Porsche problems
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (German pronunciation: ⓘ; see below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in luxury, high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company is owned by Volkswagen AG, a controlling stake of which is owned by Porsche Automobil Holding SE. Porsche's current lineup includes the 718, 911, Panamera, Macan, Cayenne and Taycan.
The origins of the company date to the 1930s when Czech-German automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche founded Porsche with Adolf Rosenberger, a keystone figure in the creation of German automotive manufacturer and Audi precursor Auto Union, and Austrian businessman Anton Piëch, who was, at the time, also Ferdinand Porsche's son in law. In its early days, it was contracted by the German government to create a vehicle for the masses, which later became the Volkswagen Beetle. After World War II, when Ferdinand would be arrested for war crimes, his son Ferry Porsche began building his own car, which would result in the Porsche 356.
In 2009, Porsche entered an agreement with Volkswagen to create an 'integrated working group' by merging the two companies' car manufacturing operations. By 2015, Porsche SE, the holding company spun off from the original Porsche firm, had a controlling interest in the Volkswagen Group, which included Audi and Lamborghini as subsidiaries.
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Porsche models
Common Porsche problems
Porsche cars are known for their high-performance engines and sleek design, but like any other vehicle, they can have their common problems. Here are some of the most common issues reported by Porsche owners:
- Water Pump Failure: Many drivers of the Porsche Cayman have mentioned a leaky or faulty water pump. It creates a distracting noise to the driver and can only be remedied by a replacement of the part.
- Coolant Leaks: A small crack in the plastic coolant pipes and reservoir is one of the most frustrating leaks that happen on different Porsche models. This issue can lead to more severe problems if not addressed promptly.
- ABS Warning Lights: ABS warning lights can be triggered on your Porsche for no reason other than that your ABS Electronic Module has failed. It is a rather common failure on Porsche and can be replaced, and in some cases, rebuilt.
- CV Joints: CV Joints can cause problems by normal wear and tear, however, Porsche engines put a higher demand on the strength of the CV (constant velocity) joint than most vehicles. It is important to check the grease boots for tears or cracks.
- Transmission Issues: If you are having issues getting your Porsche into gear on your manual transmission, or you are experiencing a grinding sound when shifting, this is likely the cause of worn synchros. It is important to make sure the transmission is serviced at regular intervals.
- Timing Chain Failure: Porsche has used timing chains for many years. It is an effective design for these high-performance engines. However, timing chains do stretch, and chain guides do become worn. Starting from the first year Porsche 911 to the most recent Cayenne, timing chain failure, if not dealt with, can cause internal interference in the valve train and lead to catastrophic failure.
- IMS Bearing Failure: The intermediate shaft bearing commonly fails on the Porsche 996 and 997 models. It is located in the front of the engine behind the transmission. The failure is caused by the bearing becoming washed out, leading to a catastrophic engine failure.
These are some of the most common problems reported by Porsche owners. However, it is essential to note that no car is perfect, and Porsches are no exception. With proper care, you can minimize the frequency and cost of these repairs and Porsche common problems.
Percentage distribution of complaints by Porsche models
We have analysed all the complaints filed against Porsche cars and compiled the top 5 most problematic Porsche models:
Below you can see the percentage distribution of known problems by Porsche brand.
Distribution of the number of complaints by Porsche models
We have also compiled a table for you with the number of complaints about specific models of Porsche cars:
Distribution of Porsche car problems by type
Based on an anlyse of all Porsche related complaints and concluded that the most common problems with Porsche cars are the following:
- Engine problems
- Power train problems
- Electrical system problems
- Air bags problems
- Engine and engine cooling problems
Below is a graph with statistics on all Porsche vehicle components and the number of complaints about them.
Distribution of the number of complaints where the accident occurred by Porsche models
A total of 94 complaints were registered in which the accident occurred. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model.
Distribution of the number of complaints with fire by Porsche models
There were a total of 45 complaints that resulted in a fire. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model.
Distribution of the number of complaints with injuries by Porsche models
There were a total of 59 complaints that resulted in a injuries. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model.
Distribution of the number of complaints with deaths by Porsche models
There were a total of 2 complaints that resulted in a death. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model.
The NHTSA has received 1970 complaints about various vehicle components related to the Porsche Porsche. Below are 15 recent complaints about various Porsche models. In order to research complaints about a particular brand you need to select it from the list of available models above.
List of the last 15 complaints about Porsche models
Porsche Macan 2023
- Date Of Incident: 2024-09-27
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-26
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AF2A58PL
- Components: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
- Summary: Brakes slammed on and hard left turn initiated. Collision warning light flashed. There was nothing in front of me. Action caused an artery to tear in my lung. Hospitalized with life threating injury. Car had recently received 1st year service. Called dealer service manager to report failure, he said the car could not do this. Car has not been inspected at this time. Lawyer advised not to drive car, but also said his team had no equipment to review failure, needed to be taken to dealer who would probably not work with him. There are many of these failures on the internet, Also have friends how have had similar issues multiple times. How do i proceed?
