458/488 Brake Recall

I have a question for California-based owners since I can't speak with my dealer's service department until Monday: the recall letters refer to emissions recall repairs being required prior to vehicle registration renewal in California. What is the emissions issue? I need to get my 2014 Spider smogged for the first time and renew my registration before my current appointment to replace the reservoir cap, and am wondering if I'm going to have to try to get an earlier appointment before my registration renewal date.

 

I’m not sure if I’m reading your question correctly, but the brake recall has nothing to do with emissions. You should be able to register your car without issues.

 

^^
Thanks for replying. Understood that emissions have nothing to do with brake recall. The recall letters say near the end:

For vehicles registered in California: The California Department of Motor Vehicles, in conjunction with California Air Resources Board, requires the completion of emission recall repairs prior to vehicle registration renewal, per the Registration Renewal/Registration Tie-In Program. Your authorized Ferrari dealer will provide you with a Proof of Correction Certificate after the recall repair has been performed.

 

looks like legal boilerplate added
CA cars need the certificate after all recalls are performed and prior to registration renewal
the cap recall is not emissions-related per se, but it is a recall that must be addressed prior to renewal

 

^^
Thank you for the reply. Below is what my service advisor responded this morning.

This disclaimer is standard for emissions recalls. Since this recall is with the braking system, the certificate will not be necessary. This will not affect your visit.

 

Has anyone seen any proof from Ferrari as in data, reports, studies or documents of any type that conclusively prove the brake reservoir cap is in fact the root cause of the loss of braking capability brake recall or are we just suppose to believe that the remedy for the defect is the new brake reservoir cap?

 

You are expected to believe it no matter how stupid the so called fix is.

The $2.50 cap and ECU reset is the cheapest way out. You will never see any proof that it will fix it. What it will do is alert you that you are losing brake fluid earlier to avoid that case of total failure. IMO neither Ferrari nor Bosch know why it has happened. It has on a few cars though.

The cheapest solution is to set the level alarm earlier and to scape goat the cap as the problem.

Headlines """A $2.50 CAP IS THE REASON WHY $300 K FERRARIS CRASH !!! "" What a load of BS

 

Hi guys I am in the UK and my 2010 458 is going in for its annual service and brake recall in a few weeks. I think the recall is a bite of BS to be honest I understand how changing the cap with some expansion capability built into it will reduce pressure build up and I understand how the system warning you earlier will help should you start losing fluid.

However my concern is this, on the early 458 it had a lovely crackle and pops on overrun and I am hearing rumours that the ecu flash associated with the brake recall changes the mapping of the engine and you lose the crackle and pops? Can anyone confirm or deny this? My dealer assures me this won't happen but I doubt its reversable if it does.... anyone had this done on an early 458?

 

Later ecu flash does have less crackle
There are threads on this

 

He is asking if the BRAKE RECALL PROGRAMMING will do the same. I'm curious as well since I have '11 and do not want to lose the pop and crackle. Anyone who's done the recall can confirm?

 

Until proven otherwise, I would not get the recall processed just yet if my brakes were just fine....what I would do, is accumulate a cap and put that on myself, and monitor things as this will go on for awhile. I would have that feeling that they would re-map it and things would change....screw that. My Mom used to say,"don't look for trouble when there isn't any". this entire problem is not going to be solved the way they try to show that it might.....

 

I just read on Ferraista.club that the operation of the software update would also include erasing any stored errors related to this problem as well as updating the software to take account of the change made. Does this sound like Ferrari is possibly destroying evidence that could be used in a court of law against Ferrari to protect Ferrari from liability from those who would be involved any class action lawsuit or is this just a coincidence?

 

Well I'm definitely not the smartest person in the room nor am I a lawyer- but I'm pretty sure there would need to be a basis for a C-A suit- So does anyone have any data such as:

> $$$ Amount of property damage attributed and validated to 458/488 brake failure as the root cause? I would think it must be in the millions right?

> Number of and severity of injuries attributed and validated to 458/488 brake failure as the root cause- Must be at least double digits of people injured right?

> Number of deaths attributed to and validated to 458/488 brake failure as the root cause- even one is too many but how many? Must be documented.

For the life of me I'm not seeing this information published anywhere so must be looking in the wrong place. Would be great to know.

Anyone?

Cheers

 

As they say it down here the chances of finding out are buckleys and none, translation FAT CHANCE.

