Ferrari sued in US over alleged brake defects


Ferrari has been hit with a lawsuit in the United States after it was accused of failing to properly address a brake defect in certain models, allegedly leaving owners with potentially unsafe vehicles even after attempted repairs.

Iliya Nechev, the owner of a 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia, filed a lawsuit in the US District Court against the Italian supercar maker. He claims to have experienced brake issues with his car since he purchased it in 2020.

According to the lawsuit, the California resident encountered a dangerous situation where the car failed to slow down while attempting a 90-degree turn downhill, despite applying the brakes.

When Nechev told his Ferrari dealer about this, they reportedly said such behaviour was “normal”.

The Ferrari 458 Italia (Photo: Ferrari)

The lawsuit also alleges that Ferrari’s efforts to address the brake defect were “inadequate”, with the automaker accused of only replacing the master cylinder.

The lawsuit comes after Ferrari North America initiated a voluntary recall in October 2021, after it identified an issue with leaking brake fluid that could impair braking capability.

The year after the automaker also recalled vehicles in Germany, China and Japan, relating to the same issue.