2013 Porsche Cayenne Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Apr 7, 2026 · 40 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Cayenne years
Far more complaints than other years 4th of 23 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Porsche Cayenne. That ranks 4th out of 23 Cayenne model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (16 complaints, 40%), typically at around 70,000 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.

Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne Electric Turbo in Stuttgart. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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

Compare with another car

Most common 2013 Porsche Cayenne problems

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

Power Train16 · ~70,000 mi
Unknown or Other9 · ~24,000 mi
Engine7 · ~52,361 mi
Air Bags6
Fuel/propulsion System5 · ~7 mi
Seat Belts4 · ~93,000 mi
Electrical System3 · ~38,100 mi
Structure2 · ~27,000 mi
Exterior Lighting1 · ~154,123 mi
Steering1 · ~24,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Power Train1640%70,000——
Unknown or Other923%24,000——
Engine718%52,361——
Air Bags615%———
Fuel/propulsion System513%7——
Seat Belts410%93,000——
Electrical System38%38,100——
Structure25%27,000——
Exterior Lighting13%154,123——
Steering13%24,000——
Vehicle Speed Control13%67,000——

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

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2019, with 13 complaints
2015: 1201512016: 2201622017: 2201722018: 4201842019: 132019132020: 5202052021: 1202112022: 2202222024: 5202452025: 3202532026: 220262

n = 40 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2013 Porsche Cayenne recalls (3)

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.

Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkagesMar 23, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V169000 · 88,300 vehicles

Problem: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Cayenne vehicles manufactured April 28, 2010, to January 11, 2016. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a circlip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.

Risk: If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly circlip, installing any missing circlips, free of charge. The recall began on July 8, 2016. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AG02.

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelOct 17, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V506000 · 207 vehicles

Problem: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cayenne and Cayenne GTS, model year 2013 Cayenne Diesel and model year 2014 Cayenne S, S Hybrid, Turbo, and Turbo S vehicles manufactured May 27, 2013, through July 10, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the calculated range of the remaining fuel displayed on the instrument cluster may be higher than the actual range. Additionally, the fuel level indicated by the fuel gauge may also be higher than actual amount in the tank.

Risk: The fuel display inaccuracies may result in the vehicle unexpectedly running out of fuel and stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software free of charge. The recall began on December 5, 2013. Owners may contact Porsche at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's recall number is AD03.

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 leather dash has "shrunk" so badly and is so distorted that there is no way the passenger airbag would properly inflate in an accident. Porsche tells me that this defect is "cosmetic" and of no consequence to vehicle safety. I do not agree with this position and feel that Porsche should be…

Air Bags · received Apr 7, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11729798

This vehicle qualified for the Volkswagen Emissions Recall, yet from the start of the recall through 2018 settlement lawsuit dates , no correspondence was sent (by Porsche nor VW). According to all recall regulations, my vehicle should have among the ‘recall’ with the 85K plus others, yet no…

Electrical System · received Mar 16, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11724527

The factory leather dashboard has detached/ungluded in places both on the driver and passenger side. Now the dashboard cover in the passenger area does not properly line up and has bubbled up on top of the passenger air bag door. There is a high possibility that this defect will prevent the…

Air Bags · received Sep 2, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11684455

Porsche dashboard leather has shrunk and now doesn’t properly cover airbag which is a major safety hazard. Porsche said they would not cover cost to replace which they quoted $9k. There are tons of reports of this happening to other Porsche cayenne owners and need to be addressed via recall

Air Bags · received Apr 1, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11652153

Leather dashboard cover is separating from the dashboard with staples being pulled up. I am concerned the airbag in the dash may deploy improperly and/or dangerously.

Air Bags · received Jan 17, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11636420

Other Porsche Cayenne years

← 2012 Cayenne · 2014 Cayenne →

See all Porsche Cayenne problems by year, every Porsche model, or the Porsche VIN decoder.

Similar Porsche models

Embed this 2013 Porsche Cayenne 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 2013 Porsche Cayenne?

Owners most often report power train, unknown or other, engine problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 16 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2013 Porsche Cayenne?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2013 Porsche Cayenne a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cayenne model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.