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2011 Porsche Cayenne SProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 17 owner complaints about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S, most often about the engine. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 22V-656 the manufacturer reports only 30% of affected cars repaired.

2011 Porsche Cayenne S
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 30%Owner complaints170 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage61kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 23, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S has problems

17 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
Engine120
Power train30
Service brakes20
Electronic stability control (ESC)10
Exterior lighting10
Visibility10

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

3 recalls

2011 Porsche Cayenne S 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.

30%repaired · 2024 Q3

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 22V-656 · Aug 30, 2022 · 222,858 vehicles · 67,551 repaired

Risk. Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 12V-065 · Feb 21, 2012 · 20,278 vehicles

Risk. A DETACHED HEADLIGHT COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VISIBILITY AND AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH.

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

2011 vs. every other Cayenne S 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 Cayenne S median. How we score

'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'11'12'13'14'15'19'20'21'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2011 Porsche Cayenne S safety ratings

2011 Porsche Cayenne S SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Cayenne S owners report

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

THE COOLANT PIPE DESIGN IS FLAWED. THE BARB IS GLUED AND PRESSED IN THE ALUMINUM BODY. OVER TIME THE GLUE LOSES ITS PROPERTIES AND THE BARB COMES OUT THUS CAUSING MASSIVE COOLANT LEAK AND THE ENGINE CAN OVERHEAT. THE PART WAS REDISGNED AROUND 2015 WHERE THE BARB IS NOW THREADED, BUT THE ORIGINAL…
Complaint 11183714 · Mar 3, 2019 · 54,000 miles
I WAS PULLING FORWARD ON A LEVEL CITY STREET AND TURNING LEFT FROM A STOP SIGN. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SHUDDERING AND FEELING OF A LOSS OF POWER. THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL MONTHS THIS HAD BEEN INCREASING IN SEVERITY BUT THE…
Complaint 11058495 · Jan 4, 2018 · 70,000 miles
ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. CAR TAKEN TO PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE CAMSHAFT CONTROLLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS IT WAS BROKEN. PAID $4000 IN REPAIRS IN 2016. PORSCHE HAS SINCE ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER THEY WILL NOT REIMBURSE FOR THE PREVIOUS REPAIRS AS THEY…
Complaint 11056633 · Dec 26, 2017 · 48,365 miles

Own a 2011 Cayenne S?

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