What 40 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Porsche Cayenne

The leather dash has "shrunk" so badly and is so distorted that there is no way the passenger airbag would properly inflate in an accident. Porsche tells me that this defect is "cosmetic" and of no consequence to vehicle safety. I do not agree with this position and feel that Porsche should be liable for this defect.

NHTSA ODI 11729798

This vehicle qualified for the Volkswagen Emissions Recall, yet from the start of the recall through 2018 settlement lawsuit dates , no correspondence was sent (by Porsche nor VW). According to all recall regulations, my vehicle should have among the ‘recall’ with the 85K plus others, yet no correspondence was sent (by Porsche nor VW) & now the local Porsche dealership is denying in, According to all recall regulations, even still with the EPA, the vehicle was to receive an initial emissions test, then undergo all related repairs/part replacements before the issue resulted in toxic emissions, NOX sensor failures, & premature problems with the DPF system, leading to thermostat problems & the failure of the diesel turbo. Federal regs mandate that vehicle & vehicle equipment manufacturers comply with Early Warning Reporting requirements, submit to NHTSA copies of their manufacturer communications. & update all communications including warranty, policy extensions & product improvement communication sent to dealers, distributors, owners, purchasers, etc. regarding any defect, failure or malfunction beyond normal deterioration in use, failure of performance, flaw or other unintended deviation from design specifications whether it is safety-related or not. Porsche now says my vehicle never showed the recall, despite court mandates that all affected vehicles will be notified communication failed on the sides of both manufacturers. In 2026, if one possesses an eligible vehicle but never received a "Dieselgate" recall notice, options for financial compensation from the original U.S. settlements stated to be likely limited, & I’m not able to find how to proceed with Volkswagen, but regardless, according to EPA and all vehicle standards, I read my vehicle is still entitled to receive an emissions modification at no cost, and that I should be covered by an extended emissions warranty to address all current & related issues.

NHTSA ODI 11724527

The factory leather dashboard has detached/ungluded in places both on the driver and passenger side. Now the dashboard cover in the passenger area does not properly line up and has bubbled up on top of the passenger air bag door. There is a high possibility that this defect will prevent the passenger air bag from properly functioning or not function at all during an accident. Several Cayenne owners have reported this problem to Porsche USA however they will only replace at the owner's request and owners expense which is in the thousands of dollars. Porsche USA said that this is not a recall item therefore they will not pay for the repair.

NHTSA ODI 11684455

Porsche dashboard leather has shrunk and now doesn’t properly cover airbag which is a major safety hazard. Porsche said they would not cover cost to replace which they quoted $9k. There are tons of reports of this happening to other Porsche cayenne owners and need to be addressed via recall

NHTSA ODI 11652153

Leather dashboard cover is separating from the dashboard with staples being pulled up. I am concerned the airbag in the dash may deploy improperly and/or dangerously.

NHTSA ODI 11636420

Porsche Cayenne dashboard leather shrunk and staples pulled out. The airbag in the dashboard may not deploy properly in the event when there is an accident. Porsche dealer recommended the dashboard to be replaced. Many vehicles have this issue after warranty is out

NHTSA ODI 11618766

The Drive train consists of an engine, transmission, transfercase, driveshafts and differentials. The Transfercase has failed prior to the normal life cycle. Porsche recognizes this problem on this series of SUV and extends the warranty for 10 years and unlimited mileage. Porsche announced this extension in June 2024. However this does not cover the early models in this series 2011-2013 with the same drivetrain and transfercase. So in effect this failure of the transfer case is not covered on 2014 - 2011 Porsche Cayenne's models with the same transfercase because Porsche delayed the notification to customers. Even though the SUV may have low mileage, they will not warranty or cover my failure.

NHTSA ODI 11615239

Just purchased this vehicle from an independent dealer. Each time I test drove the vehicle, I put my seat belt on and after a few seconds of driving the driver's seat belt would come unlatched. Sales person told me that perhaps I wasn't latching it (false latch). After purchase, it has unlatched during my first day of driving it. I see that there are other customers complaining of the same issue on the NHTSA website.

NHTSA ODI 11609423

The optional Leather Dashboard is peeling away from the base of the windshield. The cutout in the leather that aligns with the passenger airbag is now out of alignment and there is concern if the airbag will deploy properly in an accident.

NHTSA ODI 11605224

Engine light came on and vehicle decelerated while making a turn in traffic. Based on the owners manual and code test, it comes up as a DPF issue. We could have been seriously injured had the oncoming traffic been closer to us or had someone attempted to follow me on the turn. When the car lost power, I could not accelerate to complete my turn. The problem has been duplicated by my husband who has some mechanical expertise, but the next step would be to take it to a dealer. It is available for inspection, but it is not safe to drive. The check engine light and the glow plug lamp came on at the same time. It happened once before on the interstate coming across I-80 on the interstate. In the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service, we were able to pull over, shut off and restart the engine which cleared the code for the rest of the trip. Then it didn’t do this again for nearly two months.

NHTSA ODI 11568669

The contact owns a 2013 Porsche Cayenne. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V656000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the headlamps illumination had started to become dull. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 154,123. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11494018

The contact owns a 2013 Porsche Cayenne. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormal noise while shifting from first to second gear. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,300.

