Washington, D.C. – June 4, 2021 – The arm of the U.S. government that regulates vehicle safety is conducting an investigation to determine if Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) will be required to recall 4,849 for Ferrari 458 issues involving leaking fuel.
The leak can lead to a fire, greatly increasing the risk of bodily injury and property damage. The potentially affected cars include the following:
- 2010 – 2015 Ferrari 458
- 2010 – 2015 Ferrari 458 Italia
- 2013 – 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale
- 2014 – 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale A
- 2012 – 2015 Ferrari 458 Spider
Summary
The regulator – the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – opened the investigation on May 17, after receiving three complaints that described fuel leaking out of the car’s capless fuel filler. In contrast to many other cars, these Ferraris use capless fuel fillers that use self-closing flaps instead of the more traditional gas tank cap.
In the three incidents above, the leak resulted from the damage to the fuel filler. This could in turn allow fuel to slosh out during left turns, according to NHTSA.
Preliminary phase
The investigation is currently in its preliminary phase. If NHTSA finds information that “suggest[s] that a safety defect may exist,” it will proceed with the so-called engineering analysis, which may result in a recall.
When and if this would occur is not clear at this point.
Risks
While NHTSA has not yet outlined the safety hazards in their investigation, fuel leaks pose a serious fire risk. Fuel is highly flammable and exposure to heat or sparks could cause it to ignite, possibly causing a car fire.
For tips on what to do if your car catches fire, please refer to our recent article about a Hyundai Santa Fe Sport recall.
Will your vehicle be part of a Ferrari recall?
Over 4,800 cars are part of this Ferrari investigation, but it is not yet known if they will be recalled. In the meantime, check for any other open recalls on your Ferrari 458 using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
