296 GTB

Ferrari 296 GTB — Recalls, Reliability, Specs & VIN Decoder

Everything on the Ferrari 296 GTB — 1 recalls, common problems, the best & worst years, full specs, MPG and NHTSA safety, by model year.

Data · NHTSA & EPA · 1995–2026 · 32 model years · Updated Jul 8, 2026 · 4.5 ★★★★★★★★★★ ForCar Score
Quick answer

The Ferrari 296 GTB spans 1995–2026 with 1 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 4.5/5 ForCar reliability score. It delivers up to 18 mpg combined and NHTSA-rated safety.

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1995–2026
Years
1
Recalls
18
Top MPG
—★
NHTSA
0
Complaints
FIG.01
4.5/5
★★★★★★★★★★
ForCar Reliability Score
Our editorial rating · 32 model years
Ferrari 296 GTB
Safety (NHTSA)3.5
Recall record5.0
Complaint severity5.0

How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.

Overview

The Ferrari 296 GTB is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 1995 to 2026 across multiple generations.

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How to read a Ferrari 296 GTB VIN — every digit explained

Every Ferrari 296 GTB carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.

FIG.02
1–3 · WMI1HG
4–8 · VDSCM826
9 · Check5
10 · YearR
11 · PlantA
12–17 · Serial004352
  • WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Ferrari and the country it was built in.
  • VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
  • Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
  • Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
  • Plant (11) — which factory assembled this 296 GTB.
  • Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
17 CHARS·SOURCE SAE / ISO 3779

Model-year code (10th digit)

The 10th character is the model year. It cycles through letters and numbers, skipping I, O, Q, U, Z and 0 to avoid confusion:

H2017 J2018 K2019 L2020 M2021 N2022 P2023 R2024 S2025 T2026

Where to find your 296 GTB VIN

  • Dashboard — driver's side, visible through the windshield from outside.
  • Driver's door jamb — on the manufacturer sticker when you open the door.
  • Paperwork — vehicle registration, title and insurance card.
  • Engine bay & frame — stamped on the firewall or chassis on many models.

How many recalls does the Ferrari 296 GTB have?

The Ferrari 296 GTB has 1 recorded NHTSA recalls across 1995–2026. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.

2025 Ferrari 296 GTB recalls 1

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pipes, Hoses, And Fittings25V716000

What's wrong. Ferrari North America, Inc. (Ferrari) is recalling certain 2025 296 GTS and 296 GTB vehicles. The nut securing the oil filter connection to the turbocharger oil feed pipes was tightened incorrectly and may cause an oil leak.

Risk. An oil leak near a combustible source increases the risk of a fire.

Fix. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. Ferrari will verify tightness and retighten the attachment nut, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2025. Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-201-816-2668. The manufacturer's number for this recall is RC 93.

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Best and worst years for the Ferrari 296 GTB

We're still compiling NHTSA owner-complaint history for the Ferrari 296 GTB — best- and worst-year trends will appear here once that data is in.

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What are the most common Ferrari 296 GTB problems?

We're still compiling NHTSA owner-complaint data for the Ferrari 296 GTB — the most-reported problems will appear here once that data is in.

Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.

Ferrari 296 GTB specifications & dimensions

The 2026 Ferrari 296 GTB. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN.

Specs cache warming…

Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.

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Ferrari 296 GTB cargo space, seating & interior room

How much the 296 GTB holds — passengers and cargo. EPA measures its interior at 105 cu ft of passenger volume and 7 cu ft of cargo. Seating capacity and legroom vary by trim.

105
Passenger ft³
7
Cargo ft³
112
Total interior ft³

Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim.

Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.

Ferrari 296 GTB tire size, oil type & owner specs

The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.

Wheels & tires
Wheel sizeby VIN
Tire sizeby VIN
Bolt patternby trim
Tire pressure32–36 PSI
Engine oil
Oil typeFull synthetic
Gradeon oil cap
Capacityby engine
Battery
Main battery12V · group by trim
Key-fob cellCR2032
Wiper blades
Front bladesby generation
Rear bladeif equipped
Fuses
Fuse boxeshood + dash
Diagramon box lid
Light bulbs
Headlightby trim
Tail / brakeby trim
Fogif equipped

Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.

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What MPG does the Ferrari 296 GTB get?

The Ferrari 296 GTB returns up to 18 combined MPG (EPA), depending on engine. Pick an engine to see its city / highway / combined rating by year:

FIG.04a
YearCityHighwayCombinedEngine
1995 296 GTB1117133.4L 8-cyl
1996 296 GTB914113.5L 8-cyl
1997 296 GTB915115.5L 12-cyl
1998 296 GTB914115.5L 12-cyl
1999 296 GTB1015123.6L 8-cyl
2000 296 GTB1015113.6L 8-cyl
2001 296 GTB1015113.6L 8-cyl
2002 296 GTB1015113.6L 8-cyl
2003 296 GTB1015123.6L 8-cyl
2004 296 GTB1015123.6L 8-cyl
2005 296 GTB1015113.6L 8-cyl
2006 296 GTB1015125.7L 12-cyl
2007 296 GTB1014125.9L 12-cyl
2008 296 GTB1115125.9L 12-cyl
2009 296 GTB1115125.9L 12-cyl
2010 296 GTB1218144.5L 8-cyl
2011 296 GTB1218144.5L 8-cyl
2012 296 GTB1218144.5L 8-cyl
2013 296 GTB1317154.5L 8-cyl
2014 296 GTB1317154.5L 8-cyl
2015 296 GTB1317154.5L 8-cyl
2016 296 GTB1522183.9L 8-cyl
2017 296 GTB1522183.9L 8-cyl
2018 296 GTB1522183.9L 8-cyl
2019 296 GTB1522183.9L 8-cyl
2020 296 GTB1520173.9L 8-cyl
2021 296 GTB1215136.5L 12-cyl
2024 296 GTB1216146.5L 12-cyl
ROWS 28·SOURCE EPA fueleconomy.gov
FIG.04b
YearCityHighwayCombinedEngine
2022 296 GTB1622182.9L 6-cyl Hybrid
2023 296 GTB1521182.9L 6-cyl Hybrid
2025 296 GTB1622182.9L 6-cyl Hybrid
2026 296 GTB1622182.9L 6-cyl Hybrid
ROWS 4·SOURCE EPA fueleconomy.gov

