SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2018 Ferrari 488 Gtb
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2018 Ferrari 488 Gtb, most frequently naming the brakes category. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 39 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
Not enough dated records to plot a meaningful trend — 2 months of data.
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Brakes1100.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
4 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govAIR BAGS; AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
ON 6/4/21, MY 2018 FERRARI 488 GTB DISPLAYED A MESSAGE IN MY LEFT DASH INSTRUMENT PANEL PRIOR TO COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE IN MY DRIVEWAY THAT READ "BRAKE FLUID LOW-DRIVE TO DEALER SLOWLY", THAT RESULTED IN MY FERRARI BEING TOTALED BY STATE FARM AFTER I JUMPED OUT OF THE RUNNING AND MOVING FERRARI ONTO MY REAR LAWN BETWEEN 10 TO 15 MILES PER HOUR BEFORE IT WENT INTO A POND BEHIND MY RESIDENCE. THEN, 6-WEEKS LATER THE REPLACEMENT 2018 FERRARI GTB VIN#[XXX] I PURCHASED FROM FERRARI OF ATLANTA DISPLAYED THE SAME MESSAGE IN MY LEFT DASH INSTRUMENT PANEL THAT READ "BRAKE FLIUID LOW-DRIVE TO DEALER SLOWLY BEFORE THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AS I WAS PULLING INTO MY GARAGE. AFTER HAVING THE REPLACMENT FERRARI TOWED INTO CONTINENTAL FERRARI IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID HAD LEAKED INSIDE THE BRAKE BOOSTER THAT CAUSED THE BRAKE FAILURE ON THE REPLACEMENT FERRARI. THE FIRST FERRARI WAS TAKEN TO A COMPANY AND SOLD AS SALVAGE. THE COMPANY NAME IS COPART AND THEIR TELEPHONE NUMBER IS (314) 291-8400. NONE OF THE FERRARI SERVICE DEPARTMENTS OR SALES DEPARTMENTS THAT I CONTACTED HAD ANY RECORD OR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE PROBLEMS THAT I EXPERIENCED WITHIN A 6-WEEK PERIOD ON 2 SEPARATE FERRAI 488 GTB'S. I COULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE MY FERRARI THAT WENT INTO THE POND BEHIND MY RESIDENCE AND POSSIBLY KILLED. I COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED ALONG WITH OTHER MOTORISTS IN MY REPLACMENT FERRARI THAT HAD THE SAME BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE JUST 6-WEEKS LATER IF I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE REPLACEMENT FERRARI HOME AND SAFELY INSIDE NY GARAGE BEFORE THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED A SECOND TIME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY FERRARI HAS THE MESSAGE "BRAKE FLUID LOW-DRIVE TO DEALER SLOWLY" DISPLAY" THAT GIVES DRIVERS A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY THAT THE BRAKES WILL CONTINUE TO WORK PROPERLY UNTIL YOU DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THAT'S A DEADLY WARNING AND MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN TO ME. MY CELL NUMBER IS [XXX] AND I LIVE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA. PLEASE CALL ME! INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA)
- NHTSA ID
- 11433534
- Incident
- Jun 4, 2021
THE TWO HORN "BUTTONS" ARE LOCATED IN THE STEERING RIM AT 9 AND 3. IT IS NOT A NORMAL LOCATION FOR THE HORN BUTTON WHICH IN ALL OTHER CARS IS IN THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. TWO TIMES IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS I HAVE NEARLY HAD SOMEONE TURN INTO ME WHEN I CANNOT WARN THEM WITH MY HORN, DUE TO THE ILLOGICAL LOCATION OF THE "BUTTONS".
- NHTSA ID
- 11193117
- Incident
- Mar 31, 2019
- Mileage
- 2,100 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Recall 78 Customer Acknowledgement -- We are informing the customer that if any aftermarket components or modifications are present on the vehicle that it may hinder the software installation necessary for Recall C24000078 and normal operation of the instrument cluster.
EQUIPMENT
Replacing CCP pressure sensors
EQUIPMENT
Ferrari Predictive Maintenance â Incompletely compiled Ferrari Next documents
EQUIPMENT
2020 Technical Documentation Update (No. 02)
EQUIPMENT
2019 Technical Documentation Update (No. 10)
EQUIPMENT
Ferrari Predictive Maintenance - Intervals and deadlines for scheduled maintenance activities
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.