AI Damage2003 Porsche Boxster S: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Porsche Boxster S filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 57% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 14% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Latches, locks, linkages 14% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 14% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 14% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (57% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
March 5, 2019. [xxx]. [xxx] 2003 porsche boxster 3.2 engine with brand new michelin ultra-high-performance tires. On december 31, 2018 about 10:30 am, I was driving the car going east, about 80 to 100 miles per hour in the middle of three lanes.when I reached the top of the hill, the front end of the car wobble in the…
While driving uphill at 100 mph, the vehicle vibrated violently when the brake pedal was depressed. Also, the steering pulled to the right and the steering wheel detached from the steering column. The vehicle struck a curb and the passenger side air bags deployed. The rear driver's side tire detached from the vehicle.
My engine failed due to a part called the intermediate shaft. The car is a 2003 porsche, boxster s with 47,000. This problem is well documented on line and appears to be a manufacturing problem. The dealership I went to, knew right away about the failure as they see at least 1 per month.
On the 8th of march, the engine failed with an intermediate shaft bearing failure requiring the replacement of the engine. Porsche cars north america are not helpful.
On saturday, may 16th this boxster suffered engine failure while traveling at ~ 30 mph. The engine failed with no prior warning. The initial indication was a loud and distracting flapping noise that sounded like something had been picked up on the car's undercarriage.
I was told that a porsche manufacturer child safety seat was needed to be installed and then the seat belt would be buckled into that. This device would then turn off the passenger airbag. I inquired about the size of this seat and was informed that it would fit a child up to 5 years of age.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Boxster S has 2 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Porsche Boxster S?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (43%), A/C or heater (14%), knocking, grinding or other noise (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Porsche Boxster S?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Porsche Boxster S from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.