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Ferrari2019–2023 Critical issues documented

Ferrari F8: common faults & what to check

Thinking about buying a used Ferrari F8 (2019–2023) in New Zealand? We've documented 5 known faults for this model spanning transmission, brakes, engine, and body & rust. Each researched and verified before it's published. The most serious issues here are rated critical. Every one is listed below with its symptoms and repair cost, and each has its own page with where to look and what to ask the seller. Free, no account needed.

Check this exact Ferrari F8

  • Odometer history
  • Money owing
  • Reported stolen
  • Ownership history
  • Official NZ vehicle register data
  • NZ owned and operated

Type the plate for the free basics. The full record is a paid check from $13.49, one car at a time, no subscription.

No NZ plate yet, or buying in Australia? Pick the generation and engine and start a free check below. New to KickTyres? How the check works →

5

Documented faults

Critical

Most serious

$400–$2,500

Typical repair

5

Systems covered

Which Ferrari F8 are you looking at?

1 generation variant documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Which engine is in it? These cover every year of this model.

3.9 twin-turbo V8 petrol· 3.9 litre petrol, turbocharged

Start your free check on this Ferrari F8

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

Ferrari F8

Free. The paid plate check is separate, and stays optional.

Likely — same engine family

Ferrari F8

Narrowed by capacity and fuel. No engine code is recorded for this option, so a fault specific to one engine of that size cannot be confirmed from it.

Matched on capacity and fuel, not on an engine code.

  • 1 documented fault names an engine this selection cannot confirm. It is listed separately below.

matched on 3.9L engine

What to look out for

The checks worth doing on a Ferrari F8 before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

  • Serious issue

    On a 2023 F8 Spider ask for the dealer recall history and confirm the driveshaft screw inspection is recorded.

    See why

    Driveshaft screws not tightened at the factory — loss of drive recall (2023 F8 Spider)

    Ferrari recalled a small number of 2023 F8 Spiders, along with the 2023 Roma and 2024 Roma Spider, because the driveshaft screws may not have been tightened properly at the factory and could loosen, causing a loss of power to the wheels while driving. The remedy is an inspection and re-torque at a dealer. It affected few cars, but on a 2023 Spider it is a five-minute paperwork check with a large consequence if missed. The cost shown is what the same work costs if the car turns out to be outside the campaign.

    What you would notice

    • No record of the driveshaft screw inspection on a 2023 F8 Spider
    • Clunk from the rear on take-off or on the overrun
    • Vibration through the floor that changes with road speed

    Typically $0–$800 to put right.

  • Common issue

    Ask whether the car lives on a battery maintainer and how long it sits between drives, and whether the battery has ever been replaced.

    See why

    Battery drain and cascading error messages on a car that sits

    The F8 is a car that expects to live on a battery maintainer. Left unplugged for a couple of weeks the battery drains, and the car then greets you with a string of dashboard error messages and, in the worst cases, will not start — owners describe multiple warnings that clear only after a drive or a dealer reset. It is the same story as the 488 and 458 before it, and a car that has been allowed to go flat repeatedly is the one that later needs faults chased through its control modules. Ask about the maintainer before you ask about anything else.

    What you would notice

    • Failure to start or slow cranking after the car has sat
    • Several error messages on the dash on start-up
    • Warnings that clear after a drive and come back
    • Battery replaced early in the car's life

    Typically $400–$2,500 to put right.

See all 5 documented issuesEverything researched for the Ferrari F8, including 2 rated critical.
Engine, transmission & cooling1 critical1

01Driveshaft screws not tightened at the factory — loss of drive recall (2023 F8 Spider)

On a 2023 F8 Spider ask for the dealer recall history and confirm the driveshaft screw inspection is recorded.petrol2023Transmission
RareTransmission $0–$800 to fix

Ferrari recalled a small number of 2023 F8 Spiders, along with the 2023 Roma and 2024 Roma Spider, because the driveshaft screws may not have been tightened properly at the factory and could loosen, causing a loss of power to the wheels while driving. The remedy is an inspection and re-torque at a dealer. It affected few cars, but on a 2023 Spider it is a five-minute paperwork check with a large consequence if missed. The cost shown is what the same work costs if the car turns out to be outside the campaign.

