2015 Porsche Macan Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2015 Porsche Macan, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags724.1%
- Engine517.2%
- Powertrain (other)517.2%
- Body & structure310.3%
- Steering26.9%
- Brakes26.9%
- Driver assistance13.4%
- Suspension13.4%
- Exterior lighting13.4%
- Electrical13.4%
- Fuel system13.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Same passenger airbag issue as what everyone else is reporting! A recall is needed again for this!
My airbag light has remained on, uninterrupted, for over about one month now. I had the fault code read by an independent shop and they informed me that the fault was the occupant sensor for the passenger seat (BodySense front passenger seat occupancy sensor mat). They also informed me that this was the subject of a recall. Recall 17V-133/AMA2. I contacted a Porsche dealer as to the problem, made an appointment and took the car to the dealer. The dealer informed me that the recall on this part had already been completed. I expressed my concern that the recalled part obviously failed again, but the dealer indicated that corporate would not allow them to replace it again under the prior recall. I then filed a claim with Porsche NA. After weeks of back and forth with Porsche NA, they denied my claim, despite the fact that a previously recalled part had failed again. Performing some investigation since, I have learned that I am not alone and that the previously recalled Generation 1 seat occupancy sensor mat was replaced with a generation 2 mat, but that those were also failing. In fact, in January 2021 Porsche investigated this matter and did conduct another recall in February of 2021. However, for whatever reason my car was not part of that recall, though it suffers the same issue as to the failure of the Generation 2 mat. Any assistance you are able to provide is appreciated. Thank you. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Coolant pipe burst or started a sudden leak and lost all the coolant while driving. I had to have the vehicle towed and repaired which costed me $2750. Porsche is aware of the problem but does not have a solution, until someone is killed when the vehicle stalls while driving.
Coolant venting hose leaking. Apparently, a known problem with Porsche design but nothing has been done about it. It cost me $3,500 to get it fixed after the car stopped in the middle of highway and had to get towed to the Porsche Dealership. Someone has to do something about it!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Transfer Case is jerky and hesitant when starting from a stop. Causes the driver to pause when they should be accelerating.
SHUDDER FROM A STOP WHEN ACCELERATING. TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. ONTARIO CANADA, NO COVERAGE IN CANADA BUT COVERAGE IN THE USA? THIS SHOULD BE WORLDWIDE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The rear subframe of my 2015 Porsche Macan has suffered severe corrosion to the extent that it was no longer safe to operate the vehicle. This corrosion led to an unexpected failure of the subframe, causing the rear end of the vehicle to essentially collapse. As a result, significant damage occurred to both the control arms and the rear differential. A local independent repair shop specializing in German-made vehicles (Porsche, Audi, Mercedes, VW) assessed the subframe and confirmed that it was in extremely poor condition, having prematurely rotted and failed. Porsche offers a 12-year limited warranty against corrosion for body panels, but this warranty does not extend to the subframe. The cost of repairs to address the damage, performed by the independent shop, amounted to $3,600. It is worth noting that this issue is widely recognized among owners of 2015-2018 Porsche Macan and Audi Q5 models, as both vehicles share the same subframe. The problem appears to stem from a design flaw related to the inferior materials used in the construction of the subframe. Porsche is aware of this recurring issue, yet has not taken any corrective action to resolve it.
THE SUNROOF DRAIN HOSES RIGHT SIDE FRONT AND REAR CRACKED (OR WERE INSTALLED CRACKED FROM MANUFACTURER), SO THE RAIN WATER CAN GET INSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE. WATER GET DOWN IINTO AND COLLECTED IN THE REAR RIGHT ELECTRIC COMPARETMENT, AND DAMAGED THE PARK ASSIST MODULE. AS A RESULT NO PARK ASSIST, AND SMELL IN THE COCKPIT AS A SWAMP.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Steering wheel feels loose. able to wiggle the wheel top to bottom and side to side at leas 1/4-1/2 inch of play. According to research on the internet dues to a possible broken plastic bushing in the steering column [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The steering wheel column anchor pin was found shifting and had play. This caused the steering column to be loose in the vertical axis. This is considered a steering column failure and which could become impaired or unavailable during driving, posing a high risk to driver and others. I brought my car to the dealer for inspection, who confirmed the issue. They adjusted the pin to fix the issue, which is considered a temporary fix for this issue, as the full repair would require full steering column replacement. There were no warnings present, other than the vertical movement of the steering column.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BREAKS FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING ALMOST GOT INTO NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT DUE TO FRONT BREAK HOSE LEAK/SNAP (without any warning) MECHANIC HAD ANOTHER PORSHE MACAN TOWED IN WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.
