McLaren recalls Senna, 720S, GT and 570GT over fire risk

McLaren is about to trigger a mass global recall involving the majority of its vehicles made between 2016-2020 after discovering a design fault with fuel tanks that could cause a fire.

Documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show the British supercar-maker is about to issue a recall that reportedly affect 2763 cars including 2008 McLaren 720S coupes and roadsters, 272 570GTs, 225 GTs and 157 McLaren Sennas.

The potentially explosive design flaw concerns a foam pad that is used to reduce vibrations beneath the fuel tank.

Following testing, the foam pad was found to hold moisture that can, over time, cause the fuel tanks to corrode and subsequently leak.

Just two cases of leaks have been reported, the first in 2019 involving an ex-press 570GT that had covered high miles.

Back then, McLaren concluded that unusual usage might have caused the issue and it continued to monitor the potential problem -- until a second case was identified in the UK this year, prompting the global recall.

It's not known if any fires have been caused as a direct result of the fuel leaks.

Owners of affected cars will soon be contacted by the car-maker, which will invite them to have their car repaired free of charge.

McLaren says the fix, which involves removal of the pad, could also entail a full replacement of the fuel tank if any evidence of corrosion is found.

The only fly-in-the-ointment for affected McLaren GT owners is that a fix for the British car-maker's newest model is yet to be announced.

McLaren's latest recall comes only months after an earlier recall for its Senna, which highlighted a potential risk with the hypercar's wiring harness that could lead to a loss of power.

It's not yet known when McLaren plans to contact Australian owners concerning its latest recall, but the company has issued the following statement:

"McLaren Automotive has chosen to undertake a voluntary safety recall of its 570GT, 720S Coupe and Spider, Senna and GT models due to a risk of possible corrosion of the fuel tank.

"Customers will be notified and advised to bring their vehicle in for inspection with any necessary reparatory work to be carried out free of charge. The appropriate regulatory authorities have been consulted on and are aware of this action."