2011 Porsche Panamera 4 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 2011 Porsche Panamera 4, 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
- Brakes133.3%
- Driver assistance133.3%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON 05/24/19 WE WERE DRIVING SLOWLY IN A PAVED HOTEL PARKING LOT. WE ENTERED A PARKING SPACE AT LOW PARKING SPEED. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH EXTREMELY HIGH TORQUE & UNCONTROLLED VELOCITY, JUMPED THE CURB, FLEW OVER A HILL, SCRAPED ACROSS A LARGE BOULDER ON THE HILLTOP, AND CONTINUED UNCONTROLLABLY SPEEDING. THE ACCELERATION PROPELLED THE CAR THROUGH VERY ROUGH NATURAL DESERT TERRAIN DENSELY FILLED WITH BUSHES, LARGE CACTUS, BOULDERS AND RUTS. BRAKING HAD LITTLE OR NO EFFECT UNTIL WE SPED ABOUT HALF A FOOTBALL FIELD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS FINALLY BROUGHT TO A STOP - JUST BEFORE A TREE AHEAD OF US. PICTURES OF THE HOTEL ROAD, PARKING LOT, THE BERM AHEAD OF THE PARKING SPACE THE CAR ACCELERATED OVER, AND THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND DESERT ARE SHOWN IN EXHIBIT A. WE SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, AND WERE FORTUNATE TO WALK AWAY AND OUT OF THE DESERT ALIVE. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND OUR CHUBB INSURER DECLARED THE VEHICLE 'TOTALED' FROM THE DAMAGE IT SUSTAINED. EXACT VEHICLE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT IS UNKNOWN. WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT HAS INNOVATED, DESIGNED, TESTED AND COMMERCIALIZED ENGINE CONTROLS FOR DECADES. WE BELIEVE THE ACCELERATION WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY A FAULTY CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE. BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE, SUCH INCIDENTS, AND THE RELATED POTENTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURY OR DEATH OF OTHERS IN THE FUTURE CAN BE PREVENTED IF PROPER CONTROLS AND EMERGENCY FEATURES ARE IN PLACE. WE TALKED WITH THE MANAGER OF THE COLORADO SPRINGS PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. HE INDICATED HE WOULD GET BACK TO US, BUT TO DATE THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER FOLLOW UP BY PORSCHE. WE HAVE NOW SUBMITTED AN OFFICIAL CLAIM TO PORSCHE PER THE PROTOCOL REQUIRED IN THE CAR OWNER MANUAL. OTHER ALMOST IDENTICAL INCIDENTS POSTED ON INTERNET ARE COPIED IN EXHIBIT B. *JS
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
ON 05/24/19 WE WERE DRIVING SLOWLY IN A PAVED HOTEL PARKING LOT. WE ENTERED A PARKING SPACE AT LOW PARKING SPEED. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH EXTREMELY HIGH TORQUE & UNCONTROLLED VELOCITY, JUMPED THE CURB, FLEW OVER A HILL, SCRAPED ACROSS A LARGE BOULDER ON THE HILLTOP, AND CONTINUED UNCONTROLLABLY SPEEDING. THE ACCELERATION PROPELLED THE CAR THROUGH VERY ROUGH NATURAL DESERT TERRAIN DENSELY FILLED WITH BUSHES, LARGE CACTUS, BOULDERS AND RUTS. BRAKING HAD LITTLE OR NO EFFECT UNTIL WE SPED ABOUT HALF A FOOTBALL FIELD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS FINALLY BROUGHT TO A STOP - JUST BEFORE A TREE AHEAD OF US. PICTURES OF THE HOTEL ROAD, PARKING LOT, THE BERM AHEAD OF THE PARKING SPACE THE CAR ACCELERATED OVER, AND THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND DESERT ARE SHOWN IN EXHIBIT A. WE SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, AND WERE FORTUNATE TO WALK AWAY AND OUT OF THE DESERT ALIVE. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND OUR CHUBB INSURER DECLARED THE VEHICLE 'TOTALED' FROM THE DAMAGE IT SUSTAINED. EXACT VEHICLE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT IS UNKNOWN. WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT HAS INNOVATED, DESIGNED, TESTED AND COMMERCIALIZED ENGINE CONTROLS FOR DECADES. WE BELIEVE THE ACCELERATION WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY A FAULTY CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE. BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE, SUCH INCIDENTS, AND THE RELATED POTENTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURY OR DEATH OF OTHERS IN THE FUTURE CAN BE PREVENTED IF PROPER CONTROLS AND EMERGENCY FEATURES ARE IN PLACE. WE TALKED WITH THE MANAGER OF THE COLORADO SPRINGS PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. HE INDICATED HE WOULD GET BACK TO US, BUT TO DATE THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER FOLLOW UP BY PORSCHE. WE HAVE NOW SUBMITTED AN OFFICIAL CLAIM TO PORSCHE PER THE PROTOCOL REQUIRED IN THE CAR OWNER MANUAL. OTHER ALMOST IDENTICAL INCIDENTS POSTED ON INTERNET ARE COPIED IN EXHIBIT B. *JS
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
ON 05/24/19 WE WERE DRIVING SLOWLY IN A PAVED HOTEL PARKING LOT. WE ENTERED A PARKING SPACE AT LOW PARKING SPEED. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH EXTREMELY HIGH TORQUE & UNCONTROLLED VELOCITY, JUMPED THE CURB, FLEW OVER A HILL, SCRAPED ACROSS A LARGE BOULDER ON THE HILLTOP, AND CONTINUED UNCONTROLLABLY SPEEDING. THE ACCELERATION PROPELLED THE CAR THROUGH VERY ROUGH NATURAL DESERT TERRAIN DENSELY FILLED WITH BUSHES, LARGE CACTUS, BOULDERS AND RUTS. BRAKING HAD LITTLE OR NO EFFECT UNTIL WE SPED ABOUT HALF A FOOTBALL FIELD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS FINALLY BROUGHT TO A STOP - JUST BEFORE A TREE AHEAD OF US. PICTURES OF THE HOTEL ROAD, PARKING LOT, THE BERM AHEAD OF THE PARKING SPACE THE CAR ACCELERATED OVER, AND THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND DESERT ARE SHOWN IN EXHIBIT A. WE SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES, AND WERE FORTUNATE TO WALK AWAY AND OUT OF THE DESERT ALIVE. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND OUR CHUBB INSURER DECLARED THE VEHICLE 'TOTALED' FROM THE DAMAGE IT SUSTAINED. EXACT VEHICLE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT IS UNKNOWN. WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT HAS INNOVATED, DESIGNED, TESTED AND COMMERCIALIZED ENGINE CONTROLS FOR DECADES. WE BELIEVE THE ACCELERATION WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY A FAULTY CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE. BASED ON OUR KNOWLEDGE, SUCH INCIDENTS, AND THE RELATED POTENTIAL PROPERTY DAMAGE AND INJURY OR DEATH OF OTHERS IN THE FUTURE CAN BE PREVENTED IF PROPER CONTROLS AND EMERGENCY FEATURES ARE IN PLACE. WE TALKED WITH THE MANAGER OF THE COLORADO SPRINGS PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. HE INDICATED HE WOULD GET BACK TO US, BUT TO DATE THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER FOLLOW UP BY PORSCHE. WE HAVE NOW SUBMITTED AN OFFICIAL CLAIM TO PORSCHE PER THE PROTOCOL REQUIRED IN THE CAR OWNER MANUAL. OTHER ALMOST IDENTICAL INCIDENTS POSTED ON INTERNET ARE COPIED IN EXHIBIT B. *JS
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 .