Ferrari announced a brake issue affecting most cars sold in the U.S. since 2005. It has issued a recall for nearly 24,000 vehicles.
A potentially dangerous brake issue has caused Ferrari to issue a recall for 23,555 of its sports cars. The recall includes several different models, encompassing a significant portion of Ferraris sold in the U.S. since 2005.
It’s the result of a safety report the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted on July 26. In the filing, Ferrari acknowledged a problem with the brake fluid reservoir cap on many vehicles.
The cap may fail to vent properly, the report said, creating a vacuum in the reservoir and causing brake fluid to leak. That could lead to a partial or full loss of braking ability, according to the report.
While the report estimated that nearly 24,000 Ferraris might be involved, the company separately estimated via Road and Track that only 1% will display the defect.
The recall has affected many Ferrari models — including some of the company’s priciest vehicles, like the F60 America and the LaFerrari. It applies to cars as old as the 612 Scaglietti, which started production in 2004.
The recall only excludes a few Ferrari models produced since 2005. They are the 575M Maranello, 599 GTB, SF90, and 296, according to Road And Track.
Remedial Steps for Ferrari Owners
Repairing the issue requires a relatively simple fix. It involves “replacing the brake fluid reservoir cap and updating the software in the affected vehicles to provide for a different warning message if the vehicle should lose sufficient brake fluid,” the NHTSA report said.
The issue affects cars built as late as July 22, 2022. Ferrari said it plans to notify dealers and owners of the defect on Sept. 24, 2022.
In the meantime, Ferrari included some advice for owners of potentially affected vehicles.
If they see a “low brake fluid” warning message on the vehicle dashboard, “the driver should pull off the road as soon as it is safe to do so,” the report said. Then they should contact Ferrari Roadside Assistance and get a tow to the nearest authorized Ferrari dealer.
According to Car and Driver, a similar recall occurred in October 2021. It affected about 10,000 Ferraris, although the latest recall does not include those models.
