2004 Porsche Boxster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Boxster years
- Not enough data 11th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Porsche Boxster. That ranks 11th out of 14 Boxster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (2 complaints, 50%), typically at around 40,234 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 4owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 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 | 2 | 50% | 40,234 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 25% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 25% | 20,468 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Porsche Boxster recalls (1)
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.
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.
SUMMARY OF SAFETY DEFECT: Active, unmitigated toxic gasoline vapor leak inside the cabin of a 2004 Porsche Boxster, presenting an acute fire and toxic chemical exposure hazard upon filling the tank and starting the vehicle. DEALER & CORPORATE EVASION: Ignored Warnings: Dealership intake and repair…
The intermediate shaft bearing when out and spread metal shaving throughout the engine. This caused a catastrophic engine failure. I have to have the car towed to the mechanic and will have to have an engine rebuild. The car has been service according to the company provided service manual. I…
2004 porsche boxster, 58-60k mi, had catastrophic engine failure at 10 mi/hr. Engine stalled; was able to restart and drive a few feet, but badly missing. Loud clanging noise from engine. No smoke. Oil drained from car when tilted on towtruck. Dealer found intermediate shaft (ims) failure; required…
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 porsche boxster. When accelerating from a stop light at 2 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and they stated that the ims (intermediate shaft) failed, which caused the engine to fail. It would cost $16,000-$20,000 to replace. The manufacturer…
Other Porsche Boxster years
← 2003 Boxster · 2005 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 | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 Boxster | 12 | 2 |
| 2002 Boxster | 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
Embed this 2004 Porsche Boxster badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Porsche Boxster?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, engine, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Porsche Boxster?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 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 2004 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.