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2003 Porsche 911

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
9Owner complaints

Model-year median: 2

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2003 Porsche 911

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 9 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 3 reports
  • Unknown Or Other: 3 reports
  • Electrical System: 1 reports
  • Engine: 1 reports
  • Equipment: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    6
    2000    8
    2001    9
    2002    9
    2003    8
    2004    3
    2005
    Compare all 911 years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Engine And Engine Cooling
    3    Unknown Or Other
    3    Electrical System
    1    Engine
    1    Equipment
    1
    All reported categories
    Seats
    1    Wheels
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    Limited mileage data: 6 of 9 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

    NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

    What to inspect

    Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

    • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

    Unknown Or Other complaints

    3 reports
    Clear category filter
    Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2025
    Unknown Or Other

    I bought this vehicle from the Mecum auction. It was represented as a vehicle with 2651 miles on the odometer after purchase. I later ran a Carfax and saw that it had upwards of 60,000 miles and had potential odometer. Roll Back. I contacted Mecum and they said they could not do anything about it. The seller who sold it to Mecum…

    Read full complaint

    I bought this vehicle from the Mecum auction. It was represented as a vehicle with 2651 miles on the odometer after purchase. I later ran a Carfax and saw that it had upwards of 60,000 miles and had potential odometer. Roll Back. I contacted Mecum and they said they could not do anything about it. The seller who sold it to Mecum was a dealership in Michigan.

    NHTSA ODI #11652685

    75,894 miles · Jan 28, 2020
    Unknown Or Other

    ODOMETER READING ON THE CLUSTER AND TITLE DO NOT MATCH WHAT THE CAR ACTUALLY HAS. I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM MULLINS FORD OF VERO BEACH. FOUND MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE MILEAGE TRUE MILEAGE WAS ACTUALLY 13,000 MILES MORE. SPOKE TO TWO MANAGERS AND NEITHER OF THEM WANTED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I REALLY LOVED T…

    Read full complaint

    ODOMETER READING ON THE CLUSTER AND TITLE DO NOT MATCH WHAT THE CAR ACTUALLY HAS. I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM MULLINS FORD OF VERO BEACH. FOUND MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE MILEAGE TRUE MILEAGE WAS ACTUALLY 13,000 MILES MORE. SPOKE TO TWO MANAGERS AND NEITHER OF THEM WANTED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I REALLY LOVED THE CAR AND WANTED TO KEEP IT BUT FOR SOMEONE TO LIE AND DO SOMETHING FRAUDULENT IS NOT A PLEASURE I WANTED TO BE APART SO I INFORMED THEM OF IT AND MADE THEM REFUND MY MONEY. AFTER 9 HOURS OF MY LIFE WASTED FOR THIS HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE I FEEL THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THEY ARE RESELLING THE CAR WITH INCORRECT MILEAGE AGAIN.

    NHTSA ODI #11302661

    Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2018
    Unknown Or Other

    THIS VEHICLE HAS A DARK HISTORY AROUND 2010 ! THERE WERE FIVE TITLE ISSUES REPORTED ALL STAYING LEMON LAW ISSUES ! I CAN'T GET ANYONE TO VLARIFY

    NHTSA ODI #11115190

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

    Defect investigations

    1

    PE13009 · Rapid Coolant Loss

    Opened Apr 26, 2013 · Closed Mar 10, 2014

    Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling; Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System; Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:hoses/lines/piping/fittings

    On April 26, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-009 to investigate 10 complaints alleging incidents of sudden coolant loss while traveling on public roadways in certain model year (MY) 2001 through 2007 Porsche 911 vehicles.The complaints alleged that pipe ends joined by epoxy to certain cooling system components may fail suddenly and separate, resulting in large volumes of coolant leakage.The investigation was opened to assess evidence of a design or manufacturing defect in the coolant pipe fittings and any related safety consequences. In response to ODI?s Information Request letter, Porsche identified a manufacturing quality issue with the supplier?s application of adhesive to coolant pipe fittings that resulted in elevated failure rates in approximately 6,800 early production 997 generation vehicles (MY 2007 and early MY 2008).ODI?s analysis of field data showed that the age-adjusted failure rate for these vehicles was approximately six times greater than MY 2001 through 2005 996 generation vehicles and MY 2008 through 2011 997 generation vehicles built after a process improvement for adhesive application was implemented by the supplier.Most of the leak complaints reviewed by ODI did not appear to involve complete separation of the fittings and many were detected when the vehicle was parked.There were no crashes or injuries reported to be related to the alleged defect in any of the subject vehicles.ODI identified two allegations that coolant leakage resulted in loss of control incidents, but neither involved vehicles affected by the assembly process quality issue.A third loss of control allegation involving a vehicle built during the period affected by the supplier process concern is not counted since ODI was unable to contact the owner to confirm the incident.See the full closing resume in the document file for PE13-009 for additional information about the subject cooling system and ODI?s analysis of field data related to the alleged defect. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

