A Ferrari owner sued the automaker in U.S. District Court for failing to properly repair a brake defect. The lawsuit alleges that the automaker could only provide a “temporary” solution to the problem that now forces owners to drive unsafe cars.
Iliya Nechev bought her 2010 458 Italia in 2020 and says she experienced brake issues from day one. The lawsuit describes an incident in which Nechev attempted to take a 90-degree turn going down a hill, but the car did not slow down when he hit the brakes. A Ferrari dealer told him it was “normal,” according to the filing.
Ferrari initially issued a voluntary recall in October 2021 for the 458 Italia, 458 Speciale (pictured above), 458 Speciale Aperta, 458 Spider, 488 GTB and 488 Spider. The company discovered that brake fluid could leak from the system and cause a partial or complete loss of stopping power, but at the time Ferrari did not know the cause of the problem.
The company issued a second recall in mid-2022 for a loss of brake function that affected more than 23,000 cars dating back to the 2005 model year. Ferrari had discovered that the fluid reservoir cap on affected vehicles did not It may not have been properly ventilated. This could cause a vacuum inside the tank, leading to a leak.
Ferrari fixed the problem with a new fuel cap and updated software. The recall affected everything from the 612 Scaglietti to the Roma, but did not include the 458 or 488 lineups from the previous recall.
Nechev’s lawsuit alleges that Ferrari could only have fixed the problem by replacing the master cylinder. It also says Ferrari failed to inform its customers of the extent of the brake defect.
Ferrari did not immediately respond to Engine1 when contacted for comment on the lawsuit’s allegations. We’ll be sure to update this article if the company responds.
