Maserati Ghibli M157 Problems, Recalls & Lemon Law

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 14V654 addresses improperly crimped fuel delivery hoses that can leak in the presence of an ignition source — a genuine fire risk. Under Song-Beverly, a recall-backed safety defect that required repeated dealer visits to complete the remedy (e.g., parts unavailability, incomplete repair) supports a warranty non-conformance claim. Owners who experienced fuel odor or leaks before the recall remedy was performed should document those pre-remedy incidents as evidence of the defect's impact.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will replace the entire fuel delivery line, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 256.

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 16V122 addresses a floor-mat anchor that can break and trap the accelerator pedal — a loss-of-control risk. The recall remedy is a dealer-installed floor-mat anchor replacement. If a Ghibli owner experienced unintended acceleration traceable to floor-mat entrapment and the dealer failed to perform the recall repair in a timely manner, the Song-Beverly clock may have started on the date of the first complaint, not the date the recall was completed. Document all prior dealer visits for acceleration concerns.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side floor mat and possibly the accelerator pedal cover, free of charge. The recall began April 29, 2016. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 301. Note: These vehicles ar

front suspension noise; stabilizer bar loose; vehicle pulls or clunks

NHTSA Recall 16V264 covers rear tie-rod bolts that may not have been properly tightened, creating a risk of tie-rod separation and sudden loss of steering control. This is a structural safety defect. Any owner whose 2014-2016 Ghibli experienced rear-end looseness, pulling, or instability before the recall was performed has a strong Song-Beverly argument: the vehicle was non-conforming from delivery. Obtain all pre-recall dealer inspection records.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left and right rear tie-rod to hub carrier assembly attaching bolts to verify that they are properly tightened, replacing the rear tie-rod to hub carrier assembly as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during July 2016.

transmission shifts unexpectedly; hesitation; harsh shift; transmission warning

NHTSA Recall 16V424 addresses a monostable gear selector that can mislead drivers about the actual gear position and fail to warn when the door opens while the vehicle is in gear. Drivers who believed the car was in Park while it was still in Drive risk being struck by a rolling vehicle. A defect that masks vehicle state from the operator is a serious safety non-conformance. 2014 Ghibli owners who received this recall late or who experienced rollaway incidents should document the timeline carefully under Song-Beverly.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update, free of charge. The remedy software is currently in development. Owners were mailed an interim notification on July 1, 2016. A second notice will be mailed when the software is available. Owners may contact Maserati customer se

front suspension noise; stabilizer bar loose; vehicle pulls or clunks

NHTSA Recall 16V649 covers front wheel bearings with insufficient hardness that can fail prematurely, potentially causing wheel separation and loss of vehicle control. For 2015 Ghibli owners who presented with wheel noise or vibration before the recall, any dealer 'cannot duplicate' finding does not extinguish the warranty obligation — the underlying component defect was confirmed by the OEM at the recall level. Song-Beverly eligibility is measured from first written repair request, not recall date.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front wheel bearings, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on September 30, 2016. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 310.

backup camera blank; screen goes black in reverse; rearview camera distorted

NHTSA Recall 16V839 addresses an entertainment/telematics module that enters a protection mode in freezing temperatures, disabling the backup camera. Loss of rearview visibility is a safety defect under FMVSS standards. If the 2017 Ghibli owner brought this to the dealer and was told the camera 'works fine now' (temperature-dependent intermittent defect), the dealer's inability to duplicate does not nullify the recall's safety finding. Keep records of every no-camera incident, especially date and ambient temperature.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will update the ETM software, free of charge. The recall began on December 30, 2016. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 327.

