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Luxury SUVs have become a dime a dozen, but the 2018 Maserati Levante claims to be different. In fact, the newest lineup is hailed as “a force of nature,” but customers have noticed the winds of change. The structure isn’t created as a luxury model should be and the powertrain leaves a lot to be desired.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2018 Maserati Quattroporte
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control |
Problems with the Vehicle Structure
A car can look good but not be built correctly. That’s precisely what is found with the 2018 Maserati Quattroporte.
One professional review from Bloomberg states, “Here’s what driving a car for eight or 10 hours at a time will tell you that driving a car for an hour or less will not: Seemingly inconsequential design elements, such as the bulge along the bottom of the center console that juts out on either side of the center of the interior of the car into the foot wells—imagine them shaped like a lower-case “d”—can make you very uncomfortable over hours of driving. The Quattroporte has these, and their small protrusion disrupts the natural line of your leg as you sit. The result is you have to twist your hips and knees slightly to force your left leg (if you’re riding shotgun) unnaturally. It feels like when you sit in an economy airplane seat, and the carry-on bag under the seat in front of you prevents you from stretching your legs even to a simple straight line. Super irritating.”
It turns out that the structure-related issues are about more than discomfort. There’s a serious safety concern. NHTSA Campaign Number 18V34700 states that a weld on the subframe might not have been performed correctly and could break. If this occurs, the owner could lose vehicle control. The name Quattroporte literally means “four doors,” and that might be all of the thought put into this model. It’s clear that the very critical frame was not considered as vital, maybe because it doesn’t play a part in the “Italian elegance.”
Problems with the Fuel System
The fuel system regulates the vehicle speed and ability to move. When something fails in this system, the drive becomes cumbersome or impossible.
One such complaint that illustrates some of the concerns includes this one left from an NHTSA user. “I was driving this vehicle in ‘SPORT’ mode. I accelerated from a stopped position, rather aggressively to get up to speed (about 30-35 mph). When I took my foot off the gas pedal, the car continued to accelerate uncommanded. I pressed the brake as hard as I could, but the engine remained at full power attempting to accelerate forward. I was nearly able to get the vehicle to a complete stop, but the engine overpowered me with both feet standing on brake pedal. It shuddered forward about 25 feet, moving at less than 5 mph, almost like the antilock brakes were capturing and releasing, until I struck a vehicle stopped at a red light in front of me. The display read ‘Service Engine Throttle Control.” Once I struck the other vehicle, my vehicle finally came to a complete stop. I put the car in Park, and the engine finally stopped revving. The floor mats were in their proper place, so they were not a contributing factor. This was actually the second time that the car had accelerated on its own, both occurring in conjunction with aggressive application of the gas pedal. The first time I was able to overcome it fairly quickly, and though it was just an anomaly. It may be important to note that the manufacturer approved and completely replaced the Engine Control Module (which I was informed by the dealership was a rare event) only 2 months prior to this incident, due to a virtual electronic meltdown with the engine control. Both uncommanded accelerated events occurred after this replacement. After the ‘investigation’ by the manufacturer, they claim there was no problem and accepted no responsibility for the incident, nor did they take any corrective actions to ensure our future safety. The vehicle currently has about 4500 miles. I’ve had it for just under 1 year, and it has been out of service nearly 2 full months with three electronic/electrical problems.”
It shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that there is also a fuel-related recall. NHTSA Campaign Number 17V83400 states that the fuel delivery pipe might start to leak into the engine compartment. This fuel leakage is able to also cause a car fire. Sadly, by this point, many owners are secretly hoping that their Quattroporte would burst into flames and be gone once and for all because even after this problem is resolved, another will surface.
Problems with the Transmission
The 2018 Maserati Quattroporte has some serious problems with the powertrain. In a luxury car with this price tag, shifting should be smooth and responsive, but that’s not the case.
Just look at this professional comment made by Bloomberg. “There was noticeable time lapse between pushing the accelerator and gathering speed to blitz past slower traffic, and the transition between gears—especially the lower ones–should have been much smoother than it was.”
After those two massive recalls, Maserati wasn’t willing to discuss any powertrain issue. There are no communications revealing any problems that the automaker wants customers to know about. It’s not a shocker, considering the reputation the company now has for itself. In fact, many customers are switching brands after the revelation that this model is simply a lemon dressed up with “Italian elegance.”
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Maserati pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Complaint Data
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Dec 19, 2019 |
| State | SD |
| Description | I was driving this vehicle in "sport" mode. I accelerated from a stopped position, rather aggressively to get up to speed (about 30-35 mph). When I took my foot off the gas pedal, the car continued to accelerate uncommanded. I pressed the brake as hard as I could, but the engine remained at full power attempting to accelerate forward. I was nearly able to get the vehicle to a complete stop, but the engine overpowered me with both feet standing on brake pedal. It shuddered forward about 25 feet, moving at less than 5mph, almost like the antilock brakes were capturing and releasing, until I struck a vehicle stopped at a red light in front of me. The display read "service engine throttle control." once I struck the other vehicle, my vehicle finally came to a complete stop. I put the car in park, and the engine finally stopped revving. The floor mats were in their proper place, so they were not a contributing factor. This was actually the second time that the car had accelerated on its own, both occurring in conjunction with aggressive application of the gas pedal. The first time I was able to overcome it fairly quickly, and thought it was just an anomaly. It may be important to note that the manufacturer approved and completely replaced the engine control module (which I was informed by the dealership was a rare event) only 2 months prior to this incident, due to a virtual electronic meltdown with the engine control. Both uncommanded acceleration events occurred after this replacement. After the "investigation" by the manufacturer, they claim there was no problem and accepted no responsibility for the incident, nor did they take any corrective actions to ensure our future safety. The vehicle currently has about 4500 miles. I've had it for just under 1 year, and it has been out of service nearly 2 full mouths with three electronic/electrical problems. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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