Symptoms to notice

  • No record of the driveshaft screw inspection on a 2023 F8 Spider
  • Clunk from the rear on take-off or on the overrun
  • Vibration through the floor that changes with road speed

What to check

On a 2023 F8 Spider ask for the dealer recall history and confirm the driveshaft screw inspection is recorded. On the drive, pull away firmly and lift off sharply a few times listening for a clunk from the rear, and notice any vibration that changes with speed rather than revs.

Where to look: Driveshaft fixings between the gearbox and the rear wheels

Ask the seller

  • “Was the driveshaft screw recall inspection completed?”
Electrical1

02Battery drain and cascading error messages on a car that sits

Ask whether the car lives on a battery maintainer and how long it sits between drives, and whether the battery has ever been replaced.petrol2019–2023Electrical
CommonElectrical $400–$2,500 to fix

The F8 is a car that expects to live on a battery maintainer. Left unplugged for a couple of weeks the battery drains, and the car then greets you with a string of dashboard error messages and, in the worst cases, will not start — owners describe multiple warnings that clear only after a drive or a dealer reset. It is the same story as the 488 and 458 before it, and a car that has been allowed to go flat repeatedly is the one that later needs faults chased through its control modules. Ask about the maintainer before you ask about anything else.

Symptoms to notice

  • Failure to start or slow cranking after the car has sat
  • Several error messages on the dash on start-up
  • Warnings that clear after a drive and come back
  • Battery replaced early in the car's life

What to check

  1. Ask whether the car lives on a battery maintainer and how long it sits between drives, and whether the battery has ever been replaced.
  2. Turn the ignition on and read every message that appears before starting, then start it and note how eagerly it cranks.
  3. Ask whether the car has ever needed a dealer reset for warning messages.

Where to look: Battery in the front compartment; body control modules

Parts involved: 12V battery.

Ask the seller

  • “Is the car kept on a battery maintainer?”
  • “Have there been warning messages or a failure to start?”
Body, brakes, suspension & interior1 critical2

03Brake fluid reservoir cap recall — the vacuum that can drain the brakes (NHTSA 22V-536)

petrol2020–2022Brakes
OccasionalBrakes $0–$600 to fix

Ferrari recalled 2020–2022 F8 Tributos and Spiders because the brake fluid reservoir cap may not vent properly, creating a vacuum in the reservoir that can pull brake fluid past the seals and cause a partial or total loss of braking. Dealers replace the cap and load a software update that adds a low-brake-fluid warning, free of charge. It is the same campaign that covered the Portofino, Roma, 812 and SF90, and on a car this new it should simply be done — check that it is. The cost shown is what the same work costs if the car turns out to be outside the campaign.

Symptoms to notice

  • No record of the brake reservoir cap recall
  • Brake fluid level dropping with no visible leak
  • Brake warning light
  • Soft or long brake pedal

What to check

  1. Ask for the dealer's recall history against the chassis number and confirm the brake fluid reservoir cap campaign is marked complete, along with the driveshaft screw inspection on 2023 F8 Spiders.
  2. Look at the brake fluid reservoir level with the engine cold.
  3. With the engine running, press the brake pedal hard and hold it, feeling for it to sink, and note any brake warning on start-up.

Where to look: Brake fluid reservoir and cap in the front compartment

Ask the seller

  • “Have all recalls on this chassis been completed, including the brake reservoir cap?”
  • “Has a brake warning ever appeared?”

04Aluminium bonnet corrosion bubbling under the paint

petrol2019–2023Body & Rust
OccasionalBody & Rust $2,500–$8,000 to fix

Owners have reported corrosion on the F8's aluminium body panels, most often the bonnet, showing as bubbling under the paint and traced to contamination or defects in the aluminium itself. It is not structural, but a repaint on a car of this value is expensive and a poor repair is worse than the fault, so any bubble is a reason to look for a warranty claim in the history or to price a proper repaint.

