2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA Complaints

2003 PORSCHE 911 C4S COUPE: CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IN NEW YORK. WOULD LIKELY HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, IF HAD STILL BEEN ON I-87. MOMENTS BEFORE, DIVERTED TO NEARLY EMPTY RT-9. FROM WEB RESEARCH AND DISCUSSIONS WITH PORSCHE SERVICE CENTERS, I ESTIMATE THAT 1ST GEN WATER COOLED BOXER ENGINES IN BOXSTER AND 911 DURING '99-'08 HAVE HAD > 5% CATASTROPHIC FAILURE RATE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT SYSTEM (SHAFT, BEARINGS, LUBRICATION SYSTEM). THE 2ND GEN WATER COOLED BOXER ENGINES INTRODUCED IN 2009 ELIMINATED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. MY EXPERIENCE INDICATES PORSCHE AG AND PORSCHE NA HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING A COVER-UP BY PERSUADING AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS TO RETURN THE ENGINES UNOPENED TO PORSCHE AG, WHERE THEY DO A NICE BUSINESS SALVAGING THE CASE FOR REMANUFACTURED ENGINES SOLD BACK TO VICTIMS. THAT HAPPENED TO ME AT PEPE PORSCHE. AT FIRST, THEY SAID THE 'INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BOLT' BROKE. THERE IS NO SUCH PART, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A THREADED END. MY 3RD PARTY WARRANTY COMPANY SAID, 'SORRY, FINE PRINT, WE DO NOT COVER FAILURES CAUSED BY BROKEN BOLTS'. PEPE LATER ADMITTED THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL FAILURE MECHANISM WAS LIKELY INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BEARINGS. THE WARRANTY COMPANY DEMANDED AN INSPECTION. BY THEN, THE BROKEN ENGINE WAS LONG GONE, AND I HAD SPENT $13,000 FOR INSTALLATION OF A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. I FOUGHT PORSCHE AG, PORSCHE NA, AND PEPE FOR SATISFACTION (BY MYSELF, WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY). I FINALLY SETTLED FOR 50% BACK FROM PEPE. WATCHING THE TOYOTA STORY VIS A VIS THE NHTSA, I HAVE RENEWED HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WOULD PRO-ACTIVELY RECEIVE MY COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATE. I SUGGEST YOU POLL AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS TO FIND OUT HOW MANY '996-SERIES' ENGINES THEY HAVE SEEN FROM 1999-2008 MODEL YEARS WITH CATASTROPHIC FAILURES, HOW MANY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH A CRASH, AND HOW MANY ENGINES WERE RETURNED TO PORSCHE AG UNOPENED, WITHOUT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE FAILURE MECHANISM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA CABRIOLET. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, UPON BRAKING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK TILTED SLIGHTLY TO THE REAR POSITION WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE SEAT BACK SUPPORT ATTACHMENTS WERE NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO THE SEAT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V070000 (SEATS), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000. UPDATED 11/25/08. *LJ UPDATED 11/25/08.*JB

2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA AFFECTED BY A SEAT RECALL. CUSTOMER STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE IS IN THE DEALERS HANDS UNTIL THE SEATS ARE CHANGED AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN THERE FOR 7 WEEKS. *KB THE CONSUMER FURTHER STATED THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WILL BE RECEIVED TO PERFORM THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED HE ASKED THE DEALER FOR A LOANER CAR AND ONE HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED, THE DEALER STATED IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED AS OF YET. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WOULD LIKE THE ISSUE INVESTIGATED. *TR

WHEN CONSUMER DRIVES VEHICLE OVER STANDING WATER OR SNOW DRIVER LOSES STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE HAS THE WRONG TIRES, WHICH ARE NOT MADE FOR THE SNOW. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FELL OFF THE CONSUMER'S SHOULDERS WHILE DRIVING, BUT THE RETRACTOR AND BUCKLE WERE STILL ENGAGED. *AK WHEN DRIVING IN THE CITY, THE DRIVER SEAT BELT AND THE PASSENGERS SEAT BELTS SLID OFF THEIR SHOULDERS WHEN LOOKING OVER THE LEFT AND RIGHT SHOULDERS. THERE WERE NO GUIDES ON THE SEATS TO KEEP THE BELTS IN AN APPROPRIATE POSITION. THIS HAPPENED ON MANY OCCASIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING CORNERS. THE SEAT BELT SLID OUT OF THE OUT BOARD SHOULDER. *SCC *JB