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2002 Porsche Boxster

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 9 of 10 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Structure complaints

2 reports
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70,000 miles · Mar 16, 2010
Electrical SystemStructure

SEE ODI CASE NUMBER: 10318487, COMPUTER FAILURE DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE INTO CAB. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN FALL, 2008. THE FIRST TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER (AT MY COST) AND ONE MONTH LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AGAIN, THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED AND THE CARPETS NEEDED REMOVAL AND CLEANING DUE TO FUNGUS, ALL AT MY COS…

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SEE ODI CASE NUMBER: 10318487, COMPUTER FAILURE DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE INTO CAB. THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE IN FALL, 2008. THE FIRST TIME, THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER (AT MY COST) AND ONE MONTH LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AGAIN, THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED AND THE CARPETS NEEDED REMOVAL AND CLEANING DUE TO FUNGUS, ALL AT MY COST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10320181

33,000 miles · Mar 10, 2010
Electrical SystemStructure

WE OWN A 2002 PORSCHE BOXSTER WITH APPROXIMATELY 66,000 MILES. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, USED, IN LATE 2003. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF USE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT AND FLOODING THE CONTROL UNIT, RENDERING THE CAR TOTALLY INOPERABLE. THE INCIDENTS H…

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WE OWN A 2002 PORSCHE BOXSTER WITH APPROXIMATELY 66,000 MILES. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, USED, IN LATE 2003. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF USE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO THE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT AND FLOODING THE CONTROL UNIT, RENDERING THE CAR TOTALLY INOPERABLE. THE INCIDENTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN OCTOBER, 2004 AT 33,000 MILES, APRIL, 2008 AT 61,000 MILES, AND CURRENTLY IN FEBRUARY, 2010. THE REPAIR HAS INITIALED REPLACING THE CONTROL UNIT AND HAVING TO PULL OUT THE CARPET SO AS TO INHIBIT MOLD GROWTH. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY, THE SECOND TIME WAS REPAIRED AT OUR EXPENSE OF APPROX. $1,600. THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS CURRENT REPAIR IS $1,500. WE BELIEVE THIS POSES A SEVERE SAFETY RISK BECAUSE THE FIRST INCIDENT TOOK PLACE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN USE. WE WERE DRIVING UP A HILL. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE AND WE HAD TO MANEUVER THE CAR USING THE HANDBRAKE, TO REVERSE DOWN THE HILL. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. WE HAVE INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN PORSCHE'S VEHICLES. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND/OR THE RESTRICTIVE FILTERS THAT CAUSE THEM TO BECOME CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS AND CAUSE THE WATER LEAKAGE. IN ADDITION TO THIS PROBLEM RECURRING DOMESTICALLY, WE NOTE THAT THE NHTSA, WAS INFORMED VIA FRCL-09F028-2453 DATED APRIL 5, 2009 OF A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN NON-U.S. MARKETS. WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INVESTIGATING THIS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10318487

Official recalls

2

22V656000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Aug 30, 2022

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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

03V004000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.