RoadVitals

2008 Porsche Cayenne Turbo

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.
7
Latest Aug 10, 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.
1
Latest Aug 30, 2022
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.
0
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Porsche Cayenne Turbo, most frequently naming the engine and powertrain (other) categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 362 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

  • Engine787.5%
  • Powertrain (other)112.5%

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

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Aug 30, 2022
222,858 units potentially affected
The defect: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2020 Porsche Macan, Cayenne, Panamera, and Cayman S, 2001-2004 Boxster, Boxster S, 2004 Boxster 50 JAHRE SPYDER 550 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all affected models and model years. The caps that cover the low-beam headlight horizontal adjustment screws are missing, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install missing caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Porsche's customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ANB4.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.Manufacturer number ANB4View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed Aug 10, 2017

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY TEMP GAUGE STARTED CLIMBING AND THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A PORSCHE MECHANIC. HE LATER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS THE PIPE OR TUBE THAT CONNECTS TO THE WATER/COOLANT DISTRIBUTOR CAME LOOSE SPILLING ALL OF THE COOLANT OUT, WHICH COULD OF LED TO A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. NOT SURE WHAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE YET. MY MECHANIC SAID HE'S SEEN THIS FAILURE ON 957 CAYENNE V8S MANY TIMES. THIS IS A DANGEROUS THING TO HAVE HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID
11014093
Incident
Aug 8, 2016
Mileage
88,500 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 29, 2014

UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION A COOLANT DISTRIBUTOR PIPE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND SPRAYED/LEAKED COOLANT ALL OVER THE ENGINE BAY AND UNDERNEATH THE CAR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE WHERE A PRESSED IN PIPE FITTING CAME LOOSE FROM THE ENGINE CASTING. REPAIR REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $3.500. ALL THE COOLANT WAS LOST FROM THE ENGINE AND LUCKILY I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND NOT THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10651059
Incident
Oct 24, 2014
Mileage
61,093 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 3, 2014

IN 2010, I BOUGHT A '08 CAYENNE TURBO AT 40K MILES. PRIOR TO DELIVERY, I HAD PORSCHE DEALERSHIP RUN A SYSTEM CHECK TO CONFIRM THE VEHICLE WAS MECHANICALLY SOLID & FREE OF DEFECTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY PERFORMED A REPAIR ON THE COOLANT PIPES (STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY) AND ASSURED ME IT WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION TO PURCHASE. 105K MILES: CAYENNE'S STARTER WAS MAKING NOISES AND NOT FUNCTIONING 100% OF TIME, SO I BROUGHT VEHICLE TO THE SAME PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHO HAD BEEN SERVICING IT SINCE 2010. THE STARTER WAS IMMERSED IN COOLANT. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY (PREVIOUSLY "REPAIRED") COOLANT PIPES HAD A LEAK & REQUIRED REPAIR. I REVIEWED MY PREVIOUS INVOICE FROM ORIGINAL "REPAIR" UNDER WARRANTY AT 40K MILES & IT APPEARED TO BE THE SAME ISSUE, SAME PART #S, ETC. I RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL A FEW DAYS LATER INFORMING ME THAT MY CAYENNE NOW HAD A SECOND COOLANT LEAK AT THE CROSSOVER PIPE TOWARD THE BACK OF THE ENGINE NEAR FIREWALL (REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO REPAIR). THE SERVICE GUY & PORSCHE TECH TOLD ME THE SECOND LEAK OCCURRED BECAUSE THE "FIRST" REPAIR (ACTUALLY THE SECOND, IF YOU CONSIDER IT WAS ALREADY REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT 40K MILES) THEN PROPERLY PRESSURIZED MY COOLANT SYSTEM, CAUSING THE NEXT LEAK, REQUIRING THE "NEXT" REPAIR. APPARENTLY THE INITIAL REPAIR DONE AT 40K MILES WAS ONLY ENOUGH TO HOLD OUT UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. PORSCHE MADE THE REPAIRS & REPLACED PLASTIC PIPES WITH ALUMINUM ONES THIS TIME, ON MY DOLLAR. I HAD TO PAY FOR TWO COOLANT REPAIRS, + A NEW STARTER, SOLENOID, & BATTERY, ALL COLLATERAL DAMAGE DUE TO THE PIPE LEAKS. '03-'06 CAYENNES HAVE WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED COOLANT PIPE DEFECTS RESULTING IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST PCNA (SEE: CAYENNECLASSACTION.COM). '08S + ARE SURE TO FOLLOW. I CONFIRMED DUPLICATE PART #S/LABOR FOR WARRANTY REPAIR (NO COST) AND THIS REPAIR ($$$). $5,000.00+ REPAIR. NOT A TYPO. *TR

