1998 Porsche Boxster Owner Complaints

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY AND STAYS LIT AT ALL TIMES INDICATING A FAULT IN THE SYSTEM. FROM ALL REPORTS ON VARIOUS PORSCHE DISCUSSION FORUMS (THOUSANDS OF INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND DISCUSSED), THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FIRST GENERATION PORSCHE BOXSTERS. IT IS A DEFECT IN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE AND SEAT BELT GROUND CAUSED BY CORROSION OF THE CONTACT POINTS FOR THE SEAT BELT THAT TRIGGERS THE LIGHT. THE PURPOSE OF AN AIR BAG LIGHT IS TO INFORM YOU OF A DEFECT IN THIS SAFETY SYSTEM AND TO NOTIFY YOU THAT THE SYSTEM WILL NOT OPERATE AS IT SHOULD. WHILE THERE IS APPARENTLY A TSB THAT WAS ISSUED BY PORSCHE, ONCE YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WILL NOT REPAIR IT UNDER THE TSB FOR FREE. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD AND COMMON SAFETY DEFECT THAT DOESN'T APPEAR UNTIL AFTER THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM IS APPROXIMATELY $1500.00 THROUGH PORSCHE. CONSIDERING MOST PORSCHE BOXSTERS FROM 1997-1999 SUFFER FROM THIS PROBLEM, IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AND REPAIRED BY PORSCHE AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574752

Incident

Mar 3, 2008

Mileage

45,000 mi

1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ENGINE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED BETWEEN 1997 AND 1998 PORSCHE PRODUCED AN ENGINE WITH TWO KNOWN FLAWS. THE FIRST, WAS THE ENGINE BLOCK, THAT WAS TOO POROUS. IT CAUSED THE CYLINDER WALLS TO CRACK, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL COMPRESSION IN THE CYLINDER, AND THEREFORE RENDERING THE ENGINE USELESS. SECONDLY, THEY DESIGNED A FAULTY INTERMEDIATE BEARING SHAFT, THAT HAD A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE, AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. ALSO, THE COMPUTER MODULE WAS LOCATED IN A POSITION THAT EXPOSED IT TO INCREASED PROBABILITY TO SHORT CIRCUIT.

NHTSA ID

10514221

Incident

Jun 3, 2013

MY VEHICLE HAD ONLY APPROXIMATELY 65,000 MILES WHEN THE HORN STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. THE HORN STARTED TO ROUTINELY DEPLOY ON ITS OWN. IN THE SHORT TERM I HAD TO HAVE IT DISCONNECTED BY MY REGULAR MECHANIC SO I COULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE CAR. I CALLED BARRIER PORSCHE IN BELLEVUE WASHINGTON WHERE THEY SEEMED TO BE ALREADY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. I LEARNED THE PARTS (CLOCK SPRING AND SOMETHING ELSE) COST CLOSE TO $600 AND I ASSUME AT LEAST A COUPLE OF HOURS OF SHOP TIME. WITH SALES TAX I'M SURE IT WOULD COST $1,000 TO REPAIR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL .PLEASE HELP! THIS SHOULD CLEARLY BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10475062

Incident

Jul 15, 2012

Mileage

65,000 mi

WE BOUGHT A 1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER IN AUG 2009. SERVICED AS REQUIRED. ON 9/7/10 OUT DRIVING, STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AS WE PROCEEDED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN THE ENGINE DIED, WHITE SMOKE CAME POURING OUT THE BACK. HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEN MOTOR HAD SEIZED DUE TO THE IMS (INTERMEDIATE SHAFT). CAR HAD APPROX 34K FOR MILEAGE. CONTACTED PORSCHE AMERICA AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE WEB, THIS APPEARS TO BE A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 97-99 BOXSTERS. THE COST TO REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A USED MOTOR WAS APPROX 9K AND THEY WOULD BE USING THE SAME TYPE OF MOTOR WITH THE SAME DESIGN FLAW. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE SALVAGE YARD AND WE ARE OUT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354966

