488 488 Possible failed turbo (2nd time) 2500 miles

Hello all, I’ve done plenty of searches before deciding to make this post.

I have a 2018 488 GTB w/2500 miles. After some hard driving the left side TFT display presented me with a “limited engine performance” message. No CEL thrown and no “bring to dealer/service” message. The car did immediately go into ‘limp mode’, maybe 30% power under WOT. I found a safe place to restart the car, but still stayed in limp mode but no limited engine performance message. I ended up cruising the car nearly 80 miles back to my house then parked it up. A few days later, I started the car and same thing, still no limited engine performance message or CEL but still had very little power output under full acceleration.

Notes & details I have noticed before this issue occurred & still presently:

1) On a cold start, when at idle for the first 3-4 minutes, the car is sporadically shooting out splatters of black/dark gray fluid from both exhaust pipes. I reached out to my dealer contact and was told “this is normal sometimes, especially if you rev it”. Well one, no that is not normal to me, two, I do not rev the car when it has not been brought up to operating temp. Hate that even in the Ferrari world you get the same aimless answers as you would expect to come from maybe Kia or Hyundai? **photos of splatter from exhaust attached for reference**

2) At idle & at low speeds I can hear a very faint rattle coming from the passenger side rear intermittently, this was not something usual before I experienced the power loss.

3) Car randomly has a rough idle, not at all times, on cold starts—car shakes & sounds like it has a mild cam.

4) This car already has had “Bank 2 Turbocharger” replaced at <2000 miles (under warranty).

5) This car has never been tracked but it has been driven like it was built to be driven and has only seen a Ferrari dealer for any and all work/service performed.


In summary, I am not 100% certain that it is a failed turbo, but my instincts say it’s very likely.
I am waiting to get with my Ferrari dealer this morning to see when they can get it in for service. I have the car at my secondary residence so I am nearly 6 hours away from the cars ‘home’ dealership. Will have to schedule enclosed transport, etc.

My Questions:

1) Has anyone had not 1 but 2 turbos fail in under 3k miles?

2) I’ve heard from a few others that the OEM turbo could be backed up by several months. Do I have any recourse with Ferrari should this be another failed turbo with such low mileage? Not acquainted with the lemon laws but in my eyes this should not be called “normal” by anyone. I understand maybe one but not two. Almost considering to part ways or ask them to buy it back and I’ll get another car? Not interested in letting it sit for months waiting for parts.

3) Given I drove over 80+ miles like this, should the turbocharger indeed be compromised, there is definitely a risk that there could be some damage done to the engine. Would you demand Ferrari to inspect/replace the engine or just let them do the bare minimum? I do keep this car at my secondary residence about 90% of the year which is 6 hours away from my home dealer, as mentioned earlier. I’m not willing to keep inconveniencing myself and also be at a loss paying for transportation of the vehicle back and forth from the dealer because Ferrari wants to save their dime. Each transport alone costs me $1400 round trip, it’s not so much about the money but more so the principle. I get stuff happens but the solution needs to be properly addressed and not half assed. This is my first Ferrari to own so I did have full intentions of holding this car for sentimental reasons which is why I’m worried about long term effects. Any engine issues out of warranty would not be good at all. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

Appreciate the response, I did not buy the car new, I bought it at 2100 miles (CPO’d & “thoroughly” inspected by the Ferrari dealer).

The vehicle has zero modifications and to my knowledge never did before I owned it. I have a service log on the car showing all maintenance was done as necessary since purchase, by Ferrari. It was a one owner vehicle before my purchase. I did see that one of the turbochargers was replaced due to failure before I bought it.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

I don’t disagree. I bought the vehicle less than a month ago. On the border of just approaching the dealer to buy it back. Just not worth the lack of peace.

To your question on why I bought it, good question. I figured with a replaced turbo the problematic risk was resolved, but that was my wishful thinking….


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

To follow up here are two videos, I can’t be the only person to have had this issue. Someone make me feel better, please! Lol

https://share.icloud.com/photos/083u2nSSMjBupHnBSO0q4Gamg

https://share.icloud.com/photos/01dtTde3JU_kYCAjEJtZH_uFQ


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

It’s heading that way today. Should hear back hopefully this week. Was looking more for insight from those in the same boat and how they handled repairs including risk of metal entering engine. Have a feeling Ferrari will pushback if I raise that concern. Prepared to put up a fight back.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

Update: The OTHER turbo failed, different from the first one, but Ferrari is taking care of the replacement and should have car back on road next week I was told. Not bad considering I was expecting months of a back ordered unit from Italy!


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

FChat Friends, I am new to the Ferrari world and am looking for your feedback on this response I received from my Ferrari Dealer Service Advisor. Just want to know what would you do and am I overreacting here?