NHTSA ID
10630271
Incident
Oct 5, 2013
Mileage
40,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 6, 2014

WHILE DRIVING, ALL OF THE SUDDEN FELT A STRONG COOLANT SMELL, SLOWED DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND DROVE HOME. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE COUPLING PIPE THAT INSERTS INTO THE WATER DISTRIBUTOR WAS COMING OUT. THE GLUE THAT HELD THE PIPE IN PLACE FAILED AND THE PIPE WAS 60% OUT! I STOPPED IN TIME BEFORE THE PIPE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT AND SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLANT OCCURRED, THE PIPE WAS LITERALLY FINGER TIGHT, NOTHING HELD IT IN PLACE ANYMORE. PORSCHE QUOTES $3500 TO REPAIR!!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE A SERVICE ACTION CLEAR AS DAY. *JS

NHTSA ID
10608435
Incident
Jun 22, 2014
Mileage
74,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 17, 2014

THE CAR SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A HUGE LEAK IN COOLANT. AFTER DIAGNOSE, IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT ON THE COOLANT DISTRIBUTOR BEHIND THE ENGINE THERE IS A COUPLER WHICH WAS GLUED ONTO THE DISTRIBUTOR. THE GLUE WILL BREAK DOWN OVER A FEW YEARS AND THE COOLANT PIPE BE BLOWN OUT CAUSING THE ENTIRE ENGINE TO LOSE COOLANT, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS IS A PURE DESIGN ISSUE AND PORSCHE DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL ON. THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING IS THAT IN ORDER TO FIX IT, THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAS TO COME OUT, WHICH WILL COST MOST THAN 5000 TO 6000 DOLLARS

NHTSA ID
10583235
Incident
Apr 6, 2014
Mileage
72,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 11, 2013

SUDDEN AND TOTAL COOLANT LOSS WHEN COOLANT DISTRIBUTION HOUSING PIPE CAME APART WHILE DRIVING ON A PUBLIC ROADWAY RESULTING IN DISABLED VEHICLE. PART # 948-106-061-06 DISTRIBUTOR TUBE FAILURE AT BOTTOM CONNECTION. REQUIRED TO REMOVE ENGINE AND REPLACE COOLANT DISTRIBUTION HOUSING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10547588
Incident
Oct 6, 2013
Mileage
32,425 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 30, 2013

I PURCHASED MY 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO AS A SECOND OWNER BUT BEFORE THE PURCHASE WAS COMPLETED THE COOLANT HOSE RUPTURE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE REPAIR WAS AT A COST WELL NORTH OF $2000 AT THE MOTOR WERKS PORSCHE OF BARRINGTON. I ALSO HAVE A 2002 PORSCHE 996 TURBO WHICH JUST RECENTLY RUPTURED THE COOLANT HOSE. THE COST IS ONCE AGAIN RIGHT AROUND TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. I'M JUST FED UP THAT THIS EPOXY FAILURE WITHIN THE COOLANT SYSTEM WHICH HAS AFFECTED SO MANY PORSCHE OWNERS. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT FIXED EVEN IN THEIR LATER MODELS BUT VERY HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT MAYBE SOMETHING WILL ARISE WITH THESE COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10510020
Incident
Mar 3, 2009
Mileage
30,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

TSTR 2642

Porsche Tester Software Update Information Software Version: 44.300.000

SPTL 2607a

VAS 621001A Matrix Headlamp Aimer – Automatic Shipment / Maha Installation

SPTL 2607

VAS 621001A Matrix Headlamp Aimer – Automatic Shipment / Maha Installation

13/26

ENGINE

Allocation of Approved Engine Oils MY 2027 (13/26)

TSTR 2641

PiUS Update Information Software Version: 3.2

TSTR 2641

PiUS Update Information Software Version: 3.2

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 Cayenne Turbo by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2023000
2020010
2019010
2018000
2015010
2014010
2013010
2012220
2011113049.9
2010010
2009010
2008Viewing710
2007000
2006131
2005432
2004158253.0
2003182

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.