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 16V840 addresses Pirelli P Zero tires fitted to 2016-2017 Ghibli models with sidewalls prone to cracking and air loss. Sudden tire deflation at highway speed creates an immediate loss-of-control risk. Owners who experienced a sidewall failure, blowout, or crash related to this defect before the recall remedy was completed may have both a Song-Beverly warranty claim (failed component during warranty period) and, if injury occurred, additional tort claims separate from lemon law.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected tires, free of charge. The recall began on December 30, 2016. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 324.

transmission shifts unexpectedly; hesitation; harsh shift; transmission warning

NHTSA Recall 18V173 is one of the most consequential Ghibli defects: at stop-and-go speeds, the engine software can cause the transmission to unexpectedly shift to neutral or park, or the engine to shut off — creating a crash risk in traffic. The NHTSA complaint data for 2017 Ghibli shows at least 10 engine/powertrain stall or neutral-shift complaints, with one owner reporting 4 failed dealer visits. Under Song-Beverly, a safety recall defect combined with a documented 'unable to duplicate' pattern is among the strongest lemon-law fact patterns. Retain all repair orders.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear differential unit pinion nut torque, and, as necessary, replace the rear differential unit, free of charge. The recall began on December 30, 2016. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this

driver seat cushion loose; seat fastener recall; seat may not stay secured

NHTSA Recall 17V046 covers front power-adjust seat wiring harnesses that can chafe during seat adjustment, creating an electrical short and fire risk. Any 2014-2017 Ghibli owner who noticed burning smells, seat malfunction, or intermittent electrical faults traceable to the seat area before this recall was performed has a Song-Beverly claim grounded in a fire-risk safety defect. Document the date of first complaint to the dealer, as Song-Beverly's repair-attempt clock starts at the first written service request, not the recall notice date.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles, replacing the seat wiring harness, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2017. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 342.

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 17V834 addresses plastic fuel lines in 2018 Ghibli models that were scratched internally by foreign particles during production, leading to a progressive fuel leak and fire risk. A manufacturing-origin fuel leak is a factory defect — the vehicle was non-conforming from the date of sale. Under Song-Beverly, the owner does not need to wait for symptoms to worsen; a recall-backed safety defect entitles the owner to a prompt and complete repair, and repeated parts-unavailability delays count toward the 30-day out-of-service threshold.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will install a new fuel delivery line kit, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 363.

engine knocking; engine stalls; sudden loss of power; check engine light; engine failure recall

NHTSA Recall 18V173 (matched here as iss-11) covers the 2017 Ghibli rear differential pinion nut that may not have been properly tightened — rear wheel lock-up at speed is catastrophic. This is distinct from the engine-stall software issue (iss-08/rcl-08). Wheel lock-up causing a crash is a product-liability-level defect and a Song-Beverly safety impairment. Any owner whose rear wheels locked or who experienced loss of control traceable to differential failure should preserve the vehicle, all service records, and accident reports before filing a claim.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will re-flash the software for the engine control module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 2018. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 365.

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 18V347 addresses structural weld integrity on the 2018 Ghibli frame. Structural frame non-conformance is inherently a safety defect — a weld failure under load could compromise crash protection. Under Song-Beverly, structural defects that require frame inspection or welding repair are high-priority claims because the vehicle was sold with a latent structural defect. If the dealer's remedy required more than one visit or left the vehicle out of service for an extended period, document all dates.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the sub frame for incomplete welds, replacing the sub frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 369.

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 18V831 is the second fuel-line recall for 2014-2015 Ghibli models, issued nearly four years after the vehicle's launch. The recall covers a different fuel line component than 14V654 — internal scratches from production particles causing progressive leaks. The multi-year gap before the recall was announced suggests owners who presented with fuel odor or CEL P2402 codes during 2015-2018 may have been sent away without a root-cause fix. Those owners' repair records are particularly valuable in a Song-Beverly proceeding.

Maserati will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel line assemblies, free of charge, unless previously repaired under recall 17V-045. The recall began January 15, 2019. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 378. Note: This rec

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 21V613 covers the 2021 Ghibli tire placard showing incorrect tire pressure, which can cause owners to under- or over-inflate tires, leading to loss of vehicle stability and control. While this recall is typically remedied with a corrected placard, any owner who suffered a tire blowout, handling problem, or accident traceable to following the incorrect placard pressure should document the causal chain carefully — it may support both a Song-Beverly claim and a product liability claim.

