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2012 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet
Limited data: few reports on file, read the verdict loosely
Too few owner complaints are on file to affirm this car. Treat it as unproven, not endorsed, and lean hard on a professional pre-purchase inspection.
5 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA
What the record shows so far
Only 5 owner complaints on file for this exact model year, too few to judge long-term reliability. Treat this as unproven, not endorsed, and lean on a professional inspection.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, plotted where owners report it happening.
Lights
20%1 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Tail light fall off the car while driving, catching it dangling from the car holding by only one wire. Upon inspection, they came off due to a broken plastic lug that …”
Electrical system
20%1 complaints
“1. Door panel Issue. I have a 2012 911, and have noticed last year that the door panels have popped up on both sides, it looks like the glue has given way. It seems th…”
Body & structure
20%1 complaints
“1. Door panel Issue. I have a 2012 911, and have noticed last year that the door panels have popped up on both sides, it looks like the glue has given way. It seems th…”
Transmission & drivetrain
20%1 complaints
“Cruising on the highway and a transmission error comes up saying that there's no reverse gear. Got off the highway and even gears aren't engaring, no 2,4,6 gears. 1,3,…”
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Engine And Engine Cooling · 13V058000
Porsche is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 911 Carrera and Carrera 4 vehicles manufactured from March 7, 2012, through November 12, 2012, and equipped with a standard (not sport) exhaust system. The exhaust tail pipe may fracture and separate from the rear muffler.
Risk: If the exhaust tail pipe separates from the muffler it may become a hazard for other vehicles on the road, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear mufflers free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners on May 9, 2013. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Porsche at 1-800-767-7243.
Seat Belts · 11V409000
PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 911 SPEEDSTER AND 911 GTS RS 4.0; AND MODEL YEAR 2012 BOXSTER (INCLUDING S AND SPYDER); CAYMAN (INCLUDING S AND R); 911 CARRERA (INCLUDING S, GTS, 4, 4S, AND 4 GTS); 911 TARGA 4 AND TARGA 4S; AND 911 TURBO AND TURBO S MODELS MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 31, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE MOUNTING HOLES IN THE SEAT BELT ANCHOR PLATES FITTED TO THE VEHICLE ARE TOO SMALL. IF THE HOLE DIAMETER IS TOO SMALL, THE ANCHOR PLATE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ROTATE ABOUT THE FASTENING BOLT AS DESIGNED.
Risk: SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT BE ROUTED OPTIMALLY AROUND THE OCCUPANT, OR MAY POTENTIALLY LOOSEN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY DURING A CRASH.
Fix: PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELT ANCHORS AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SEAT BELT. THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2012 Porsche 911 CARRERA 4 CABRIOLET beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet model year scores →
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What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.