Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE COOLANT PIPE DESIGN IS FLAWED. THE BARB IS GLUED AND PRESSED IN THE ALUMINUM BODY. OVER TIME THE GLUE LOSES ITS PROPERTIES AND THE BARB COMES OUT THUS CAUSING MASSIVE COOLANT LEAK AND THE ENGINE CAN OVERHEAT. THE PART WAS REDISGNED AROUND 2015 WHERE THE BARB IS NOW THREADED, BUT THE ORIGINAL PART IS A SAFEY HAZARD FOR THE OLDER MODELS WITH POTENTIAL HUGE REPAIR COSTS.
I WAS PULLING FORWARD ON A LEVEL CITY STREET AND TURNING LEFT FROM A STOP SIGN. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SHUDDERING AND FEELING OF A LOSS OF POWER. THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS THIS HAD BEEN INCREASING IN SEVERITY BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS ABLE TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM FOR THEM. THEY IDENTIFIED THE TRANSFER CASE AS THE ISSUE. IT WAS REPLACED. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES DUE TO THE DEALERS IDENTIFICATION THAT THE TRANSFER CASE HAD CAUSED DIFFERENTIAL TREAD WEAR DAMAGE TO A REAR TIRE. AS A FORMER MILITARY AVIATOR, THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. PORSCHE NEEDS TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE ISSUES ARE (DESIGN, MANUFACTURING, SERVICING, ETC) AND REMEDY THEM. SURPRISINGLY, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BECAUSE THE SERVICE ADVISER INFORMED ME THAT THEY KEEP TRANSFER CASES IN STOCK. THEY RETAIL FOR $3944, PLUS THE NEW VENT KIT (MINE DOES NOT HAVE IT) AND THEN ADD LABOR, AND TIRES IF THEY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. THAT IS A LOT OF EXPENSIVE INVENTORY TO HAVE ON HAND IF PORSCHE WANTS TO CLAIM THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM.
ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. CAR TAKEN TO PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE CAMSHAFT CONTROLLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS IT WAS BROKEN. PAID $4000 IN REPAIRS IN 2016. PORSCHE HAS SINCE ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE FOR THE PREVIOUS REPAIRS AS THEY NOTED. NO RESPONSE ON TIMING.
THE SCREWS HOLDING MY CAMSHAFT ACTUATOR FAILED AND I EXPERIENCED IMMEDIATE ENGINE LOSE AS WELL AS BRAKING LOSE DUE TO NO VACUUM. AT THE TIME OF MY ENGINE FAILURE IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR PORSCHE (SEE WC-22) WHEREAS THEY DID NOT MAKE PUBLIC AWARE OR PROACTIVELY FIX THE ISSUE. THIS ENDED UP COSTING ME APPROXIMATELY $7500 OUT OF POCKET (IN ADDITION TO SEVERAL EMOTIONAL DAMAGE DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AND THE IMMEDIATE DANGER WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN THE FAR LEFT LANE). PORSCHE HAS SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED A RECALL (RECALL AH-08 AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN 17V368000) BUT HAD NOT CONTACTED AFFECTED OWNERS YET. I'D LIKE A FULL REFUND OF MY EXPENSES PLUS INTEREST. I ALSO FEEL THEY SHOULD BE FINED OR PAY IMPACTED OWNERS LIKE MYSELF A PENALTY DUE TO THEIR IMPROPER MISHANDLING.
VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE ENGINE STALLED AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS. THE VEHICLE REQUIRED TWO OR THREE ATTEMPTS TO START. I EXITED THE GAS STATION ONTO THE RAMP FOR THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR SUDDENLY LOCKED UP LESS THAN A MILE DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHILE DRIVING 70, MPH. THERE WAS NO POWER BRAKING OR POWER STEERING AT ALL. FORTUNATELY, I REMAINED IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND MOMENTUM CARRIED THE VEHICLE OFF THE NEXT EXIT RAMP BEFORE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I HAVE HAD A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES INCLUDING PSM FAILURES, START/STOP MODE DEACTIVATED ERRORS, IGNITION PROBLEMS, BRAKING ISSUES, UNNECESSARY REPAIRS, TIME/ENERGY, MISSED WORK, RENTAL CARS, MISDIAGNOSES, ETC. I AM CERTAIN THE SYMPTOMS ARE CONSISTENT WITH CAMSHAFT DEFECT AFFECTING MANY OTHER CAYENNE S, TURBO, AND PANAMERA S OWNERS PER SEVERAL INTERNET FORUM DISCUSSIONS. THIS IS REALLY DANGEROUS. I AM DISAPPOINTMENT EARLIER NOTIFICATIONS WERE NOT ISSUED AND I HOPE THIS MATTER IS ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES.
THE COOLANT PIPE CRACKS AND CAUSE LEAK
THE CAMSHAFT ACTUATOR BOLTS BREAK AND CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE LOSE POWER SUDDENLY AND DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL.
SNAPPED ALUMINUM CAMSHAFT SENSOR BOLT RESULTED IN TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY PORSCHE AG HAS RESULTED IN AN AMENDMENT IN AN EXISTING SERVICE BULLETIN (WC-22) AND ALSO A RECALL OF OVER 14000 CAYENNES AND PANAMERAS IN CHINA.
FAULTY CAMSHAFT BOLTS IN EARLY V8'S OF THIS GENERATION (2011 MODELS) RESULTING IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND SOMETIMES BRAKES. VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD, LUCKILY WAS NOT AT HIGHWAY SPEED OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD IN A REMOTE NATIONAL PARK, THE TUBING THAT RETURNS COOLANT TO THE ENGINE BLOCK FROM THE RADIATOR ON MY 2011 PORSCHE CAYENNE S COMPLETELY BLEW APART. THIS ALUMINUM TO ALUMINUM TUBING CONNECTION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN HELD TOGETHER EXCLUSIVELY BY A THIN, INCOMPLETE RING OF EPOXY GLUE. THIS IS GROSSLY SUBSTANDARD ENGINEERING FOR ANY SUCH VITAL CONNECTION WITHIN THE ENGINE. PORSCHE HAS NEGLECTED TO REPAIR THIS KNOWN ISSUE IN MODEL YEARS SUCH AS MINE, BUT HAS CHANGED ITS DESIGN IN THE SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS (LIKELY BECAUSE THEY REALIZED THIS WAS DANGEROUS AND SUBSTANDARD ENGINEERING). THEY HAVE NOT SENT OUT ANY BULLETIN OR RECALL TO ADVISE DRIVERS OF THIS DEFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION OR PREEMPTIVELY REPAIR IT. I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN A DESERT WHERE I HAD TO WALK FOR HOURS TO GET HELP AND HAD TO HAVE $1000 TOW TO THE NEAREST CITY, ALL BECAUSE OF THIS DANGEROUS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF WHICH PORSCHE IS ALREADY AWARE.
ON FREEWAY 65-70 MPH WHEN PSM FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON AND LOS OF POWER JUST MADE OFF FREE WITH CHUGGING AND TO A STOP . TOWED TO DEALER ON A SUNDAY 8/2/15 MONDAY CALL ALUMINUM BOLTS IN VALVE ADJUSTERS ? CAN DAMAGE OR DID THE ENGINE . NO RECALLS ON THEM AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 PORSCHE CAYENNE S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE AND STABILITY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT STATED THAT THEY HAD NO AVAILABILITY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CEASED FOUR DAYS LATER BUT SOON RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/17/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED PORSCHE IS MAKING THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. UPDATE 09/18/13
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 on this page last refreshed .