1995 Porsche 911 Owner Complaints

RECENTLY, I PURCHASED TIE RODS FOR MY 1995 PORSCHE 911. I ORDERED THROUGH ECS TUNING (ORDER #: [XXX]), SHIPPED TO MY HOME. I INSPECTED THE TIE RODS, AND WHILE NOT IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURERS PARTS, THEY LOOKED SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME. I INSTALLED THE TIE RODS (MADE BY HAMBURG TECHNIC) WITHOUT INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY. AS YOU ARE AWARE, TIE RODS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE STEERING SYSTEM AND ARE DESIGNED TO BE ADJUSTED FOR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. I EYEBALLED THE ALIGNMENT AND PROMPTLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCHANTS TIRE AND AUTO (3419 HWY 17 S, MURRELLS INLET, SC 29576, 843-651-4816) FOR A PROFESSIONAL ALIGNMENT ON A HUNTER LASER RACK. AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING BACKED UP AT THEIR FACILITY, THE LEFT INNER TIE ROD SEGMENT SEPARATED. THE INNER SLEEVE BECAME COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE OUTER SLEEVE, RENDERING THE CAR INCAPACITATED. I DON'T KNOW HOW I MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THEM SEPARATING ON THE ROAD, LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT. AS I HAD ORDERED 2 SETS OF TIE RODS, I RETURNED HOME AND GOT THE SECOND SET, AND THEY PUSHED THE CAR INTO A SERVICE BAY. THEY REPLACED THE TIE RODS WITH THE SECOND SET. WHILE BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE SERVICE BAY, TO MOVE IT TO THE ALIGNMENT RACK, THE LEFT TIE ROD SEPARATED AGAIN, RENDERING THE CAR INCAPACITATED FOR THE SECOND TIME. AS THERE IS CLEARLY A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THESE PARTS, I OBTAINED TIE RODS FROM ANOTHER VENDOR. THOSE TIE RODS WERE PLACED ON THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ISSUE, AND AN ALIGNMENT WAS SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10663384

Incident

Dec 5, 2014

Mileage

110,500 mi

THE HORN FAILED TO SOUND WHEN PRESSED. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE SPRING FOR HORN WAS LOCATED BEHIND THE AIR BAG. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10101970

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

BATTERY DIED, UPON RECHARGE, CAR WAS ATTEMPTED TO BE STARTED AND WE SMELLED A BURNING SMELL. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE, RESULTING IN NEED TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AND AIR COND CONTROLLER AT THE COST OF 3600. *AK

NHTSA ID

760050

Incident

Mar 10, 2002

ATTENTION : FRANK BORRIS NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.

NHTSA ID

753288

Incident

Oct 8, 2001

LUGS: NUTS ON WHEEL HAD TO BE BROKEN IN ORDER TO REPLACE TIRES OR BRAKES. WHEELS WERE CHROMED BY DEALERSHIP FOR PREVIOUS OWNER AND WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS.*AK

NHTSA ID

897114

Incident

Aug 10, 2001

THE ENGINE HARNESS WAS KINKED DURING INSTALLATION FROM THE FACTORY CAUSING A SMALL FIRE (THE SIZE OF THREE LIT MATCHES) WHILE DRIVING. NLM

NHTSA ID

561221

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS EXHIBITS DRY ROT AND INSULATION BREAKDOWN (CRACKS) THROUGHOUT. THIS MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE FAILURE OF AN ENGINE COOLING FAN. MECHANIC (A PORSCHE CERTIFIED MASTER TECNHICIAN) EXPLAINS THAT THIS CONDITION WILL BE PROGRESSIVE, WILL LIKELY CAUSE DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS IN THE SHORT-TERM, AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. HE THUS RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF AROUND $1800. STEVE CHAN OF NHTSA IS COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT A PATTERN OF WIRING HARNESS DEFECTS THAT AFFECTED 1995 PORSCHE MODELS. PORSCHE APPARENTLY SWITCHED SUPPLIERS THE FOLLOWING YEAR. PLEASE FORWARD THIS CASE TO HIM. *AK

NHTSA ID

740742

Incident

Feb 4, 2001

SOME WIRE INSULATION HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND BROKEN AWAY, EXPOSING BARE WIRES. AS THIS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE, I FEEL AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. THE EFFECTED AREA IS WITHIN THE WIRE HARNESS, NEAR THE ALTERNATOR. ALTHOUGH IM HAVING MY CAR REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, A NUMBER OF PORSCHE DEALERS (VERIFIED BY AN INTERNET PORSCHE BOARD AND MY MECHANIC) HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS, AND HAVE REPLACED HARNESSES WITH A NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION.

NHTSA ID

732161

Incident

Sep 19, 2000

BOLT HOLDING BALL JOINT TO UPRIGHT BROKE AT BALL, THREW CAR TO LEFT AGAINST RAILING FROM STRAIGHT UPHILL AT WATKINS GLEN DRIVER ED. *AK

NHTSA ID

708232

Incident

Jul 3, 1999

WHILE PARKED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROIVDE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

826387

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE ON TWO OCCASIONS. DURING BOTH INCIDENTS OWNER PUSHED PEDAL TO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR, AND PUMPED THE BRAKES AT LEAST 4 TIMES BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED. DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

815345

Incident

Jul 20, 1997

THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE BRAKE CALIPERS IN PLACE SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE BRAKE CALIPER TO LOCK ONTO THE ROTOR/ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

519501

Incident

Apr 26, 1997