NHTSA Complaint #11075048 — 2014 FIAT 500L

A MISALIGNMENT OF THE LEFT FRONT CORNER PANEL AND THE SIDE PANEL, AS WELL AS A MISALIGNMENT OF THE LEFT REAR CORNER PANEL AND THE SIDE PANEL HAVE TAKEN PLACE (SEE PICTURES). THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF AN "IMPACT." I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE "CLIPS" THAT HOLD THE PANELS TOGETHER. UNDER THE REAR BUMPER, THERE IS A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC BY THE MUFFLER (SEE PICTURE). THAT WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY BACKING INTO A SNOWBANK. THERE ARE NO OTHER "SCRATCH" MARKS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE REAR BUMPER, AND THERE ARE NO SCRATCH MARKS (CAUSED BY HITTING SOMETHING) UNDER THE FRONT BUMPER. THERE ARE NO ISSUES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I WILL ACCEPT THE FACT THAT I MAY HAVE BACKED INTO A SNOWBANK. HOWEVER, IF THAT CAUSED THE PANEL SEPARATION, THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WAY THE PANELS ARE CONNECTED. WITH THE FRONT PANELS, I AM AMAZED THAT AN "IMPACT" THAT SHOWS NO VISIBLE MARKS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE PANELS TO SEPARATE/MISALIGN. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THE "CLIPS" THAT CONNECT THE PANELS ARE THAT WEAK, THAT THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THERE WAS ANY ACTUAL IMPACT. I INDICATED A DATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF THAT WAS WHEN I FIRST NOTICED IT.