What should I do when I put my car into winter storage?
We recommend beginning by taking your car for a good ½ hour drive. During the trip stop at our dealership or the local gas station and top up your tires to 40 psi all around, top off your fuel tank, and then return home. Remove your battery tender from its storage bag and connect to both the vehicle and the electrical plug. Make sure the battery charger is registering the correct indicated lights showing that your battery is being charged. If you are unsure please contact our service department immediately. Also, if you do not have a battery charger please contact us, we will be happy to send one out to you. Check your battery charger at least once a month, if not more frequently, to be sure the light is showing a full charge and that everything is o.k. You should unplug the charger once a month and start up the vehicle and let it idle for 20 minutes and if the roads are dry it would be a good idea to drive around the block or subdivision and re-park and plug it back it again. During the driving months after winter, it will be good practice to get into the habit of plugging in your battery maintainer during the days or weeks that you are not driving your car. This will ensure that the battery always remains at a good state of charge to avoid finding your car with a dead battery after you come home from a vacation or business trip.
Why does my check engine light come on and should I drive the car if the light is on?
The truth is that the check engine light CAN and WILL come on from time to time in your car. This does not necessarily mean that there is a critical issue that will not allow you to drive your car. The biggest reason check engine lights come on is after the days or even weeks after refilling the fuel tank and the fuel tank plug is not correctly tightened. Always check the tightness of your fuel cap if you notice a check engine light on after starting the engine. If the cap is not very tight it will cause a pressure leakage error in the engine management system which will set off the check engine light and may even tell you to go to dealer immediately. If you do find the fuel cap not tightened, proceed to tighten it and continue driving your car. Eventually after many drive cycles they check engine light will clear itself. If this does not happen then please contact our service department and we will set you up a service appointment to have your car brought in to manually clear this error. If the gas cap however is tight and the check engine light is on then try to determine if the car is running normal and if it feels like it has full performance. If anything seems unusual then you should take the car back home and call us for a service appointment. If the car does drive normal and the check engine light remains on then you can continue to drive your car until you have a chance to bring it in to us.
How often should I service my car?
We would suggest that you schedule an annual service appointment for a routine checkup. The Ferrari factory recommends the engine oil is replaced every year and all of the system fluids and filters are replaced every other year. When we inspect your car each year we will also let you know the condition of your wearable items such as: Tires, Brakes, Clutch, Wiper Blades and Tire Pressure Sensors. We may need to do replace one of more of these items depending on the age and mileage of your vehicle. We also do a full electronic system scan to let you know if there are any errors stored in any of the on board electronic systems that could potentially cause drivability issues so we correct them before you have a problem.
How long does my warranty coverage last?
The Ferrari factory warranties your car for 3 years and unlimited miles which is a conditional warranty that covers the entire car from bumper to bumper excluding any problems caused by the environment or abuse of the vehicle. You can add extended warranty coverage after the initial warranty expires each year up to the 10th year of the age of the car. To do this you simply bring your car in before the warranty expires. We will perform your annual maintenance and perform a comprehensive 101 point inspection required for the sale of an extended warranty. We will then activate your warranty for an additional year. There are 3 levels of coverage available. The first is called the Ferrari Power Cube warranty which mirrors the exact coverage you had in the first 3 years with the exception of a few small items like the battery, the hi-fi system, and of course wear and tear items. The second level of coverage is called the Ferrari Power Normal warranty which covers the basic engine Powertrain items and some additional mechanical and electronic systems but is not a bumper to bumper warranty. When your car is over 6 years old you can only elect to receive the Ferrari Powertrain warranty which only covers the Ferrari Powertrain only as the name implies. All 3 warranty levels do come with free Ferrari Roadside 24/7 towing assistance. Lastly, Ferrari will only allow these warranties to be activated on cars that remain in the Ferrari dealer network and will not honor Ferrari’s that have been sold thru independent car lots or brokers. A very important note as to why you should always purchase your Ferrari through an official Ferrari dealer.
My radio says it needs a code, where do I find it?
If the power goes dead in your Ferrari and you recharge or replace the battery, then the radio will need the 4 or 5 digit code to be able to return the radio functions back to normal. This code is found on a plastic card in the owner’s portfolio your car came with when it was new. The card reads “Becker Radio Code” and has a 4 or 5 digit code number imprinted on it. You enter the number on the radio using the radio knob or the select buttons that are indicated on the radio display and then the radio will turn on. All your memorized stations will still be stored as they were before the radio lost power. If you lose your radio code card and do not know the code then please contact our parts department, we will look up your radio code if we have it on file. If we don’t have it on file then we must order a new one from Ferrari for a nominal fee of $ 150.00. It is important to not misplace your code to prevent this nominal fee to order a new one.
What do I do if I find the battery is dead on my Ferrari?
