550/575 Maintenace Issues to look out for

Many prospective buyers ask this same question and alothough the cars are getting a great record of reliability, I thought I'd condense the known issues into one thread.
Also, is there any way to summarize the Dealers Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs aka recalls) on these cars?



http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123150

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120355

Handbrake difficulty
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30269

Missing OBD2 upgrade
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123931

 

TSB's and Recalls are 2 very different things.

 

Once again you are correct, they are two different levels of defect category.

Back to the topic of being helpful to prospective buyers, is there any way to summarize potential problems?

 

The lack of responses and the lack of prior posts on the topic are the best clue.

It is a very direct indication of the cars quality.

 

Not really.

Recalls are a government requirement to address safety and emission problems. Also they are paid for in full by Ferrari.

TSB's are voluntary and can be anything from a product change notice, part supercession to advising of a fix for a defective part or assembly issue. There is no requirement for Ferrari to compensate the owner in any way (though often they do).

 

15k miles on my 04 and only thing that has gone wrong is the electronic seat switch on passenger side. Third tailight tends to fog up. Otherwise car has been solid.

 

The 575 seems to be free of systemic problems, the possible exception are the half-shafts. I am less familiar with the 550 but early? examples had a problem with the location of the oil pressure sending unit: it could be knocked off, causing loss of oil and a seized engine.

Steve

 

That is true of all including the 575 but is really only a problem when the motor mounts sag.

 

Rifledriver: Thanks for the clarification.

Steve

 

Were the motor mounts improved for MY '99, or so I heard?

 

They were improved but well after that. I think it was after the intro of the 575.

 

According to my parts CD, 550 Maranello, assembly #41317 was the first to use the new mounts. The original 550 one, and the superseded 550 one all became the 575 mount, p/n 192022
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Oh well, wrong again. That must be pretty late in 550 production though. I have a 7-99 car here with a 30xxx assy #.

 

Not sure if this has been covered yet, but isn't the large hose to the waterpump that runs between the water manifolds subject to an upgrade also? We had a 550 blow that hose at a local track event, if memory serves correctly. Ferrarioldman -- if you're not at Roebling right now, can you chime in?


If you're buying a 550, I suppose the only indicator would be seeing part #181599 (the new hose) in a receipt or something.
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The hose that looks like the one in the book is a POS. I warned entrants for the FCA National Meet in 04 to have those changed and several ignored the warning only to break down as a result. At the dealer I warranteed every one I saw because we knew they were going to blow up.

I have a car in the shop now getting it replaced. Dealer JUST had the intake manifold off to do another hose in there and left that one and the hose by clamps #51 and they were both circling the drain.

 

Was the water pump hose upgraded for the 575?

TIA!

 

I love that durable Silicon Hose for hi-temp areas such as this one.
The hose size doesn't seem compounded and appears as a straight shot so wouldn't seem difficult to find a replacement.

If you have any special needs, there is a custom hose manufacturer adjacent to the Irwindale speedway that makes such items
http://www.hose-man.com/sys-tmpl/irwindale1/

 

Late 550 and all 575 had a silicon hose that is a good fix.

 

Just found this by Whart in thread "Advice on 550"
THX

 

What year or s/n did this cut in?

 

I do not recall exactly. They just did a part change and did not bother to tell us as I recall. It is easy to see and tell the difference. The early part had ribs on each side of the hose clamps and the good one is smooth and has a white stripe on each side of the clamp. Just shine a flashlight under the front of the intake manifold and you will see.

I think it is a serious enough problem it warrants changing proactively.

Change all 3 hoses while there, if you don't believe me ask Darth about that one.

 

Hello Brian and Daniel,
Does the 456 have a similar hose that also needs to be replaced ?
Someone was talking to me about a jacket water cooling hose under the intake manifolds: is that the one?
Tks,
Saluti,

 

Exactly the same part.

Yes that one.

 

This is a good time to mention Mike Sheehan's article on 550 ownership and costs as evidenced by a sample car. It's in this month's issue. Whew, what a shock! The stuff that needed replacement is nuts compared to the older V-8 cars, like a 348, or even the TR's. 30,000 miles cost about oodles of money and that's not counting all the warranty work the car had. I shot my Maserati when it did this to me in the late '80's. I certainly don't shirk from Ferrari maintenance and repairs, but come on!

Even if the 550's get cheap I'm out.

 

Take the article with a grain of salt.

Those cars spend less time in the shop than any Ferrari built since the 328.

Guess why.

I have a TR and love it but they and the 348 cannot come near the reliability and ease of maint of a 550.


I could not make a living off of 550's.