NHTSA Complaint #11231930 — 2018 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS 2018 ALFA ROMEO GUILIA USED. I WAS NOT TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM WARNING, AND I BELIEVED I HAD AT LEAST 20-25 MILES OF FUEL REMAINING. I MAY HAVE MISCALCULATED MY MILEAGE, BUT IN ANY EVENT, I RAN OUT OF FUEL (I WAS CLOSE TO A GAS STATION AS WAS ABLE TO GET THE FUEL AND START THE CAR WITHIN 20 MINUTES OVERALL). THE CAR STOPPED, AND THE IT AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED PARK MODE, PREVENTING IT FROM BEING PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, OR PICKED UP FOR ROAD SERVICE UNLESS THE TOWER HAD A WHEEL DOLLY, TO HANDLE A 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAR. I THINK THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY HAZARD. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE. THE ONLY SOLUTION I COULD FIND, NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, IS A LEVER ON THE TRANSMISSION, LOCATED UNDER THE CAR, WHICH CAN BE PUSHED UP ONLY WITH A PARTICULAR MACHINE SCREW. OBVIOUSLY THIS CANNOT BE DONE WITH A CAR STUCK ON THE ROAD. I CALLED ZF, THE MAKER OF THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS USED IN MILLIONS OF CARS. ZF ADVISED THAT I WAS CORRECT, AND THAT MANUFACTURERS CAN PUT IN IN-CAR ACCESS TO THE LEVER OR SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, BUT THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH MANUFACTURER. I CALLED FCA, THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY INDICATED THAT I HAD TO CALL A DEALER. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER, ALFA ROMEO WHITE PLAINS (NY). THE SERVICE MANAGER, WHO IS AN ALFA ROMEO MASTER MECHANIC, INDICATED THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS SITUATION SEVERAL TIMES, AND HAD ASKED FCA TO FIX THIS. HE HAS RECEIVED NO USEFUL RESPONSE OR SOLUTION. ALTHOUGH THIS SITUATION MAY BE RARE (IT APPLIES NOT ONLY TO OUT OF FUEL, BUT MANY OTHER SITUATIONS OF ELECTRICAL OR OTHER FAILURES), IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS LUCKY. I WAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A LITTLE TRAVELED LOCAL STREET. WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN ON A HIGHWAY? PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL TO REQUIRE DOCUMENTATION OR A FIX TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT.