According to media reports, Ferrari is being sued by some car owners in the United States, alleging that the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer failed to fix vehicle defects that could cause partial or complete loss of braking ability.
A class-action lawsuit filed on March 18 in the federal court in San Diego reveals that Ferrari's recalls in 2021 and 2022 for brake fluid leaks were only temporary measures, allowing Ferrari to continue selling thousands of cars with defective brake systems.
The complaint submitted by the plaintiffs states that the only solution is to replace the defective master cylinder when leaks are detected. The lawsuit demands compensation from Ferrari for the owners, although the amount of compensation has not been disclosed. The complaint states, "Under the law, Ferrari is obligated to disclose a known safety defect in its brakes, but the company failed to do so."
In a statement released on March 19, Ferrari did not specifically address the lawsuit but stated that its "utmost priority" is the safety and well-being of the drivers. Ferrari also added, "We operate in accordance with strict safety and security guidelines to ensure that our vehicles consistently meet certification standards."
The lawsuit is led by Iliya Nechev, a resident of San Marcos, California, who purchased a 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia in 2020. Nechev stated that due to the brake system defects, he "narrowly avoided several accidents," but the dealer claimed it was a "normal occurrence" and he should "get used to it." He mentioned that if he had known about these issues before purchasing, he would not have bought a Ferrari car.
Ferrari initiated recalls for brake systems starting in October 2021, including in multiple countries such as the United States and China. The recall in the United States involves various models, including the 458 and 488 produced in the past two decades.