Incident

Sep 7, 2010

Mileage

34,000 mi

1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER AIRBAG LIGHT, RELATED TO SEAT BELT BUCKLE, KNOWN ISSUE WITH A FIX THAT HAS A PART NUMBER, BUT PORSCHE NEVER HAD A RECALL SO THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL REPLACE IT FOR FREE IS IF THE LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN THE WARRANTY TIME. COST OUT OF WARRANTY $500 TO $1500. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A WARRANTY ISSUE BUT A SAFETY ISSUE, IF THEY KNEW THAT THE PART WAS FAULTY THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE PART AND FIXED EVERY MODEL THAT CAME OUT WITH THE OLD DESIGN. THERE ARE MANY REVIEWS ALL OVER THE INTERNET BY 97' TO 99' BOXSTER OWNERS. 99' IS THIS YEAR THEY CAME OUT WITH THE FIX, BUT IF YOU KEPT YOUR PORSCHE CLEAN AND GARAGE KEPT IT WOULD BE WELL PAST THE WARRANTY BEFORE THE WIRES FAULTED AND THE LIGHT COME ON. ALTHOUGH THEY SAY IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT THE AIRBAG WILL STILL DEPLOY, BY HAVING THIS FAULT ACTIVE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TELL IF A TRUE AIRBAG FAULT THAT WILL AFFECT THE AIRBAG OPERATION REALLY WENT OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10282277

Incident

Aug 1, 2009

Mileage

60,200 mi

I HAVE A 1998 POSCHE BOXSTER. THE CAR HAS A PROBLEM IN THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THE OWNER WILL NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAGS ARE WORKING PROPERLY OR NOT. PORSCHE HAS HAD OVER 7 FIXES ON THIS ISSUE AND NONE HAVE WORKED TO DATE. THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED MINE UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MY LOCAL PORSCHE DEALER THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM. PORSCHE NORTH AMERICA REFUSED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

10202959

Incident

Sep 13, 2007

Mileage

43,000 mi

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE 1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND HAVE DISCOVERED A LATENT DEFECT WHICH PCNA DESIGNATES A305, AND NTSB HAS ADDITIONAL RECALLS RELATING TO THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART ON THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR INVOLVING THE IGNITION SWITCH AND ATTACHED IGNITION ASSEMBLY. THE LATENT HAZARD IS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS DAMAGED WITHIN THE IGNITION ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FAILURES AND RESULTANT FIRES. I HAVE DETERMINED THROUGH PCNA AND PORSCHE THAT THE ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY WAS REDESIGNED DUE TO INHERENT (DESIGN) DEFECT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT THE NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT PART (REDESIGNED ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY WAS NOT REPLACED IN MY CAR OR OTHER NUMEROUS CARS. SEVERAL BOXSTER OWNERS HAVE PAID FOR THE NEW PART AND LABOR TOTALING IN EXCESS OF $400.00 BUT PCNA (PORSCHE) HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE EXISTING DEFECTIVE SWITCH'S AND ASSEMBLY. THIS IS A PART THAT REPEATEDLY FAILS AND REMAINS A SERIOUS LATENT DEFECT UNDRESSED BY PORSCHE. ON MY CAR THE ONLY THING CORRECTED WAS UNDER CAMPAIGN NO A305; THAT WAS DONE IN 2003 ACCORDING TO PCNA. THE REPAIR THEY DID DOES NOT ADDRESS THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH AND SWITCH ASSEMBLY. A 305 INVOLVES THE SAME ASSEMBLY BUT INVOLVED TIGHTENING A CABLE SO THE CAR DOES NOT RUN WHILE IN PARK AND THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILS TO INTERFACE WITH THE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. PLEASE INDICATE IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED REGARDING MY CAR AND THE PROBLEM I HAVE EXPERIENCED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10196852

