RoadVitals

2001 Porsche 911

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.
8
Latest Jul 28, 2017
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.
0
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.
1
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.
2
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Porsche 911, most frequently naming the engine, airbags and exterior lighting categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 299 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

  • Engine562.5%
  • Airbags225.0%
  • Exterior lighting112.5%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE13009ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

Rapid coolant loss

Opened Apr 26, 2013
Closed Mar 10, 2014

On April 26, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-009 to investigate 10 complaints alleging incidents of sudden coolant loss while traveling on public roadways in certain model year (MY) 2001 through 2007 Porsche 911 vehicles.The complaints alleged that pipe ends joined by epoxy to certain cooling system components may fail suddenly and separate, resulting in large volumes of coolant leakage.The investigation was opened to assess evidence of a design or manufacturing defect in the coolant pipe fittings and any related safety consequences. In response to ODI?s Information Request letter, Porsche identified a manufacturing quality issue with the supplier?s application of adhesive to coolant pipe fittings that resulted in elevated failure rates in approximately 6,800 early production 997 generation vehicles (MY 2007 and early MY 2008).ODI?s analysis of field data showed that the age-adjusted failure rate for these vehicles was approximately six times greater than MY 2001 through 2005 996 generation vehicles and MY 2008 through 2011 997 generation vehicles built after a process improvement for adhesive application was implemented by the supplier.Most of the leak complaints reviewed by ODI did not appear to involve complete separation of the fittings and many were detected when the vehicle was parked.There were no crashes or injuries reported to be related to the alleged defect in any of the subject vehicles.ODI identified two allegations that coolant leakage resulted in loss of control incidents, but neither involved vehicles affected by the assembly process quality issue.A third loss of control allegation involving a vehicle built during the period affected by the supplier process concern is not counted since ODI was unable to contact the owner to confirm the incident.See the full closing resume in the document file for PE13-009 for additional information about the subject cooling system and ODI?s analysis of field data related to the alleged defect. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed Jul 28, 2017

50,000 MILES. IN SHOP BECAUSE OF SECURITY SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AND AN OIL CHANGE. MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT AN IMS BEARING IS THROWING OFF BRASS FLAKES WHICH I COULD SEE IN THE OIL FILTER. THIS PROBLEM WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. EVIDENTLY IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO PUT IN A NEW ENGINE. THE3 2001 PORSCHE IS KNOWN FOR THIS ENGINE PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE PNA. ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC THE ENGINE IS FLAWED IN ITS DESIGNED AND NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID
11011277
Incident
Jul 28, 2017
Mileage
50,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 17, 2014

COOLANT LEAK FROM REAR OF VEHICLE ,COOLANT LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON SEEN LEAK FROM HOSE CONNECTION ,BACK NEAR REAR TIRE COULD CAUSE LOSS OF TRACTION HAVE HEARD CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH CONNECTORS FROM PORSCHE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10564718
Incident
Feb 16, 2014
Mileage
31,362 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 17, 2013

COOLANT FITTING GLUED INTO THE BLOCK FAILED. THE GLUE FAILED AND THE ENGINE COOLANT BLEW ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND ONTO THE GROUND AFTER BRINGING THE CAR TO A STOP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10520214
Incident
Jul 16, 2011
Mileage
72,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 30, 2013

COOLANT LINE FITTINGS LEAKED COOLANT FLUID ONTO REAR TIRES, CREATED EXTREMELY UNSAFE DRIVING SITUATION. REPAIR CONSISTED OF REMOVING COOLANT FITTINGS (MOST REMOVED BY HAND WITHOUT TOOLS) AND WELDING ONTO BLOCK. COST $3800 TO DROP MOTOR, REMOVE ITEMS, PREP, WELD, RE-INSTALL MOTOR AND REFILL FLUIDS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10510113
Incident
Nov 1, 2011
Mileage
45,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 17, 2013

THE PORSCHE 996 GT3 MOTORS HAVE A KNOWN ISSUE AMONG OWNERS. THE COOLANT FITTINGS ARE EPOXIED TO THE ENGINE AND UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURE/PRESSURE USAGE, THEY ARE KNOWN TO COME LOSE AND/OR DETACH COMPLETELY CAUSING COOLANT SPILL ALL OVER THE TIRES AND ROAD AND DEPRIVE THE ENGINE FROM COOLANT. THIS CAUSES THE CAR THE LOSE CONTROL AND IS DANGEROUS FOR ANY CARS BEHIND THE CAR THIS HAPPENED TO. MY CAR HAS THIS ENGINE AND AS PREVENTATIVE SAFELY MAINTENANCE, I HAVE PAID AN INDEPENDENT SHOP KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO WELD MY FITTINGS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10508590
Incident
Apr 15, 2013
Mileage
19,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 25, 2012

