It’s a given that the speedier your vehicle, the more efficient brakes you’d require to ensure a safe stop. With McLaren producing exceptionally fast cars, the reliability of the brake pedal is paramount. Recent reports state that the British automaker has issued a recall for 19 of its cars due to defective components in their braking systems, as noted by Carscoops.
The affected vehicles were manufactured between July 8, 2019, and March 15, 2020. This list includes a 570S, a 600LT, seven McLaren GTs, and ten 720Ss. The recall stems from a faulty banjo bolt in the braking system, which was wrongly produced by a parts supplier.
McLaren
The recall details that the faulty banjo bolts lack a necessary hole to provide hydraulic fluid to the caliper, rendering the brake on that wheel completely nonfunctional. Typically, drivers should realize this issue almost instantly, noticing the car pulling to one side when one caliper fails to engage during braking. However, the recall mentions that the car’s electronic stability control (ESC) system will automatically compensate by braking the remaining wheels more intensely to maintain the intended path. This implies that some McLaren owners may have driven with only three operational brakes for nearly two years, unaware of the situation.
This issue surfaced earlier this year when a dealership in Kuwait tested a 2020 McLaren GT model, observing the car veering to one side under braking. Inspection revealed the defective banjo bolt, reported to McLaren headquarters on May 2. Further investigation at supplier Goodridge Limited discovered that a broken drill bit in a production machine, coupled with failed sensors and quality checks, led to the oversight of the missing hole, resulting in sending flawed parts to be installed in McLaren vehicles.
The necessary repairs for the affected cars will be undertaken free of charge through McLaren’s authorized dealers. Though no specific timeline has been provided for the repairs, impacted owners are likely to receive direct communication from the manufacturer. While braking component recalls raise concerns, McLaren is not the lone automaker facing such issues, with Ford recalling Mustangs in 2020 due to malfunctioning brake pedal brackets and VW recalling 766,000 vehicles in 2017 for ABS-related concerns.
The fact that the issue went unnoticed until this year highlights the effectiveness of McLaren’s electronic stability control. It may come as a surprise that it managed to conceal a malfunctioning brake caliper entirely. Owners of affected vehicles can anticipate an enhanced performance on their local track by multiple tenths of a second per lap once their car’s braking system is operating optimally again. If your McLaren requires this fix, do share your experience with us.
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