The Lemon Index
Lamborghini's 6.5 L naturally aspirated V12 in the Aventador, model years 2012–2022. YouTube likes the 2015 best.
A safer bet: YouTube owner tone 54/100, #40 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. Owners filed 2 complaints with the government that we can tie to this engine's cars, 2012–2022, about any part of the car. Supercars sell in small numbers, so we show YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes instead.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2015 (57) and least about the 2013 (51); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Aventador | 0 | 55 (158 videos) | 0 |
| 2013 | Aventador | 0 | 51 (158 videos) | 0 |
| 2014 | Aventador | 1 | 54 (157 videos) | 0 |
| 2015 | Aventador | 0 | 57 (159 videos) | 1 |
| 2016 | Aventador | 0 | 54 (160 videos) | 1 |
| 2017 | Aventador | 0 | 55 (158 videos) | 0 |
| 2018 | Aventador | 1 | 54 (157 videos) | 1 |
| 2019 | Aventador | 0 | 54 (159 videos) | 0 |
| 2020 | Aventador | 0 | 54 (156 videos) | 0 |
| 2021 | Aventador | 0 | 54 (156 videos) | 0 |
| 2022 | Aventador | 0 | 52 (160 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 2
None of them is about the engine itself.
19V696000 Electrical System · Lamborghini Aventador 2018
The engine management software may allow the engine to stall when coasting to a stop.
18V461000 Wheels · Lamborghini Aventador 2015–16
The bolts centering and supporting the brake discs to the wheel's hub may loosen over time.
NHTSA recalls by model and year. A recall counts here when every confirmed version of that model-year had this engine, or the recall names it. Check a car's VIN for its own open recalls.
Engine problems Lamborghini told dealers about
Lamborghini sent dealers 16 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- The starter motor, on some vehicles, fails to crank immediately and the lower starter motor screw, without…
- Some vehicles will be experiencing an external corrosion on the alternator positive pole fastener and would…
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Lamborghini Aventador Aventador Countach, Aventador Coupe, Aventador Coupe LP740-4, Aventador Roadster, Aventador Roadster LP740-4, Aventador S Coupe ... | 2012–22 |
Engine code: L539. Power: 690–770 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Lamborghini Aventador · Lamborghini V12.
Quick answers
What cars have the Lamborghini L539 V12 engine?
In the US: the Lamborghini Aventador, model years 2012–2022. See the version table for each one.
Is the Lamborghini L539 V12 reliable?
Mostly yes. YouTube owner tone 54/100, #40 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: supercars sell in small numbers. Its cars had 2 recalls (0 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Lamborghini L539 V12 make?
690–770 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.