19 McLarens On US Roads Have A Serious Issue

Banjo bolts, it should be explained, are hollow bolts used with fluid systems to control the flow through the delivery lines. In this case, these banjo bolts were delivered defective to McLaren from its supplier, though this wasn't known at the time. But wouldn't a driver notice that their combined braking power isn't working properly? Perhaps not, at least in this case.

The NHTSA further notes that affected owners enjoy the benefit of the vehicle's electronic stability control system. It's capable of detecting things such as wheel speed and will adjust the speed to other wheels in order to achieve overall braking balance.

In other words, the ESC has likely been compensating for the defective banjo bolts. This is no permanent solution, hence the recall. It doesn't appear there have been any major accidents or injuries. McLaren and the government agency say the fix is pretty simple: a certified McLaren technician needs to inspect the brakes, locate the defective bolt, and replace it with a new one. This will be done free of charge.

Oddly, McLaren has not announced when the recall will get underway but since it affects such a small number of cars, chances are these owners will be personally notified.