NHTSA Complaint #11046893 — 2014 FIAT 500L

MY 2014 FIAT 500L TREKKING BEGAN TO PRODUCE A HORRIBLE SMELL WHILE AND CUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING MAKING STEERING OUT OF WAY OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME VERY DIFFICULT. THE CAR WENT FROM GOING ABOUT 45-50 MILES PER HOUR TO ABOUT 5 MPH IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECOND, EVERYTHING LOCKED UP MAKING STEERING VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE AND THEN FINALLY COASTED TO A FINAL STOP. UPON ME DE RANKING THE CAR I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT IT TO DRIVE AT ALL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHICH I PURCHASED IT FROM ONLY 3 MONTHS EARLIER. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE MID DECEMBER AND THIS HAPPENED IN MARCH. THE DEALER HAD CAR TOWED TO A FIAT (CLEARLAKE DODGE/JEEP/FIAT). THEY INITIALLY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND OTHER COMPLIMENTARY COMPONENTS. I WAS CALLED TO PICK UP MY CAR AFTER BEING IN THEIR POSSESSION FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND TOLD IT WAS FIXED, HOWEVER WITHIN THE 10 MILES OF LEAVING THE LOT THE CAR DID THE SAME THING BUT THIS TIME ON AN OVERPASS OF A MAJOR FREEWAY WITH AN 18 WHEELER TRUCK BEHIND ME. I RETURNED THE CAR TO CLEARLAKE FIAT. THEY KEPT IT FOR SEVERAL MORE DAYS AND HAD ME TO PICK IT UP A SECOND TIME; SAME RESULT! IN ALL I HAVE RETURNED MY CAR OVER 4 TIMES AND HAVE ONLY HAD USE OF IT FOR 3 MONTHS OR LESS OF THE 11 MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT. I CAN NO LONGER PAY A CAR NOTE FOR A CAR THAT SEEMINGLY CAN NOT BE REPAIRED IT IS DESTROYING MY FINANCES AND PUTTING THE LITTLE LIFE OF MYSELF AND FAMILY IN GRAVE DANGER EVERY TIME I ATTEMPT TO PICK IT UP AFTER BEING TOLD THAT IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED. I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE CAR WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM CARMAX. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN BEGGING CARMAX, CLEARLAKE FIAT, THE WARRANTY COMPANY AND MY FINANCE COMPANY FOR SOME ASSISTANCE IN REMEDYING THIS CRISIS AND HAVE ONLY GOTTEN A RUN AROUND AND NO ANSWERS, HELP, REMEDIES OR PROPER REPAIR OF MY VEHICLE AND AS OF TODAY 11/16/2017 THEY STILL HAVE MY VEHICLE AND NO ONE RETURNS MY CALLS.