NHTSA Complaint #11182871 — 2016 FIAT 500X

IN DECEMBER 2018, THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A "DRIVE MODE UNAVAILABLE" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN. THE LOCAL FIAT DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING FAN NEEDED REPLACING BECAUSE IT HAD BLOWN A FUSE. IN JANUARY 2018, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WITH OUR CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. WE TRIED TURNING THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT WOULD NOT COME ON. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE FINALLY TURNED ON BUT NO WARNING MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. THIS VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY AND MANY TIMES WITH OUR CHILDREN AND WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE CAR STALLED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND NOT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. WE IMMEDIATELY REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO FIAT (CASE # 57913062) AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A FIAT DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS HAVING A LOW LEVEL OF ENGINE OIL EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN THERE A FEW WEEKS BEFORE AND WENT THROUGH THEIR "MULTI-POINT" INSPECTION. THEY RECOMMENDED AN OIL CHANGE WITH AN ADDITIVE AND A FUEL INJECTION CLEANING WHICH COST US $600. TWO WEEKS LATER, WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AS IF IT WAS ABOUT TO STALL, WOULD NOT SPEED PAST 60MPH, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A "DRIVE MODE UNAVAILABLE" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN. WE TOOK THE FIRST HIGHWAY EXIT AVAILABLE AND PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND CALLED FOR TOWING. WE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO FIAT ONCE AGAIN (CASE # 58008152) AND REQUESTED FOR IT TO BE ESCALATED DUE THE FREQUENT INCIDENTS AND OUR CONCERN FOR SAFETY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SAME FIAT DEALERSHIP AS BEFORE WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS BEING A BAD IGNITION COIL THAT CAUSED A MISFIRE. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE FROM FIAT.