Irresponsable behaviour of "FIAT"

[betsberg]

Hello everybody,
Although I registered today, I watch this Forum since I ordered an new Ulysse in April 2004. The car was only delivered in August 2004. Since the beginning my car has a serious acceleration problem which appears unexpected and disappears the same way. This happens 2 or 3 times a month for several Kilometers or for several hours. The car is a real danger : imagine the fear when crossing a dangerous road and suddenly the car won't move any further. My car has been for 5 times at the garage (dealership) to solve the problem. They couldn't fix the problem. I wrote already several letters to my dealer and to the head-office in Brussels asking to take back the car. They never react. Last time my car stayed two whole months at the dealership to fix, still, the same problem. When I took back my "repaired" car, I felt that something was wrong. Indeed : after two weeks the same problem appeared. I immediately (this is more than a week ago) wrote three registered letters : one to the dealership to pay back the car to me (including a dead-line) , another to the main office in Brussels to complain (with a copie of the first letter) and a third one to the president of the board and the chief executive officier of Fiat sPa in Torino (Italy). I didn't get any answer. This is an unreal situation : I did pay almost 30.000 euro for a new car with a 3 years warranty. The car has a problem which can lead to serious accidents. Neither the dealer, nor the head-office could repair this dangerous car and I have to go to court to ask my money back. :bang: This car was my fifth and my last Fiat.
Greetings.

 

[Stu DemonD]

Hi and welcome

Is this the only way you reject the car in Belgium? I know there is a procedure you can follow in the UK, which involves walking into the dealership with the car, keys and all the documents, and formally rejecting it [there are a few other things you have to do as well, too early to recall].

As for the acceleration issue, what has been their 'fix' each time?

 

[betsberg]

Hi,
about the fixes : they don't know if the problem is related to the engine or to the auto-gearbox but they let me know that an air flow sensor had been replaced, somes valves in relation with the FAPfilter, reprogramming the diesel injection unit, finally a replacement of this unit, several tests with the auto-gearbox. I suppose this man exists also in the UK : a kind of flying doctor depending of the head-office. It's a so called specialist who exams all over the country but Ulysse and lancia Phedra models (I tought the Lancia sister wasn't imported in the UK). At the garage they told me that my car has been examined several times by the flying doctor, without any result. There is only one major problem : after each check-up or repair they have to do test drives, but in my case the problem can appear after 5 kms or only after 100 or more kms. So you only can be sure after driving a couple of weeks, if the car is definitively repaired.
Greetings