Porsche 911 Complaints (2004)

47 consumer complaints on file.

#10515918June 9, 2013
ENGINE
THE COOLANT FITTINGS FAILED, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.. THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10514243May 30, 2013
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
THE EVENT HAPPENED IN 2008. PURCHASED PORSCHE GT 3 FROM PORSCHE DEALER IN 2006. ACCELERATING ONTO A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY FROM AN ENTRANCE RAMP THE CAR MADE A VIOLENT FISHTAIL MOVEMENT IN A COUNTERCLOCWISE DIRECTION CAUSING A 180 DEG. SPIN. I TRIED TO CORRECT BUT NO RESPONSE AND THEN APPLIED BRAKES HEAVILY BUT CAR CONTINUED ITS MOVEMENT EVENTUALLY HITTING A CONCRETE BARRIER IN THE RIGHT REAR. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED AND EVENTUALLY TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. AT THE IMPACT SITE I DID NOTICE FLUID ON THE ROAD AND ALSO BACK UP THE ROAD. SINCE MY WIFE WAS INJURED AND NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, I WAS MORE FOCUSED ON TENDING TO HER BUT AS I LOOK BACK AND ALSO READING ABOUT THE COOLANT PROBLEMS THIS CAR IS HAVING I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THIS CAR HAD A DISCHARGE OF COOLING FLUID. AS A SIDE NOTE, I DO HOLD A COMPETITION DRIVERS LICENSE WITH THE SCCA AND HAVE COMPETED FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND HAVE OWNED PORSCHES FOR OVER 40 YEARS. I PRESENTLY OWN ANOTHER 2004 GT 3 AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10514295May 30, 2013
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I HAD PRO-ACTIVE REPAIRS PERFORMED ON MY 2004 PORSCHE GT3 COOLANT SYSTEM DUE TO KNOWN ISSUE OF COOLANT PIPES SEPARATING FROM THE ENGINE. I HAD THE REPAIR PERFORMED BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF LOSING CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE (IT IS MY DAILY DRIVER) OR CAUSING A CRASH BEHIND ME. THE REPAIRS COST ME $3900 + CA STATE TAX (7.75%) FOR A TOTAL OF: $4200+. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10513938May 28, 2013
ENGINE
EXPERIENCED SUDDEN COOLANT LOSS WHILE DRIVING ON PUBLIC ROADWAY. A BONDED-IN ALUMINUM TUBE (SPIGOT) ON THE COOLANT DISTRIBUTION MANIFOLD POPPED OFF, RESULTING IN A MASSIVE, INSTANT COOLANT LOSS. THE COOLANT DUMPED ALL OVER THE REAR TIRE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO IN TO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SKID, RENDERING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. LUCKILY MYSELF, MY PASSENGER, AND NO ONE ELSE WAS INJURED. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A PORSCHE INDEPENDENT SHOP IN SEATTLE, WA WHERE THE ENGINE IS BEING REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE TO ADDRESS THIS FAILED FITTING AS WELL AS ADDRESS ALL COOLANT LINE FITTINGS TO PREVENT FUTURE GLUE FAILURES. THE SHOP IS WELDING ALL COOLANT FITTINGS AS IT SEEMS THE FACTORY GLUE IS NOT SUFFICIENT AT HOLDING THE ALUMINUM TUBES TOGETHER. TOTAL OUT OF POCKET COST TO ME IS ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN $4500 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WRITTEN BY A PORSCHE TUNER DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM IN DETAIL: HTTP://SHARKWERKS.COM/PORSCHE/TECHNICAL-ARTICLES/327-THE-GT1-COOLANT-PIPE-PREVENTION-FIX-ON-GT1-BLOCK-GT3-GT2-TURBO-CARS.HTML ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ASCERTAINED FROM RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION WITH REPUTABLE PORSCHE INDEPENDENT SHOPS, RACE TEAMS, RACE SHOPS: IN THESE ENGINES, COOLANT/ANTI-FREEZE CIRCULATES THROUGH ALUMINUM CASTINGS AND RUBBER HOSES. HOSES ARE CLAMPED ONTO ALUMINUM SLEEVES THAT ARE INSERTED INTO THE BORES OF THE CASTINGS AND HELD IN WITH ADHESIVE. PROBLEM: ADHESIVE EVENTUALLY FAILS, WHICH ALLOWS THE SLEEVES TO "BLOW" OUT OF THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS AND SPILLAGE OF SLIPPERY COOLANT/ANTI-FREEZE ONTO THE VEHICLE REAR TIRES AND ROAD SURFACE. THIS CAUSES AN IMMEDIATE AND DANGEROUS LOSS OF TRACTION TO ANY VEHICLE DRIVING THROUGH THE SPILL, INCLUDING THE ONE SPILLING THE FLUID. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10513371May 24, 2013
