NHTSA Complaint #11141345 — 2017 FIAT 500X

ON JANUARY 9TH, 2018 I LEASED A NEW 2017 FIAT 500X FROM FIAT AUTO GALLERY VAN NUYS AT 5711 VAN NUYS BLVD, VAN NUYS, CA 91401. TWO WEEKS LATER WHILE WASHING MY CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, I NOTICED SOME CLOUDY SPOTS ON THE CAR'S EXTERIOR PAINT (3 SPOTS) AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A BURN SPOT ON THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE THAT NEEDED TO BE HANDLED BY FIAT. THEY TOOK PICTURES AND WERE SUPPOSED TO CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT AT FIAT TO HANDLE MY CASE. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF NO ACTIVITY, I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FIAT DIRECTLY AND HAD THEM OPEN A CASE FOR ME. THE CASE AGENT COORDINATED WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO SEND THE PICTURES TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT AT FIAT, AN INSPECTOR CAME OUT TO INSPECT MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IN FACT, MY CAR'S PAINT HAD A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THIS WAS DETERMINED BACK IN APRIL AND FIAT HAS FAILED TO RESOLVE MY CASE. I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND HAVE BEEN LIED TO REPEATEDLY THAT SOMEONE WOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH ME TO EITHER REPLACE MY VEHICLE OR HAVE ME TURN IN THE VEHICLE FOR A FULL REFUND. IT HAS BEEN 10 MONTHS SINCE I ALERTED FIAT OF THE ISSUE AND THEY REFUSE TO RESOLVE MY CASE.