RoadVitals

1985 Maserati Biturbo

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
0
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.
1
Latest Sep 21, 1987
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.
2
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.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1985 Maserati Biturbo. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 11 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.

Safety recalls

1 campaign 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
87V151000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

Sep 21, 1987
3,724 units potentially affected
The defect: MISUSE OF CARBURETOR CHOKE COULD CAUSE EXCESSIVE EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT.
The risk: EXCESSIVE HEAT CAN RESULT IN HEAT DAMAGE TO CAR EXTERIORAND INTERIOR MATERIALS WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE.
The remedy: INSTALL A KIT WHICH WILL REDUCE EXHAUST SYSTEM TEMPERATURES TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MASERATI AT 1-877.696.2737.
MASERATI AUTOMOBILES, INCView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA86026ClosedEngineering Analysis

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Opened Aug 28, 1986
Closed Nov 18, 1987

SUMMARY:MASERATI BELIEVES THE CAUSE OF THE FIRES TO BE OWNER MIS-USEOF THE MANUAL CHOKE.ANALYSIS:IF THE MANUAL CHOKE IS LEFT ON FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, THEEXHAUST SYSTEM OF THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS, PARTICULARLY DURING IDLING ORURBAN DRIVING.THE THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF THE SURROUNDING WIRINGHOSES, INSULATION, ETC. CAN RESULT IN SMOKE, FUMES, AND FIRE.STATUS:MASERATI RECALL RETROFITTING DUMP VALVE FOR SECONDARY AIRTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER.THIS PREVENTS CATALYST OVERHEATING.ALL 1984 AND 1985 BITURBOS WERE RECALLED PER 87V-151.CLOSED 11/18/87.===

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGLed to recall 87V151000
PE86055ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

FIRES

Opened May 12, 1986
Closed Aug 28, 1986

ANALYSIS:THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY FORWARDED ONE CONSUMER COMPLAINT.THE OWNER REPORTED THE OCCURRENCE OF TWO FIRES AT DIFFERENT TIMES OFUNDETERMINED ORIGIN IN THE REAR OF THE CAR.THE LATEST FIRE RESULTED INFUME INHALATION BY HIS SIX-YEAR OLD GRANDSON WITH SUBSEQUENT MEDICALTREATMENT.BECAUSE OF THE SMALL VEHICLE POPULATION AND THE COMPLAINANT'SALLEGATION THAT HE HAS BEEN TOLD, THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SITUATION,RE THE MASERATI BITURBO MODEL, FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED.PROPOSED ACTION:OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION AND SEND AN INFORMATIONREQUEST.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

Recent owner complaints

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

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Manufacturer communications

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

MAS003821

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Technical Information.

MAS003929

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Circular Letter.

MAS003792

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Technical Information.

MAS003928

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Circular Letter.

MAS003774

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Technical Information

MAS003891

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Technical Information.

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

Maserati Biturbo by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1985Viewing012—
1984011—

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.