— Lamborghini is recalling more than 1,450 model year 2012-2017 Aventador cars that can catch on fire due to gas leaks.
The $400,000 cars have faults in the fuel tank's evaporative emissions systems that can cause gas vapors to not be treated properly. A driver will hear the engine idle at abnormally high speeds, something that can occur if the gas tank is overfilled.
The automaker says fuel can reach the purge valves and cause the valves to malfunction, causing a warning light to illuminate.
Lamborghini says the problem is more likely to occur if the car is fitted with an aftermarket exhaust system that isn't approved by the automaker.
Lamborghini started receiving reports in 2015 about cars running rough and warning lights activating. Engineers traced the problem to carbon canister saturation and then discovered a car that suffered a melted rear grill and tail lights.
A driver will know of a problem when they smell gas and and if the purge valves malfunction, a warning light will illuminate. A driver will also quickly notice a problem if they see smoke or flames, something possible if gas drips on a hot exhaust.
The Lamborghini Aventador recall should begin February 24, 2017. The evaporative emissions system will be upgraded with a new purge valve with higher performance, new rollover valve to prevent the tank from being overfilled, and Lamborghini says a completely new layout should fix the problems.
Owners may contact Lamborghini customer service at 866-681-6276.
