FF Rough Idle

yes, when started from cold, the first 30-45 seconds seem a bit rough - felt almost like it was missing on a cylinder or two.

It's "normal" - right after startup the various sensors are calibrating, plus like most modern cars cold starts are "managed" to minimize emissions.

After that, let it warm up and let it rip.

 

Yes, but then it is as smooth as a turbine.

 

Yes, it does.
As a matter of fact it misfires to the point that I decided to wait a few minutes and warm up before driving it if very cold.

When I get out of work there is a gentle hill, if she is cold she gets rough and misfires.

One of these days, on low speed and second gear after a turn the car completely "died". Then I was able to turned it on again fine but the gearbox failure light stayed on for a few minutes.

Another day after getting out of work the engine failure light stayed on.

I admit, those were record cold temperatures in Wisconsin.

I called the dealer and they told me these could happen in extremely cold temperatures specially if I do not wait to warm up.

My car is 2014, has 500 miles.

I love the car but I am a little disappointed with this type of behavior, did not expect it on a car made for the winter.

Just a fact, my panamera GTS, can be driven right on after turned on and you do not notice any difference whatsoever.

Two other minor issues:

1- the device that hangs the seat belt is malfunctioning.

2- the other day at the gas station, the gas tank cap would not open. Fortunately there was enough gas to get home. On the manual they explain how to use the emergency release cable hidden on the trunk to open the tank. I did that and now is fine.

I am sorry, I love the car but I am somewhat concern. This is my first Ferrari. Things that malfunction usually break.

Had Porsches for 8 years and never, never a problem, not even a light going off.

Germans are different than italians, but I am a car enthusiast like all of you.

So I am giving the brand a fair test.

The FF and the GTS are side by side, they are both 2014.

Will see how this goes in 2 or 3 years……….

The interesting thing is that a loaded panamera GTS is still less than half the price of the FF.

BUT yes, of course, it is not a Ferrari, I agree 100 %.

Really hope this works well and it shows to be a reliable car, in that case I will try a 458 too.

All the best to all.

Sorry, but these are facts.

 

I am also waiting to see how my '14 turns out over the long term. By accounts of owners who have driven the cars many miles, the cars do very well. As for the German cars, well my X5M did 37 days in the shop last year while the technicians chased an elusive electrical glitch in the starter/wake-up circuit. Nothing human is perfect. We will see.

 

Good point.
Maybe I should have been more specific.
BMWs are german, but they are not Porsches…..
I never had a BMW but had 5 Porsches in the past 8 years.
They are phenomenal cars.

 

Give it some more miles I would say. I am on my 2nd FF and it rides really well after 10000kms. Rough idle somehow smoothens out with miles on.

 

Yes. They are great cars. Here's my experiences on the last 3 my wife and I owned:
-- '07 Cayman S No problems whatsoever in 4 years
-- '07 911 GT3 Two transmission seals replaced for slight leaks. Rattle in dash addressed successfully.
- '95 911 C4 All hydraulic fluid leaked out when the pump that served the brakes and the hydraulic 4-wheel drive failed. Thus all four brakes failed despite their being on separate hydraulic circuits. The design flaw was to have a common pump for all brakes which created the potential for total brake failure, thereby defeating the purpose of the separate systems.

I think their quality control has advanced considerably, and so has Ferrari's.

 

Not in either of our FFs, but did have this happen in our 612OTO. When we got the car to cold, high altitude areas, it alomst wouldn't stay running some mornings on first startup. Would have to turn it off, then restart to get it to idle and run smoothly. REst of the day it would start and run fine. Turned out to be something to do with the Mass Air Flow sensor and software I think (was few years ago, so I don't recall specifics). Take it to the dealer, and it can be easily remedied.

Our current FF has not had anything like this at all. Starts and runs smooth as a locomotive, irrespective of temperature.

 

I have over 31,000 miles on my FF in NW Ohio. We have had -18 F etc this winter (Global Warming, I think NOT). I drive mine to work every day. Even at -18 it cranks right over at the end of the day, starts after the 2-3 second crank process gets oil to her. It idles a bit fast of course for the first minute or so, then idles right down with no issues. Power is available immediately with no misfires. I would say something is wrong with yours although mine is a late 2012, your may have something different in software or hardware design?

My only complaint when it is VERY cold is if I park it with engine oil up to temp, and leave it parked for over 15 minutes ... to an hour or so, the oil is still hot, water is still warm, but the initial idle fuel/air setting is set by some sensor that now thinks it is VERY cold, even though the engine is quite warm. So for the first 20 seconds or so the engine turns near 3,000 rpm or whatever, then it finally idles down like it should.

