CriticalCommonEngine

Ferrari 612: Cam belts every five years — the V12 service that cannot be skipped

Cam belts every five years — the V12 service that cannot be skipped is a common engine fault on the Ferrari 612 on the 2004–2011 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $5,000 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 5 documented faults on the Ferrari 612.

Vehicle: Ferrari 612
Engine: 5.7L
Years: 2004–2011
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Ferrari 612 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Ferrari 612 faults5 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Timing belt yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The 612's 5.7-litre V12 is regarded as rock solid, but it drives its camshafts by belt, and the belts must be changed every five years or 50,000 km regardless of how little the car has been used — an interference engine that lets a belt go destroys itself. Unlike the older engine-out Ferraris the job is done in the car, but it is still a specialist job costing thousands, and it is the single line in the history that matters most on a low-mileage car that has sat.

What you would notice

No cam belt invoice within the last five years
A low-mileage car whose service history is by mileage rather than by date
Whirr or chirp from the front of the engine at idle

How to check it

Where to look. Cam belts, tensioners and idlers at the front of the V12

Ask when the cam belts were last changed and to see the invoice, and count the years — five is the limit regardless of mileage, and a belt that is due comes off the price in full.
Listen at the front of the engine at idle for a whirr or chirp from the belt drive.
Read the service history for the tensioners and idlers being done with the belts.

Parts involved: Timing belt.

What it costs to put right

$5,000 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“When were the cam belts last changed, and can I see the invoice?”
“Were the tensioners done at the same time?”

Now check the Ferrari 612 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

PistonHeads — 'Ferrari 612: PH Used Buying Guide'
Giallo Modena — 'The Ultimate Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Buyers Guide'

Ferrari 612 buyer questions

Is cam belts every five years — the v12 service that cannot be skipped serious on a Ferrari 612?

We rate it critical and common on the Ferrari 612. The 612's 5.7-litre V12 is regarded as rock solid, but it drives its camshafts by belt, and the belts must be changed every five years or 50,000 km regardless of how little the car has been used — an interference engine that lets a belt go destroys itself. Unlike the older engine-out Ferraris the job is done in the car, but it is still a specialist job costing thousands, and it is the single line in the history that matters most on a low-mileage car that has sat.

How much does it cost to fix on a Ferrari 612?

$5,000 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Ferrari 612 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2004–2011 Ferrari 612. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Ask when the cam belts were last changed and to see the invoice, and count the years — five is the limit regardless of mileage, and a belt that is due comes off the price in full. Listen at the front of the engine at idle for a whirr or chirp from the belt drive. Read the service history for the tensioners and idlers being done with the belts. Look here: Cam belts, tensioners and idlers at the front of the V12