NHTSA Complaint #10825196 — 2012 FIAT 500

AT ABOUT 33,000 MILES THE FUEL ROLLOVER VALVE FAILED MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PUMP FUEL INTO MY TANK AND AT TIMES CAUSING FUEL TO SPILL FROM THE FILLER TUBE. THE VALVE IS NOT REPLACEABLE SO THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ABOUT 3,200 MILES LATER THE ROLLOVER VALVE FAILED AGAIN. EVEN THOUGH THE TANK ONLY HAD A FEW THOUSAND MILES ON IT FIAT/CHRYSLER REFUSED TO WARRANTY THE REPLACEMENT TANK DUE TO THE CAR ITSELF BEING OUT OF NEW CAR WARRANTY BY A FEW MONTHS. I REFUSED REPLACEMENT OF THE SECOND TANK AT MY EXPENSE. THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS, DISCUSSIONS, AND A PROMISE BROKEN BY FIAT/CHRYSLER THAT ARE MISSING HERE BECAUSE OF AVAILABLE CHARACTERS TO TYPE. SIMPLY PUT THOUGH, FIAT ADMITS HAVING A ROLLOVER VALVE PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT MANY OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM BELIEVE IT IS CAUSED BY THE FUEL PUMP NOZZLE ITSELF SO THEY HAVE NOT COMPLAINED TO FIAT. ONE OF THE 3 DEALERS I SPOKE WITH MENTIONED THEY ARE HAVING TO REPLACE TANKS BECAUSE OF THE ROLLOVER VALVE THAT "STICKS". UPON CHECKING THE VALVE MYSELF I SAW NO EVIDENCE OF STICKING YET SOMETHING WAS BLOCKING FUEL FROM COMING IN. IS IT SO SENSITIVELY CALIBRATED THAT ONE CAN'T ACTUALLY TELL IF IT WORKS WITHOUT SPECIAL MEASURING TOOLS? HOW DOES FIAT SERVICE TEST IT? IF IT IS STICKING CLOSED, CAN IT STICK OPEN RENDERING THE ROLLOVER SAFETY COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE? REGARDLESS, THIS VALVE WAS DESIGNED NOT TO FAIL, OTHERWISE IT WOULD REQUIRE AN INEXPENSIVE REPLACEABLE PART RATHER THAN A $800.00 FUEL TANK REPLACEMENT. I ALSO CONTEND, THAT, FOR IT TO CEASE TO OPERATE CORRECTLY AFTER JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES (DO THE MATH) A GOOD INDICATION IS THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE WHEN INSTALLED. BUT FIAT REFUSES TO BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY. FINALLY, THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER. I BELIEVE EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTIES EXIST FOR RAM TRUCKS AND OTHER DODGE VEHICLES FROM ABOUT 2003 TO 2007 FOR A SIMILAR PART.