Ferrari Testarossa Reliability

Owners filed 5 complaints about the Testarossa: 1 per production run against 3.73 for the market, fewer complaints than most cars.

NHTSA owner complaints · 5 complaints · 1987–1990 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

Half of all complaints arrive by 0 years of age, so 100% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Seat Belts, with 4 complaints.

What actually fails — and at what age

Systems by number of complaints, with the age at which each typically goes. The age column is the useful one — it tells you what to expect next on a car you already own, and what to inspect on one you are about to buy.

FIG.03·Ferrari Testarossa — what fails and when
SystemComplaintsTypical ageCrashFire
Seat Belts4———
Engine And Engine Cooling1——1
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Testarossa's vehicle class.

FIG.05·Ferrari Testarossa — rivals in the same class
Same class as the TestarossaComplaints on recordRecall campaignsYears built
Audi R81382008–2023
Chevrolet Corvette5,3931551981–2026
Dodge Viper81451992–2017
Mazda MX-598341990–2026
Lamborghini Huracan2252015–2026
Ford GT10122004–2022
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Ferrari Testarossa reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1 against 3.73 for the average car.

When do Testarossa problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 0 years of age. The most reported system is Seat Belts, followed by Engine and Engine Cooling.

Will the warranty cover Testarossa problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 0% of reported failures fall inside it.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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