The most important thing to remember is DO NOT TO JUMP START YOUR FERRARI! You can completely damage your electronic systems which would be extremely expensive to repair and not covered under your warranty. Also, if you are lucky to have successfully got your car started without damaging your electrical system and then attempt to drive your car you are in for a big surprise when you find yourself on the side of the road with a dead Ferrari. Your Ferrari is equipped with an extremely advanced and sophisticated electronic computer system and it needs a solid voltage base that cannot be supplied with the alternators output alone. You could put yourself in jeopardy by attempting to drive your car, it could stall out when you come to a stop light and then of course not restart because, remember, it needed a jump start in the first place to get started. The best advice we can give you is to always keep your battery on its maintainer. If you find the battery went dead anyway or because you forgot to connect the maintainer, then your car will most likely need a new battery to resolve this problem correctly and you will need to contact our service department. We can send someone out to your residence or may have to tow your vehicle to our service department to install the new battery. A very important note about who is responsible for paying for the new battery. Ferrari’s policy is very strict on this matter. Ferrari will absolutely not warranty your battery for any reason if you do not accumulate more than 2000 miles in a rolling calendar year. Then if you do meet this criterion, they will only replace it if it fails to pass many stringent tests performed by us, the Ferrari dealer. If the battery is able to be recharged back to 100 % capacity then Ferrari will not install a new battery or pay for the recharge. They will however pay for the towing to get your car to the shop and back again if you are still in Factory warranty coverage or extended power warranty coverage.
Why do I have a TPMS warning on my information display?
High performance tires lose air more rapidly than conventional tires and require air to be added to them more frequently than most cars. The fact that you do not drive your Ferrari on a daily basis also adds to the pressure loss when the car is stationary too long on a cold garage floor. When you start up your car to go for a few hot laps around town, you look up and find your TPMS calibration warning illuminated, don’t let it ruin all your fun. It is a very simple fix and usually will not require you to visit the Ferrari dealership. Simply go to your closest gas station or reputable tire dealer in your neighborhood and get some fresh air. In your door jamb there is usually a sticker that indicates what your tire pressures should be set at or you can consult your owner’s manual. Typically the pressures are around 32 psi at all four tires but may change from model to model and tire to tire. 32 psi is always safe to get you home. After setting your pressures to the required levels comes the last step. Sit in your car as if you were ready to drive off and turn your ignition key to the on position but do not start the engine. There will be a strange looking button on the console by the dome light or on the dashboard that has a strange symbol that is hard to recognize what it is. This is an image of a tire that looks like it is going flat. Push this button for a few seconds and hold it in until the display that indicated the TPMS had a failure turns green in color. Once the screen turns green, release the button, start up the engine, and drive away. You need to drive for at least 20 minutes or so, on the highway would be best, and eventually the TPMS warning light will go out. You should then be able to read the exact tire pressures on the dashboard display. See I told you that was simple. Of course if all this does not cure the problem, as always contact our service department and we will be glad to help fix the problem for you over the phone. We may need to see your car in for service because you may have a defective component in the TPMS system causing this problem.
Are there any accessories available for my car?
Glad you asked! We have hundreds of Factory approved products available for your car weather it is an early 308 or the latest released model. The Ferrari factory is now offering the Ferrari Genuine catalog which is filled with new and exciting items that you can personalize your new or pre-owned Ferrari with. Items such as carbon fibre floor mats, chrome license plate frames, titanium fuel caps, lug bolts, and valve stems caps. Basically every trim item on your car can be reproduced with carbon fiber from rocker panels, to dash trims, door panels, engine bay shields, and more. The best part is that these are not aftermarket parts, they are Genuine Ferrari Accessories that don’t just fit your car, they match it perfectly. Each part comes with its own 2 year warranty. These items will not hinder your Ferrari’s warranty if installed. They add that nice touch of personalization you might be looking for and can add value and more fun to your Ferrari experience and ownership. Please check our website or contact our dealership for more information about these products.
What kind of waxes or cleaning products do I use on my Ferrari?
There are many products out on the market and you have to be very careful if you wish to do your own car cleaning and detailing. We use commercial grade 3M products for new deliveries and detail requests. On the consumer side, we strongly recommend Adam’s Premium Car Care Products and their great line of polishes. It is not just the products thought that will result in the perfect shine but most importantly the process. You should always start by washing your car in a shady area and use the proper car wash soap only, do not use dishwasher soap or any other types of soaps that do not specifically indicate they are for washing car finishes. Use a wool mitten when washing your car and a separate soft bristle brush for the wheels. Do not spray any chemicals or acid on your wheels as they may become permanently damaged. Rinse off your car and dry with a clean new chamois towel. You can then use your Adam’s Polish to shine the finish but make sure to not get it on any rubber trim, clear paint protection film, or the canvas top material as it will not come off easily. If you do have a convertible top, you can wash it just like the rest of the car and allow it to dry in the sun after drying it off initially with your chamois towel. You can clean your convertible back window with a product called plexus or use the Adam’s plastic polish. Again be careful not to get this product on the canvas material! You can also use the plexus product on all the rubber and plastic including paint protection film you may have on your vehicle and apply with a micro-fiber towel. As far as the interior, do not use any chemicals on the leather or plastic parts. Get a bucket of warm water and a few drops of Ivory dishwashing detergent and a sponge and clean the leather and plastic. You can use a mild carpet shampoo on the carpets if they are dirty or just vacuum as necessary. Adam’s offers an array of leather products to offer that finishing touch for your interior. Of course we are always available to perform all these detail services for you, should you not find the time or if vehicle detailing just isn’t for you. You can call us anytime to setup a detail appointment and we will make your Ferrari look just like the day you bought it. We promise you will not be disappointed with the results.