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2003 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: 10 of 12 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. 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.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports
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32,500 miles · Sep 28, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

1. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW. IT IS MY DAILY DRIVER. ONLY SERVICED MY PORSCHE MECHANICS. IT HAD 32,500 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. AFTER LEAVING A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NOT VERY LOAD. I THOUGHT IT HAD CAUGHT A PIECE OF DEBRIS IN THE BELT SYSTEM. DROVE IT SLOWLY …

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1. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW. IT IS MY DAILY DRIVER. ONLY SERVICED MY PORSCHE MECHANICS. IT HAD 32,500 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. AFTER LEAVING A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NOT VERY LOAD. I THOUGHT IT HAD CAUGHT A PIECE OF DEBRIS IN THE BELT SYSTEM. DROVE IT SLOWLY HOME, AND THE SOUND GOT PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER. THE NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF OIL UNDER THE CAR. I CALLED THE PORSCHE DEALER IN MOBILE, AL FOR A TOW TRUCK. 2. I WAS TOLD BY THE PORSCHE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE CAR HAD EXPERIENCED THE INFAMOUS INTERMEDIATE SHAFT (IMS) FAILURE, AND THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THERE IS LITTLE TO NO WARNING OF THIS FAILURE, AND THEY ARE ALMOST ALWAYS CATASTROPHIC. REQUIRING COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. 3. PORSCHE NORTH AMERICA WAS CONTACTED WITH ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION. THEY RESPONDED WITH AN OFFER TO COVER HALF THE COST OF A FACTORY REBUILT ENGINE. I WOULD PAY THE OTHER HALF, PLUS ALL LABOR AND TOWING COSTS. THIS REPLACEMENT WILL COST ME OVER $11,000.00 !!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10358136

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.