    Additional source detail variants (3)

    Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:hoses/lines/piping/fittings

    On April 26, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-009 to investigate 10 complaints alleging incidents of sudden coolant loss while traveling on public roadways in certain model year (MY) 2001 through 2007 Porsche 911 vehicles.The complaints alleged that pipe ends joined by epoxy to certain cooling system components may fail suddenly and separate, resulting in large volumes of coolant leakage.The investigation was opened to assess evidence of a design or manufacturing defect in the coolant pipe fittings and any related safety consequences. In response to ODI?s Information Request letter, Porsche identified a manufacturing quality issue with the supplier?s application of adhesive to coolant pipe fittings that resulted in elevated failure rates in approximately 6,800 early production 997 generation vehicles (MY 2007 and early MY 2008).ODI?s analysis of field data showed that the age-adjusted failure rate for these vehicles was approximately six times greater than MY 2001 through 2005 996 generation vehicles and MY 2008 through 2011 997 generation vehicles built after a process improvement for adhesive application was implemented by the supplier.Most of the leak complaints reviewed by ODI did not appear to involve complete separation of the fittings and many were detected when the vehicle was parked.There were no crashes or injuries reported to be related to the alleged defect in any of the subject vehicles.ODI identified two allegations that coolant leakage resulted in loss of control incidents, but neither involved vehicles affected by the assembly process quality issue.A third loss of control allegation involving a vehicle built during the period affected by the supplier process concern is not counted since ODI was unable to contact the owner to confirm the incident.See the full closing resume in the document file for PE13-009 for additional information about the subject cooling system and ODI?s analysis of field data related to the alleged defect. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

    Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System

    On April 26, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-009 to investigate 10 complaints alleging incidents of sudden coolant loss while traveling on public roadways in certain model year (MY) 2001 through 2007 Porsche 911 vehicles.The complaints alleged that pipe ends joined by epoxy to certain cooling system components may fail suddenly and separate, resulting in large volumes of coolant leakage.The investigation was opened to assess evidence of a design or manufacturing defect in the coolant pipe fittings and any related safety consequences. In response to ODI?s Information Request letter, Porsche identified a manufacturing quality issue with the supplier?s application of adhesive to coolant pipe fittings that resulted in elevated failure rates in approximately 6,800 early production 997 generation vehicles (MY 2007 and early MY 2008).ODI?s analysis of field data showed that the age-adjusted failure rate for these vehicles was approximately six times greater than MY 2001 through 2005 996 generation vehicles and MY 2008 through 2011 997 generation vehicles built after a process improvement for adhesive application was implemented by the supplier.Most of the leak complaints reviewed by ODI did not appear to involve complete separation of the fittings and many were detected when the vehicle was parked.There were no crashes or injuries reported to be related to the alleged defect in any of the subject vehicles.ODI identified two allegations that coolant leakage resulted in loss of control incidents, but neither involved vehicles affected by the assembly process quality issue.A third loss of control allegation involving a vehicle built during the period affected by the supplier process concern is not counted since ODI was unable to contact the owner to confirm the incident.See the full closing resume in the document file for PE13-009 for additional information about the subject cooling system and ODI?s analysis of field data related to the alleged defect. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

    Engine And Engine Cooling

    On April 26, 2013, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE13-009 to investigate 10 complaints alleging incidents of sudden coolant loss while traveling on public roadways in certain model year (MY) 2001 through 2007 Porsche 911 vehicles.The complaints alleged that pipe ends joined by epoxy to certain cooling system components may fail suddenly and separate, resulting in large volumes of coolant leakage.The investigation was opened to assess evidence of a design or manufacturing defect in the coolant pipe fittings and any related safety consequences. In response to ODI?s Information Request letter, Porsche identified a manufacturing quality issue with the supplier?s application of adhesive to coolant pipe fittings that resulted in elevated failure rates in approximately 6,800 early production 997 generation vehicles (MY 2007 and early MY 2008).ODI?s analysis of field data showed that the age-adjusted failure rate for these vehicles was approximately six times greater than MY 2001 through 2005 996 generation vehicles and MY 2008 through 2011 997 generation vehicles built after a process improvement for adhesive application was implemented by the supplier.Most of the leak complaints reviewed by ODI did not appear to involve complete separation of the fittings and many were detected when the vehicle was parked.There were no crashes or injuries reported to be related to the alleged defect in any of the subject vehicles.ODI identified two allegations that coolant leakage resulted in loss of control incidents, but neither involved vehicles affected by the assembly process quality issue.A third loss of control allegation involving a vehicle built during the period affected by the supplier process concern is not counted since ODI was unable to contact the owner to confirm the incident.See the full closing resume in the document file for PE13-009 for additional information about the subject cooling system and ODI?s analysis of field data related to the alleged defect. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.