RoadVitals

2006 Porsche Cayman S

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.
11
Latest Aug 10, 2013
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.
0
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.
2
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 11 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Porsche Cayman S, most frequently naming the engine, tires & wheels and powertrain (other) categories. 356 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

  • Engine770.0%
  • Tires & wheels220.0%
  • Powertrain (other)110.0%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed Aug 10, 2013

TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON A DRY ROAD AT AROUND 65MPH, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE EXPIRED IN A HUGE PLUME OF COOLANT/OIL. FLATBEDDED TO A PORSCHE DEALERSHIP, A TECHNICIAN USING A BOROSCOPE FOUND (ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP) "SCORING TO #5 CYLINDER AND EVIDENCE THAT A VALVE HAD HIT THE TOP OF THE PISTON. THERE WAS ALSO A HUGE AMOUNT OF METAL DEBRIS IN THE OIL FILTER." THIS WAS A RESULT OF SOMETHING FAILING IN THE ENGINE, RATHER THAN THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE PORSCHE DEALERSHIP DID NOT CARE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. I SUSPECT INTERMEDIATE MAIN SHAFT (IMS) FAILURE. ONE YEAR BEYOND CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED (CPO) WARRANTY AND $20K FOR A NEW ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10534621
Incident
Jul 26, 2013
Mileage
73,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 9, 2012

CAR: 2006 CAYMAN S WITH 34,150 MILES ON IT. I DON'T RACE IT (ON OR OFF THE TRACK). 90% OF MY COMMUTE IS HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 70 MPH, WITH THE OCCASIONAL ACCELERATION (NO DOWNSHIFTING) TO 80-90 MPH. I BOUGHT THE CAR AS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WITH 5,000 MILES ON IT. I PUT ~29,000 MILES ON THE CAR OVER AN ~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

NHTSA ID
10483800
Incident
Nov 6, 2012
Mileage
34,150 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 18, 2011

THE ENGINE FAILED WHILST TAKING PART IN A DRIVING EVENT AT WILLOW SPRINGS RACEWAY. OIL STARVATION CAUSED #6 CONROD BIG-END BEARING FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 4000RPM LEADING TO INTERNAL DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE AND AN ENORMOUS PLUME OF WHITE SMOKE OUT THROUGH THE EXHAUST. FORTUNATELY I WAS ON A STRAIGHT PART OF THE TRACK AT THE TIME AND WAS ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL AND STOP THE CAR SAFELY. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH THIS FAILURE HAPPENED ON A RACE TRACK AND AT A SEEMINGLY HIGH SPEED, I AM AN EXPERIENCED RACING DRIVER AND THE CAR WAS NOT BEING UNDULY ABUSED. THIS VEHICLE IS SOLD IN GERMANY WHERE IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL FOR IT TO ACHIEVE ITS 170MPH TOP SPEED WHEN DRIVING CONDITIONS ALLOW AND THE COMPANY'S ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS FOCUS ON ITS SPORTING CAPABILITIES. CLEARLY, HOWEVER, THE CAR SHOULDN'T BE ADVERTISED AS A SPORTS MODEL IF IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN A SPORTING MANNER (IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT) WITHOUT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10426208
Incident
May 11, 2011
Mileage
68,412 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 12, 2011

AS I WAS ACCELERATING FOR A MERGE, THE CAR BUCKED AND HESITATED DESPITE HAVING MY FOOT ON THE GAS. I SHIFTED GEARS AND IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM THEN THERE WAS AN ODD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. I PULLED OFF AND THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON JUST AS I STOPPED THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP.

NHTSA ID
10426021
Incident
Apr 8, 2011
Mileage
13,250 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 24, 2011

MOTOR FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE ACCELERATING, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND LOSS OF CONTROL. MECHANIC INSPECTION SAYS THAT IT WAS NOT MY FAULT, AS THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 3500 RPM AND THERE WAS NO STRESS THAT SHOULD CAUSE FAILURE. NO SLUDGE FOUND IN ENGINE, OIL CHANGES DONE ON TIME. FAILURE NECESSITATES A COMPLETELY NEW MOTOR AT A COST OF $16,000. AFTER INVESTIGATION, IT APPEARS THAT COMPLETE MOTOR FAILURE BETWEEN 40-50K MILES ON THE 2006 PORSCHE CAYMAN S IS FAIRLY COMMON.

NHTSA ID
10422122
Incident
Aug 11, 2011
Mileage
51,780 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 23, 2011

THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A CYLINDER FAILURE IN THE #5 CYLINDER. THE #5 PISTON 'CLIPPED' A VALVE, THE VALVE DROPPED INTO THE CYLINDER, THE PISTON IMPACTED THE VALVE AND CAUSED THE #5 PISTON ROD TO BREAK LOOSE COMPLETELY AND PUNCH A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CORE. THERE WERE ALSO CRACKS IN THE #5 CYLINDER WALL. I HAD TO PURCHASE A COMPLETELY NEW ENGINE FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND HAVE MY LOCAL DEALER INSTALL IT. THE FINAL REPAIR BILL WAS $25,000.

