NHTSA Complaint #10555738 — 2012 FIAT 500

FROM CALIFORNIA VISITING FAMILY IN OKLAHOMA. AT THE TIME OF VISIT WE EXPERIENCED A WINTER COLD FRONT THAT BROUGHT ICE RAIN AND SNOW. WENT OUT ON THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT TO WARM THE CARS IN THE YARD, AND THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME WAS 18 DEGREES WIND CHILL, WITH EFFECT WAS 5 DEGREES. STARTED THE CAR AND LET IT WARM UP FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, AND HEAT AND DEFROST WERE NOT TURNED ON AT THE TIME, THEN AFTER 15 MINUTES WENT OUT TO TURN OFF ALL THE VEHICLES. I THEN TURNED OFF THE FIAT AND CLOSE THE DOORS AND TOOK TWO STEPS AWAY FROM CAR AND THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED OUTWARD. WHEN I WARMED UP THE CAR, NO DEFROSTER WAS TURNED ON OF ANY KIND, I JUST TURNED THE CAR ON SO THE FLUIDS WOULDN'T FREEZE. I CALLED AHEAD OF TIME TO ASK ALL THE APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS BEFORE HEADING OUT TO 45 MINUTES TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEN I TOOK IT IN TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A STANDARD 12 BY 12 SERVICE CONTRACT WITHOUT INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. THEY DIDN'T DO ANY DIAGNOSTIC TEST LIKE THEY SAID THEY WOULD OVER THE PHONE, THEY ONLY DID A OIL CHANGE THAT I ASKED FOR. THEY TOLD US THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, AND IT COULD ONLY BE CAUSED BY SOME TYPE OF IMPACT. THEY NEVER TOOK OFF THE PLASTIC ON THE WIDOWS THAT WE PUT ON TO HOLD WHAT GLASS THAT WAS LEFT IN PLACE. I CALLED CORPORATE AND TALKED TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND GAVE THEM PERTINENT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE WINDOW. THEY OPEN THE FILE FOR US, AND CHECKED WARRANTIES. THEN I WAS ASKED TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED, SHE TOOK DOWN THAT INFORMATION, AND THEN WAS PUT ON HOLD, BECAUSE SHE NEED TO CONFER WITH THE TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER TALKING WITH THE TECHNICIAN, I WAS TOLD BY HER THAT THEY CONCLUDE THAT IT WAS IMPACT RELATED AND COULD NOT BE SERVICE UNDER ANY WARRANTY. WE FOUND ADDITIONAL SITUATIONS ON THE INTERNET ON FIAT WINDOWS EXPLODING. *TR