NHTSA Complaint #10945562 — 2012 FIAT 500

MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN IT REFUSED TO SHIFT OUT OF NEUTRAL OR INTO REVERSE. IT''S BEEN TAKEN IN FOR AN INITIAL DIAGNOSTIC AND I'VE BEEN INFORMED THE PRESSURE PLATE IS WORN AND THEY SAY IT''S UNRELATED TO THE WELL KNOWN S34 RECALL. MY CAR IS ONLY AT 38000 MILES AND THEY SAY IT''S NORMAL FOR A PRESSURE PLATE TO WEAR AT THIS PERIOD BUT I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IT''S ENTIRELY UNRELATED TO THE CLUTCH SPRING ISSUES STEMMING FROM THE CLUTCH TRAVEL NOT HAVING A LIMITER. IF I'D BEEN ON THE ROAD OR FREEWAY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME AND I'M CONCERNED BY THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COMPANY OFFICIALLY SO FAR HAS TOLD ME THAT IT''S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS THE PRESSURE PLATE WARRANTY ONLY LASTS 1YR OR 12,000 MILES WHICH IS RIDICULOUS CONSIDERING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PART, THE DIFFICULTY AND EXPENSE OF REPLACING IT, AND THE FACT THERE ARE SO MANY RELATED ELEMENTS THEY'VE CHOSEN TO IGNORE AS POSSIBILITY CAUSE. I'VE BEEN QUOTED JUST UNDER 1600 TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE IN A CAR AT ONLY 38000 MILES TO HAVE SUCH AN EXPENSIVE AND DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY. *TR