ENGINE
THE COOLANT LINES ON THIS CAR HAVE WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED FAILURE PROBLEMS. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS AND AS SUCH AM GOING TO HAVE THE REPAIRS COMPLETED AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. WITH THE FAILURE RATE OF THE COOLANT FITTINGS ON THESE CARS, AND THE USUALLY CATASTROPHIC RESULTS I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I'M GOING TO SPEND MY OWN MONEY TO CORRECT A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BY PORSCHE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10511702May 13, 2013
ENGINE
I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW FROM PORSCHE AND ALTHOUGH IT ONLY HAS AROUND 14,000 MILES ON IT, I FEEL I MUST LIMIT USE OF THE CAR UNTIL IT GETS THE GLUED COOLANT LINES REPAIRED. I HAVE NOT HAD A FAILURE YET BUT THE RISKS OF WAITING UNTIL THAT HAPPENS ARE HIGH AND COULD EASILY GO BEYOND THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS AND RESULT IN PHYSICAL HARM TO MYSELF, A PASSENGER, OR OTHER MOTORISTS. THE PROBLEM OF CATASTROPHIC COOLANT LINE FAILURE IS WELL KNOWN WITH THIS MODEL DUE TO THE USE OF GLUE RATHER THAN MECHANICAL OR WELDED CONNECTIONS. AS AN INTERIM SOLUTION I PLAN TO RUN THE CAR WITH ONLY WATER AS THE COOLING LIQUID BUT DUE TO WINTER FREEZING TEMPERATURES IN MY AREA, THIS WILL HAVE TO BE UNDONE IN THE FALL. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT A COOLANT LINE FAILURE ON A PUBLIC ROAD AND ON A CURVE CAN LEAD TO A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT FOR ANYONE FOLLOWING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10511478May 11, 2013
ENGINE
MY 911 TURBO SUFFERED A COOLANT SYSTEM FAILURE, AS HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED FOR THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE, THE GT1 3.6 LITER IN THE 2001-2007 TURBO, GT2 AND GT3. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. UPON PULLING TO A STOP THE CAR HAD DUMPED MOST OF ITS COOLANT. IT WAS FLAT-BEDDED TO THE DEALER AND THE STEEL COOLANT PIPE HAD PULLED OUT OF THE ALUMINUM WATER SOCKET/CROSS OVER TUBE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THEY DRAINED THE COOLING SYSTEM, REPLACED THE WATER SOCKET AND ASSOCIATED SEALS AND FILLED AND BLED THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE RESULTS FROM THE USE OF EPOXY TO ATTACH THE COOLANT PIPE TO THE SOCKET INSTEAD OF A HARD-THREADED DESIGN LIKE PORSCHE USES ON THE RACE VERSION OF THIS ENGINE. THIS FAILURE WILL OCCUR AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, AS THE REPAIR USES THE VERY SAME EPOXY, AT WHICH TIME I AM LIKELY TO BE OUT OF WARRANTY AND SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10511011May 7, 2013
ENGINE
EARLY COOLANT PIPE LEAKAGE AT ONE OF THE FITTINGS. UNABLE TO REPAIR WITHOUT ENGINE REMOVAL. I CHOSE TO REPAIR ALL COOLANT FITTINGS AT THAT TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10510434May 2, 2013
ENGINE
THE ABOVE CAR HAS A FACTORY WATER COOLING SYSTEM THAT INVOLVES ALUMINUM PIPING THAT IS EPOXIED INTO THE BLOCK AFTER APPROXIMATELY 24 MONTHS OF USE THE EPOXY FAILS AND ALL THE COOLANT IS EVACUATED FROM THE SYSTEM ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND THE GROUND THE MOTOR COULD SEIZE AND THE COOLANT ON THE ROAD IN THAT VOLUME CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR OTHER DRIVERS.THE EPOXY FIX OFFERED BY PORSCHE FAILED 3 TIMES FOR ME (TWICE MORE SUBSEQUENTLY)UNTIL I HAD A SHOP WELD THE ALUMINUM PIPES TO THE BLOCK. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10510137April 30, 2013
ENGINE
PREVIOUS OWNER STATED THAT COOLANT LINES DISCONNECTED DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FITTINGS. COOLANT WAS SPILLED ALL OVER THE ROAD BEHIND HIM. ANOTHER DRIVER BARELY MISSED THE COOLANT BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. PORSCHE FIXED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE FITTINGS WERE NOT WELDED AS THE FIX RECOMMENDS, MERELY RE-GLUED. I'M AFRAID THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10509416April 24, 2013
ENGINE
FAILURE OF FACTORY GLUED IN COOLANT FITTING CAUSED AN INSTANT DUMP OF COOLANT ONTO THE REAR TIRES OF THE CAR CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND A SPIN. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM IN ALL PORSCHE GT3'S AND PORSCHE TURBO'S AND PORSCHE REFUSES TO IDENTIFY THE DESIGN FLAW OF HAVING THESE FITTINGS GLUED TOGETHER. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10509482April 24, 2013
ENGINE
COOLANT LINES CAME LOOSE WHERE THEY WERE GLUED TO THE MOTOR. I HAVE SEEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURES, AND DID NOT WANT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. HAD THE MOTOR REMOVED, AND REPAIR SHOP SAID SOME OF MINE WERE LOOSE AND SHOWED SIGNS OF LEAKING. HAD ALL WELDED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. PORSCHE WOULD NOT FIX UNLESS THERE WAS A FAILURE, AND WOULD ONLY RE-GLUE THOSE THAT WERE LOOSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10508818April 19, 2013
ENGINE
WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE ONE LAP OF AMERICA IN 2012 I HAD A COOLANT PIPE FITTING (BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR) COME LOOSE CAUSING THE CAR TO DUMP ALL ITS ANTIFREEZE ON THE TRACK. 3 CARS BEHIND ME RAN INTO THE ANTIFREEZE AND HAD OFF ROAD EXCURSIONS BUT LUCKILY NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO ANY OTHER VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF MY VEHICLE AFTER THE INCIDENT I OBSERVED ANOTHER COOLANT FITTING TO BE ON THE VERGE OF FAILURE. THESE FITTINGS ARE GLUED INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK AND AS THE CAR AGES THE GLUE IS FAILING TO HOLD THE FITTINGS IN PLACE CAUSING CATASTROPHIC COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE. I SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THE ENGINE REMOVED AND ALL OF THE FAILURE PRONE FITTINGS WELDED INSTEAD OF GLUED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10508487April 16, 2013
ENGINE
ENGINE HAS PRESS FIT (AND GLUED) COUPLINGS FOR COOLANT LINES. WHEN COUPLING FAILS, THERE IS RAPID COOLANT LOSS WHICH IS A TOXIC HAZARD AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10491708January 7, 2013
ENGINE
THE COOLANT LINES ARE GLUED IN BY FACTORY TO SAVE COSTS. HOWEVER THE GLUE IS FAILING AND THE COOLANT LINES POP OUT AND ANTI FREEZE IS DUMPED EVERYWHERE CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION . PORSCHE IS AWARE OF THEIR PROBLEM BUT DOING MOTHING ABOUT RECALLING OLDER CARS TO BE REPAIRED. I PAID TO REPAIR MY CAR INDEPENDENTLY BUT PORSCHE OWNERS ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO REPORT THIS SAFERY ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10461351June 12, 2012
AIR BAGS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4S. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH AND TAPPED THE BRAKES TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT INSTEAD OF THE VEHICLE DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG ALSO FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 8/2/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. A TECHNICIAN DOWNLOADED THE DATA FROM THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO DETERMINE THE ROLE OF ANY VEHICLE EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION IN THE ACCIDENT. PORSCHE OF ARLINGTON, THE DEALER, DELIVERED THE DOWNLOADED DATA TO PORSCHE NA, WHERE THE DATA IS ANALYZED. PORSCHE STATED THAT ANY DOCUMENTATION OF PORSCHE'S INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENT WAS PROPRIETARY. THE CONSUMER WAS GIVEN TWO CITATIONS FOR VEHICLE NEGLIGENCE AND INTENDS TO CONTEST THEM BOTH. THE CONSUMER NEEDS ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DATA TO DO SO. UPDATED 08/06/2012 *JS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447857February 13, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
