NHTSA Complaint #10693010 — 2012 FIAT 500

PURCHASED 2012 YEAR FIAT 500C ON 10/31/2011. AS OF MARCH 3, 2014 PUT 22819 MILES ON CAR. THIS IS A 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODEL. ON MARCH THIRD THE CLUTCH GAVE OUT. WAS TOLD BY FIAT THIS WASN'T AN WARRANTY ITEM, ALTHOUGH THE WINDOW STICKER SAYS 4 YEAR / 50,000 MILE WARRANTY. THEY ALSO SAY FREE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FOR 4 YEARS / UNLIMITED MILES BUT SINCE I REFUSED TO ALLOW THEM TO TAKE THIS CAR 18 MILES TO A FIAT DEALER AND ONLY 1.4 MILES TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR TOWING. I PAID OUT OF POCKET APROX $2,000 INCLUDING, CAR RENTAL, TOWING AND A $1,772.45 REPAIR BILL. PER THE MECHANIC THE CLUTCH DISC ITSELF WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, BUT THE CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE WAS AT FAULT. FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF RESTORING A FEW OLD CARS AND MOTORCYCLES OVER THE YEARS, THIS IS PRETTY UNHEARD OF A CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE FAILING BEFORE THE ACTUAL CLUTCH DISC. MY TAKE THERE IS SOME DEFECT WITH THIS CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE OR THE OVERALL DESIGN OF THE MANUAL CLUTCH. AS OF THIS DATE, I HAVEN'T NEEDED TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS ON THIS CAR SO HOW IN THE WORLD SHOULD IT NEED A NEW CLUTCH? THIS IS CRAZY. *TR