Dealers will replace the placard and update the tire pressure monitoring system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 10, 2021. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 432.

driver seat cushion loose; seat fastener recall; seat may not stay secured

NHTSA Recall 21V703 addresses seat belt automatic locking retractors that may deactivate prematurely in the 2021 Ghibli, preventing proper child safety seat retention. A seat belt defect that impairs child restraint is a serious safety non-conformance. For 2021 Ghibli owners with child passengers, this recall failure directly impairs the vehicle's safe use — a core Song-Beverly standard. Document whether the recall remedy was performed before or after any incident involving child seating.

Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 15, 2021. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 434.

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 21V872 covers a fuel line sensor housing that may crack and leak fuel on the 2021 Ghibli — engine stall and fire risk. This is the third distinct fuel-system recall across the Ghibli generation, demonstrating a pattern of fuel-system reliability concerns that the OEM has repeatedly failed to engineer away. California's Song-Beverly Act allows the totality of a vehicle's recall history to be considered in evaluating whether the manufacturer has provided a conforming vehicle; a third fuel recall within the same model line is powerful supporting evidence.

Dealers will replace the fuel line sensor housing, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 17, 2021. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 442.

warning light; recall notice; repeated dealer repair

NHTSA Recall 24V269 is an expansion of Recall 21V872, extending the fuel line sensor housing crack defect to additional 2021-2022 Ghibli VINs not captured in the original recall. If a 2021-2022 Ghibli owner was told their vehicle was not covered by 21V872 but later fell under 24V269, any fuel-related symptoms during the gap period are directly attributable to a known, manufacturer-acknowledged defect. The expanded recall scope is documentary proof of the defect's persistence and breadth.

Dealers will replace the fuel line sensor housing, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 21, 2024. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 718. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 21V-872 (Maserati ca

backup camera blank; screen goes black in reverse; rearview camera distorted

NHTSA Recall 25V098 addresses Uconnect 5 software (Harman-supplied, version T27.52) that prevents the rearview camera image from displaying on 2021-2023 Ghibli models. Federal law requires a functional backup camera on all 2018+ vehicles; software that defeats this system is a federal safety non-conformance as well as a California lemon-law issue. Owners who complained about the blank backup camera before this recall was announced (pre-Feb 2025) and were dismissed by the dealer now have OEM-level confirmation of the defect. Those pre-recall repair orders are strong Song-Beverly evidence.

The radio software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 10, 2025. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 740.

oil drip or puddle under engine; burning oil smell from engine bay; smoke from engine compartment; low oil pressure warning; check engine light; rattling or slapping noise from valve train area; oil on exhaust headers; oil consumption between services; cam damage / engine tick at startup

Persistent oil leaks that return after multiple dealer repair attempts can satisfy the Song-Beverly 'reasonable number of repair attempts' threshold — particularly if the dealer repeatedly cleans the leak area without resolving the root cause. Timing guide debris causing cam damage or oil starvation constitutes a substantial impairment of use and value. Owners should document each repair order and mileage at each visit; three or more attempts for the same leak condition typically triggers eligibility review.

Follow MAS004438_A (MTB 25-16) diagnostic path: warm engine to >85°C, identify leak source. Replace valve cover RTV seals or turbo return fittings as applicable; replace oil-pan threaded insert per MAS004745 (MTB 25-21) without full pan removal. If timing guide debris is suspected (rattle codes, cam damage), escalate to Maserati BOL; engine replacement criteria per MAS004490 (MTB 24-30). Oil service interval compliance is critical — extended intervals accelerate guide degradation.

harsh upshift or downshift; hard 2-to-1 downshift jerk at low speed; transmission hesitation or delay entering gear; slipping between gears; jerking on light throttle; transmission warning light; limp mode; hard engagement from Park or Neutral; erratic shift pattern when cold

Transmission harsh shift that recurs after multiple TCM reflash or mechatronics replacement attempts is a classic Song-Beverly drivability claim — the defect substantially impairs the vehicle's use and value. If the dealer has performed two or more repairs for the same shift complaint within the warranty period without lasting resolution, the owner's repair order trail likely supports a lemon-law demand. California courts have accepted transmission harshness as a 'substantial impairment' defect in prior luxury-vehicle cases.