Porsche Taycan 2022
- Date Of Incident: 2024-08-18
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-26
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP0BA2Y1XNS
- Components: POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
- Summary: While driving on the city streets, the vehicle would not accelerate properly. At a stop sign, when pressing the accelerator, the vehicle started to jerk forward slowly and would not accelerate properly. A turtle started to flash on the cluster display. Trying to get to a safe location, the vehicle kept jerking forward slowly while slowly increasing speed and flashing the turtle icon.
Porsche Macan 2022
- Date Of Incident: 2024-09-27
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-25
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AA2A54NL
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: I was driving the car and warning light “possible R gear fault-driving permitted” came on. While driving on a highway at 50 mph, gear shift started malfunctioning and oscillating between 2nd and 4th gears and I could not change the gears. I lost control of the car speed and it would drop to 25-30mph even if I stepped on the gas pedal. It felt like the car would come to a complete standstill on a highway with other cars driving around me at 50-60+ mph. I had my car towed to Porsche dealership. They spent 2 weeks at the dealership and said that they have replaced a transmission valve body. They told me to take the car back. Based on suddenly losing the control of the car speed on a highway, I did not feel safe to put the car back on the road. Porsche company offered money to cover rental car cost but refused to repurchase the car and provide me with another lease car. Although they were not sure whether this incident could recur and I told them that, for the safety of myself and other drivers, this car should not be placed back on the road. There are several Porsche owner forums which reported multiple identical incidents but both dealership and Porsche company were ignoring the owners’ concerns and putting the problem under a rug. This is a serious manufacturer defect and Porsche cars are known to have these transmission issues but no recall has been made to address such significant safety issues that may cause multi-vehicle accidents. They are also refusing to issue a statement that they would be fully liable if a similar transmission failure recurs and results in accidents that could potentially endanger the drivers involved. I would be happy to provide the car for inspection.
Porsche Macan 2023
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-20
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-24
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 1
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AA2A54PL
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES
- Summary: I was pulling into a parking space going 3-5 mph when the car suddenly accelerated, jumped the curb and wouldn't stop. Yes, available for inspection 2. Car wouldn't stop- heading into a storefront with people outside 3. Not yet 4. Yes, dealer and pending with insurance rep 5. None
Porsche Cayenne 2020
- Date Of Incident: 2024-07-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-22
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1BA2AY4LD
- Components: POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE
- Summary: The car is very jerky, I bought in for engine or transmission mount because the idle shakes the whole car. They said its normal. Which I don't think it's normal.
Porsche 911 carrera s 2012
- Date Of Incident: 2024-09-21
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-22
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP0CB2A96CS
- Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Summary: Tail light fall off the car while driving, catching it dangling from the car holding by only one wire. Upon inspection, they came off due to a broken plastic lug that was holding the taillights together. It appears that Porsche changed the taillight mounting design in the 991 after the 2013 model year, adding a metal piece to keep it together even after the plastic cracks, melts, or fails. Mine is 2012 so it will cost us a fortune for get it fixed, for something it was clearly a design failure from the beginning.
Porsche Cayenne 2014
- Date Of Incident: 2023-02-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-22
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AD2A25EL
- Components: AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: Porsche dashboard leather shrunk, shifted position, and staples pulled out. Repair technician said if vehicle was in an accident the airbag might not deploy correctly. Porsche dealer has stated if the dashboard leather material gets in this state, they recommend replacing it. This is a very common issue.
Porsche Cayenne s 2020
- Date Of Incident: 2024-07-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-22
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1BA2AY4LD
- Components: POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE
- Summary: The car is very jerky, I bought in for engine or transmission mount because the idle shakes the whole car. They said its normal. Which I don't think it's normal.
Porsche Cayenne 2018
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-17
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-17
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AC2A21JL
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: This is not accident related, but what appears to be a systemic issue related to Cayenne and Macan leather dashboards. The issue is related to delamination of the leather dash cover that can impede the safe deployment of the passenger airbag. Many cars are affected and the repair can be a significant expense to owners (~$10K) for vehicles less than 8 years old. There should be a recall to address a largely unaware owner base for a potential safety issue.
Porsche Macan turbo 2016
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-17
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-17
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AB2A54GL
- Components: STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
- Summary: Vehicle speeds up and breaks uncontrollably. When stopped it displays several codes on the dashboard 1) power steering fail, increased effort, driving permitted, 2) GRA/ACC fault driving permitted 3) faulty windshield wipers No fault codes are found with a code reader.
Porsche Macan s 2016
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-17
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-17
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AB2A54GL
- Components: STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
- Summary: Vehicle speeds up and breaks uncontrollably. When stopped it displays several codes on the dashboard 1) power steering fail, increased effort, driving permitted, 2) GRA/ACC fault driving permitted 3) faulty windshield wipers No fault codes are found with a code reader.
