Here we go, I've taken with & without flash so you can see, not as bad as the OP's, but I suspect it's just a matter of time....
Technical Leather on steering wheel bubbling up
- Thread starter rusky27
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Technical Leather on steering wheel bubbling up
Nasty.....
According to my local dealer "Fiat aren't paying out on warranty very much at the moment", to which I said "they better bloody had as so far I have had nothing approved as everything is apparently wear & tear"
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chrismgreen
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Had mine for 27 months now, took car in to discuss bubbles on steering wheel and told not covered by 3 rd year warrenty.( This is a rip off). Spent days with Fiat Customer Care chasing people and on hold numerous times. wanted it resolved F.O.C. asked to speak to senior manager, got nothing back. In the end took £100 offer from guy on help desk (He was very help full, but restricted on amount he could offer. Waiting for dealer to arrange replacement and £100 token gesture... total cost is £300!!
so I'm unhappy £200 quid down on what is a fine car...Suggest you check in first 24 months and immediately get it done under 2 YEAR WARRANTY. The more who do this the happier I'll be that my £200 loss hurts Fiat by having a mass replacement. I may even get a retrospective gesture so will hang on to receipt...
Tbh I would now that this to the consumer advice bureau. A steering wheel should last more than 3 years. It just should.....Had mine for 27 months now, took car in to discuss bubbles on steering wheel and told not covered by 3 rd year warrenty.( This is a rip off). Spent days with Fiat Customer Care chasing people and on hold numerous times. wanted it resolved F.O.C. asked to speak to senior manager, got nothing back. In the end took £100 offer from guy on help desk (He was very help full, but restricted on amount he could offer. Waiting for dealer to arrange replacement and £100 token gesture... total cost is £300!!
Suggest you check in first 24 months and immediately get it done under 2 YEAR WARRANTY. The more who do this the happier I'll be that my £200 loss hurts Fiat by having a mass replacement. I may even get a retrospective gesture so will hang on to receipt...
It is happening on a lot of cars, a car trimmer told me it was the change in coating as leather is now coated in water based dyes etc. In the old days with good old chemicals it used to be hard wearing and resistant to oils etc.
I have had the leather steering wheel replaced under warranty on our Discovery 3 and on a 2 year old Qashqai.
I am not convinced that we will have leather steering wheels for too much longer and they will go to synthetic materials as a result of these problems.
I have had the leather steering wheel replaced under warranty on our Discovery 3 and on a 2 year old Qashqai.
I am not convinced that we will have leather steering wheels for too much longer and they will go to synthetic materials as a result of these problems.
Mine has the same issue (started).. saw one for sale it had the white color all brushed away.. it looked nasty! :yuck:
Isn't there any kind of polish or something to solve it?
yup!
probably not the best idea to polish your steering wheel
Well, guess what...... It's not cevered apparently, wear & tear
OP
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rusky27
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I wonder if its depending on the dealer my steering wheel has been replaced now and only took two weeks one week waiting on the part shipping from italy - I took a few pics and emailed them to the warranty manager then I got a ring back asking when I could book the car in for a refit. My car was still in the 2year warranty - don't know if that's any help - but I certainly did'nt get the wear and tear line.
Just this second had Fiat Warranty on the phone, they are refusing to cover it saying it is wear & tear.
Suffice to say that's the last nail in the coffin for me buying another Fiat.
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With Fiats sales reportedly more dire by the month, I guess they are having to cut back on warranty pay outs. However the 500 is sort of marketed as a premium small car.
I've lost count of the number of times I said to myself that I'd never buy another Fiat, but I've still bought 13 of them.
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rusky27
New member
Sorry to hear that Mark, just lousy how can fiat on one hand, accept that my steering wheel, and others on the grande punto forum (which in pictures are all identical blistering to each other) and on the other give such a lame excuse when it comes to yours, which in my opinion looks like the same issue as mine...lousy!
I had the same thing years back when my local Rover dealer refused to fix constantly breaking engine mountings, which lead to half a dozen broken exhausts. I can't help feeing that sort of service played a part in the downfall of the company. I can't say I miss them too much
I keep hearing this on these forums, and whilst to an extent I can believe this does anyone actually have any hard data?
I have a sneaking suspicion alot of this comes down to how hard the dealer pushes FIAT and whether they really want the warranty work to do.
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www.italiaspeed.com - a very pro Fiat/anything Italian site regularly give accurate monthly sales figures.
How old is your car.
Just because they say that doesn't mean you should accept it. In some cases people are unreasonable with their complaints, but a steering wheel wearing out in such a short period of time and affecting so many cars (so not user error) is not acceptable and it is not fit for purpose.
I would fight them to be honest for a new one.
As for sales figures, Fiat sold a lot of cars under the scrappage as it was the sort of car and price which attracted people on the scheme. It's not a big surprise it is dropping and of course the popularity of the 500 was bound to slow down as more people go their cars. Also I think they have increased the price to often and by too much.
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similar issue with my new Bravo and the same poor response from Fiat to current owner through Desira Norwich
when i take delivery of the car i will be calling and writing to Fiat HQ about it and then if no resolution taking it up with trading standards
wear and tear it is not, it is unfit for purpose
i am a loyal fiat customer but this really isn't acceptable and makes a laughing stock of the warranty :bang:
are you listening Andrew Humberstone?
when i take delivery of the car i will be calling and writing to Fiat HQ about it and then if no resolution taking it up with trading standards
wear and tear it is not, it is unfit for purpose
i am a loyal fiat customer but this really isn't acceptable and makes a laughing stock of the warranty :bang:
are you listening Andrew Humberstone?
Rob how old is your bravo?
