NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Ferrari California Recalls & Complaints

The 2012 Ferrari California has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Ferrari dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Ferrari California. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2012 Ferrari California owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ferrari California, describing incidents dated October 16, 2012 to August 6, 2019.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11286838 · Filed December 4, 2019
LONG ISLAND FERRARI DEALER KEEPS TELLING ME THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE
ODI #10484817 · Filed November 15, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FERRARI CALIFORNIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V211000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT READILY AVAILABLE…

Read all 2 complaints

Loss of Brake Function

NHTSA #22V536000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA notice

Reported July 26, 2022 · Ferrari North America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 23,555 vehicles

Repair completion: 77.35% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Ferrari campaign RC 80 · Owners notified November 29, 2022

Defect description

Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain 2005-2009 430, 2019-2020 488 Pista, 2016 F60 America, 2005-2011 612 Scaglietti, 2010-2011 612, 2018-2022 812, 2020-2022 F8 Spider, 2020-2022 F8 Tributo, 2021-2022 Roma, 2009-2017 California, 2015-2017 California T, 2013-2017 F12 Berlinetta, 2017 F12 TDF, 2012-2016 FF, 2017-2020 GTC4 Lusso, 2018-2020 GTC4 Lusso T, 2013-2015 LaFerrari, 2017 LaFerrari Aperta, and 2019-2022 Portofino vehicles. The brake fluid reservoir cap may not vent properly, creating a vacuum inside the brake fluid reservoir, and resulting in a brake fluid leak that may lead to a partial or total loss of brake function.

Safety consequence

A loss of brake function can increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will replace the brake fluid reservoir cap and update the software to provide a new warning message for low brake fluid, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 22, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2022. Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-201-816-2668. Ferrari's number for this recall is RC 80. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-833.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

NHTSA #18V381000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported June 7, 2018 · Ferrari North America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 1,507 vehicles

Repair completion: 84.2% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Ferrari campaign 61 · Owners notified July 19, 2018 · Vehicles built August 30, 2011 – May 17, 2012 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain 2012 Ferrari California, 458 Italia, 458 Spider, and FF vehicles that have not already had their passenger frontal air bag replaced. These passenger frontal air bag modules have air bag inflators that may explode in the event of a crash due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Safety consequence

An inflator explosion may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Manufacturer remedy

Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assembly with one that uses an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 19, 2018. Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-201-816-2668. Ferrari's number for this recall is 61. Note: This recall supersedes recall 17V-018.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2012 Ferrari California. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Ferrari California.

Air Bags

ODI #11286838

Incident: August 6, 2019 · Filed: December 4, 2019

LONG ISLAND FERRARI DEALER KEEPS TELLING ME THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE

Engine

ODI #10484817

Incident: October 16, 2012 · Filed: November 15, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FERRARI CALIFORNIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V211000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT READILY AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AND HAD NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 2,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Other Ferrari California model years

Check your 2012 Ferrari California VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Ferrari California at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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