2007 Porsche 911 (997) Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2007 Porsche 911 (997), grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine250.0%
- Body & structure125.0%
- Exterior lighting125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE LOST MOST OF IT'S POWER FROM AN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE ALMOST CAUSING ME TO BE REAR-ENDED AND A MULTI-CAR PILEUP. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO ESCAPE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. AN INDEPENDENT PORSCHE REPAIR SHOP, EURASIAN AUTO, "BORE SCORING" ON CYLINDER 5. FACTORY DEALER, PORSCHE OF BIRMINGHAM, CONFIRMED THAT DIAGNOSIS. THE AUTOMOBILE ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT. THE ENGINE NOW NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REBUILT. I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF THIS SAME THING HAPPENING HAPPENING TO OTHER OWNERS OF 911S WITH THIS MODEL ENGINE. IT WAS USED IN 911S BETWEEN 05 AND 09. IT OCCURS IN BOTH THE 3,6 LITER ENGINE AND THE HIGHER HORSE POWER 3.8. SOME REPORTS SAY THE FAILURE IS EVEN MORE PREVALENT IN THE 3.8 LITER WHICH IS IN THE S VERSION. MY CAR IS A 3.8 LITER S VERSION. THE PROBLEM IS SO PREVALENT THAT SEVERAL COMPANIES NOW SPECIALIZE IN REMANUFACTURING 05 TO 09 911 ENGINES THAT HAVE SUFFERED BORE SCORING AND PROVIDING "FIXES" SO THAT BORE SCORING WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THESE COMPANIES INCLUDE FLAT SIX INNOVATIONS, RND, AND STRUTTCARS. IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OF THESE COMPANIES WEBSITES YOU WILL SEE AN EXPLANATION OF THE PROBLEM AND THEIR SOLUTIONS. PORSCHE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE, I ENCLOSE SEVERAL ONLINE REFERENCES TO THE PROBLEM. ALSO I WILL KEEP THE CAR GARAGED IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION FOR 5 MONTHS IF YOU WANT TO TEST IT.
I AM SUBMITTING THIS DUE TO THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COOLANT LINES COMING OUT OF THE MOTOR BLOCK. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN TO MY CAR BUT I FELT THE RISK WAS TO HIGH CONSIDERING ALL OF THE DOCUMENTED FAILURES (HTTP://FORUMS.RENNLIST.COM/RENNFORUMS/997-GT2-GT3-FORUM/592328-CATASTROPHIC-COOLANT-HOSE-COUPLING-FAILURE-REGISTRY.HTML ). THIS SERIES OF CARS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO DROP ALL OF THE COOLANT OUT WHILE DRIVING. I ELECTED TO HAVE THE COOLANT HOSES SECURED AT A COST OF $3100. I DID NOT WANT TO BE DRIVING AND CRASH OR CAUSE ANOTHER DRIVER BEHIND ME TO CRASH. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT OF A VEHICLE I OWN BUT A COMPLAINT I BELIEVE TO BE SAFETY RELATED. SOME PORSCHE MODELS LIKE 911 AND BOXTER HAVE A SIDE MARKER LIGHT THAT IS LOCATED AT THE WHEEL OPENING. AT NIGHT THERE IS A BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT THAT SHINES BACK AT VEHICLES DRIVING BEHIND THE PORSCHE IN THE LANE NEXT TO THEM. THIS EITHER MAKES IT HARD FOR THE OTHER DRIVING TO SEE AS THIS LIGHT HAS A BLINDING EFFECT OR WILL GIVE THE DRIVER THE IMPRESSION THAT AN ON COMING CAR IS APPROACHING IN THEIR LANE. I BELIEVE THE FIX TO BE SIMPLE BUT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS UNSAFE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT OF A VEHICLE I OWN BUT A COMPLAINT I BELIEVE TO BE SAFETY RELATED. SOME PORSCHE MODELS LIKE 911 AND BOXTER HAVE A SIDE MARKER LIGHT THAT IS LOCATED AT THE WHEEL OPENING. AT NIGHT THERE IS A BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT THAT SHINES BACK AT VEHICLES DRIVING BEHIND THE PORSCHE IN THE LANE NEXT TO THEM. THIS EITHER MAKES IT HARD FOR THE OTHER DRIVING TO SEE AS THIS LIGHT HAS A BLINDING EFFECT OR WILL GIVE THE DRIVER THE IMPRESSION THAT AN ON COMING CAR IS APPROACHING IN THEIR LANE. I BELIEVE THE FIX TO BE SIMPLE BUT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS UNSAFE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .