NHTSA Complaint #10917518 — 2012 FIAT 500

WE RECEIVED NOTICE IN JULY FROM FIAT STATING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE CLUTCH ON MY HUSBAND'S CAR. IT ALSO STATED THAT THE PART WASN'T AVAILABLE YET. ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, THE CLUTCH GOES OUT ON MY HUSBAND'S CAR. WE HAVE IT TOWED TO THE FIAT DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TELL US "WE DO NOT GIVE OUT LOANERS, WE DON'T HAVE THE PART TO FIX YOUR CAR AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE WILL GET IT. CALL DODGE ABOUT GETTING A RENTAL CAR." I CALLED AND WAS CONNECTED WITH SOMEONE AT FIAT AND THEY SAID THIS PART WILL NOT BE READY UNTIL "SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER". I ASKED WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR A CAR BECAUSE THAT IS 2 TO 3 WEEKS AWAY AND MY HUSBAND NEEDS THIS CAR FOR WORK. SHE STATED SHE WOULD FORWARD IT TO A CASE MANAGER AND THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME IN 1 DAY. THEY CALLED ON TUESDAY AND SAID "WE AREN'T GIVING OUT RENTALS ON THIS RECALL BUT SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS AND AFTER IT IS FIXED MAYBE WE WILL REIMBURSE YOU AFTER WE REVIEW IT." HOW IS THIS FAIR? IT ISN'T OUR FAULT THE PART WASN'T AVAILABLE OR WE WOULD HAVE REPLACED IT. MY HUSBAND'S CAR IS STILL UNDER THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY SO WHY CAN'T THEY JUST PUT IN A NEW CLUTCH AND THEN REPLACE THE RECALL PART ONCE IT COMES IN? WE DO NOT HAVE THE INCOME TO PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR FOR THE NEXT 2 TO 3 WEEKS BUT WE ARE HAVING TO CHARGE IT JUST SO MY HUSBAND CAN GET TO AND FROM WORK. IF THERE ISN'T A FIX FOR OUR CAR, THEN WHAT IS OUR REMEDY? AT THE MOMENT, IT IS SITTING UP AT THE CAR LOT UNTIL A PART COMES IN. I CALLED YESTERDAY TO TALK TO OUR CASE MANAGER ABOUT THIS AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED A CALL BACK. HER NAME IS [XXX] AND OUR CASE # IS [XXX]. WHAT DO WE DO? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR