F430 Problems - F1 Pump / Actuator / Solenoid Valve

Dear All

Recently, and just before the expiry of the 3 year warranty, I experienced increasingly frequent problems with the "SLOW DOWN" warning coming on and the gear being cut to neutral automatically. This usually happens when I am slowing down quickly from fairly high speeds. At times, right after the engine is started, and the car is put into gear (whether 1st or reverse), the car will barely move. The accelerator may be depressed and you can hear the engine come to life but there is little or no torque. Or it could be that the torque is just not transmitted to the wheels.

When I first noticed the "SLOW DOWN" issues a few weeks before the warranty expired, I sent the car in for checking. However, I was told that the diagnostics computer did not find anything wrong with the car. However, when the problems not only re-occurred but became more frequent, I sent the car in again. I told the agent that they have to fix the problem and I will consider it a warranty claim since I notified them in time.

After using the computer to diagnose the problem again, this time they found something at fault with the car. And this is currently the source of my frustrations. I am based in Singapore. The way that the car is being diagnosed and rectified is as follows. The local mechanics will plug in the computer and obtain the necessary readings. These readings will then be transmitted to the factory in Italy. The factory will then transmit instructions to the local mechanics to attempt the repair by replacing particular items/equipment, etc. Readings from the computer will then be taken and transmitted back to Italy. This process will be repeated until the problem is resolved. This has been going on for more than one week and till now they still do not know what the problem is with the car. They have taken out and replaced, amongst other things, the F1 pump, the actuator, the solenoid valve, etc but nothing appears to work.

And they can't tell me when they will be able to resolve the problem. From other threads, I gather that the entire F1 kit may have to be replaced but since this is very expensive, I assume that the factory will try to avoid doing this until there is no alternative. To replace the F1 kit, they will have to send the kit all the way from Italy and that is another frustrating wait!!

I'm just posting this to vent my frustrations and also at the same time ask if anyone has faced similar problems with their F430s and share how these problems were finally resolved.


CM

 

Feb 2007 Coupe

 

I don't think so. But just as I finished venting my frustations online, I received a call from the local agent. The factory has authorised the replacement of the entire F1 kit! The only issue now is how long it will take to arrive from Italy ...

 

Finally! After 2 weeks, the F1 issue has been resolved. The factory authorised the replacement of the entire F1 kit (actuator, F1 pump, solenoid valve, etc) and it's finally arrived and fixed onto my car. Thank goodness i managed to make the claim in time. The whole kit would have cost tens of thousands of dollars. The local agent here was quite apologetic about the long delay in repairing the car and were quite nice about it. They kept me informed on a daily basis and even gave me a small hamper of goodies for keeping me waiting! Good on them!

Anyway, the car feels good and the F1 gear change slightly more responsive (or is it psychological?). The only thing is - there is now a new and quite loud metallic scraping noise that comes from the direction of the new F1 kit that comes on intermittenly. I will monitor that and bring the car in again if the noise persists. The exhaust note also sounded a tad softer than before. Wonder why ...

 

Yes, that woudl be tens of thousands (both in US and Singapore dollars). The factory tried replacing each of the component of the F1 kit in turn but could not resolve the problem. That was why it then approved the replacement of the entire kit. The only question now is whether I take up the power warranty extension ...

 

Hi Terry, what's a noise kit and what does it do?

 

Seems like quite a common problem. I have read about this problem in other threads as well. Which was why I was able to discuss the problem with the local agent here. I have another 3 days to decide whether to renew the power warranty! I know there's another thread on this somewhere but would people advise that I buy this warranty seeing as how the F1 kit was just replaced? With the F1 kit replaced, there's a major problem out of the way right? Any other major issues I may expect over the next year or two?

 

In US dollars, it is about 4k, 5k and 7.5k, depending on the coverage required.

 

Yes, Z. That's for an additional year of coverage. I've decided to take a chance and not buy a power warranty. Fingers crossed that the next major repair (fair wear and tear items excepted) over the next 12 months will not exceed USD4K