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1988 Ferrari Testarossa

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

2 reports
15,000 miles · Dec 30, 2021
Seat Belts

The contact's son owns a 1988 Ferrari Testarossa. The contact stated that vehicle was manufactured with an electrical seat belt that would recline once an occupant was seated in either the driver’s or passenger’s side seat. The contact stated that the track for the passenger side seat belt was defective and would not recline wit…

Read full complaint

The contact's son owns a 1988 Ferrari Testarossa. The contact stated that vehicle was manufactured with an electrical seat belt that would recline once an occupant was seated in either the driver’s or passenger’s side seat. The contact stated that the track for the passenger side seat belt was defective and would not recline with an occupant seated in the passenger’s seat. The seat belt warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V142000 (Seat Belts) which he linked to the failure. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

NHTSA ODI #11445593

Mileage unknown · May 15, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingFireInjury

SPONTANEOUS ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED WHILE CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

NHTSA ODI #535637

Official recalls

2

03V142000 · Seat Belts

Apr 7, 2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MAY NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. INCONSISTENT ELECTRICAL OPERATION OF THE AUTOMATIC TRACK ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM EXPERIENCES AN ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL FAILURE, THE SEAT OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE FULLY PROTECTED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE PASSIVE SEAT BELT SYSTEM. THIS INCLUDES THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNITS, THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM, AND BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT MOTOR DRIVEN TRACK ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FERRARI AT 1-201-816-2651.

88V186000 · Seat Belts

Dec 1, 1988

AUTOMATIC PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MAY NOT OPERATE DUE TO A PAYOUT MOTOR DEFECT IN THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM WOULDBECOME INTERMITTENT OR COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE.

Remedy: REPLACE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.