NHTSA ODI 11493099

GRINDING & CLUNKING NOISE FROM DRIVE TRAIN AT LOW ENGINE SPEEDS. TOOK IT TO PORSCHE DEALERSHIP IN OCTOBER, 2020. THEY DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD IT IS OK TO DRIVE. THE NOISE IS GETTING WORSE FROM INITIAL WHINING TO GRINDING & CLUNKING NOISE. ONLINE FORUMS INDICATE THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CAYENNE & MACAN MODELS OF PORSCHE. PORSCHE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE ON THERE WEBSITE WITH WARRANTY EXTENSION. WHEN I CALL THE PORSCHE CUSTOMER SUPPORT. THEY ARE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE WARRANTY EXTENSION. I THINK IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED TO BE ADDRESS BY PORSCHE

NHTSA ODI 11414407

CAR HAS PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. IT HESITATES AND DRIVES LIKE THE CAR IS BEING HELD BACK. ACCELERATION IS NOT SMOOTH. ROUGH AND SHUDDER AND HERKY JERKY. IT HAS A FAULTY TRANSFER CASE WHICH IS WELL KNOWN AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 11376082

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHES, EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY LATCHED AND I PULL ON IT TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS LATCHED. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS IS HAPPENING CONSTANTLY, BUT I WILL FILL IN TODAY'S DATE BELOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11331553

MULTIPLE TRANSFER CASE FAILURES. FIRST AT 50K MILES (SLIPPING BETWEEN GEARS, FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE JOLT AS THE GEAR FINALLY CHANGED)'TRANSFER CASE WAS REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE ($7000K LATER). SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED LESS THAN 6 MONTHS LATER AT 55K MILES (SEVERE JOLT WHEN SHIFTING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR)'TRANSFER CASE REPLACED UNDER PARTS WARRANTY. THIRD FAILURE HAPPENED ANOTHER 6 MONTHS LATER AT 60K MILES (SEVERE JOLT WHEN SHIFTING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR). THIS LAST FAILURE'YET TO BE FIXED'HAS HAPPENED WHILE I AM ON A ROAD TRIP, AND IT RISKS ME BEING STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. THIS ISSUE IS RAMPANT AMONG 958S. PORSCHE REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THIS ISSUE. IT'S REPORTED RAMPANTLY ON FORUMS, WITH MANY OWNERS REPORTING MULTIPLE SUCCESSIVE FAILURES LIKE I HAVE EXPERIENCED.

NHTSA ODI 11325912

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 PORSCHE CAYENNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SECURE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE INTO THE RECEIVER, THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LATCH. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

NHTSA ODI 11315886

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 PORSCHE CAYENNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DIRVING THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FORM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THIS OCCASION WAS THE THIRD TIME THE PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11310074

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 PORSCHE CAYENNE. WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD UNKNOWN NOISE WAS HEARD FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

NHTSA ODI 11282514

PURCHASED A 2013 CAYENNE PORSCHE GTS WITH 67K MILES ON IT. NOTICED A KIND OF THUMPING SOUND WHEN ACCELERATING, USUALLY APPEARING AT 3K RPMS. VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSE THE FAULT AND THEY IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT IT WAS, ENGINE TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. THIS IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW ALLOWING WATER INTO THE TRANSFER CASE THAT PORSCHE IS AWARE OF AND YET TO ADDRESS. ON SOME OCCASIONS PORSCHE WILL PAY FOR THE $5K REPAIR BUT THE PART IS STILL REPLACED WITH A TRANSFER CASE WITH THE SAME FLAW. TRANSFER CASE FAILURE CAN LEAD TO A SUDDEN LOSE OF POWER AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY IF SOMEONE IS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HIGHLY RECOMMEND ADDRESSING THIS WITH A RECALL FOR 2013 AND 2014 CAYENNES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN LOSE OF POWER DUE TO TRANSFER CASE FAILURE, NEATLY RESULTING IN A HIGHWAY COLLISION.

NHTSA ODI 11269753

FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTION,ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON,THE VEHICLE THEN HESITATED AND JERKS WHEN I DRIVE IT IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11269283

VEHCILE IS SHOWING FAULTY FUEL GAUGE AND SUSPENSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI 11258537

WHILE DRIVING BACK HOME ON THE HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 30 MPH IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC MY 2013 CAYENNE GTS STARTED TO JERK BETWEEN SHIFTING GEARS. I THOUGHT IT WAS A BUMPY ROAD AT LEAST BUT THEN AFTER THE TRAFFIC WAS OVER AND I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP SOME SPEED TO UP TO AROUND 40-45MPH THE CAR SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO. MY LIFE LITERALLY FLASHED IN MY EYES I WAS SO LUCKY TO GET OUT OF IT WITH NO INJURIES AFTER RESEARCHING AND VISITING MY MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A TRANSFER CASE ISSUE AND IT'S A VERY COMMON THING TO HAPPEN ON CAYENNES WITH GASOLINE ENGINE

NHTSA ODI 11257179

TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE ISSUES IMMEDIATELY AFTER ACCELERATION BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. VEHICLE STUMBLES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT FROM A STANDSTILL, KNOWN ISSUE IN THE PORSCHE COMMUNITY, MY ISSUE FIRST STARTED AT 68K MILES, GOT THE TRANSFER CASE REPLACED, NOW SAME ISSUE WITH THE TRANSFER CASE AGAIN AT 79K MILES, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, MY WIFE, AND 2 KIDS AT THE AGE OF 8 YEARS OLD AND 7 MONTHS OLDS WAS ALLMOST IN AN ACCIDENT WITH AN TRACTOR TRAILER DUE TO THIS TRANSFER CASE, SOMEONE PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, PORSCHE MANUFACTURER HASN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS KNOWN PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11255257

FAILURE OF TRANSFER CASE AT 51,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 78,000 MILES. PORSCHE ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM NATIONWIDE BUT WILL NOT COVER REPAIR. VEHICLE SHUTTERS/STUTTERS AND DOES NOT SHIFT INTO GEARS (4 TO 5). THIS FAILURE IS DESCRIBED COUNTLESS NUMBER OF TIMES ON THE INTERNET IN VARIOUS FORUMS. PORSCHE NORTH AMERICA REFUSES TO COVER REPAIR & WARRANTY REPAIR ON SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11242302