355 F1 gearbox problems

Hi guys, after my very positive experience on the track, i have been let down by my 355.
I was taking it away for the weekend and stopped at a Shell station to fill her up. As i pulled in, my Gearbox failure warning light came on. I stopped the car in 1st gear and filled her up. When i went to restart, the same light stayed on and it did not allow me to select Neutral. After a few calls to the Ferrari agent and trying many different combinations of starting her up, i gave up and called a flatbed tow truck to take her in.
The Ferrari agent tells me that the F1 pump has failed.

My question is: how reliable are these systems?

I have read many (helpful) threads on this site but wanted to get a sense of whether this is going to be a recurring occurrence...

 

Generally the F1 system is very reliable, but that doesn't mean things never go wrong...

I would think to verify if it's a pump failure they could connect a gauge to see if it's building pressure? When you turn the key to 'on' do you hear the pump turn on for a while, then turn off once pressurized? I'm sure you tried the most obvious things, like making sure the engine cover was latched, foot on brake, etc. Sometimes I've read that engine cover latch sensor can be misaligned or could just fail. I have had the F1 light on when the clutch was worn, but was able to select 'N' still.

If it is a pump failure DO NOT buy a new one! Some good rebuild options have been posted that are much, much cheaper.

 

Thanks UConn, i did check all the latches etc. Unfortunately, you don't hear the pump anymore when turning the key...
I have read the $16 000 thread and will tread very carefully before committing to a massive expense. Will let you know what my dealer says.

 

Also there's a pump relay behind the driver seat; that can sometimes get stuck 'on' and burn the pump out. But maybe it just failed and isn't sending the signal to the pump to turn on? I replaced mine just to be safe, costs about $40 I think.

 

Jay do you have the part number for that?? A little prevention can go along way...

 

I've heard that the wiring is inadequate and tends to heat up, causing failure. You may want to check this and replace the wiring with larger guage.

 

Not off hand, but give Daniel a call and he'll take care of you.