AT A DRIVER EDUCATION EVENT IN KENT, WA, A PORSCHE TURBO HAD A FAILURE IN THE COOLANT FITTINGS THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO DUMP ALL OF ITS COOLANT ON THE PAVEMENT. I WAS BEHIND THE CAR IN A PORSCHE GT3 AND UPON DRIVING OVER THE COOLANT LOST TRACTION AND TOTALED MY CAR. THE SPEED OF THE TURBO AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS APPROX 90 MPH, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE DOWN THE STRAIGHT-AWAY AFTER THE FAILURE BUT STOPPED AFTER REALIZING THE CAR WAS SMOKING. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 996 SERIES, MORE COMMONLY IN THE GT3 THAN THE TURBO. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN FORUMS SUCH AS RENNLIST.COM. HTTP://FORUMS.RENNLIST.COM/RENNFORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=679777&REFERRERID=108168. I HAVE HEARD OF A PCA CHAPTER THAT HAS REQUIRED THAT CARS ON THE TRACK RUN WITH WATER WETTER OR FIX THIS ISSUE WITH GETTING THE FITTINGS WELDED. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS AND THE DAMAGE TO CARS EXPERIENCING THIS FAILURE AND THE CARS AROUND THEM, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS. ESPECIALLY SINCE TURBOS AND GT3S ARE PURPOSE BUILT CARS FOR TRACK ENTHUSIASTS. IN GT3 DOCUMENTATION, IT STATES THAT DAILY DRIVING WILL ACTUALLY CAUSE THE SERVICE INTERVALS TO INCREASE. IT IS BUILT FOR THE TRACK, IT SHOULD SURVIVE BEING DRIVEN ON THE TRACK WITHOUT SUCH FAILURES. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10423709September 1, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 30 MILES PER HOUR AT A LOW RPM, I HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. INITIALLY I THOUGHT ROAD DEBRIS WAS CAUGHT UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND I WAS DRAGGING IT ALONG WHILE DRIVING. I QUICKLY TURNED THE CAR TO THE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE MOTOR OFF. UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE I NOTICED ALL OF THE ENGINE'S OIL SPEWING OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ARRANGED FOR A TOW VEHICLE. I THOUGHT AN OBJECT STRUCK THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF MY CAR. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND DETERMINED TO BE A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. NO EVIDENCE OF A ROAD HAZARD PERFORATING THE ENGINE WAS SEEN. SINCE I FILED THIS LETTER I HAVE LEARNED THAT MY ENGINE SUFFERED AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FAILURE. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE M96 PORSCHE ENGINES (1999-2009). THIS DEFECT OCCURS IN WATER COOLED PORSCHE ENGINES. PORSCHE MOTOR COMPANY DENIES RESPONSIBILITY IN THESE VEHICLES BUT RECOGNIZES THAT ENGINE FAILURE DO OCCUR. I HAVE ACCURATE RECORDS WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR. HOW CAN AN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY RECOGNIZE THAT A DEFECT EXISTS BUT WILL NOT ISSUE OR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. UPDATED 09/12/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10413968July 21, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DRIVING ON FREEWAY WHEN HEARD A WEIRD NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR AND A MESSAGE IN RED CAME UP ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, LOST POWER TO ENGINE, PULLED OVER AND OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE. ENGINE COMPLETELY DESTROYED DUE TO IMS FAILURE. ENGINE WAS REPLACED WITH RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE BY DEALER. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10401601May 12, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
PRESSED FITTINGS FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED DUMPING COOLANT ON THE REAR TIRES CAUSING THE CAR TO CRASH. THE REPLACEMENT PART FAILED THE SAME WAY THREE WEEKS LATER.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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