RoadVitals

2002 Porsche Boxster Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
10
Latest Sep 13, 2012
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.
3
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jul 30, 2002

What this page shows

Our database holds 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Porsche Boxster. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–10 of 10

Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 13, 2012

2002 PORCHE BOXSTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO COMPLAINT CONCERNING VEHICLE PARTS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE CABLES FROM THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ID
10476061
Incident
Nov 10, 2011
Mileage
69,554 mi
Seat belts
Filed Apr 8, 2012

THE SEAT BELT ON MY VEHICLE, WHEN BUCKLED, HAS A TENDENCY TO NOT LATCH COMPLETELY AND ALLOWS FOR THE RELEASE WITHOUT PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. ALSO WHEN IT IS LATCHED, THERE IS A TENDENCY FOR IT TO GET CAUGHT AND NOT RELEASE WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT PULLING FORCE ON THE BUCKLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10454441
Incident
Jul 1, 2010
Mileage
80,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 7, 2011

IMS ENGINE FAILURE. KNOWN ISSUES WITH PORSCHE. PORSCHE BOXSTER 49,500 MILES. PLACE CAR IN REVERES, ENGINE SEIZED. REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE NECESSARY. $8000- $15,000. *TR

NHTSA ID
10395201
Incident
Apr 5, 2011
Mileage
49,500 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Mar 16, 2010

SEE ODI CASE NUMBER: 10318487, COMPUTER FAILURE DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE INTO CAB. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN FALL, 2008. THE FIRST TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER (AT MY COST) AND ONE MONTH LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AGAIN, THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED AND THE CARPETS NEEDED REMOVAL AND CLEANING DUE TO FUNGUS, ALL AT MY COST. *TR

NHTSA ID
10320181
Incident
Oct 1, 2008
Mileage
70,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Mar 10, 2010

WE OWN A 2002 PORSCHE BOXSTER WITH APPROXIMATELY 66,000 MILES. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, USED, IN LATE 2003. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF USE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT AND FLOODING THE CONTROL UNIT, RENDERING THE CAR TOTALLY INOPERABLE. THE INCIDENTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN OCTOBER, 2004 AT 33,000 MILES, APRIL, 2008 AT 61,000 MILES, AND CURRENTLY IN FEBRUARY, 2010. THE REPAIR HAS INITIALED REPLACING THE CONTROL UNIT AND HAVING TO PULL OUT THE CARPET SO AS TO INHIBIT MOLD GROWTH. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY, THE SECOND TIME WAS REPAIRED AT OUR EXPENSE OF APPROX. $1,600. THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS CURRENT REPAIR IS $1,500. WE BELIEVE THIS POSES A SEVERE SAFETY RISK BECAUSE THE FIRST INCIDENT TOOK PLACE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN USE. WE WERE DRIVING UP A HILL. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE AND WE HAD TO MANEUVER THE CAR USING THE HANDBRAKE, TO REVERSE DOWN THE HILL. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. WE HAVE INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN PORSCHE'S VEHICLES. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND/OR THE RESTRICTIVE FILTERS THAT CAUSE THEM TO BECOME CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS AND CAUSE THE WATER LEAKAGE. IN ADDITION TO THIS PROBLEM RECURRING DOMESTICALLY, WE NOTE THAT THE NHTSA, WAS INFORMED VIA FRCL-09F028-2453 DATED APRIL 5, 2009 OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN NON-U.S. MARKETS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INVESTIGATING THIS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10318487
Incident
Feb 18, 2010
Mileage
33,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 17, 2007

I WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS IN TOWN, AND THE CAR STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (PORSCHE OF LANSING) WHO INDICATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE (PREMATURELY, AS THE CAR ONLY HAS 37600MI). THE CAR WAS IN REPAIR FOR 7 WEEKS, AT A COST OF $7700. THE DAY AFTER THE REPAIR WAS FINISHED, THE CAR MADE A LOUD TICKING NOISE AND THEN A V. LOUD SNAPPING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS TIME, THE DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A NEW (REMANUFACTURED) UNIT. I CONTACTED PORSCHE FOR GOOD WILL ASSISTANCE REGARDING THE ORIGINAL PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. THEY DECLINED TO GIVE ANY SUPPORT BECAUSE THE FAILURE OCCURRED "MORE THAN 1 YEAR AFTER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRED" (THE DEALER CLAIMED THE IN-SERVICE DATE WAS 10/2001). HOWEVER, THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL SHOWS A STAMP FROM THE ORIGINAL PORSCHE DEALER, CLEARLY INDICATING THE IN-SERVICE DATE IS 2/27/2002. SINCE THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON 1/22/2007, THIS IS LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY EXPIRED...

NHTSA ID
10185369
Incident
Jan 22, 2007
Mileage
37,600 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 14, 2005
Crash reported

BRAKES SUDDENLY LOOSE PRESSURE AND CAR DOES NOT STOP.

NHTSA ID
10125226
Incident
Jun 12, 2005
Mileage
22,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 5, 2004

MY CLUTCH WAS MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE FOR A WEEK AFTER I INITIALLY PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEN AGAIN ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH. I ONLY HAVE 24000 MILES ON THE CLUTCH AND IT FAILED SUDDENLY CAUSING A BURNING CLOUD OF SMOKE. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM INITIALLY TO THE PORSCHE DEALER IN NEW ORLEANS, CRESCENT CITY MOTORS, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT NOISES WERE COMMON AND THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS CAUSED MY CLUTCH TO BURN UP PREMATURELY, HOWEVER, THEY FEEL LIKE THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IN THE MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP. I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE THROW OUT BEARING IN PORSCHE BOXSTERS AND THIS IS THE PART THAT WAS MAKING THE NOISE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10056618
Incident
Jan 13, 2004
Mileage
24,250 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jan 15, 2003
Crash reported

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES ON 2002 PORSCHE BOXTER S ARE NOT SAFE ON WET PAVEMENT. THE TYPE OF TIRES ARE DESIGNED FOR CLEAN DRY PAVEMENT ONLY. VERY DANGEROUS ON WET PAVEMENT. NO WARNING IS PROVIDED TO OWNER. NOT DISCLOSED TO OWNER, TIRE MANUFACTURER WARNS OF USE ON OTHER THAN CLEAN DRY PAVEMENT. CAR HYDROPLANNED DURING FIRST RAINSTORM AND CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
10002749
Incident
Jul 14, 2002
Mileage
7,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 30, 2002
Crash reported

ON TWO OCCASIONS AND ON TWO SEPARATE VEHICLE ENGINE CAMSHAFT FAILED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8015092
Incident
Jul 22, 2002

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .