Needless to say, the faster your car drives, the better the brakes you want to install to ensure you stop safely. McLaren makes some very fast vehicles, so of course you want to be able to trust the brake pedal when you need it. According to Carscoops, news broke this week that the British manufacturer had recalled 19 cars due to malfunctioning brake system components.

The affected cars were manufactured between July 8, 2019 and March 15, 2020. There are one 570S, one 600LT, seven McLaren GT and ten 720S on the list. The reason for the recall was a defective banjo bolt in the brake system, which was mistakenly manufactured by a component supplier.

According to the recall, the banjo bolt in question lacked a hole for supplying hydraulic oil to the calipers. This will render the brakes on a given wheel completely inoperative. Normally, this is something the driver notices almost immediately. When a caliper fails to engage, the car will pull left or right when braking. However, the recall states that the car’s electronic stability control (ESC) system will naturally offset this by working harder to brake the other wheels to maintain the desired route. Therefore, it is possible that some McLaren owners have been driving with only three working brakes for nearly two years without even realizing it. 

This problem was first exposed earlier this year when a Kuwaiti dealer was testing a 2020 McLaren GT. Someone noticed that the car was pulled to the side while braking. Inspection found defective banjo bolts and reported to McLaren headquarters on May 2. An investigation by the supplier Goodridge Limited indicated that the drill used on the production machine had been broken, and the sensor and quality inspection failed to detect the problematic transportation before then. Therefore, defective parts lacking key holes are inadvertently sent to McLaren for installation on the vehicle. 

Repairs to affected vehicles will be provided free of charge through McLaren's dealer network. The repair schedule was not stated, but the manufacturer may contact the affected owners directly. Recalls of brake components are always worrying, but McLaren is not the only car manufacturer facing such problems. In 2020, Ford recalled Mustang due to defective brake pedal brackets, and Volkswagen recalled 766,000 vehicles in 2017 due to ABS issues.

The fact that no one noticed this problem until this year illustrates the quality of the McLaren electronic stability control system. If you asked us, we would not expect it to hide the entire malfunctioning brake caliper, but you went. Once their vehicle brakes with all four wheels, the owner of the affected vehicle should expect to improve by a few tenths of a lap on their local track. If your McLaren needs to be repaired, please be sure to tell us your situation.

Are there any hints? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com

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