Replace ZF 8HP mechatronics harness/unit if solenoid resistance or continuity test fails. After replacement, perform mandatory TCM adaptation of quick-fill times and fill pressures using dealer diagnostic tool. ATF should meet ZF Lifeguard 8 specification. Software reflash of TCM may address shift calibration drift in earlier model years.

touchscreen freezes or goes black; infotainment spontaneously reboots; Apple CarPlay disconnects or fails to connect mid-drive; navigation freezes or loses GPS signal; Bluetooth audio cuts out; backup camera image does not appear on screen (pre-25V098 scope); voice command system unresponsive; system requires ignition cycle to recover

Infotainment failure that renders the backup camera inoperative is a safety defect backed by NHTSA Recall 25V098, strengthening the Song-Beverly 'recall-backed' argument. For 2017-2018 owners whose CarPlay or audio reboot persists after the MAS002120i reflash, a pattern of two or more failed repair attempts within the warranty period may support a lemon-law claim on functional impairment grounds. Document each dealer visit by date and repair order number.

2017-2018: Reflash ETM to Volta 6.0+ per TSB MAS002120i (dealer diagnostic tool required). 2021-2023: OTA software update or USB update per NHTSA Recall 25V098 (campaign 740); dealers were notified Feb 24, 2025. For persistent reboot cycles: factory reset per TSB MAS002706 (Jun 2021); if voltage-related, address BCM/battery drain issue first.

battery repeatedly dead after short parking periods; vehicle fails to start or requires jump-start 2-3 times per month; multiple unrelated electrical malfunctions (windows, locks, lights misbehaving); BCM-controlled accessories not shutting off after ignition off; infotainment or telematics module failing to sleep; battery replacement does not resolve recurring drain

A vehicle that repeatedly fails to start due to parasitic drain is substantially impaired in its use — a core Song-Beverly threshold. If the dealer has replaced the battery without identifying the root cause, or if the drain has been 'unable to duplicate,' document dates of each no-start event, jump-start records, and AAA or roadside-assist logs as corroborating evidence. Three or more dealer visits for the same starting failure, or cumulative out-of-service days exceeding 30, support a lemon-law demand in California.

Perform parasitic draw test with multi-meter to isolate the offending circuit (target <50 mA quiescent). If BCM is culprit, replace and reprogram BCM per MAS001431 door-module replacement procedure as applicable. Update BCM/telematics firmware if OTA or dealer flash available. If telematics module is identified, dealer can disable or replace the Maserati Connect unit. Battery replacement alone is not a repair — document that root cause was identified and corrected.

all air comes out of windshield defroster vents regardless of setting; passenger zone cannot be adjusted independently; clicking or grinding noise from behind center dashboard; HVAC display shows correct settings but airflow does not change; temperature swings between hot and cold without input

HVAC failure that locks airflow to the defrost position impairs driver visibility in cold weather (safety dimension) and substantially degrades comfort and value. If the dealer has reflashed the HVAC module and the actuator has jammed again, the recurring nature of the defect supports a Song-Beverly claim. Owners should note that TSB MAS001520 was not issued until 2018 — owners who experienced the defect in 2014-2016 under warranty and were told 'no defect found' may have a stronger claim given the delayed OEM acknowledgment.

Reflash HVAC ECU to software version 16.52.00 or higher per TSB MAS001520. If actuator is already jammed: remove actuator, power-cycle (reset), reinstall, recalibrate, then perform software update. Persistent cases require physical actuator replacement.

brake warning light or low-pad alert within 13,000-20,000 miles; vibration or pulsation when braking above 40 mph; squealing or grinding from front brakes at low mileage; brake dust buildup on wheels; dealer recommends pad/rotor replacement far below expected interval

Brake pad wear that requires replacement below 20,000 miles is atypical for a luxury sedan and may constitute a manufacturing or design defect under Song-Beverly if it recurs after the first replacement under warranty. California law covers component failures during the warranty period regardless of whether the part is classified as a 'wear item' — if the component fails prematurely due to a design defect, the warranty obligation still applies. Owners should document the mileage on every brake inspection repair order.

Replace front pads and resurface or replace rotors. Request OEM or equivalent pad compound — aftermarket compounds designed for street use can extend intervals. Ensure wheel alignment is within spec to prevent uneven wear. Some owners have successfully argued warranty coverage for premature wear when documented below 15,000 mi.