On your gas cap, it may have had some moisture in it that froze. When it hangs, walk around to the cap, press on the trailing edge hard, then press on the leading edge hard. That will break the ice. Press the button again and it will open just fine.

The seatbelt device is stupid, simply stupid! Ferrari does plenty of great things, like getting 700+ horse power out of a 6.3 liter V12 ... but the seatbelt device is damn stupid. I happen to have a CG-Lock device CG-Lock Performance Add-on for your Seat belt on my seatbelt to keep it tight. Because the belt now is much heavier the stupid seat belt device never grabs the seat belt. Actually I learned early on to simply reach my left arm back along the bottom of the floor to grab the lower end of the belt. It is easy. And you don't need to worry about the stupid seat belt device. (Did I say stupid too often? )

I owned three Porsche 928's, great cars. The Panamera is cool but crap next to a FF. The Panamera will put you to sleep. The FF will stir your blood every day you drive it.

Rick

 

Sounds good Rick.
As always very informative. You know the car well.
I think the gas cap was a real malfunction, the car was clean, no ice around it.
The seat belt thing, yes stupid thing.
In the same note I wish the buttons to open the trunk and the gas tank as well were not on the floor, that is not practical but it is a minor issue.

Will see, I have a few years to go to reach conclusions.
Hopefully will be a few good years because I enjoy the ownership and the unparalleled driving experience.
All the best

 

So far no gas cap issues with my '14. I keep on testing it to see if I can make it fail -- none so far. Problems are probably an adjustment issue.

Here is my seat belt device experience. The driver's side device works fine and I have no problem with it. My wife (120 lb) is not heavy enough to actuate the feed, because when she gets in, the seat belt buzzer squawks, but the belt doesn't move. But when I (175 lb) get in the passenger side, the belt does present itself. I suspect it may be adjustable or just forget about it.

 

Mine is fine, no miss fires from cold or anything like that

 

No problems here with cold start either. Of course a "cold start" in San Diego is 55 deg F.

 

Seems to be pretty smooth starting from cold. There again we haven't had sub-zero temps here yet or snow (London - UK)

 

Give me a break ... 55 degrees

Rick

 

I also agree on the location of the gas cap and hatch buttons, that area is a great dirt collector (if you actually drive the car). The California has the buttons there too. Also the location of the headlight switch is totally wrong. I can't see that switch without opening the door. And if I want to get really *****y using the right hand TFT display for the reverse camera is WRONG, they should have used the radio display just like they did on the California.

Even with those design flaws, all it takes is starting that beautiful V12 and it becomes a perfect car!

Rick

 

I actually like the gas cap and hatch button switch locations, in fact all the control locations, just because I have gotten used to them in the 458. One less thing to get used to. In fact the cabin looks almost exactly like the 458. But then when you look out the windshield and instead of seeing that short nose of the rear mid engined car, there is the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in front of you ....

 

Yes, mine had the "idle shake" problem.

It went in for the problem and I was told that a software reinstall didn't fix it. First annual took a week and a half at 10K miles. Factory told dealer that 5 cars worldwide had the same problem but I still don't know how they fixed it or what the problem was.

Ferrari factory called this week to check on dealer and have promised to provide a full breakdown of what the problem was and how it was fixed. We shall see.

I'm in London, so very few cold days this year.

 

Another issue I encountered with my FF (MY13, 4000km) when temperature falls below 0°C was that the button to close the hatch door was malfunction in a way that the hatch door would not close. More importantly this malfunction caused the battery to be empty on the next day. The dealer took in the car three times until they found the root cause for the empty battery and exchanged the button (and before did the usual stuff including a new battery which cost me 600 Euro..).

Other smaller problems: creaky steering wheel (apparently the rolled electric "band" connecting wheel with dashboard needs to be exchanged) and strange noise while closing window. Seat belt lifter works depending on the mood of the car, idle when cold indeed a little rough for the first minute and engine died when cold and on slow speed a couple of times as mentioned before. Altogether I love the car, use it every day, have adapted to the style and really like it now. We have currently 4 Ferraris and the FF is really special but believe Ferrari encounters some toothing problems building a car for a new season (winter) for the first time.

We also have a Bentley Conti Speed which is probably in a similar market segment, runs fantastic all the time (yes, German influences at works ...;-) but since we have the FF we very rarely use the Conti and actually plan to sell it.

Enjoy the FF !

 

I know this thread is old， anyone has issue that car won't go high rpm after cold start? Happened on both manual and auto mode. But back to normal after 5-10 min...

 

mine does it from time to time, especially if it sits for days or a week

 

Is it that way even after the engine oil has fully warmed to operating temp? Maybe it's the cpu's algorithm to protect the engine.

 

just at cold start for mine