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2003 Porsche 911 TurboProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 13 owner complaints about the 2003 Porsche 911 Turbo, most often about the engine. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints130 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage47kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 3, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 Porsche 911 Turbo has problems

13 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine110
Engine and engine cooling20
Vehicle speed control10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2003 Porsche 911 Turbo recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Seats

Recall 04V-070 · Feb 18, 2004 · 1,805 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SEATS COULD TWIST, TILTING ON ONE SIDE TO THE REAR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections

Recall 03V-218 · Jun 16, 2003 · 1,043 vehicles

Risk. IF THE FITTING IS LOOSE, THE HYDRAULIC FLUID COULD LEAK OUT, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST AND, FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Porsche.

Best & worst years

2003 vs. every other 911 Turbo year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 911 Turbo median. How we score

'01'02'03'04'07'08'10'11'12'17'22'23'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2003 Porsche 911 Turbo, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Rapid coolant lossPE13009 · closed Mar 10, 2014
    No recall
In owners' words

What 911 Turbo owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN DECEMBER 2015, ON A LOCAL ROAD NEAR MY HOME, THE ENGINE BEGAN EMITTING A LARGE STEAM CLOUD BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND THE COOLANT LEVEL LIGHT APPEARED. I PULLED OVER AND THERE WAS A MAJOR COOLANT LEAK BEHIND THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO A SHOP, AND THEY IDENTIFIED THE…
Complaint 10939285 · Jan 3, 2017 · 47,000 miles
I WAS DRIVING ON THE PUTNAM PARK ROAD COURSE TRACK ON 9/12/15, AND ONE OF MY COOLANT FITTINGS BROKE LOOSE FROM THE DEFECTIVE PORSCHE ADHESIVE. IT SPEWED COOLANT ALL OVER THE TRACK, CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION CAUSING OTHER DRIVERS TO LOSE CONTROL. I HAD A PORSCHE DEALER REMEDY THE SITUATION…
Complaint 10765255 · Sep 18, 2015 · 33,200 miles
I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHILE ACCELERATING WHEN I FELT THE CAR SQUIRM AND NOTICED A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE BILLOWING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE AS A CATASTROPHIC COOLANT LEAK FROM THE ENGINE AREA (REAR) OF THE VEHICLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE…
Complaint 10682527 · Feb 10, 2015 · 63,421 miles

Own a 2003 911 Turbo?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.