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov — best combined rating per engine & year. Trim & drivetrain vary slightly; decode your VIN for the exact figure.

What engines does the Ferrari 296 GTB have? Power & range

The Ferrari 296 GTB is offered with 2 powertrains — 6.5L 12-cyl, 2.9L 6-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain.

FIG.05
EngineDisplacementTransmissionDriveFuel
V86.5L · 12-cylAutomatic (AM7)RWDPremium
Hybrid2.9L · 6-cylAutomatic (AM-S8)RWDPremium and Electricity
ROWS 2·SOURCE EPA + NHTSA vPIC
350 mi
Electric range
2.5 hrs
Charge · 240V
18
MPGe combined

Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.

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How much does a Ferrari 296 GTB cost to own?

A Ferrari 296 GTB depreciates at about an average rate. A typical example keeps roughly 46% of its value after five years — losing about 54% to depreciation. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.

80%
Value @ 1 yr
61%
Value @ 3 yrs
46%
Value @ 5 yrs
$21,500
Est. 5-yr fuel
FIG.06
$
AgeValue retainedEst. resale valueLost to depreciation
Year 180%$24,000−$6,000
Year 270%$21,000−$9,000
Year 361%$18,300−$11,700
Year 453%$15,900−$14,100
Year 546%$13,800−$16,200
ROWS 5·SOURCE ForCar estimate

What goes into the five-year cost to own:

  • Depreciation — the biggest cost: this 296 GTB loses about 54% of its value over five years.
  • Fuel — ≈ $21,500 over five years at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
  • Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the 296 GTB ages.
  • Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.

Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.

Is the Ferrari 296 GTB safe?

NHTSA crash-test ratings aren't published for the 296 GTB yet.

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How many miles does a Ferrari 296 GTB last?

A well-maintained Ferrari 296 GTB typically lasts 250,000–300,000+ miles. It's exceptionally durable — with routine maintenance many owners report 250k+ on the original powertrain. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 4.5/5.

296 GTB

Decode your Ferrari 296 GTB’s window sticker & build

Original options, specs, recalls and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.

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All Ferrari 296 GTB model years

A year-by-year snapshot of the Ferrari 296 GTB — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.

FIG.09
YearRecallsBest MPGSafety
2026 296 GTB018 mpg
2025 296 GTB1 recall18 mpg
2024 296 GTB014 mpg
2023 296 GTB018 mpg
2022 296 GTB018 mpg
2021 296 GTB013 mpg
2020 296 GTB017 mpg
2019 296 GTB018 mpg
2018 296 GTB018 mpg
2017 296 GTB018 mpg
2016 296 GTB018 mpg
2015 296 GTB015 mpg
2014 296 GTB015 mpg
2013 296 GTB015 mpg
2012 296 GTB014 mpg
2011 296 GTB014 mpg
2010 296 GTB014 mpg
2009 296 GTB012 mpg
2008 296 GTB012 mpg
2007 296 GTB012 mpg
2006 296 GTB012 mpg
2005 296 GTB011 mpg
2004 296 GTB012 mpg
2003 296 GTB012 mpg
2002 296 GTB011 mpg
2001 296 GTB011 mpg
2000 296 GTB011 mpg
1999 296 GTB012 mpg
1998 296 GTB011 mpg
1997 296 GTB011 mpg
1996 296 GTB011 mpg
1995 296 GTB013 mpg
ROWS 32·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA

Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).

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Frequently asked questions

What are the worst years for the 296 GTB?

We're still compiling NHTSA owner-complaint history for the Ferrari 296 GTB.

How many recalls does the 296 GTB have?

1 recorded NHTSA recalls across 1995–2026. Always check open recalls by your VIN.

What MPG does the 296 GTB get?

Up to 18 combined MPG (EPA), depending on engine — from the base 4-cylinder to the hybrid.

How many miles does a 296 GTB last?

A well-maintained 296 GTB typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.

Is the 296 GTB reliable?

Our ForCar Reliability Score for the 296 GTB is 4.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.

What's the Ferrari 296 GTB warranty?

New Ferrari models carry a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 5 years / 60,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a Ferrari dealer.

Where is the Ferrari 296 GTB made?

The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your 296 GTB's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; Ferrari may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.

How much ground clearance does the 296 GTB have?

Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.

Data sourced from NHTSA (recalls, complaints, safety ratings) and EPA fueleconomy.gov (MPG). Best/worst-year analysis is ForCar's own aggregation of complaint volume. Last updated Jul 2026. — ForCar Editorial Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.
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