repaired · 2025 Q1
Electrical system
Risk. An electrical short circuit increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
2018 Porsche PanameraProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 12 owner complaints about the 2018 Porsche Panamera, most often about the engine. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-033 the manufacturer reports only 80% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 26, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Porsche Panamera has problems
12 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
4Engine1 crash/fire/injury
4Power train
3Electrical system
1Suspension
1Air bags
1Engine and engine cooling
1Service brakes1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4 | 1 |
| Power train | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2018 Porsche Panamera 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.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk. If the driver is not alerted when brake pads are worn out, the vehicle may not respond as expected when braking, increasing the risk of crash.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Electrical system
Risk. Impaired vehicle driveability can increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Risk. If the driver is not alerted when brake pads are worn out, the driver may lose control of the vehicle while attempting to brake, increasing the risk of crash.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2020 Q2
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. An intermittent loss of power steering assist can increase the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Service brakes, hydraulic
Risk. Braking ability that is reduced due to a corroded brake line can increase the risk of a crash.
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
2018 vs. every other Panamera 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 Panamera median. How we score
'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2018 Porsche Panamera safety ratings
2018 Porsche Panamera 5 HB RWD 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
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2018 Porsche Panamera, and the recalls they led to.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
In owners' words
What Panamera owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The main water pump on my 2018 Porsche Panamera 4S failed prematurely. This is not a simple external coolant leak; the internal seal failed, allowing pressurized engine coolant to migrate into the vehicle's vacuum system. The coolant traveled through the vacuum lines and contaminated the vacuum…
This vehicle has an engine which has rocker arms that are known to fail. The manufacturer has not issued a recall to fix this issue which can result in a catastrophic engine failure. They have acknowledged the rocker arms in pre 2018 models to be defective and insufficiently reinforced to handle…
The contact owned a 2018 Porsche Panamera. The contact stated that when he was parking the vehicle, as he had shifted from reverse (R) to drive (D) to straighten the vehicle in the parking spot, the vehicle had inadvertently accelerated at an unknown speed. The contact stated that the vehicle ran…
Own a 2018 Panamera?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.