RoadVitals

2013 Ferrari California

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Mar 11, 2018
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jul 26, 2022
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2013 Ferrari California, most frequently naming the brakes category. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 41 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.

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

2 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.gov
22V536000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Jul 26, 2022
23,555 units potentially affected
The defect: Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain 2005-2009 430, 2019-2020 488 Pista, 2016 F60 America, 2005-2011 612 Scaglietti, 2010-2011 612, 2018-2022 812, 2020-2022 F8 Spider, 2020-2022 F8 Tributo, 2021-2022 Roma, 2009-2017 California, 2015-2017 California T, 2013-2017 F12 Berlinetta, 2017 F12 TDF, 2012-2016 FF, 2017-2020 GTC4 Lusso, 2018-2020 GTC4 Lusso T, 2013-2015 LaFerrari, 2017 LaFerrari Aperta, and 2019-2022 Portofino vehicles. The brake fluid reservoir cap may not vent properly, creating a vacuum inside the brake fluid reservoir, and resulting in a brake fluid leak that may lead to a partial or total loss of brake function.
The risk: A loss of brake function can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap and update the software to provide a new warning message for low brake fluid, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 22, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2022. Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-201-816-2668. Ferrari's number for this recall is RC 80. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-833.
Ferrari North America, Inc.Manufacturer number RC 80View on NHTSA.gov
18V040000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Jan 9, 2018
1,899 units potentially affected
The defect: On January 9, 2018 Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) recalled 1,073 model year 2013 California, 458 Italia, 458 Spider, FF, and F12 Berlinetta vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On May 18, 2018, Ferrari expanded the recall to include an additional 826 model year 2013 California, 458 Italia, 458 Spider, FF, and F12 Berlinetta vehicles located throughout the rest of the United States. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2018 for the original population. The recall will begin in June 2018 for the expanded population. Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-866-551-2828. Ferrari's number for this recall is 63.
Ferrari North America, Inc.Manufacturer number 63View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Mar 11, 2018

I WAS IN MY FERRARI CALIFORNIA COMING TO PICK UP MY FRIEND (A DATE). I PULLED THE LITTLE LEVER ON THE LEFT OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. I PULLED IT TWICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CAR WAS IN PARK...THAT WAS MY MISTAKE SINCE THE SECOND PULL TOOK THE CAR OUT OF PARK. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE CAR WAS NOW OUT OF PARK. I CAME TO EXIT THE CAR TO OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR FOR MY DATE. AS I GOT OUT THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS DOWN THE SLOPED STREET. I HAD TO THROW MYSELF INTO THE CAR LIKE A STUNTMAN TO SLAM ON THE BREAKS AND PREVENT THE CAR FROM ROLLING DOWN THE STREET AND POSSIBLY KILLING SOMEONE. THE CAR DRIVER DOOR WAS OPEN AS I EXITED THE CAR. IF I DID NOT LEAP BACK INTO THE CAR, I RISKED GETTING RUN OVER SINCE I HAD NOWHERE TO GO AS THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS. I COULD NOT GO FORWARD OR BACK OR TO THE LEFT. MY ONLY OPTION TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM RUNNING ME OVER WAS A HEROIC LEAP BACK INTO THE CAR. THE WAY THIS CAR IS PUT INTO PARK HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS. PULLING THAT LEVER SHOULD ALWAYS PUT THE CAR IN PARK. PULLING IT MULTIPLE TIMES SHOULD ENSURE THE CAR IS IN PARK. THIS IS NOT CURRENTLY THE CASE.

NHTSA ID
11078602
Incident
Jun 1, 2017
Mileage
13,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

2668

EQUIPMENT

Replacing CCP pressure sensors

2660

EQUIPMENT

2020 Technical Documentation Update (No. 02)

2663

EQUIPMENT

Ferrari Predictive Maintenance – Incompletely compiled Ferrari Next documents

2638

EQUIPMENT

2019 Technical Documentation Update (No. 10)

2648

EQUIPMENT

Ferrari Predictive Maintenance - Intervals and deadlines for scheduled maintenance activities

2621

EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Gearbox speed sensor replacement

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

Ferrari California by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2017010—
2016010—
2015010—
2014120—
2013Viewing120—
2012220—
2011140—
2010140—
2009040—

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.