2005 Porsche Cayenne S Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 31, 2022 · 10 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Cayenne S years
More complaints than other years 4th of 16 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Porsche Cayenne S. That ranks 4th out of 16 Cayenne S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (3 complaints, 30%), typically at around 74,800 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2005 Porsche Cayenne S problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine and Engine Cooling3 · ~74,800 mi
Vehicle Speed Control2 · ~7,501 mi
Electrical System1 · ~76,621 mi
Engine1 · ~61,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion System1
Structure1 · ~93,500 mi
Tires1 · ~88,500 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine and Engine Cooling330%74,800——
Vehicle Speed Control220%7,501——
Electrical System110%76,621——
Engine110%61,000——
Fuel/propulsion System110%———
Structure110%93,500——
Tires110%88,500——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2008, with 2 complaints
2005: 1200512007: 1200712008: 2200822011: 2201122014: 1201412016: 1201612018: 220182

n = 10 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2005 Porsche Cayenne S recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Exterior lighting:headlightsAug 30, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V656000 · 222,858 vehicles

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)Jun 12, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V446000 · 99,665 vehicles

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 pumpSep 20, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V576000 · 50,145 vehicles

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 beltsDec 15, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V593000 · 31,000 vehicles

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.

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.

In 2016, at around 85,000 miles the big o tires, located at 3415 s maryland pkwy, las vegas, nv 89169, installed four new tire on my cayenne s, 2005. The tire manufacturer is continental and all tires are of 275/45/19 size. Anticipating a 470 miles trip on june 8, 2018 from las vegas to moab, ut…

Tires · received Jun 15, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11102015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PORSCHE CAYENNE S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V576000 (FUEL PUMP, GASOLINE) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION IN NOVEMBER OF 2017. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (THE…

Fuel/propulsion System · received May 4, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11091943

The engine has plastic coolant pipes between the front and back of the engine. They failed and dumped all the coolant out while on the road. Car was disabled and had to be towed. After researching, it's concluded that this is a very common failure in cayennes with a v8 engine at about 60000 miles…

Engine · received Mar 22, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10851050

In a parking lot traveling at 7 mph approx, applied the brakes and the psm (stability management) lights and buzzers came on. Lost all brakes on the car and could not stop. Pumped the brakes and still no stopping capability. Had to hit a pole to avoid pedestrians and other cars. Dealer diagnosed…

Structure · received Sep 11, 2014 · NHTSA complaint 10632407

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 porsche cayenne s. The contact stated that the radiator pipe was fractured, causing anti freeze to leak from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the original hose lines were replaced with metal lines due to corrosion. The manufacturer was made aware of…

Engine and Engine Cooling · received Sep 20, 2011 · NHTSA complaint 10426461

Other Porsche Cayenne S years

← 2004 Cayenne S · 2006 Cayenne S →

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 2005 Porsche Cayenne S?

Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 3 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2005 Porsche Cayenne S?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2005 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 2005 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.