOPS DISPLAYING INCOMING CALL INFO ON THE CLUSTER, ONE HAS TO LOOK AT THE PHONE TO SEE WHO IS CALLING, WHICH TAKES ATTENTION OFF OF THE ROAD - EXACTLY WHAT THE DISPLAY SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FIAT 500. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS AND SPEEDOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 350.

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