IllustrationCATASROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC RESULTING IN LOSS OF BREAKS AND VERY HEAVY STEERING. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREE WAY THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. FURTHER MORE MANY OTHER PORSCHE BOXSTER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ENGINE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
1999 Porsche Boxster
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Boxster years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 15 of 28 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 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
28 reportsENGINE LOST POWER AND FAILED. DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT #3 CYLINDER "BLEW OUT." DEALER REPLACED FAILED ENGINE WITH REMANUFACTURED ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
IN THE REVERSE POSITION BRAKES LOCK UP AND CAUSE THE REVERSE TO IDLE LOW. THEN THE IDLE RETURNS TO NORMAL. ALSO, COMING AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE SEEMS IT SEEMS AS IF VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND SHAKE, BUT DOES NOT ACTUALLY STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
DIAGNOSED PROBLEM WAS A SLIPPED CYLINDER SLEEVE. HEAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN ALLOY BLOCK AND STEEL SLEEVE HAS BEEN PREVALENT IN FAR TO MANY OF THESE CARS. CHECK OUT WWW.986BOARD.COM AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.
ENGINE EXPERIENCING HESITATION. *YC
WHEN COMING TO A STOP WHILE AIR CINDITIONING IS ON, VEHICLE SHUTTERS. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHENEVER DRIVEN, THE VEHICLE ALMOST STALLS, THE DISTRICT MANAGER STATED THAT ALL OF THE 97-99 BOXTERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHICH CAN NOT BE FIXED. *SLC
VEHICLE IDLES TOO LOW ON STOP WITH AIR CONDITIONER ON AND CLUTCH IN CAUSING CAR TO SHAKE AND ALMOST STALL. NLM
POTENTIAL FATALITY / SEVERE INJURY - ROLL BAR IS LOCATED TOO FAR FORWARD AND DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE PADDING FOR DRIVERS OVER 5' 10" TALL. A RELATIVELY MINOR ACCIDENT CAN EASILY BECOME A FATALITY AS A TALLER DRIVER'S HEAD WILL IMPACT THE ROLL BAR INSTEAD OF THE HEADREST. A RETROFIT PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PADDING IS NECESSARY. *A…
Read full complaint
POTENTIAL FATALITY / SEVERE INJURY - ROLL BAR IS LOCATED TOO FAR FORWARD AND DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE PADDING FOR DRIVERS OVER 5' 10" TALL. A RELATIVELY MINOR ACCIDENT CAN EASILY BECOME A FATALITY AS A TALLER DRIVER'S HEAD WILL IMPACT THE ROLL BAR INSTEAD OF THE HEADREST. A RETROFIT PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PADDING IS NECESSARY. *AK
Official recalls
103V004000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jan 23, 2003
CERTAIN 2-DOOR CONVERTIBLE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TIPTRONIC (AUTOMATIC) TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH AN INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED KEY-LOCK-CABLE DOWN TO THE SHIFT SELECTOR. IF THE KEY-LOCK-CABLE IS NOT ADJUSTED CORRECTLY, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE IGNITION KEY WILL SNAG UPON BEING REMOVED FRO THE IGNITION LOCK OR THE SLECTOR LEVER CAN BE SHIFTED FROM POSITION "P" WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED AND THE LOCKING BUTTON OPERATED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SELECTOR LEVER IS THEN SHIFTED FROM POSITION "P" TO POSITION "R, N OR D" WITH THE VEHICLE PARKED, AND IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ON, THE VHEICLE WILL NOT BE SECURED FROM INADVERTENLY ROLLING AWAY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CABLE ADJUSTMENT AND, REGARDLESS OF THE RESULTS OF THIS INSPECTION, THE KEY-LOCK-CABLE MUST ALSO BE ADJUSTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 15, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-545-8039.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.