Incident

May 26, 2007

Mileage

51,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE KEY, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN OR WOULD TURN TOO FAR CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO BE INOPERABLE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 98V113000, REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 12/01/06 *JB

NHTSA ID

10171161

Incident

Oct 17, 2006

Mileage

60,000 mi

1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED OVER A YEAR AGO. *TS THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A KNOW CORROSION PROBLEM WITH THE CONTACTS IN THE AIR BAG ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE FRONT SEATS HAD TO BE REMOVED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS BUT WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THE HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE EMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE GAS CAP WAS DEFECTIVE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10156224

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE CABLE FAILURE. BOTH INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE CABLES HAVE FAILED. THIS HAS MADE THE VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIT IN THE EVENT OF AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH THE LOCAL PORSCHE DEALER AND PORSCHE NORTH AMERICA AND HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX THIS SAFETY PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE BECAUSE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. PORSCHE IS AWARE OF THIS PERVASIVE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS A NHTSA RECALL IS ISSUED. A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET SHOW THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM TO '98 AND LATER BOXTERS. SEE: HTTP://WWW.986FAQ.COM/10-0/PROBLEMS. ASP#001 PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THIS SAFETY FLAW. THANK YOU. *NM

NHTSA ID

10137104

Incident

Sep 19, 2005

Mileage

34,700 mi

I HAD JUST RETURNED TO MY CAR AT A LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER, THE SKY HAD BEGUN TO LOOK AS IF A STORM WAS APPROACHING AND I DECIDED TO PUT UP MY CONVERTIBLE TOP. THE TOP WOULD NOT GO UP, SO I PROCEEDED HOME IN HOPES THAT I WOULD BEAT THE IMPENDING BAD WEATHER HOME. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT BEGAN TO STORM AND MY VEHICLE AND MYSELF WERE SOAKED. I WAS TERRIFIED AS I COULD BARELY SEE TO DRIVE. FORTUNATELY I MADE IT HOME BEFORE MY CAR CONKED OUT. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO HAVE MY DISABLED VEHICLE TOWED TO THE PORSCHE DEALER. IT WAS THEN EVALUATED BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, AND HE FOUND THAT A RELAY AND MOTOR HAD FAILED. THE DESIGN INVOLVES TWO RELAYS, ONE FOR THE LEFT SIDE AND ONE FOR THE RIGHT SIDE. THE LEFT SIDE FAILED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CONVERTIBLE TOP TO COME UP. IN ADDITION TO THE MOTOR/ AND OR RELAY FAILURE IT CAUSED THE COWLING COVERING THE TOP TO JAM AND TORCHED IT, SO THAT IT BECAME FURHER DAMAGED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AGREED TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE WATER, BUT NOT THE MECHANICAL FAILURE THAT CAUSED THAT. THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT THE MOTOR AND RELAY WERE NOT REPLACEABLE AS PORSCHE HAD REDESIGNED THE SYSTEM, BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, SO THAT BOTH SIDE WOULD BE RAISED AT THE SAME TIME. THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2200.00 DOLLARS. I CONTACTED PORSCHE NORTH AMERCA, CUSTOMER COMMITMENT DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS AND THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NOT. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE COULD LIKEWISE CONTACT THE REGIONAL LEVEL TO SEE IF PORSCHE WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPLACEMENT AND COST OF UPGRADING TO THE SAFER DESIGN FIX. THEY REFUSED. MY ARGUMENT IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO NAVIGATE HOME IN THIS STORM, (BELIEVE ME, IT WASN'T EASY).

