CSR

Porsche · NHTSA safety record

2018 Porsche Cayenne

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

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2018 Porsche Cayenne have filed 13 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2018 and May 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 3 of them (23%). The typical failure was reported at 10,000 miles, the median across the 5 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (1)

EQUIPMENT

18V844000 · November 28, 2018

The defect
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Plug-in Hybrid, Cayenne GTS, Cayenne Plug-in Hybrid Platinum Edition, Macan Turbo and Macan GTS vehicles, 2017-2018 Cayenne S, Macan, Cayenne Platinum Edition and Macan S vehicles and 2018 Cayenne vehicles equipped with the optional ski bag. The ski bag fastening strap may have been sewn with incorrect thread, possibly resulting in the strap seams tearing and the ski bag being unsecured in the event of a crash.
The risk
If the ski bag detaches during a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ski bags, free of charge. The recall began January 10, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AJ12.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. · up to 142 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA21002

Still open engineering analysis · opened September 17, 2021

the air bags

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 13.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 23%
ENGINE 3 23%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 23%
AIR BAGS 2 15%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 15%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 8%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 8%
POWER TRAIN 1 8%
TIRES 1 8%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 8%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 3.

2018 2019 2026
2018 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

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

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The high-voltage battery pack in my 2018 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid (VIN: [XXX] , approximately 81,000 miles) has experienced a noticeable and progressive reduction in battery range and performance. On February 20, 2026, Porsche White Plains (an authorized Porsche dealer) performed an inspection but was unable to duplicate an active fault code and declined to generate a battery State of Health (SoH%) report. No warranty repair was authorized. Porsche Cars North America (PCNA), Case #XXX, has since moved to close my statutory warranty claim, citing the absence of a duplicated fault. However, under New York State's adopted CARB emission warranty standards (6 NYCRR § 218-9.1), high-voltage

NHTSA complaint 11735314, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Driving through a parking lot, less than five miles an hour, and suddenly heard a horrible knocking sound. Stopped and looked under the car. Nothing. Drove it very slowly to mechanic less than a mile away. Front drive shaft had collapsed and fallen down, according to the mechanic.

NHTSA complaint 11706265. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

TIRES
The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Cayenne equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: Latitude Sport, Tire Size: 295/35/R21, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle, and the front passenger’s side tire started deflating. The vehicle was driven to the side of the road and was later towed to the local dealer who determined that the front passenger’s side tire sidewall had blown out. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that the vehicle had not driven over any object to cause the failure. The tire manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle

NHTSA complaint 11663218, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
This is not accident related, but what appears to be a systemic issue related to Cayenne and Macan leather dashboards. The issue is related to delamination of the leather dash cover that can impede the safe deployment of the passenger airbag. Many cars are affected and the repair can be a significant expense to owners (~$10K) for vehicles less than 8 years old. There should be a recall to address a largely unaware owner base for a potential safety issue.

NHTSA complaint 11620392. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The Porsche Cayenne that equipped with leather dashboard are peeling off over the time. If the vehicle in an accident, the airbag on the passenger side dashboard may not deploy correctly. I am finding many cayenne owners are having this issue. I really hope NTSB can issue a recall.

NHTSA complaint 11610103. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While the vehicle was charging, the protective sheath near the power outlet of the charging cable had possible electrical or fire damage. No warning lights were illuminated. Upon turning off the power and unplugging the outlet, it was determined that the plastic near the plug melted and caused the power to short. I have been unsuccessful getting the manufacturer to resolve the issue. A recall under APB6 was issued but did not include model year 2018 which uses the same cable that is impacted with the recall.

NHTSA complaint 11593998. 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
2017 16 2
2016 38 2
2015 13 2
2014 53 3
2013 40 3
2012 27 4
2011 30 3

Other 2018 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.

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