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2016 Porsche Cayenne
Solid pick — the complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
38 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (26% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor — almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Porsche Cayenne, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (10) · Transmission & drivetrain (7) · Lights (6) · Fuel system (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
26%10 complaints · 9 in the last 2 years
“Porsche dashboard leather shrunk and staples pulled out. I was told that if the vehicle was in an accident the airbag might not deploy correctly. The Porsche dealer lo…”
Transmission & drivetrain
18%7 complaints
“At slow speed, under acceleration, the transfer case slips, and makes a thumping noise. Over time, the car has poor acceleration when trying to get up to speed with ot…”
Lights
16%6 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Headlight went out. Lane change assist not working”
Fuel system
13%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“I noticed a hesitation when I Pressed the gas pedal, I also noticed the smell of Gasoline when I parked it in my Garage. I had my Certified mechanic look at it and he …”
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.
Exterior Lighting · 22V656000
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."
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.
Fix: 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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 16V169000
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.
Risk: If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
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–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Porsche CAYENNE beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every Cayenne model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Porsche Cayenne against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.