MINE IS A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE NEARLY NEW STYLE PLASTIC HEADLIGHTS BEING USED ON ALL VEHICLES MADE SINCE 2000. YOU SEE THEM EVERYWHERE AS THEY CAN BE EASILY IDENTIFIED BY THEIR CLOUDINESS AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF USE. THERE ARE MANY MAKERS OF DIY FIX IT SOLUTIONS THAT WILL "REPAIR" THESE LENS TO ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF NEW BUT WITHIN 3 - 4 MONTHS THEY AGAIN RETURN TO CLOUDY AND CONTINUE TO GET WORSE UNTIL THEY ARE NEARLY USELESS. MANY PEOPLE CONTINUE TO USE THEM SINCE THERE IS NO COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION. MY 2001 PORSCHE WHICH IS ALWAYS GARAGED AND DRIVEN LESS THAN 7,500 MILES PER YEAR WAS NOT SAFE AND I HAVE HAD THEM BOTH PROFESSIONALLY REPAIRED. THEY ARE NOW CLOUDY AGAIN AND THE ONLY SOLUTION IS A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS WHICH WILL COST $3200 FOR THE PAIR. THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE: STOP MANUFACTURERS FROM MAKING THESE ONE PIECE HEADLIGHTS AND MAKE THEM OFFER REPLACEMENT LENS COVERS THAT CAN BE INSTALLED AT A REASONABLE COST. A FRONT END COLLUSION WILL BE EXPENSIVE FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THIS DIRECTLY BEARS UPON THE CAR OWNER AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. THE COST TO MAKE LENS REMOVABLE/REPLACEABLE WOULD BE INEXPENSIVE AND THE REPLACEMENT LENS WOULD ALSO BE INEXPENSIVE AND THEY COULD BE DESIGNED TO BE A VERY SIMPLE REPLACEMENT FOR THE CAR OWNER. AS WE GET OLDER WE DRIVE LESS AND WE TEND TO KEEP OUR CARS LONGER AND AS OUR EYES LOSE THEIR SHARPNESS, WE ARE CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED NOW AND ALSO RETROACTIVELY. PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10463053
Incident
Jun 25, 2012
Airbags
Filed Oct 20, 2011
Crash reported1 injury reported

CAR WAS STRUCK ON LEFT SIDE, JUST FORWARD OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT BY A LARGE VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROX. 55MPH. CAR WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND DRIVER SUFFERED HEAD TRAUMA. SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10431168
Incident
Oct 12, 2011
Mileage
33,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 18, 2003
Crash reported

SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, IN A SIDE SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10010030

Manufacturer communications

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

No. D746

STRUCTURE:BODY

Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the glass roof - 9J0877069BY & 9J0877069CY. The vehicles affected are ones that use the part numbers mentioned.

No. D732.1

STRUCTURE:BODY

Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the door lock. part numbers 9Y0839015, 9Y0839016, 9Y0839016A, 9Y0839015A, 9Y0839015B, 9Y0839016B. Vehicles affected are cars that use the part numbers mentioned.

No. D748

Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the combi-instrument black. The part numbers listed on the PDF and All parts with software version 005 are affected. Only software version 006 is OK.

No. D749

SERVICE BRAKES

Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the brake disc 9Y0615301AJ

No. 2529

Instructions on advanced technical information for paint thickness or decals affecting corner radar sensor operation. Affects all model lines

No. D747

ENGINE

Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the pressure sensor. The vehicles affected are cars that use the part number 9A790605201

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 911 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000
2025020
2024530
2023350
2022104050.0
2021560
2020320
2019210
2018111
2017331
2016221
2015810
2014310
2013600
2012500
2005301
2004801
2003901
2002901
2001Viewing801
2000610
1999810
1998210
1997310
1996633
1995120250.5
1994011
1993020
1992240
1991140
1990140
1989050
1988100
1987100
1984110
1983110
1979020
1978010
1977021
1976020
1975020
1974030
1973030
1972010
1970030
1969030
1967010
1966010

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.