Ferrari California: Retractable hardtop faults — Hall sensors, hydraulics and broken plastic sliders
Retractable hardtop faults — Hall sensors, hydraulics and broken plastic sliders is a common electrical fault on the Ferrari California on the 2009–2017 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $800 to $7,000 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 6 documented faults on the Ferrari California.
- Vehicle
- Ferrari California
- Years
- 2009–2017
- Fuel
- petrol
- System
- Electrical
What you are looking at
No photograph available
What goes wrong
The California's folding metal roof is its defining feature and its most complicated system: hydraulic rams, electric motors, a dozen position sensors and a set of plastic sliders that guide the panels. Any of them can stop it, and the failure modes are well known — hydraulic leaks that leave the roof slow or stranded, position sensors that lose their alignment and put up a 'roof failure' warning, motors that wear out, and plastic sliders that snap, which is the most widely reported failure of all. Worst case is a roof stuck part-way with the boot lid open and your luggage locked inside. Cycle it yourself, several times, before you believe anything about it.
What you would notice
- 'Roof failure' or 'complete roof cycle' warning on the dash
- Roof stopping part-way or moving slowly with hesitation
- Clicking or grinding as the panels move
- Boot lid not closing after the roof stows
- Hydraulic fluid stain in the roof well or boot
How to check it
Where to look. Roof hydraulic pump and rams in the rear bulkhead; position sensors and plastic sliders on the roof frame; boot lid mechanism
With the engine running and the car on level ground, cycle the roof fully open and fully closed at least twice and time it — about fourteen seconds each way, smooth, silent apart from the motors, and with no warning or chime.
Watch the panels for hesitation, listen for clicks or grinding, and check the boot lid closes and latches properly afterwards.
Look in the roof well and the boot with a torch for oily hydraulic staining or fragments of broken plastic.
Ask whether the roof has ever failed, what was replaced and whether the hydraulic pump, sensors or sliders have been done.
What it costs to put right
$800 to $7,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Can we cycle the roof twice now, and does it always complete?”
- “Has the roof ever failed or shown a warning, and what was replaced?”
- “Have the roof sliders, sensors or hydraulics been repaired?”
Now check the Ferrari California 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.
Where this comes from
- Go-Parts — '2008-2014 Ferrari California Roof Control Unit: Beyond the Roof Failure Warning'
- PistonHeads — 'Ferrari California | PH Used Buying Guide'
- Exotic Car Hacks — Ferrari California/California T/Portofino Buyers Guide
Ferrari California buyer questions
Is retractable hardtop faults — hall sensors, hydraulics and broken plastic sliders serious on a Ferrari California?
We rate it major and common on the Ferrari California. The California's folding metal roof is its defining feature and its most complicated system: hydraulic rams, electric motors, a dozen position sensors and a set of plastic sliders that guide the panels. Any of them can stop it, and the failure modes are well known — hydraulic leaks that leave the roof slow or stranded, position sensors that lose their alignment and put up a 'roof failure' warning, motors that wear out, and plastic sliders that snap, which is the most widely reported failure of all. Worst case is a roof stuck part-way with the boot lid open and your luggage locked inside. Cycle it yourself, several times, before you believe anything about it.
How much does it cost to fix on a Ferrari California?
$800 to $7,000 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 California years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 2009–2017 Ferrari California. 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?
With the engine running and the car on level ground, cycle the roof fully open and fully closed at least twice and time it — about fourteen seconds each way, smooth, silent apart from the motors, and with no warning or chime. Watch the panels for hesitation, listen for clicks or grinding, and check the boot lid closes and latches properly afterwards. Look in the roof well and the boot with a torch for oily hydraulic staining or fragments of broken plastic. Ask whether the roof has ever failed, what was replaced and whether the hydraulic pump, sensors or sliders have been done. Look here: Roof hydraulic pump and rams in the rear bulkhead; position sensors and plastic sliders on the roof frame; boot lid mechanism