Porsche Cayenne 2014
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-16
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-16
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP1AD2A24EL
- Components: AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: Dashboard leather shrunk. If the vehicle gets into an accident the airbags might not deploy correctly. Very common issue on the cayenne models.
Porsche Taycan 2021
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-15
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-15
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP0AC2Y14MS
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: Mfgr unable to remedy NHSTA 24V215 Risk of fire is unacceptable to leave unaddressed for this long
Porsche Taycan 2021
- Date Of Incident: 2024-09-20
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-11
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP0AB2Y11MS
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
- Summary: Accelerating away from a stop sign, and going about 25 mph, the car slammed on the brakes, even a couple of ABS jerks, and said “Engine Control Issue; Park in a safe place.” (It might have said Engine Control Error). After stopping, was unable to move the car, as all drive power had been shut off. All instrumentation was still powered up. I then shut off power to car, waited 15 seconds, and car powered up normally and was able to drive normally with no warning indications on instrument panel.
Porsche Taycan 2023
- Date Of Incident: 2024-10-08
- Date Complaint: 2024-10-09
- Number Of Injuries: 0
- Number Of Deaths: 0
- Crash: 0
- Fire: 0
- VIN: WP0AB2Y11PS
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE
- Summary: Driving on a major roadway with no traffic or obstacles in front of me the car went into emergency braking mode and the engine shut down. The dashboard warning said “Engine Control Issue, Park in a Safe Place”. I could not restart the car for about 15 minutes, then it finally restarted and acted normally. The danger was the car braked violently and stopped in the middle lane of a busy street and I was unable to restart or move the car for about 15 minutes.
Latest 5 Porsche recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 488 recalls involving various Porsche models.You can learn more about the model you are interested in by selecting it from the list.
- Model: Porsche Taycan 2022
- Report Received Date: 2024-10-01
- Manufacturer: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
- Summary: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Taycan vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module.
- Consequence: A short circuit in a high-voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy: Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software as the final remedy, anticipated to be available in the first quarter of 2025. Porsche will monitor available online vehicle data and contact owners as necessary, to advise them to only charge the vehicle to 80% capacity until the battery can be replaced. For vehicles in which online data is unavailable, dealers will perform a diagnostic test and replace the battery module assembly, if necessary and advise owners to only charge to 80% capacity. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 29, 2024. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's numbers for this recall are ARB6 and ARB7. This recall expands and replaces previous recall numbers 23V-840, 24V-215, and 24V-217.
- Model: Porsche Taycan 2023
- Report Received Date: 2024-10-01
- Manufacturer: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
- Summary: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Taycan vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module.
- Consequence: A short circuit in a high-voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy: Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software as the final remedy, anticipated to be available in the first quarter of 2025. Porsche will monitor available online vehicle data and contact owners as necessary, to advise them to only charge the vehicle to 80% capacity until the battery can be replaced. For vehicles in which online data is unavailable, dealers will perform a diagnostic test and replace the battery module assembly, if necessary and advise owners to only charge to 80% capacity. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 29, 2024. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's numbers for this recall are ARB6 and ARB7. This recall expands and replaces previous recall numbers 23V-840, 24V-215, and 24V-217.
- Model: Porsche Taycan 2020
- Report Received Date: 2024-10-01
- Manufacturer: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
- Summary: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Taycan vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module.
- Consequence: A short circuit in a high-voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy: Owners are advised to only charge their vehicles to a maximum of 80% battery capacity until the repair has been completed. Dealers will replace the affected modules in the high-voltage battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 29, 2024. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ARB5. This recall expands previous recall numbers 23V-840, 24V-215, and 24V-217. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
- Model: Porsche Taycan 2021
- Report Received Date: 2024-10-01
- Manufacturer: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
- Summary: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Taycan vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module.
- Consequence: A short circuit in a high-voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy: Owners are advised to only charge their vehicles to a maximum of 80% battery capacity until the repair has been completed. Dealers will replace the affected modules in the high-voltage battery, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 29, 2024. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ARB5. This recall expands previous recall numbers 23V-840, 24V-215, and 24V-217. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
- Model: Porsche Taycan 2021
- Report Received Date: 2024-10-01
- Manufacturer: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
- Summary: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Taycan vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module.
- Consequence: A short circuit in a high-voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy: Dealers will install advanced diagnostic software as the final remedy, anticipated to be available in the first quarter of 2025. Porsche will monitor available online vehicle data and contact owners as necessary, to advise them to only charge the vehicle to 80% capacity until the battery can be replaced. For vehicles in which online data is unavailable, dealers will perform a diagnostic test and replace the battery module assembly, if necessary and advise owners to only charge to 80% capacity. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 29, 2024. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's numbers for this recall are ARB6 and ARB7. This recall expands and replaces previous recall numbers 23V-840, 24V-215, and 24V-217.
Are you having problems with your Porsche?