ABRUPT BRAKE FLUID LEAK. LOST PRESSURE IN SYSTEM AND LEAKAGE AT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SUNROOF DRAIN HOSES RIGHT SIDE FRONT AND REAR CRACKED (OR WERE INSTALLED CRACKED FROM MANUFACTURER), SO THE RAIN WATER CAN GET INSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE. WATER GET DOWN IINTO AND COLLECTED IN THE REAR RIGHT ELECTRIC COMPARETMENT, AND DAMAGED THE PARK ASSIST MODULE. AS A RESULT NO PARK ASSIST, AND SMELL IN THE COCKPIT AS A SWAMP.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The rear subframe of my 2015 Porsche Macan has suffered severe corrosion to the extent that it was no longer safe to operate the vehicle. This corrosion led to an unexpected failure of the subframe, causing the rear end of the vehicle to essentially collapse. As a result, significant damage occurred to both the control arms and the rear differential. A local independent repair shop specializing in German-made vehicles (Porsche, Audi, Mercedes, VW) assessed the subframe and confirmed that it was in extremely poor condition, having prematurely rotted and failed. Porsche offers a 12-year limited warranty against corrosion for body panels, but this warranty does not extend to the subframe. The cost of repairs to address the damage, performed by the independent shop, amounted to $3,600. It is worth noting that this issue is widely recognized among owners of 2015-2018 Porsche Macan and Audi Q5 models, as both vehicles share the same subframe. The problem appears to stem from a design flaw related to the inferior materials used in the construction of the subframe. Porsche is aware of this recurring issue, yet has not taken any corrective action to resolve it.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOTH HEADLIGHT LENS ASSEMBLIES HAVE SMALL, YET VISIBLE CRACKS IN THE INTERIOR LENS SURFACE. THE LIGHTS ARE AS-BUILT AND THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION. THE CRACKS WERE DISCOVERED AS THE LIGHTS CAME IN WHEN I UNLOCKED MY CAR IN THE EVENING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE WILL NOT UNLOCK USING ELECTRONIC KEY. THIS HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME AND LASTS FOR MONTHS. THE BATTERY IN THE KEY IS CHANGED, BUT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. THE PORSCHE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. ALTHOUGH A METAL KEY IS AVAILABLE TO UNLOCK THIS CAR, IT IS VERY CUMBERSOME AND WORTHLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. MY ESTIMATION IS ONE OF THE COMPUTERS IN THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND THEREFORE WON'T RECOGNIZE THE KEY (BOTH KEYS) AND COULD LEAVE THE DRIVER STRANDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SENSORS IN THIS CAR FAIL FROM TIME TO TIME. IF A WHEEL SENSOR FAILS IT WILL SHUT DOWN THE CAR, EVEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS DID HAPPEN ONCE WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT FORTUNATELY ON A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC; OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. I MENTION THIS; WHEREAS, BOTH ELECTRONIC ISSUE COULD BE CONNECTED. NOTE: THE CALENDAR ON YOUR FORM BELOW ASKS WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW (2015) AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM TO THIS DAY. I WILL USE TODAYS DAY AS A REFERENCE. THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIX AND PORSCHE IS IMPOSSIBLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 PORSCHE MACAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V289000 (FUEL SYSTEM) AND 17V133000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATIONS IN MAY OF 2017. THE DEALER (PORSCHE OF HAWAII, 730 ALA MOANA BLVD, HONOLULU, HI, 96813) WAS CONTACTED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, THE DEALER STATED THAT PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE AND WOULD NOTIFY THE CONTACT ONCE THEY BECAME AVAILABLE. THE SECOND TIME, THE CONTACT CALLED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MORE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE AND THAT THE PORSCHE COMPANY ONLY CAME ONCE A QUARTER TO THE ISLAND. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT IF THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE IN THIS TIME, PERHAPS THEY COULD BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED A FEW TIMES AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE THE CONTACT A RETURN CALL AND WERE TRYING TO REACH OUT TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A RETURN CALL FROM THE PORSCHE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .