RoadVitals

2016 Porsche 718 Cayman

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
7
Latest Sep 16, 2024
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jul 17, 2019
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Porsche 718 Cayman, most frequently naming the airbags, seat belts and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 442 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Airbags327.3%
  • Seat belts218.2%
  • Engine19.1%
  • Fuel system19.1%
  • Exterior lighting19.1%
  • Steering19.1%
  • Visibility19.1%
  • Electrical19.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
19V533000

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Jul 17, 2019
7,517 units potentially affected
The defect: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2016-2017 911 and Boxster, 2016 Cayman and Panamera vehicles. The air bag Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have a defective power supply capacitor that can result in air bag deactivation or inadvertent deployment of the air bags.
The risk: Deactivated air bags increase the risk of injury. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will install new software and replace the air bag ECU as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed September 13, 2019. Owners received a second notice and the recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKB4.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.Manufacturer number AKB4View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 16, 2024

Tail lamps are prone to hairline cracks difficult to see, when driven in rain or car wash tail lamp floods and causes electrical system to short circuit resulting in death or accident in inclement weather due to low visibility.

NHTSA ID
11614898
Incident
Sep 16, 2024
Fuel systemSteering
Filed Aug 25, 2024

Engine stalls when stopped if not in sport mode. Electronic gauge display for oil level is confusing and shows low oil level in green, causing the user to add oil when it is full. Steering rubs and knocks when turning.

NHTSA ID
11610745
Incident
Mar 3, 2024
Visibility
Filed Jun 27, 2022

Windshield washer hose has snapped at the hood hinge which is preventing clearing of the windsheild of debris and obscuring forward visibility. This part was replaced by the dealer in 2016 during the first annual service for reasons unknown to me and has now failed.

NHTSA ID
11471245
Incident
Jun 12, 2022
Airbags
Filed Feb 9, 2022

TRW Automotive Inc. Airbag Control Unit (Part No. 218737-124 RI; Serial No. 11050089RI; Produced: April 20, 2015) was equipped in 2016 Porsche Cayman VIN [XXX] by Porsche (Vehicle Production Date: June 29, 2015). In 2019, TRW recalled the aforementioned ACU in NHTSA 19E-043. In 2019, in response to the TRW recall, Porsche recalled 2016 Porsche Caymans in NHTSA 19V-533 but Porsche & the NHTSA failed to include 2016 Porsche Cayman VIN [XXX] (Vehicle Production Date: June 29, 2015) from this recall by setting an incorrect production date bracket starting at July 8, 2015 which is at least 9 days too late. The ACU failed during normal operation of the vehicle on February 1, 2020. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID
11451121
Incident
Feb 1, 2020
Engine
Filed Nov 17, 2020

THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING ADJUSTER SPROCKET BOLTS HAVE A TENDENCY TO SHEAR UNDER HIGH LOAD. THIS IS A DOCUMENTED ISSUE THAT WAS ALSO COMMON IN SEVERAL OTHER PORSCHE MODELS OF SIMILAR PRODUCTION YEAR RANGES. THE VALVETRAIN LOSES TIMING, RESULTING IN A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHICH DISABLES A VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED SUCH A FAILURE AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO "LIMP MODE." ALL THE VALVES ON ONE CYLINDER BANK WERE BENT. OTHER MODELS WERE RECALLED BUT THE CAYMAN AND BOXSTERS THAT CAME WITH THE 9A1 ENGINE WERE NOT. PORSCHE REPAIRED MY ENGINE BUT THEY PUT THE SAME PART NUMBER THAT FAILED BACK INTO THE CAR. THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ENGINEERING REVISION TO THE PART, AND ANOTHER FAILURE IS POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ID
11375115
Incident
Jul 25, 2020
Mileage
7,800 mi
AirbagsElectricalSeat belts
Filed Jul 27, 2020

