1999 Porsche BOXSTER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
19 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 15 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 19 complaints (21.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 2 | 10.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 10.5% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 5.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 |
Air Bags: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Electrical System: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 2; Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2002: 1; 2003: 1; 2004: 3; 2005: 2; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2008: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2012: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10030858 · 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)
I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 S IN MIAMI. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE, THEN I FELT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE GIVE OUT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE TIRE. THE TREAD PORTION OF THE TIRE ON THE OUTSIDE SIDEWALL SEPARATED FROM THE BEAD AROUND THE RIM. THE TIRE IS A KUMHO ECSTA 712, SIZE 205/50ZR17 89W ,DOT YOLJ YAN (2101). *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 120,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056664 · 2004-02-06 (February 6, 2004)
I HAVE HAD A REOCCURING AIRBAG LIGHT COMING ON, THE DEALER HAS HAD IT ON 5 OCCASIONS, AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS ONS 4 OCCASIONS. I THOUGHT THAT THE DEALER HAD IT REPAIRED IN JANUARY OF 2003, THEN IT CAME BACK ON AGAIN IN JAN OF 2004. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE REPAIR IS THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES. THEY HAVE REPLACED THEM 3 TIMES, I DONT KNOW WHAT THE PREVOIUS REPAIRS WERE PRIOR TO MY OWNING THE VEHICLE. THIS TIME WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR, IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND I WAS GIVEN A GOODWILL BY THE MAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056664 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075662 · 2004-06-03 (June 3, 2004)
WHILE AT THE CAR WASH THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT OF THE FACILITY AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FOUND THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075662 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10082740 · 2004-07-27 (July 27, 2004)
LEAKING COOLANT TANK. THE COOLANT TANK ON THIS VEHICLE HAS FAILED IN NUMEROUS CARS RESULTING IN EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. MANY OWNERS I HAVE CONTACTED HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME TANK FAILURE. I BELIEVE PORSCHE SHOULD FIX THESE CARS UNDER A RECALL. THIS IS CLEAR CASE OF A DESIGN DEFICENCY WHICH WILL LEAD TO OVERHEATING AND FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. IF THIS HAPPENS IN TRAFFIC, THE OPERATER COULD BE INJURED OR KILLED. THE TANK MUST BE REPLACED WITH AN UPDATED PART FROM PORSCHE THAT HAS HAD THE MATERIAL CHANGED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 64,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082740 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134376 · 2005-08-27 (August 27, 2005)
I HAVE A 1999 PORSCHE BOXSTER THAT HAD NO PROBLEMS CONCERNING SAFETY, AIRBAG OR THE SEAT BELTS OF THE CAR UNTIL THE AIR BAG LIGHT MYSTERIOUSLY TURNED ON. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DECODED THE CODE TO FIND THE PROBLEM IS A SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT THAT IS FAULTY, BUT THE AIR BAG WAS STILL WORKING PROPERLY. THE DEALER (RUSNAK PORSCHE OF PASADENA) ADMITTED THIS WAS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, THE PROBLEM IS COMMON, BUT WAS NOT COVERED SINCE MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE FOUND THIS PROBLEM IS VERY PREVALENT IN PORSCHES, AS IT HA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10134376 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10144019 · 2005-11-30 (November 30, 2005)
I HAVE A 1999 BOXSTER. AT 9500 MILES THE ENGINE BLEW UP. IRA MOTORS IN DANVERS REPLACED IT WITH A REBUILT ENGINE. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE THEN BUT IT HAS BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. MY CAR IS ALWAYS GARAGED IN WINTER AND HAS ONLY 25,000 MILES ON THE NEW MOTOR. IN MID OCT. OF THIS YEAR MY CAR STARTED RUNNING ROUGH WHEN STARTED IN THE MORNING. IT WAS DUE FOR IT'S 30,000 MI CHECK UP SOON SO I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER. I SPENT $1000 FOR THE CHECK UP AND TWO DAYS LATER PICKED IT UP AND IT WAS RUNNING ROUGH AGAIN. COUGHING, CH…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10144019 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10155062 · 2006-04-11 (April 11, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. ON THE FIRST INCIDENT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD COME UNLOCKED WHEN THE CHILD TUGGED ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SEAT BELT AND THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. ON 2-01-06 THE SEAT BELTS WOULDN'T RETRACT. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SEAT BELTS AND THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY AGAIN. NOW THE SEAT BELT IS INOPERABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 69,876 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155062 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10155418 · 2006-04-16 (April 16, 2006)
I OWN A 1999 PORSCHE BOXSTER. THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE SEAT BELTS NEED TO BE REPLACED AS THERE IS A FAILURE IN THE CIRCUITRY BETWEEN THE SEAT BELT AND AIRBAG. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AS THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED ON THIS DEFECT. SHOULDN'T THERE BE A RECALL FOR THIS AS IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON, KNOWN DEFECT WHICH DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT ON THE CAR ? *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10155418 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
03V004000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)
CERTAIN 2-DOOR CONVERTIBLE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TIPTRONIC (AUTOMATIC) TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH AN INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED KEY-LOCK-CABLE DOWN TO THE SHIFT SELECTOR. IF THE KEY-LOCK-CABLE IS NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE IGNITION KEY WILL SNAG UPON BEING REMOVED FRO THE IGNITION LOCK OR THE SLECTOR LEVER CAN BE SHIFTED FROM POSITION "P" WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED AND THE LOCKING BUTTON OPERATED.
Consequence: IF THE SELECTOR LEVER IS THEN SHIFTED FROM POSITION "P" TO POSITION "R, N OR D" WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED, AND IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ON, THE VHEICLE WILL NOT BE SECURED FROM INADVERTENLY ROLLING AWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CABLE ADJUSTMENT AND, REGARDLESS OF THE RESULTS OF THIS INSPECTION, THE KEY-LOCK-CABLE MUST ALSO BE ADJUSTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 15, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-545-8039.
NHTSA campaign record ↗