2002 Porsche Boxster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Boxster years
- About as many complaints as other years 7th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Porsche Boxster. That ranks 7th out of 14 Boxster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (3 complaints, 30%), typically at around 43,550 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 10owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Porsche Boxster problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 30% | 43,550 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 20% | 51,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 20% | 46,902 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 20% | 51,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 10% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 10% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 10% | 7,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Porsche Boxster recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2020 Porsche Macan, Cayenne, Panamera, and Cayman S, 2001-2004 Boxster, Boxster S, 2004 Boxster 50 JAHRE SPYDER 550 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all affected models and model years. The caps that cover the low-beam headlight horizontal adjustment screws are missing, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
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.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install missing caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Porsche's customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ANB4.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: Certain 2-door convertible passenger vehicles equipped with the tiptronic (automatic) transmission may have been produced with an incorrectly adjusted key-lock-cable down to the shift selector. If the key-lock-cable is not adjusted correctly, it is possible that the ignition key will snag upon being removed fro the ignition lock or the slector lever can be shifted from position "p" with the ignition key removed and the locking button operated.
Risk: If the selector lever is then shifted from position "p" to position "r, n or d" with the vehicle parked, and if the parking brake is not on, the vheicle will not be secured from inadvertenly rolling away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the cable adjustment and, regardless of the results of this inspection, the key-lock-cable must also be adjusted. Owner notification began july 15, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
2002 porche boxster. Consumer writes in regards to complaint concerning vehicle parts *tgw the consumer stated the cables from the shifter to the transmission failed while driving in heavy traffic.
The seat belt on my vehicle, when buckled, has a tendency to not latch completely and allows for the release without pressing the release button. Also when it is latched, there is a tendency for it to get caught and not release without significant pulling force on the buckle. *tr
Ims engine failure. Known issues with porsche. Porsche boxster 49,500 miles. Place car in reveres, engine seized. Replacement of engine necessary. $8000- $15,000. *tr
See odi case number: 10318487, computer failure due to water leakage into cab. This happened to me twice in fall, 2008. The first time, the dealer replaced the computer (at my cost) and one month later, it happened again. Again, the computer was replaced and the carpets needed removal and cleaning…
We own a 2002 porsche boxster with approximately 66,000 miles. We purchased the vehicle, used, in late 2003. On three separate occasions we have experienced total loss of use of the vehicle due to water leaking into the interior compartment and flooding the control unit, rendering the car totally…
Other Porsche Boxster years
← 2001 Boxster · 2003 Boxster →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Boxster | 3 | 2 |
| 2014 Boxster | 2 | 3 |
| 2013 Boxster | 10 | 1 |
| 2012 Boxster | 1 | 1 |
| 2006 Boxster | 5 | 0 |
| 2005 Boxster | 16 | 0 |
| 2004 Boxster | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 Boxster | 12 | 2 |
| 2002 | 10 | 2 |
| 2001 Boxster | 13 | 2 |
| 2000 Boxster | 5 | 1 |
| 1999 Boxster | 28 | 1 |
| 1998 Boxster | 32 | 1 |
| 1997 Boxster | 22 | 3 |
See all Porsche Boxster problems by year, every Porsche model, or the Porsche VIN decoder.
Similar Porsche models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Porsche Boxster?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Porsche Boxster?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Porsche Boxster a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Boxster model years, the 2002 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.