2003 Porsche Cayenne S Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cayenne S years
- Not enough data 7th of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 9 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S. That ranks 7th out of 16 Cayenne S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel/propulsion system (2 complaints, 50%), typically at around 98,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 9 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 4owner complaints
- 9safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Porsche Cayenne S 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 50% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 25% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Porsche Cayenne S recalls (9)
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:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, 2004-2010 Cayenne, 2006 Cayenne Turbo S, 2010-2016 Panamera S, Panamera 4 S, Panamera Turbo, 2011-2016 Panamera, Panamera 4, 2012-2013 Panamera Turbo S, 2013-2016 Panamera 4 GTS, 2014-2016 Panamera 4 S Executive, Panamera Turbo Executive, Panamera Turbo S G1 II, Panamera Turbo S Executive, 2013 Panamera 4 Platinum Edition, Panamera Platinum Edition, 2016 Panamera 4 Edition, Panamera Edition, Panamera Turbo S Executive Luxury Sports vehicles. The bushing that attaches the gear selector lever to the gearbox may degrade over time, causing the bushing to detach. This condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to Park and remove the ignition key, while the transmission may not be in Park, with no warning message or audible chime.
Risk: If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. Owners are instructed to use the parking brake until their vehicle is repaired. The recall began August 9, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKB1.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo vehicles, 2004-2006 Cayenne vehicles, and 2006 Cayenne S "Titanium" Edition vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel filter flanges with new filter flanges that have a protective film, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AH10.
Seat belts
Problem: Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." all three rear seat positions and the front passenger position are equipped with seat belt retractors that have a locking feature which converts the retractor from an emergency locking retractor (elr) mode to an automatic locking retractor (alr) mode for the purposes of child restraint installation. The belt may deactivate the alr mode with certain child restraints.
Risk: When involved in a crash, the child restraints may not be properly secured increasing the risk of injury or death to the seat occupant.
Fix: Dealers will permanently install a clip in either of the affected rear outboard seat belts and provide an owner's manual insert. The clips will prevent unwarranted conversion from alr to elr mode with child seat installation. The recall began may 17, 2005. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the rear seat belt latch attachment bolt is insufficient riveted.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the belt buckle latch and, if necessary, replace the latch. Owner notification began on june 1, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, if the ground connection between the spiral ring of the tank filler neck and the connecting pipe to the fuel tank is inadequate, the flow of fuel during refueling can create an electrostatic charge, which could discharge and spark. This spark could ignite fuel vapors in the area outside the tank filler neck that could lead to a muffled detonation.
Risk: Due to such a startling event, the individual refueling the vehicle could remove the fuel nozzle at precisely the moment of the detonation without first stopping the fueling process. In such a circumstance, fuel escaping outside of the fuel tank may ignite, resulting in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the ground connection and, if necessary, corrected. Owner notification began on march 29, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the main wiring harness was incorrectly routed. Damage to the main wiring harness can lead to the failure of various electrical systems.
Risk: In extreme cases, to a cable fire beneath the instrument panel in the passenger compartment.
Fix: Dealers will re-route the wiring harness. Owner notification schedule began on march 29, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
Seats
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the driver's side seat frames were not adequately welded.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat frame could break, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's side seat frame. Owner notification began on march 29, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the affected vehicles may be missing the gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) and gross axle weight ratings (gawr) on the certification label as required by part 567.4(g)(3) and (g)(4).
Risk: The vehicle operator will not be informed of the vehicle's gvwr and gawr.
Fix: Dealers will apply the corrected label. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Srs warning light illumination (EA06005) — opened Mar 15, 2006, closed Mar 12, 2007.
- Srs warning light illumination (PE05060) — opened Nov 10, 2005, closed Mar 15, 2006.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Porsche notified me of recall november 29 2017
Dear sir/ madam thank you for your letter of november 29, 2017, regarding recall of our vehicle porsche cayenne s #[xxx] (recall # 17v-576). Please note that due to the problem i experienced with the fuel pump in the vehicle, i had to replace the pumps rh and lh, with required accessories. A total…
Failure of driveshaft and transmission 6 year history of "hesitation" whenever car accelerated. *tr
In the last two months, consumer had two accident directly related to the perelli tire tread. (nar) *ph *cb
Other Porsche Cayenne S years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 Cayenne S | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 Cayenne S | 6 | 2 |
| 2011 Cayenne S | 17 | 3 |
| 2009 Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 Cayenne S | 5 | 1 |
| 2007 Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 Cayenne S | 13 | 3 |
| 2005 Cayenne S | 10 | 4 |
| 2004 Cayenne S | 48 | 9 |
| 2003 | 4 | 9 |
See all Porsche Cayenne S problems by year, every Porsche model, or the Porsche VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S?
Owners most often report fuel/propulsion system, power train, tires problems. The top one, fuel/propulsion system, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S?
Yes, 9 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cayenne S model years, the 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.