NHTSA ID

10133799

Incident

Jun 8, 2005

Mileage

49,697 mi

PORSCHE STARTED SELLING BOXSTERS IN 1997. THE CAR HAS A PROBLEM IN THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THE OWNER WILL NOT KNOW IF THE AIRBAGS ARE WORKING PROPERLY OR NOT. PORSCHE HAS HAD OVER 7 FIXES ON THIS ISSUE AND NONE HAVE WORKED TO DATE. THEY HAVE REPLACE MINE UNDER WARRANTY, AND IT HAS FAILED AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MY LOCAL PORACHE DEALER THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM. PORSCHE NORTH AMERICA REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SINE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

10121034

Incident

May 1, 2005

Mileage

49,100 mi

ENGINE COOLANT TANK CRACKED FOR PORSCHE BOXSTER (1998). THE TEMPERATURE MONITOR FLASHES INDICATING OVERHEATING ENGINE AND MAY CAUSE ENGINE TO SEIZE WHILE DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER WHO INDICATED ITS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM. CONTACTED PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY REPAIR ASSISTANCE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047056

Incident

Aug 29, 2003

Mileage

27,879 mi

WHILE DRIVING, AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, AND IT CAN BE USELESS IN EVENT OF A CRASH. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX WITHOUT COST OT THE CONSUMER. HOWEVER, CONSUMER MENTIONED IT TO THE HOME OFFICE OF PORSCHE AND THEY AGREED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT NO COST TO CONSUMER. ALSO THE DRIVER SIDE BELT BUCKLE SWITCH NEEDED WIRING MODIFICATIONS. BECAUSE OF PRICE, CONSUMER DECLINED REPAIRS AT THE TIME. *JG

NHTSA ID

8013743

Incident

Jun 26, 2002

ENGINE BREAKDOWN, BLACK SMOKE AND WATER THROUGH THE EXHAUST, PISTON AND PISTON HOUSING BROKEN & ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED.

NHTSA ID

762576

Incident

May 23, 2002

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER STATED THE LEFT AND RIGHT SEATBELT NEED TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT GAURANTEE THAT THE SEATBELTS AND AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY CORRECTLY IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. PORSCHE HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM. THE QUESTION IS HOW MANY VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND SHOULD THIS BE A RECALL IF IT IS WIDESPREAD.*AK

NHTSA ID

750130

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILED, DEALER REFUSES TO FIX BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY.*ET

NHTSA ID

784958

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

ENGINE FAILURE/BREAKDOWN; NO REAL EXPLANATION FROM PCA, MANY OTHER BOXSTER OWNER WITH ENGINE FAILURE, SEARCH AT-- WWW.986BOARD.COM/BOARD/986BOARD.HTM --. ALL OF THE SUDDEN BOXSTER ENGINE SUDDENLY FAILS/BREAKDOWN, DEALER REPLACED THEM BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER ENGINE WARRANTY IS OVER AND THE ENGINE FAILS DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. IN VIEW PCA OFFICES DOES NOT GIVE A REAL ANSWER, PROBABLY THEY ARE AVOIDING A ENGINE RECALL AND WAIT UNTIL EVERY ENGINE BREAKS/ FAILS. IT WILL NOT BE SAFE TO THE OWNERS OF THESE CARS. I DO REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU ARE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE IN YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE. A BOXSTER ENGINE FAILURE REGISTRY WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WHERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONFIRM WHAT I WROTE TO YOU . THANKS. *AK

NHTSA ID

714666

Incident

Nov 8, 1999

COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT 4600 MILES, SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

705136

Incident

Feb 1, 1999

CONVERTIBLE TOP GLIDE PLATES FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

609303

Incident

Feb 1, 1998

SENSOR PLATE FAILURE CAUSED OIL TO LEAK. YH

NHTSA ID

608964

"NO DEPLOYMENT" OF PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DURING ACCIDENT. *YC

NHTSA ID

607879

IGNITION FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID

606857

Incident

Feb 1, 1998

LEFT AND RIGHT SUN VISOR LIDS BROKE TWICE. YH

NHTSA ID

606555

Incident

Jul 15, 1998

CONVERTIBLE TOP WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN. NLM

NHTSA ID

606442