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2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4S 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;
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2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4S 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;
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2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA CABRIOLET Complaints
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;
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2003 PORSCHE 911 GT2 Complaints
MY CAR IS A 2002 PORSCHE GT2 (THE DROP DOWN MENU ABOVE DID NOT HAVE A 2002 TO SELECT). IT IS A STREET CAR BUT TO FULLY ENJOY IT I PARTICIPATE IN HIGH SPEED DRIVER EDUCATION EVENTS HELD ON RACETRACKS BUY THE PORSCHE AND BMW CLUBS. THE ENGINES IN THESE CARS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE CATASTROPHIC COOLANT LINE FITTING FAILURES. THESE FITTINGS ARE ADHERED TO THE MANIFOLDS AND THEY CAN COME LOOSE. WHEN THEY DO ALL THE COOLANT DUMPS OUT QUICKLY. AS ANTIFREEZE IS EXTREMELY SLIPPERY THIS CAN CAUSE A VERY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION BOTH TO THE PORSCHE AND CARS BEHIND; THE CARS, DRIVERS AND OCCUPANTS THAT MAY DRIVE OVER THE COOLANT ARE AT RISK. I HAD ONE OF THE 7 COOLANT LINE FITTINGS IN THE CAR FAIL AT A HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVING EDUCATION EVENT AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY WHILE BRAKING HARD FROM THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY ENTERING TURN 3. I WAS SLOWING FROM A HIGH SPEED WHEN THE FITTING FAILED. MY REAR END WIGGLED WHEN THE TIRES HIT THE COOLANT BUT FORTUNATELY NEITHER I OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE TRACK HAD AN INCIDENT. THE TRACK WAS SHUT DOWN FOR 30 MINUTES WHILE THEY CLEANED UP THE SLIPPERY, DANGEROUS SURFACE. PORSCHE HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS YET HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. THE PROPER REPAIR WHICH I HAD PERFORMED ENTAILS WELDING ALL THE FITTINGS AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $5000. THIS IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION, ONE PORSCHE SHOULD BE DOING PROACTIVELY AND SHOULD COVER THE COSTS FOR FOLKS LIKE ME, TO PREVENT POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENTS. *TR;
