Ferrari instructs owners of 296 GTB and 296 GTS Hybrid to not drive their supercars: Here’s why – Times of India

In a safety recall report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stated that the Ferrari 296 GTB and 296 GTS Hybrid supercars, could have a potential fuel leak issue. In response to the report, Ferrari has since recalled a total of 425 units of the 296 GTB and 296 GTS Hybrid for the potential fuel leak. To avoid any unfortunate incident, Ferrari has also asked owners of the two models to not drive their cars until the issue is resolved.

The safety recall report states that the fuel leak issue relates to a potential leak in the fuel tank connecting pipe that the 296 GTB and 296 GTS Hybrid have. Ferrari has further confirmed that the aluminium fuel tank connecting pipe might unintentionally come into contact with the high-voltage battery’s protective cover made of fiberglass and Knox steel. As a result, the aluminium and steel could potentially trigger a chemical reaction leading to corrosion in the fuel tank and the connecting pipe. Such a situation is a major fire hazard and that is why the manufacturer has recalled the supercars.

The NHTSA notification revealed that Ferrari was first made aware of the potential risks on April 12, after it was identified during a pre-delivery inspection in China. This triggered an internal investigation, through which Ferrari identified the design flaw. To rectify the issue, Ferrari will replace the current fuel tanks in the 425 units of the 296 GTB and 296 GTS Hybrid cars. Overall the fuel tank and connecting pipe will be replaced, the new pipes will also wear an anti-corrosive rubber sleeve and the upgrades will be made free of cost for existing owners.

Ferrari will reportedly begin issuing recall notices to the owners of affected vehicles from July 7 onwards. Once the owners are contacted by Ferrari dealers, the cars will be transported to the workshops for repairs. Fortunately, no accidents, injuries or fuel leaks have been reported due to the issue up till now.