2008 Porsche CAYENNE TURBO: complaints, problems and recalls

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10510020 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 32,425 miles reported. Look up ODI 10547588 at NHTSA ↗

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10583235 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10608435 at NHTSA ↗

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 INFOR…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10630271 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 61,093 miles reported. Look up ODI 10651059 at NHTSA ↗

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 HAPPE…

Owner-reported narrative. 88,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11014093 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2022-08-30 (August 30, 2022)

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."

Consequence: Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.

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.