AI Damage2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 11
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 82% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
- Engine: 9 complaints (82% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (18% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 11 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 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Consumer writes in regards to car stalling while driving. The consumer was advised no fault codes appeared. The vehicle stalled and drifted into a curb bending and damaging the front wheels. The check engine light illuminated.
The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. Additionally, while driving, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist, and the brake pedal was firm while depressed. The vehicle failed to come to a complete stop.
At time of purchase, 11/5/18 my wife glenda and I took it into porsche woodland hills who performed campaign aho8 or verified that the work had been done - replacing the faulty fastening screws in camshaft controller.
Since the transfer case uses a "multiplate wet clutch", moisture could prematurely corrode or allow rust to form, which could cause the clutch to bind and work erratically. These are symptoms described by multiple owners of 958 cayennes discussed in porsche forums (e.g. Renntech.org, rennslist.com, etc.).
11/10/2016 while driving engine light came on, car running very rough, trouble starting. Dealer verified and found numerous faults. Removed left valve cover and found screws for cam adjuster broken. Removed bank 2 cam adjuster & valve cover removed oil pan to retrieve broken pieces of screws from actuator.
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 10,520 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Cayenne Turbo has 4 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 11, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, powertrain. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: loss of power / limp mode (36%), warning lights, check engine (36%), engine failure or replacement (27%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo?
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 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo 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 2011 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.