PORSCHE HAS IDENTIFIED A PREVIOUSLY UNREPORTED FAULTY AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT SERIAL NUMBER 11050089RI EQUIPPED IN THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN IN JUNE 2015 BY PORSCHE AG MERE DAYS BEFORE THE PRODUCTION DATE BRACKET START OF JULY 8, 2015 FOR MANUFACTURER RECALL AKB4. THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN WAS ORDERED AS A CUSTOM SPECIFICATION 2015 PORSCHE CAYMAN IN EARLY 2015 HOWEVER, WHILE WAITING FOR THE CAR, THE OWNER WAS NOTIFIED BY THE DEALER THAT DELAYS HAVE PUSHED YOUR DELIVERY DATE BACKBUT YOU WILL RECEIVE A 2016 MODELTHE FACTORY IS GOING TO PRODUCE THE VEHICLE BEFORE THEIR SUMMER BREAK AND YOULL HAVE IT IN JULY 2015 BUT IT WILL BE A 2016 CAYMAN. THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN IS A JULY 2015 PARTS BIN VEHICLE ASSEMBLED WITH FAULTY AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT SERIAL NUMBER 11050089RI IN JUNE 2015 BY PORSCHE AG. WITH COMPONENT SUPPLIER CORRECTIVE ACTION OCCURRING DURING WEEK 38 OF 2015 (MID-SEPTEMBER 2015) PORSCHE AG INSTALLED FAULTY AIRBAG TRIGGERING UNIT SERIAL NUMBER 11050089RI IN THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN. THIS IS EVIDENT BY SCAN RESULTS PERFORMED ON THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN DISPLAYING FAILURE CODE: C11005 AIRBAG TRIGGERING UNIT, FAULTY. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. PORSCHE DID NOT IDENTIFY THAT FAULTY AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT SERIAL NUMBER 11050089RI IS AFFECTED BY MANUFACTURER RECALL AKB4 AND HAS NOT CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED THE POPULATION OF 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN CARS IMPACTED BY MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER AKB4 (TRANSPORT CANADA RECALL 2019353 & NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V-533). PORSCHE MUST INCLUDE THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN IN MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER AKB4, NOTIFY THE OWNER BY MAIL AND INSTRUCT THEM TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO REPLACE THE FAULTY AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE UNDER RECALL. REFER TO VOLKSWAGEN GROUP COMPLIANCE REF. NUMBER 12638/2020, PCNA CASES 5591432 & 5595168, TC CONFIRMATION NUMBERS 2020-1107/-1108/-1310/-1311 AND US NHTSA TCN FKN23-56239 FOR DETAILS.

NHTSA ID
11342230
Incident
Feb 1, 2020
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jun 25, 2020

2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN HAS AN ERROR CODE 'C11005 ? AIRBAG TRIGGERING UNIT, FAULTY' AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED BUT THIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN PORSCHE'S RECALL (AKB4) CONCERNING THIS ISSUE. PORSCHE HAS NOT CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED THE RECALL POPULATION OF 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN CARS AFFECTED BY MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER AKB4 (TRANSPORT CANADA RECALL 2019353 & NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V-533) AND SHOULD INCLUDE THIS 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN VIN, NOTIFY THE OWNER BY MAIL AND INSTRUCT THEM TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO INSPECT, AND REPLACE, THE FAULTY AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE UNDER RECALL. BASED ON A PRODUCTION DATE BRACKET OF JULY 8, 2015 ? APRIL 18, 2016 AND COMPONENT SUPPLIER CORRECTIVE ACTION OCCURRING DURING CALENDAR WEEK 38 OF 2015 (APPROXIMATELY MID-SEPTEMBER 2015) PORSCHE HAS MISSED THIS 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN (PRODUCED JUNE 2015) FROM ITS DATABASE OF 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN VINS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. PORSCHE DID NOT CONSIDER THAT IT WAS PRODUCING 2016 PORSCHE CAYMANS EARLIER THAN JULY 8, 2015 AND, AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE OWNER OF THIS 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN WAS NOT ALERTED DURING THE CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION PERIOD OF MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER AKB4 AND DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF THIS KNOWN SAFETY RISK UNTIL ALMOST A YEAR HAD PASSED. AT THIS TIME, PORSCHE REFUSES TO REPAIR THE FAULTY VEHICLE UNDER RECALL. THERE MAY BE OTHER 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN VEHICLES IN ADDITION TO THIS 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN ASSEMBLED OUTSIDE THE STATED PRODUCTION DATE BRACKET THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND WERE MISSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ID
11330990
Incident
Feb 1, 2020

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSTR 2642

Porsche Tester Software Update Information Software Version: 44.300.000

SPTL 2607a

VAS 621001A Matrix Headlamp Aimer – Automatic Shipment / Maha Installation

101/25

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PCCM+ 9x1.I

SPTL 2607

VAS 621001A Matrix Headlamp Aimer – Automatic Shipment / Maha Installation

18/26

POWER TRAIN

Warranty Information: Warranty Extension for Transmission Electronics Control Unit (18/26)

13/26

ENGINE

Allocation of Approved Engine Oils MY 2027 (13/26)

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Porsche 718 Cayman by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000—
2025100—
2024010—
2023100—
2022100—
2021200—
2020000—
2019111—
2018021—
2017541—
2016Viewing710—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.