CSR

Porsche · NHTSA safety record

2011 Porsche Cayenne

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

30

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne have filed 30 safety complaints with NHTSA between June 2015 and December 2024. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 12 of them (40%). The typical failure was reported at 64,509 miles, the median across the 18 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

22V656000 · August 30, 2022

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

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. · up to 222,858 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

16V169000 · March 23, 2016

The defect
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Cayenne vehicles manufactured April 28, 2010, to January 11, 2016. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a circlip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.
The risk
If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly circlip, installing any missing circlips, free of charge. The recall began on July 8, 2016. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AG02.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. · up to 88,300 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

12V065000 · February 21, 2012

The defect
PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CAYENNE, CAYENNE S, CAYENNE S HYBRID, AND CAYENNE TURBO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 8, 2010, THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2012 BECAUSE THE HEADLAMPS MAY COME LOOSE AND DETACH FROM THE FENDER.
The risk
A DETACHED HEADLIGHT COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VISIBILITY AND AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP LOCKING ASSEMBLIES, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.

PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC. · up to 20,278 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 30.

ENGINE 12 40%
POWER TRAIN 11 37%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 5 17%
AIR BAGS 3 10%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 3%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 3%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 3%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 3%
STEERING 1 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 7.

2015 2020 2024
2015 to 2024

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ENGINE

crash

My vehicle has camshaft and crankshaft correlation problems due to the well-known problem with its screws and other things. I reported it to Porsche and they told me that it has already been repaired but I don't understand how to fail again and deny help for its repair.

NHTSA complaint 11584086. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 90,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 PORSCHE CAYENNE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V368000 (ENGINE). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. PORSCHE OF SILVER SPRING IN SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE THROTTLE CONTROL FAILED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PORSCHE OF SILVER SPRING WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAM SHAFT CONTROLLERS

NHTSA complaint 11055490, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, RANDOMLY A SERIOUS UNSAFE TO OPERATE 'SERVICE NECESSARY' WARNING APPEARS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS; ABRUPTLY SHUTTING OFF. WITH THE SERVICE NECESSARY WARNING INDICATED, THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE. THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVE-ABLE WITH CRUISE CONTROL. ERROR WILL GO AWAY ON ITS OWN. THIS BREAKDOWN APPEARS TO BE KNOWN TO PORSCHE BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON INTERNET COMMUNITY SITES

NHTSA complaint 11633034. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The original Porsche leather upper dashboard has shrunk, causing exposed staples, and rippling of the leather , including rippling and bunching of the leather that is covering the passenger dash airbag assembly. I have been informed that in the event of an accident causing airbags to deploy, the passenger airbag would likely not deploy correctly, and further injury could also occur because of exposed staples and hardware that should not be exposed. My Porsche dealer and independent dealer have both advised replacement of dash (for a very large sum of money). I have also taken the vehicle to multiple upholstery shops and all have declined to fix the problem solely due to the airbag

NHTSA complaint 11627391, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Porsche dash material is separating from the substrate of the structure. This material is directly between the airbag and the now loose material on the surface of the dash (leather). Porsche will not repair this and recommends a replacement at an estimated $10,000 USD. There is a significant risk to safety as the now loose upper material will interfere with the deployment of the airbag on the passenger side, adding potential harm and injury to a passenger inside the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11627588. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The leather on my Porsche Cayenne dashboard has shrunk and is pulling away from the front of the dashboard. My mechanic tells me that this is a possible safety issue because if the vehicle is in an accident, the front passenger airbag may not deploy correctly and recommends replacing (expensive). In checking various Porsche online forums, this appears to be a common issue among owners with the more expensive leather dashboards.

NHTSA complaint 11626222. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
2011 Porsche Cayenne S Model- Consumer is writing in reference to Porsche Recall ANB4. Requesting investigation into the rubber sealer replacements and ordering the Porsche Cars North America to redo the recall for all subjected vehicles after providing enough headlight rubber sealers to dealerships. Recall letter & pictures attached.

NHTSA complaint 11522393. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Porsche Cayenne

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2021 18 5
2020 23 4
2019 41 6
2018 13 1
2017 16 2
2016 38 2
2015 13 2
2014 53 3
2013 40 3
2012 27 4

Other 2011 Porsche models

Every Porsche on this site — 35 vehicles, 142 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst