What 36 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Porsche Cayenne

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Porsche Cayenne. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale from Facebook Market Place. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 125,383, but after performing an AutoCheck of the vehicle, it was discovered that the mileage was 205,154.

NHTSA ODI 11748836

Porsche dashboard leather shrunk and staples pulled out around passenger side airbag. I was told that if the vehicle was in an accident the airbag might not deploy correctly. The Porsche dealer looked at it and recommended replacing it. This is a very common issue.

NHTSA ODI 11632899

The transfer case on my car has been confirmed by two different mechanics that it needs to be replaced. Porsche no longer makes or sells the original transfer case and components, so the entire transfer case needs to be replaced, at a cost of approximately $5,000. Porsche extended the warranty for the transfer case for up to 10 years, but I was never notified or made aware of this extension. Because my transfer case issue was identified 6 months outside of the extended warranty, the full cost of this repair is my liability. I believe that Porsche is aware that the original transfer case has design flaws and reliability issues, and while they did extend warranty coverage, they made no effort to communicate the extension. If so, I would have had the transfer case inspected while still under warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11492273

I own a 2012 Porsche Cayenne. Transfer case broke at 33,000 miles and was replaced by the dealer, and now it broke again at 55,000 miles. Repair cost is $6,340 plus tax. It broke under the warranty period but Porsche gave me the runaround and told me they wouldn't check it until after some body damage was complete (more details below). Honestly feel like I'm getting gouged with faulty parts. Many other Porsche Cayenne owners seem to be reporting this problem on forums. (e.g. https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-958-2011-2018/1290994-transfer-case-failure-2.html) More details - 1. We asked the Porsche dealership to review the car for mechanical issues and repair bumper body damage while the transfer case was under warranty. 2. The Porsche dealer declined to review any mechanical issues until the bumper body damage repair was complete. 3. The Porsche was taken in for service to repair the body work first in late March per Porsche's guidance while the transfer case was still under warranty. 4. The body work was delayed due to Porsche's supply chain issues, and by the time it was complete it was after May 2nd which was when the warranty expired for the transfer case. 5. When the Porsche dealer received the car after May 2nd it identified the transfer case broke. This has been a recurring issue with a car as one transfer case broke at ~33,000 miles and was replaced at a Porsche dealership. Now the second transfer case broke at 55,000 miles (this case only lasted 22,000 miles). 6. Porsche declined to make an exception to the warranty and recommends replacing the transfer case at a price of $6,340 plus tax which will likely last for between 22,000 - 33,000 miles based on prior data points.

NHTSA ODI 11473037

RECALL WORK MISHANDLED AND CAUSED PROBLEM: I WENT TO PORSCHE FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE. THEY SAID THAT THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL ON CAMSHAFT AND THEY CAN ALSO BE PERFORMED WHILE THE CAR IS IN. NOW WHEN I WENT TO GET MY CAR BACK THEY SAID THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND WHEN THEY CHECKED THE TECH SAYS THE PARTS SEEMS TO BE ALL NEW AND IT WAS DONE AT A DIFFERENT WORK SHOP. THEY ASKED ME TO GO TO THE SHOP AND CHECK WITH THEM. BUT I TOLD THEM IT WAS DONE FEW MONTHS BACK AND I HAD NO ISSUES AT ALL AND THE CAR DIDNT HAVE ANY ISSUES WHEN I GAVE IT FOR OIL CHANGE( NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT). ALSO WHEN I ENTERED THE CAR I WAS ABLE TO SMELL A THICK OIL SMELL WHICH I INFORMED BECKY THE SERVICE CONSULTANT AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE OIL SPILL WHEN THEY DID OIL CHANGE. I ASKED IF THE ISSUE MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE CAMSHAFT WORK THEY DID BUT THEY PROMPTLY SAID IT WAS NOT RELATED. SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE AUTO SHOP ( PORSCHE CERTIFIED SHOP) TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT. THE SHOP CHECKED AND DIDNT FIND ANY ISSUES WITH THEIR PARTS THEY REPLACED SINCE IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THEY WENT AHEAD REPLACED THE PART AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SIGN DIDNT GO AWAY, SO THEY PERFORMED SMOKE TEST AND FOUND OUT THE INTAKE LEAK COMING FROM A SENSOR SEAL ON THE VALVE COVER. THEY SAID THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE CAMSHAFT WORK THAT HAS CAUSED A LARGE AIR LEAK IN THE ENGINE SETTING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ALSO WHEN THEY CHECKED THE COVERS THEY FOUND THAT THERE WERE 2 ALUMINIUM SCREWS THAT WERE BROKEN . WHEN THE COVER WAS REMOVED THE ALUMIMIUM SCREWS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WERE NOT AND THE OLD ONES WERE USED WHICH LEAD TO TENSION AND THEY WERE BROKEN THE AUTO SHOP HAS PROVIDED ME WITH ALL THE DETAILS AND EVIDENCE OF THE ISSUE ALONG WITH VIDEO TO SHOWCASE.I NEED NHTSA ASSISTANCE TO HELP ME GUIDE ON THIS ISSUE CAUSED BY THE DEALERSHIP TO MY CAR WHILE WORKING ON THE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11383645

I HAVE A 2012 PORSCHE CAYENNE S HYBRID. IT IS SUFFERING FROM THE DEFECT DESCRIBED IN THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN: 17V36800. THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE CAMSHAFT IN PLACE HAVE SHEARED OFF. PORSCHE IS REFUSING ANY TYPE OF CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THE VIN IS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST, BUT IT IS IN THE YEAR OF THE RECALL AND SUFFERS FROM THE ISSUE. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER. I HAD TO CALL MY WIFE AND HAVE IT TOWED. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WOULD COST 14K+ TO REPAIR AND THEY WOULD NEED THE VEHICLE FOR A MONTH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11329783

THE TRANSFER CASE IS FAULTY. IT WAS REPLACED AT 26,000 MILES AND NOW IT IS ACTING THE SAME WAY AGAIN AT 48.000 MILES. I WAS ENTERING THE HWY AND THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD AND SUDDENLY LOST POWER BEFORE JUMPING INTO GEAR. THIS IS NOT SAFE CONSIDERING THERE WAS A CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND BEHIND. DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BUT COULD HAVE. DEALER ADMITS THE TRANSFER CASE HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH 2011-2017 CAYENNE BUT REFUSES TO TOTALLY COVER REPLACEMENT. THIS IS MY SECOND ISSUE WITH THE TRANSFER CASE AND AFTER SOME LIGHT RESEARCH HAVE COME ACROSS MANY OWNERS WITH ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1 AND 4 REPLACEMENTS. PORSCHE WILL NOT COVER THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR (APPROX. $6500). HOW CAN A COMPANY LIKE PORSCHE BE SO ARROGANT AS TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT IT IS A FAULTY DESIGN BUT NOT MAKE RESTITUTION TO ITS LOYAL CUSTOMERS,

NHTSA ODI 11321883

THE TRANSFER CASE IN THIS CAR IS FAILING AT 53,000 MILES CAUSING UNSAFE, JERKING ACCELERATION LEADING TO TOTAL BREAKDOWN/SHUTDOWN IF NOT CORRECTED. NUMEROUS OWNERS EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES THE DEFECT AND IS NOW PROVIDING NEWLY DESIGNED REPAIR PARTS DESCRIBED AS PERMANENTLY SOLVING THE PROBLEM AND COVERED BY A 2-YEAR WARRANTY AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $5,500 RETAIL

NHTSA ODI 11286672

POWER DRIVERS SEAT MOVED FORE/AFT AND UP/DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON 10.22.2019 ON ITS OWN. MOVING DRIVER AWAY FROM CONTACT WITH EITHER BRAKE OR GAS PEDAL AND A UNNATURALLY LONG REACH TO STEERING WHEEL. DRIVER ENGAGED BUTTONS TO MOVE SEAT FORWARD, PULLED OFF TO SAFE LOCATION AND SHUT DOWN/RESTARTED CAR. PROBLEM CONTINUED UPON RESTART

NHTSA ODI 11270126

DASH BOARD LEATHER IS PEELING AND SHRINKING

NHTSA ODI 11246515

CLUNKING / SURGING (ALMOST FEELS LIKE A MISFIRE) AFTER CAR WARMS UP IN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. SEEMS TO BE WITH THE TRANSFER CASE. PURCHASES CAR USED 30 DAYS AGO AND THIS ISSUE STARTED TO APPEAR AFTER I HAD THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. NOW FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH CAYENNES.

NHTSA ODI 11235245

2012 PORSCHE CAYENNE WITH 47,000 MILES. NOTICED JERKING WHEN TURNING LEFT AND SOME SLIPPAGE IN TRANSMISSION. IT GOT WORSE IN THE COMING DAYS AND BECAME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE DUE TO HANDLING AND POWER TRAIN SURGES. I TOOK IT TO SOUTHPOINT PORSCHE IN DURHAM, NC, THIS WEEK AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW $4,435 TRANSFER CASE. A LOCAL PORSCHE SHOP DIRECTED ME TO REVIEWS WHICH NOTE THE SAME 'KNOWN' ISSUE - DUE TO A KNOWN DEFECT THAT DRAINS FLUID BY TRANSFER CASE AND GETS MOISTURE INTO THE CASE. PORSCHE HAS ISSUED CORRECTIVE INSTRUCTIONS FOR REPAIRS BUT NO RECALL (KNOWN) OR CALLBACK TO REPAIR AT THEIR COST. TRANSMISSION CAN LOCK UP DURING DRIVING CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH. I ASKED DEALERSHIP TO CONTACT PORSCHE AND REGIONAL REP AND TO SHARE MY CONCERNS AND LINKS TO FORUMS WHERE THIS ISSUE IS OUTLINED IN MANY OTHER PORSCHE CAYENNE CASES.

NHTSA ODI 11235031

THE TRANSFER CASE IN THIS CAR IS FAILING AT 53,000 MILES CAUSING UNSAFE, JERKING ACCELERATION LEADING TO TOTAL BREAKDOWN/SHUTDOWN IF NOT CORRECTED. NUMEROUS OWNERS EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES THE DEFECT AND IS NOW PROVIDING NEWLY DESIGNED REPAIR PARTS DESCRIBED AS PERMANENTLY SOLVING THE PROBLEM AND COVERED BY A 2-YEAR WARRANTY AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $5,500 RETAIL.

NHTSA ODI 11232081

HYBRID DEFAULT MULTIPLE TIMES IN PAST YEARS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM? FAULT GENERATOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

NHTSA ODI 11217457

I GOT THE CAYENNE FROM 2012 IN 01/17/2017 TREE DAYS AFTER BUYING THE SUV TRANSFER CASE WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, WHEN SHIFTING TO 3RD GEAR NOISE AND LOST OF POWER THIS AT 39,273 MILES REPAIR WAS DONE NOW ONLY 20,000 MILES LATER SAME PROBLEM. WHEN I CALLED PORSCHE DEALER TO CHECK ON WARRANTY THERE IS NONE AND THEY ALSO LET ME KNOW THAT THIS WOULD BE 3RD TIME THAT TC HAS BEEN CHANGE AND THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE 4,775.00 TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11203979

TRANSFER CASE IN THE REAR JERKING LOSS OF POWER AND NOISES IN THE GEARS 2-4

NHTSA ODI 11193919

WHEN DRIVING CAR, IT FEELS ROUGH AND IS HARD TO ACCELERATE SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TRANSFER CASE. THE TRANSFER CASE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM AND IS COMMON AMONG THESE CARS. IT'S UNSAFE AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY .

NHTSA ODI 11183519

THE TRANSFER CASE HAS GONE OUT FOR THE 4TH TIME SINCE IF WENT OVER 50K, AT LOW SPEEDS ITS CLUNKY AND DRAGS AND BUMPY WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. I FOUND OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM MUTLI TIMES AS MYSELF AND THIS IS NOT CHEAP TO FIX. THE DEALER KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT HELP WITH COST

NHTSA ODI 11183067

THIS VEHICLE SUFFERS UNKNOWN HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE. IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER ABRUPTLY WHILE IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON A CITY STREET WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT TRAVEL MORE THAN 20 MILES ON AUTOMATIC; UNLESS IT IS SWITCHED TO MANUAL SHIFT GEAR. THIS VEHICLE HAD SUBMITTED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND CONCLUSION WAS MADE AS THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE BATTERY FAILURE. HOWEVER, WITHIN THREE WEEKS AFTER REPAIR; THE HYBRID SYSTEM FAILED AGAIN. THE TECHNICIAN THEN RE-DETERMINED THE CAUSE AS A) FAULTY HIGH POWER VOLTAGE LINE AND COMPRESSOR, AND B) REPLACE HIGH VOLTAGE LINE AND COMPRESSOR.