 

Doesn't anyone find it interesting that there is ZERO / ZERO / ZERO for the three categories I laid out? Does anyone find it interesting that given how hyper-litigious society is nowadays coupled with a high-profile easy target like Ferrari with deeeeeeep pockets coupled with the fact that you can't take a pee in a crosswalk without 75 people capturing it on their cell phones and it being on Twitter/Facebook/TicTok and all the other Social Media out there before the pee is dry - yet NOTHING reported/filmed/mentioned with regard to anything tangible associated with the "Ferrari Brake Recall" and the articles that are out there specifically state "there have been no reported injuries or deaths" - does not mention property damage.

I can recall - as I am sure many on here can - the infamous Audi "Sudden Acceleration" issue a long time ago - way before Social Media and every cell phone had a camera/video camera - Yet that made the news the first time any actual damage occurred or anyone was injured. Yet now we have this horrendous life-threatening issue associated with arguably the most famous and visible car manufacturer in the world - AND one that garners envy and jealousy from competitors, the media and the average person - yet NOTHING tangible has been reported.

Even the most ardent conspiracy theorist who might think that Ferrari has the breadth and power to cover up ANY modicum of tangible information out there (impossible these days) or the people that think this is Ferrari's first dance and they are purposely duping their buyers/owners with a fake fix have to at least question the complete lack of anything tangible - hell even any false rumors.

I just find it interesting is all.

I guess I am just naïve and figure I trust Ferrari to DESIGN AND BUILD the car so kinda trust them to correct a defect - And I guess I am just dumb because I have neither the background or knowledge to think I know more than Ferrari so just grabbing my pretty 458, my two letters, my owners manual and plan to stumble into my Ferrari dealer on Monday to have them address the recall -

No different than I am going to bumble into my local Dodge dealer to have them address the FCA recall and reprogram the PCM and replace both catalytic converters on my Hellcat because I am fresh out of catalytic converters in my garage and don't really feel like looking up the part numbers of the cats - ordering them - trying to install them - and somehow buying or finding the software to update the PCM - I kinda figure it is best for a DODGE DEALER to perform this work and UPDATE THE FCA and NHTSA database that the recall was properly performed. Same with the Ferrari recall - or any other MANUFACTURER recall.

Just me -

 

Maybe we can get group buy on caps! LOL (count me in if we do)

 

Your not alone , i do feel the same way.

On record I was the first to acknowledge on the 488 GTB with the car off the 3rd brake light still lights up. I pointed it to Ferrari and NOTHING is the response. But when the factory battery failed I did get a new battery or else.

The ACCC in Australia has our back. So far no sticky buttons or failure but if there ever was its of to court.

BTW we have a resident Ferrari employee here. He can easily cut a cap and see if there is any such relief but even if there is its not the real fix. And yet he hasnt answered my direct question yet.

On the 488 GTB there was a charcoal canister recall. The canister was replaced.

What I believe is that only a few are having this problem or had it. Im sure if after the recall so called fix if your light comes on Ferrari will tell you that you need to change your brake master cylinder ( because im sure they wont just change the seals ) and the pressure plate. Under warrantee ? Well if you have the warrentee or you are going to pay for it.

Me in Australia fat chance that I pay if out of warrantee ACCC has got my back.

 

BTW This will affect over 40,000 cars.

If they were forced to change every single one with new parts parts > $700 add labour say 6 hrs = about $2,000 each car over 80 MILLION.

$2.5 CAP = $100,000

 

I am still needing to know if having the ECU update changes the mapping and I will lose my 2010 craclke and pops. My local Ferrari dealer tells me it won't but honestly I have my doubts they will even know. We need someone who has an early car ti have had the ECU flash and the new cap and ask them how the car performed after the recall was carried out

 

Nothing to do with your Ecu, the software update is to alter when the brake fluid loss warning light comes on your dash board.
At the moment it comes on when when the fluid level drops to 48%.
They are changing the fluid warning loss light to come on at about 20% to give the driver time to react before total fluid loss.
So those owners of 2010 - 2011 cars will still have pops and bangs on over run.

 

the reason you are not seeing this information published anywhere is because it does not exist

 

So to be clear - not argumentative but just want to understand your statement - are you saying it does not exist because none of it happened or are you saying it does not exist because it happened and nobody is publishing the information?

 

Same here, my parts are being ordered and should be available to go in a couple weeks. I'm hoping someone else goes in first and report back if the exhaust note is altered after the update.

 

IIRC there have been various (although not numerous) cases of reported accidents where the braking system has been accused - with high performance cars generally exceeding the drivers' capacities, it's easier to blame the drivers than to prove a mechanical defect on a wrecked car.

Eventually Ferrari is stepping in with a somewhat questionable fix, but I bet they would not have done anything if they had no concern at all.

 

Remember seeing that video with 458 just going straight off the track and crashing in the barrier ? Portugal / Spain ???