1998 Porsche Boxster Engine Problems

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

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

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

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

NHTSA ID

762576

Incident

May 23, 2002

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

SENSOR PLATE FAILURE CAUSED OIL TO LEAK. YH

NHTSA ID

608964

COOLANT LIQUID STARTED TO POUR OUT OF VEHICLE ,VEHICLE WAS IN SERVICE THREE TIMES.CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT. *AKTAILPIPE COVER CAME OFF, CONVERTABLE TOP MOTORS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT CAUSING NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE,ECU HAD TO BE RECODED TO ACCEPT KEY HEAD, LEFT HEADLIGHT LENSE REFLECTOR REPLACED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE DEALER REPLACED R/F SEATBELT LOCK WAS INOPERATIVE. SB

NHTSA ID

831849