NHTSA ID
10422029
Incident
Jun 11, 2011
Mileage
64,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 22, 2011
Crash reported1 injury reported

THE PORSCHE ENGINE DID NOT HAVE PROPER OILING DUE TO A LACK OF PROPER OIL RETURN DESIGN WHICH CAUSES THE BEARINGS TO PREMATURELY WEAR AND THE ROD BOLTS TO FAIL IN THESE ENGINES. WE HAVE OVER 35 CASES OF THIS HAPPENING AT HTTP://WWW.PLANET-9.COM/CAYMAN-BOXSTER-PROBLEMS-COMPLAINTS/59790-OILING-PROBLEMS-BLOWN-MOTORS-NHTSA.HTML TO OWNERS OF PORSCHE BOXSTERS AND CAYMANS FROM PRIMARILY THE 2006 AND 2007 MODEL YEARS. SOME OF THESE FAILURES HAVE RESULTED IN CRASHES OR NEAR-CRASHES AS THE ENGINES FAIL THE DRIVER LOSES POWER STEERING AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. PORSCHE HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES BUT HAS REDESIGNED THE ENGINES IN 2009 TO FIX THESE OILING PROBLEMS. PORSCHE HAS EVEN DENIED WARRANTY CLAIMS WHERE THE FAILURES OCCURRED ON A TRACK DURING A DRIVING SCHOOL, ALTHOUGH PORSCHE ADVERTISES THEIR CARS AS SPORTS CARS AND CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THEM ON THE TRACK IN ADVERTISING MATERIALS, TELEVISION, ETC. ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINES INCLUDE INCREASED OIL CONSUMPTION (1 QUART PER 250 MILES) AND CYLINDER SCORING FROM IMPROPER ASSEMBLY AND/OR DESIGN. MY ENGINE FIRST FAILED AT 18,000 MILES AND PORSCHE MADE ME PAY OVER $5000 TO GET IT FIXED, THE ENGINE THEN CONSUMED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL AND SUFFERED FROM CYLINDER SCORING AFTER THE PORSCHE DEALERSHIP REBUILT THE ENGINE IN 2008. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO NEED TO BE REPLACED IN AUGUST 2011 FOR ANOTHER $10,000. STATISTICS AND OWNER ACCOUNTS ARE SHOWING A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THESE ENGINES THAT PORSCHE REFUSES TO ADMIT AND HAS NOT ADDRESSED WITH ANY SORT OF RETRO-FIT KIT, RECALL OR FIX. AFTERMARKET COMPANIES HAVE CREATED SOLUTIONS BUT PORSCHE WILL NOT UTILIZE THESE AS THEY ARE NOT "PORSCHE APPROVED".

NHTSA ID
10421936
Incident
Apr 18, 2008
Mileage
18,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 14, 2011

IN JANUARY OF 2007 I BOUGHT A 2006 PORSCHE CAYMANN S FORM PAUL MILLER PORSCHE IN PARSIPPANY N.J. IN 7\08\2010 THE CAR BEGAN CONSUMING OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE AND I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH RAY CATINA PORSCHE IN EDISON N.J. INVOICE#POCS45415. AFTER THEIR DIAGNOSIS THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CAR USED 200ML. IN 475MI., THE CAR AT THE TIME HAD 17,393MI ON THE ODOMETER, THEY SAID IT WAS WITHIN SPECS. AND I CONSIDERED IT PART OF THE BREAK IN PERIOD. AT 22000 MI I WAS EXPERIENCING AN OIL CONSUMPTION RATE OF 1QT. PER 300 MI. ALSO THEIR CONSUMPTION TEST AND WHAT I?M EXPERIENCING ARE DIFFERENT. IT WENT FROM 1QT {946ML.}EVERY 450-500 MILES TO 1QT EVERY 250-300MI. I WAS RESETTING THE TRIP ODOMETER EVERY TIME THE CAR NEEDED A QUART OF OIL, THE LAST TIME I RESET THE ODOMETER BEFORE I BROUGHT IT THE RAY CATINA THIS MONTH WAS 278MI. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN THE FIRST TIME IN 2010 IT WAS A CONSUMPTION RATE OF 1QT PER 500MI.{THAT?S WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING} THEN THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THE CAR AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOTOR WAS TEARING ITSELF APART FROM THE INSIDE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, MY POINT IS, IF THIS 'NORMAL' SITUATION IS LEFT UNNOTICED. THIS CAN LEAD TO OIL STARVATION AND EVENTUALLY CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THIS CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND MAY DUMP THE 8 PLUS QUARTS OF OIL ON THE ROAD. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND AND ALMOST FORCE PORSCHE TO FIX THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION BEFORE IT GOT TO THAT STAGE.

NHTSA ID
10420232
Incident
Jul 18, 2011
Mileage
22,947 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 Cayman S by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2014010
2012010
2006Viewing110041.3
2005100

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.