458s on Fire

Give us a full link! That link is broken.

 

No, that link is blocked as it's a competitive link to F-Chat.

Jedi

 

hold your horses now, easy, I just fixed the link.

 

Ok....

 

I hope the administrator would forgive for this but I posted this not because for anything else, but to share important information on a possible fix for the 458 that may lead to the cause of the car burning on its own. Thanks

 

sorry guys, the admin or probably the representative of this forum, banned the link.

 

So paraphrase - what did they say about the 458 recall, in your words?

Jedi

 

I hope you can let go of this link as it contains information that considers safety to the owners of the 458's. Thank you

 

ok, I'll provide the very words as it is shown. I don't want to paraphrase or anything that might lead to another meaning so I hope you all understand. It started with this:

"Ferrari's finally decided to issue a recall on the Ferrari 458 Italia after at least four fires in three months, according to a letter allegedly received by an owner. Ferrari's apparently blaming a design flaw instead of their owners.

The Italian automaker promised us the Ferrari 458 Italia would be a hot new ride, but the numerous fires made us wonder about how literal the Italians were being.

After weeks of no response to our questions, we were treated to a quiet leak to European buff books earlier this week that Ferrari was investigating the fires. It turns out it may have been a quick investigation.

We've heard from one owner tonight that they received a letter from Ferrari claiming a gas overflow tube and gas vapor system were placed too close to the engine, thus creating the possibility of a fire. The owner was told they can take their vehicle to their dealer to receive a fix. We're currently trying to confirm this report and will update you as soon as we get it."

then this:

"The incidents is due to basic concept of fuel vapor. Whenever there is gas in the tank, the vapors from the fuel causes pressure in the tank. Those vapors then is to be released into the carbon canister where they are broken down so they do not pollute the air.

On that canister there is a vent hose that runs to the passenger side rear front half wheel well. The old design on the F430 had the vent hose basically just being blocked/diverted so the vapors are guided out of the wheel well.

With the design on F458, there was a chance that vapors could escape into the engine compartment. The vehicle has very little engine room and gets extremely hot, therefore sometimes causing the unthinkable.....

The new design since all of the 458 fires, places the hose directly into a housing that is vented into the wheel well. The hose is clamped onto the housing and there is no way that vapor can get into the engine compartment.


Info from ferrari"

then two pictures that shows which part is going to be changed

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?575b130aa1.jpg

[img=http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.84e14b934b.jpg]

hope this helps

 

We need more deleting done...posters,that is.

 

I read this on another forum as well, and I find it interesting that only one owner has gotten this "letter"...

I hope it's true and Ferrari has an easy fix for the issue, and then go back and make the owners who have fallen victim to the issue whole again.

Not sure of the legality of this, are manufacturers required to replace cars that are damaged as a result of a subsequent recall?

 

When you think about the venting of the charcoal canister (to the atmosphere), it is an incredible waste of energy, that obviously burns well. I assume it is not supposed to be venting at all ??

Now I'm not sure, but maybe at high revs these vapours might be sucked into the engine. I know my son's Toyota has a vacuum line to the canister but that might be to provide vacuum in the first place ???
Pete

 

PSk: The charcoal canister actually captures the fumes, then they're drawn back into the engine while it's running. Those hydrocarbons are still used to power the car, and don't become pollution until they've been tortured in the combustion chamber!


Now, I'll editorialize: I've always been irritated by Fchats policy of blocking references to other sources of information. A little insecurity from the 800 lb gorilla of Ferrari-related websites?

More to the current point, I've noted that the mods keep merging all threads related to the 458s thermal issues into this one. Now that rumors are spreading all over the internet that there's a recall, everyone is coming here and starting threads about the notion of a recall, not just that cars are burning, then the info is getting buried in this thread as it turns acrimonious. Not many people are going to read through this excessively long thread about burning cars when they're looking for recall info. That's why I started the "458 recall central" thread that got buried into this one just like the last 2 recall-oriented threads.

You guys are making it hard to find information; intentionally with regards to not allowing links to other forums, and (I think) unintentionally by burying it all in a monster thread about cars catching fire.

 

Wow - nice contribution, yet you wonder why the threads are combined.

 

So it was a design flaw? I guess design flaws do happen with any company. Good that Ferrari admitted to this probably amidst all the news about their cars going up in flames. Lose some cars and customers but retain the brand equity...

 

If in fact there is a design flaw, and this design flaw caused those 458 to catch fire, I imagine those insurance companies would seek Ferrari to reimburse them for their loss. I really do hope this is the cause of the fires and the fix prevents further loss of such a beautiful car!

 

Bingo. The whole idea is to keep vapors out of the atmosphere. If this is indeed the problem, there are two faults: 1. flamable vapor is being released into the atmosphere and 2. flamable vapor is being released near an ignition source.

Dave

 

i spoke to my dealer...no open campaigns on my car even tho assembly number falls before the one stated as the cut off in this thread. fwiw.

 

I delayed picking up my car until the necessary parts arrived and fitted. Why take any risk at all?

 

Did they give you any flack for that?

 

the idea that there are necessary parts isnt confirmed btw.

altho my assembly number was early, my car was delivered late due to the heavy options i picked. So it seems my car had the updates directly at the factory.

 

Thank Goodness, somebody who understands. The very reason I posted it as a new thread (because didn't find any thread that pertained to a "possible recall") but was transferred here. Some of us here would just want to help specially to the safety of our fellow members who owns these beautiful machines.

It may be true or false, at least, we may get some sense on why the car is burning on its own. I just hope next time, the moderators or administrator may give some sort of leeway specially on things like this. Thanks.

 

Why would they do that??? What a strange question

 

I have seen it before. Dealer will "try" to strong arm and deliver the car no matter what because they get credit for it that month as opposed to the moth you do get it.