Porsche · Model Report
Showing safety data for the 1998 model year only.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
CERTAIN 2-DOOR CONVERTIBLE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TIPTRONIC (AUTOMATIC) TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH AN INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED KEY-LOCK-CABLE DOWN TO THE SHIFT SELECTOR. IF THE KEY-LOCK-CABLE IS NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE IGNITION KEY WILL SNAG UPON BEING REMOVED FRO THE IGNITION LOCK OR THE SLECTOR LEVER CAN BE SHIFTED FROM POSITION "P" WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED AND THE LOCKING BUTTON OPERATED.
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: CHILD SEATING SYSTEM AIR BAG DEACTIVATION KIT FOR USE ON 1997-1998 911 CARRERA S, CARRERA 4, CARRERA 4S, AND TURBO (1997 MODEL ONLY), PART NO. 993 803 283 00, AND 1997-1998 BOXSTER MODEL VEHICLES, PART NOS. 996 803 283 00 AND 996 803 083 00. DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, THE CONTACT BUCKLE (WHICH IS PART OF THE KIT) DOES NOT DEACTIVATE THE AIR BAG(S).
THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY AND STAYS LIT AT ALL TIMES INDICATING A FAULT IN THE SYSTEM. FROM ALL REPORTS ON VARIOUS PORSCHE DISCUSSION FORUMS (THOUSANDS OF INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND DISCUSSED), THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FIRST GENERATION PORSCHE BOXSTERS. IT IS A DEFECT IN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE AND SEAT BELT GROUND CAUSED BY CORROSION OF THE CONTACT POINTS FOR THE SEAT BELT THAT TRIGGERS THE LIGHT. THE PURPOSE OF AN AIR BAG LIGHT IS TO INFORM YOU OF A DEFECT IN THIS SAFETY SYSTEM AND TO NOTIFY YOU THAT THE SYSTEM WILL NOT OPERATE AS IT SHOULD. WHILE THERE IS APPARENTLY A TSB THAT WAS ISSUED BY PORSCHE, ONCE YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WILL NOT REPAIR IT UNDER THE TSB FOR FREE. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD AND COMMON SAFETY DEFECT THAT DOESN'T APPEAR UNTIL AFTER THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM IS APPROXIMATELY $1500.00 THROUGH PORSCHE. CONSIDERING MOST PORSCHE BOXSTERS FROM 1997-1999 SUFFER FROM THIS PROBLEM, IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AND REPAIRED BY PORSCHE AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR
No injuries · No fire · No crash
1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ENGINE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED BETWEEN 1997 AND 1998 PORSCHE PRODUCED AN ENGINE WITH TWO KNOWN FLAWS. THE FIRST, WAS THE ENGINE BLOCK, THAT WAS TOO POROUS. IT CAUSED THE CYLINDER WALLS TO CRACK, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL COMPRESSION IN THE CYLINDER, AND THEREFORE RENDERING THE ENGINE USELESS. SECONDLY, THEY DESIGNED A FAULTY INTERMEDIATE BEARING SHAFT, THAT HAD A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE, AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. ALSO, THE COMPUTER MODULE WAS LOCATED IN A POSITION THAT EXPOSED IT TO INCREASED PROBABILITY TO SHORT CIRCUIT.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
MY VEHICLE HAD ONLY APPROXIMATELY 65,000 MILES WHEN THE HORN STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. THE HORN STARTED TO ROUTINELY DEPLOY ON ITS OWN. IN THE SHORT TERM I HAD TO HAVE IT DISCONNECTED BY MY REGULAR MECHANIC SO I COULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE CAR. I CALLED BARRIER PORSCHE IN BELLEVUE WASHINGTON WHERE THEY SEEMED TO BE ALREADY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. I LEARNED THE PARTS (CLOCK SPRING AND SOMETHING ELSE) COST CLOSE TO $600 AND I ASSUME AT LEAST A COUPLE OF HOURS OF SHOP TIME. WITH SALES TAX I'M SURE IT WOULD COST $1,000 TO REPAIR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL .PLEASE HELP! THIS SHOULD CLEARLY BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR
No injuries · No fire · No crash
WE BOUGHT A 1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER IN AUG 2009. SERVICED AS REQUIRED. ON 9/7/10 OUT DRIVING, STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AS WE PROCEEDED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN THE ENGINE DIED, WHITE SMOKE CAME POURING OUT THE BACK. HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEN MOTOR HAD SEIZED DUE TO THE IMS (INTERMEDIATE SHAFT). CAR HAD APPROX 34K FOR MILEAGE. CONTACTED PORSCHE AMERICA AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE WEB, THIS APPEARS TO BE A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 97-99 BOXSTERS. THE COST TO REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A USED MOTOR WAS APPROX 9K AND THEY WOULD BE USING THE SAME TYPE OF MOTOR WITH THE SAME DESIGN FLAW. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE SALVAGE YARD AND WE ARE OUT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY. *TR
No injuries · No fire · No crash
1998 PORSCHE BOXSTER AIRBAG LIGHT, RELATED TO SEAT BELT BUCKLE, KNOWN ISSUE WITH A FIX THAT HAS A PART NUMBER, BUT PORSCHE NEVER HAD A RECALL SO THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL REPLACE IT FOR FREE IS IF THE LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN THE WARRANTY TIME. COST OUT OF WARRANTY $500 TO $1500. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A WARRANTY ISSUE BUT A SAFETY ISSUE, IF THEY KNEW THAT THE PART WAS FAULTY THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE PART AND FIXED EVERY MODEL THAT CAME OUT WITH THE OLD DESIGN. THERE ARE MANY REVIEWS ALL OVER THE INTERNET BY 97' TO 99' BOXSTER OWNERS. 99' IS THIS YEAR THEY CAME OUT WITH THE FIX, BUT IF YOU KEPT YOUR PORSCHE CLEAN AND GARAGE KEPT IT WOULD BE WELL PAST THE WARRANTY BEFORE THE WIRES FAULTED AND THE LIGHT COME ON. ALTHOUGH THEY SAY IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT THE AIRBAG WILL STILL DEPLOY, BY HAVING THIS FAULT ACTIVE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TELL IF A TRUE AIRBAG FAULT THAT WILL AFFECT THE AIRBAG OPERATION REALLY WENT OFF. *TR
No injuries · No fire · No crash