Symptoms to notice

  • Small bubbles or blisters under the paint on the bonnet
  • Paint lifting along a panel edge
  • A bonnet that has been repainted on a low-mileage car

What to check

  1. Look along the bonnet and the front panels in good daylight, sighting along the surface at a low angle for bubbles or blisters under the paint, and run your hand over it to feel for raised spots.
  2. Ask whether any panel has been repainted and why, and whether a corrosion claim was ever made under warranty.

Where to look: Aluminium bonnet and front body panels

Parts involved: Body corrosion.

Ask the seller

  • “Has any panel been repainted, and was it for corrosion?”
  • “Was a warranty claim made for paint bubbling?”
Depends on which engine this Ferrari F8 has — 1Each of these is documented for one particular engine. Pick the year and engine above to see which of them apply.
Engine, transmission & cooling1

01Turbocharger failure at low mileage and limp-mode sensor faults

petrol2019–2023Engine
OccasionalEngine $1,500–$20,000 to fix

Can't confirm for this car

The F8 shares its 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 with the 488, and it shares the 488's occasional turbocharger failures — owners report significant performance loss at relatively low mileage, and the engine control system can drop the car into limp mode with a warning when a sensor or wiring fault in the fuel and air monitoring is detected. Both are dealer or specialist jobs on a mid-engined car and both should appear in the history if they have happened. A car that has never shown a performance warning and pulls cleanly to the red line is what you want to see.

Symptoms to notice

  • 'Limited performance' or engine warning on the dash
  • Power falling away at high revs
  • Whistle or siren from the engine bay under boost
  • Car dropping into limp mode and recovering after a restart

What to check

  1. With the engine warm, accelerate hard through two or three gears on a clear road and listen for any whistle or siren beyond the normal turbo note, and feel for power that falls off before the red line.
  2. Watch the dash for a performance or engine warning at any point.
  3. Ask whether either turbo has been replaced and whether the car has ever gone into limp mode or shown an engine control warning.

Where to look: Twin turbochargers either side of the engine; engine sensors and wiring in the engine bay

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

Ask the seller

  • “Has either turbocharger been replaced?”
  • “Has the car ever gone into limp mode or shown a performance warning?”

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Ferrari F8’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

Other Ferrari models

Ferrari 4589 documented faultsFerrari 3607 documented faultsFerrari F4307 documented faultsFerrari FF5 documented faultsFerrari GTC4Lusso5 documented faultsFerrari LaFerrari5 documented faults

Ferrari F8 buyer questions

Is the Ferrari F8 reliable?

Like any used car, it depends on the specific example and its service history. Across the 5 documented faults for the Ferrari F8, the recurring problem areas are transmission, brakes, and engine. A Ferrari F8 with a full service history and no signs of the issues listed on this page can be a sound buy but each one needs to be checked individually before you commit.

What are the most common problems with a used Ferrari F8?

We've catalogued 5 known faults for the Ferrari F8, covering transmission, brakes, and engine. All 5 are written out in full on this page, with the symptoms to notice, what to inspect, and typical repair costs for each. Free to read, no account needed.

How much do repairs cost on a Ferrari F8?

Most single repairs on the Ferrari F8 fall between $400–$2,500 at NZ independent-workshop rates. Some of the 5 documented faults cost less and a few cost considerably more, and no one car needs them all. Knowing which ones to look for before you view is what lets you negotiate the price down or walk away.

Should I get a pre-purchase inspection on a Ferrari F8?

Yes. A Ferrari F8 inspection focused on its known weak points is the single best way to avoid an expensive mistake. KickTyres gives you a guided, model-specific inspection plus a market valuation and negotiation figure for $24.90 far less than the cost of missing one of the faults on this page.