NHTSA ODI 11165314

TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. CARE CLUNKS/DRAGS IN LOW GEARS.

NHTSA ODI 11163757

THE PORSCHE DEALER INFORMED ME THE BUMPING NOISE WHILE ACCELERATING IS THE TRANSFER CASE. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL 2012 CAYENNE CARS. THE TRANSFER CASE WILL MAKE THE BUMPING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. IT WILL EVENTUALLY SLIP TO THE DANGEROUS POINT. THIS IS WHEN YOU ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSFER CASE ONLY SLIPS AND LEAVES THE SITTING IN TRAFFIC UNABLE TO MOVE. THE REPAIR IS $5000 AND REPLACES THE TRANSFER CASE. THE NEW TRANSFER CASE CORRECTS THE DESIGN FLAW. THE FLAW WAS IN THE TRANSFER CASE VENTS THAT WOULD ALLOW WATER TO BUILD UP IN THE CASE. THE NEW CASE COMES WITH VENT TUBES INSTALLED SO THE CASE CAN VENT PROPERLY AND WATER DOESN'T BUILD UP IN THE TRANSFER CASE FLUID. IT IS A SHAME THAT THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS BETWEEN 30,000 AND 80,000 MILES. IF I PAY $60, 000 -$100,000 FOR A CAR I WOULD EXPECT TO GET PAST 100,000 MILES BEFORE A MAJOR REPAIR. HOPEFULLY I DON'T GET KILLED IN TRAFFIC WHEN IT STARTS SLIPPING MORE.

NHTSA ODI 11157213

TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. CAUSES INTERMITTENT ROUGH STUTTERING WHEN DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL ON HIGHWAY ESPECIALLY ON INCLINE. CAR DEALER DID NOT DETECT PROBLEM WHEN PERFORMING DIAGNOSTICS. WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER SERVICE LOCATION. SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE DROVE THE CAR AND QUICKLY CONFIRMED THE CAUSE IS A TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. WE WERE TOLD OUR CAR CAN STALL AT ANYTIME WHICH IS A CLEAR SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH, WE FOUND OUT TRANSFER CASE FAILURE IS A CONSISTENT AND RECURRING ISSUE FOR PORSCHE CAYENNE'S MANUFACTURED IN 2011 TO 2017.

NHTSA ODI 11099903

2012 CAYENNE TURBO WITH 40096 MILEAGE AS OF TODAY. THE TRANSFER BOX WAS REPLACED IN APRIL 2016 AND APRIL 2018. COST AROUND $4,500 EACH TIME. TOTAL OF $9,000 REPAIR BILL.

NHTSA ODI 11091036

IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2011+ CAYENNE THAT HAS THE TRANSFER CASE PROBLEM. THE CAR WON'T ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY DURING 1-2 GEAR AND 3-4-5 GEAR. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHILE TRYING TO MERGE ON THE FREEWAY. MY CAR ONLY HAS 71K MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING

NHTSA ODI 11066573

FAULTY TRANSFER CASE THE CAR HAD A BUMPY AND VIOLENT SHUDDER AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. FEELS LIKE MISFIRING AND THEN GRINDING AND THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR. IT WAS DANGEROUS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE INTO TRAFFIC. I CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND WITH A SIMPLE EXPLANATION THEY DIAGNOSED IT OVER THE PHONE. THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THESE TRANSFER CASES WERE FAILING REGULARLY AND THAT THE PARTS WERE REDESIGNED AND EVEN STOCKED IN THE DEALERSHIP SINCE IT HAPPENS SO REGULARLY. WITH A BASIC SEARCH OF THE INTERNET IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND THAT PORSCHE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE DESIGN FLAW BUT THEY ARE NOT CHOOSING TO RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER WHETHER THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY OR NOT.

NHTSA ODI 11058321