Your vehicle report
2011 Porsche Cayenne
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 30
- Received Jun 2015 to Dec 2024
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Transfer case shifts into 4-wheel drive unexpectedly7 complaints · 23% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Dashboard cracks near passenger airbag3 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking3 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V656000Porsche 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."
- Recall #16V169000Porsche 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Dashboard cracks near passenger airbagFirst signal: Nov 2024
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 3 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 30 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer case shifts into 4-wheel drive unexpectedly | 7 | 23% | – | |
| Dashboard cracks near passenger airbag | 3 | 10% | 757.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Nov 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.2% |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 10% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #22V656000August 30, 2022222,858 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
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."
Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #16V169000March 23, 201688,300 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
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.
If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
NHTSA recall #12V065000February 21, 201220,278 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
Porsche is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cayenne, Cayenne s, Cayenne s hybrid, and Cayenne turbo vehicles manufactured from march 8, 2010, through january 31, 2012 because the headlamps may come loose and detach from the fender.
A detached headlight could lead to loss of visibility and an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy
Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp locking assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 9, 2012. Owners may contact Porsche at 1-800-767-7243.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN