NHTSA Complaint #10905483 — 2012 FIAT 500

THE CAR EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN CLUTCH FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THIS RESULTED IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE CAR NO LONGER HAD POWER, AND STOPPED ON A SECTION OF HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER SPACE. THE CLUTCH WAS REPAIRED AT MY COST IN MAY 2016 (PRIOR TO THE RECALL ANNOUNCEMENT, NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 16V-302), AND AN ONLINE REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST WAS MADE TO FIAT IN JULY 2016 (AFTER THE RECALL ANNOUNCEMENT). I CHECKED THE STATUS OF MY REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST IN SEPTEMBER, AND WAS TOLD "FROM WHAT I AM SHOWING ON THE FILE IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED AS THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. ONCE THE PARTS DO BECOME AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL THEN THE FILE WILL BE REVIEWED FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS." MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE ALREADY REPAIRED THE AUTOMOBILE, SO AVAILABILITY OF PARTS IS IRRELEVANT, FIAT IS SIMPLY STALLING REIMBURSEMENT OF THE REPAIR COST.