1) My 488 has been at the FNA dealer for 10 days now; I get no phone calls just texts (which I’m fine with. I rather black and white correspondence + more convenient but still strange no phone calls). I get no updates unless I reach out and ask. Then days and days go by still no updates until I reach out and ask again. I find myself getting only 1 or 2 answers out of 3 of my questions. Basically I feel that they answer what they want to and ignore what they don’t want to answer. I’m using loose language here because my intent is not to throw any individual, the dept, nor the dealership under the bus. Atleast not yet.

2) This vehicle was CPO’d via the New Power Program just last month. Vehicle passed a ‘thorough’ inspection prior to purchase which included compression tests, visuals of all components etc. I have owned this 488 for 1 month and have put 300 miles on it since purchase. Current Mileage: 2400

3) The Failed Factory Turbo replacement work appears to have been completed based off lingo gathered from the SA; however, I was never told that this was not covered under warranty, much less MAY not be covered under warranty. I don’t even know what the cost associated to this job would be, but I’m sure $10K+. However now I’m being told FNA does not want to cover and they’re having to figure out a solution. Hell I don’t even have a copy of the CPO terms & conditions which I had requested upon purchase for my records. Goes back to point #1 here, I’ve dealt with selected answers to my many questions/requests.

My concerns here are that I’m at risk of being financially responsible (not worried about the money, 100% principle) for a job I was told would be taken care of by warranty and basically if they don’t find an internal resolution, they’re going to come to seek recourse from me.

First and foremost this may just be bad luck on my end but I’ve never had issues much less of this caliber from any manufacturer on high-end sports cars. In addition to the manufacturer, I’ve never had a dealership be so poor at communication. If this is how FNA operates and treats their customers, I sure in the hell don’t want anything to do with it. I’m not one to drink the hype kool-aid. I believe the manufacture should own their product and not fine print their way out of it. I get that this is a rare issue, but it’s still an issue. Take care of it. I do it in my business, it’s about doing good business for me.

Ferrari’s area of technology (not talking about their performance dept) sucks, it’s no secret, I didn’t buy this car for its bells & whistles related to luxuries & features. I bought this car for its engine, transmission & its performance to be built strong as a race car. Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t even get a bulletproof car and now they’re trying to get out of owning up to what I would call manufacturer flaw. Not a good look for the brand if my opinion mattered. Over the years I have learned that **** happens, it’s not anyone we may talk to’s fault as they didn’t engineer nor assemble the vehicle and its components but the ownership level comes down to the dealership level and how they treat their customers. I have had 1 issue aside from this with another European manufactured sports car (2021) and the Dealer straight up said 'it’s a COVID issue, QA at the factories have been compromised (assuming they saw an uptick in unusual failures on parts) and we know it’s not okay for our customers to deal with this.' The manufacturer not only took care of the issue ASAP, but they also gave me a $150K+ vehicle to drive in the meantime for the inconvenience without me even having to ask, then volunteered to me that if something else happens, they’ll buy the car back and get me the next unspoken for vehicle that delivers. Just for how they handled the issue, I will forever be grateful & loyal to both the manufacturer & this dealership, hands down.

I have also gone ahead and attached screenshots of the correspondence with the FNA dealer for reference. Yes, I blacked out the SA’s name and my personal info. As I stated above, my intent is not to bash the dealership nor the SA, at least not yet. I am just sharing my testimony of experience and seeking feedback. I also find myself to be a very understanding person, but kindness should not and will not be mistaken for weakness. I went into this purchase with the best of intentions. The cards lie back in their court if they want to retain me or not and if they want to open a legal battle here or not. I’m hoping for not. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

The issue I see here is:

1) Ferrari is well known to be by far one of the most elite brands in terms of their performance and mechanics. So why introduce a performance related component to a lineup and not put your name behind it via warranty? If they weren’t to stand behind their product than it shouldn’t be on their car. Of course this is purely just my opinion and I’m well aware my opinion means nothing to Ferrari! Ha

2) The FNA dealer should have phoned or texted me stating the identified issue and disclosed that this item is not covered under warranty along with the price of part & labor. I mean is that just me asking for a lot? I would hope anyone on this forum would understand and feel the same way. Instead I was mislead by not only the SA but also my salesperson who both stated that “this would be covered under warranty so don’t worry”. This was said to me by my salesperson after I vented my disappointment that this is not a good look for Ferrari to have not one turbo but two turbos go out in 2000 miles.

To clear the air-I have yet to have been contacted and asked to pay for the job performed so I’m not upset yet, it’s more about there is a chance this may happen and they should not have put their customer or much less themselves in this conflicting position. Again, I had requested the CPO terms of New Power, never received them. I shouldn’t have to go research it on my own. If I ask for something and don’t receive especially from Ferrari of all manufacturers, I understand everything within reason is covered. Ignorance is bliss. Hell, if I was buying an inferior brand extended warranty I would not expect/assume the same terms but I do know that Porsche & Mercedes both stand behind their turbos for any warranty they sell and back.

Just not a good move by the brand that’s all. Simple.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app