2011 Porsche Cayenne S Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cayenne S years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S. That ranks 2nd out of 16 Cayenne S model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (12 complaints, 71%), typically at around 61,062 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 17owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 12 | 71% | 61,062 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 18% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 12% | 132,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 6% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 6% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 6% | 400 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Porsche Cayenne S recalls (3)
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.
Engine
Problem: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Panamera S, Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo vehicles, 2011-2012 Panamera and Panamera 4 vehicles, and 2011 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo vehicles. The affected vehicles have camshaft controllers that may come loose inside the engine, potentially resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fastening screws for the camshaft adjusters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 12, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy is available. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AH08.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Porsche is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 cayenne, cayenne s, cayenne s hybrid, and cayenne turbo vehicles manufactured from march 8, 2010, through january 31, 2012 because the headlamps may come loose and detach from the fender.
Risk: A detached headlight could lead to loss of visibility and an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp locking assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 9, 2012. Owners may contact porsche at 1-800-767-7243.
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.
The contact owns a 2011 Porsche Cayenne S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights failed to illuminate properly. The contact stated that there was water intrusion in the headlight housings. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that…
I came to a complete stop on a city street. I let my foot off the brake, then applied my foot back on the brake and the brake pad wouldn't go down, it was hard.
The coolant pipe design is flawed. The barb is glued and pressed in the aluminum body. Over time the glue loses its properties and the barb comes out thus causing massive coolant leak and the engine can overheat. The part was redisgned around 2015 where the barb is now threaded, but the original…
Vehicle acts as if going over speed bump over 18mph also jerking and tugging on you as you accelerate making for hard turning in parking lots feels like front wheel is locking up also noticing safety concern wile coming to stop in traffic under about 3mph the vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly…
Transfer case failed 2016 ; was replaced by dealer and failed again 2017. While driving failure affects shifting and acceleration.
Other Porsche Cayenne S years
← 2009 Cayenne S · 2012 Cayenne S →
| 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 | 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 Cayenne S | 4 | 9 |
See all Porsche Cayenne S problems by year, every Porsche model, or the Porsche VIN decoder.
Similar Porsche models
Embed this 2011 Porsche Cayenne S 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 2011 Porsche Cayenne S?
Owners most often report engine, power train, service brakes problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 12 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 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 2011 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.