Ferrari Faces Lawsuit Over Failing to Fix Brake Defect After Recalls

The lawsuit alleges that the automaker only provided “an interim” fix for the problem.

By: Anthony Alaniz

Mar 19, 2024 at 11:23am ET

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A Ferrari owner has sued the automaker in US District Court for failing to repair a brake defect properly. The lawsuit alleges that the automaker could only provide “an interim” fix for the problem that now leaves owners to drive unsafe cars.

Iliya Nechev bought his 2010 458 Italia in 2020 and says he experienced brake issues from day one. The lawsuit describes one incident where Nechev attempted to navigate a 90-degree turn while driving downhill, but the car would not slow down when he pressed the brakes. A Ferrari dealer told him that that was “normal,” according to the filing.

Ferrari initially issued a voluntary recall in October 2021 for the 458 Italia, 458 Speciale (pictured above), 458 Speciale Aperta, 458 Spider, 488 GTB, and 488 Spider. The company discovered that brake fluid could leak out of the system and cause a partial or complete loss of braking power, but at the time, Ferrari did not know the cause of the problem.

The company issued a second recall in mid-2022 for a loss of brake function that affected more than 23,000 cars dating back to the 2005 model year. Ferrari had discovered that the fluid reservoir cap on the affected vehicles might not have been properly venting. This could cause a vacuum inside the reservoir, leading to a leak.

Ferrari fixed the issue with a new reservoir cap and updated software. The recall affected everything from the 612 Scaglietti to the Roma but did not include the 458 or 488 lineups from the earlier recall.

Nechev’s lawsuit alleges Ferrari could have only fixed the issue by replacing the master cylinder. It also says Ferrari failed to inform customers about the extent of the brake defect.

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A Ferrari spokesperson gave the following statement to Motor1 when reached for comment:

"The safety and well-being of our clients is our highest priority. We operate according to stringent safety and security guidelines to ensure that our vehicles always respect homologation specifications."