2011 Porsche Cayenne

THE CAR STOPPED WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN TRAFFIC ON A BUSY SUBURBAN ROAD. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. RIGHT BEFORE THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED THE PSM LIGHT CAME ON. THIS WAS THE ONLY THING THAT OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE SUDDEN STOP. THE CAR WAS PUSHED OUT OF THE ROAD AND FLAT BEDDED TO PAUL MILLER PORSCHE IN PARSIPPANY, N.J. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN(S) FOUND THAT AT LEAST ONE ALUMINUM BOLT FROM THE CAM SHAFT ADJUSTER HAD SHEARED OFF AND FELL THROUGH THE ENGINE CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THE CAR WAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS PURCHASE BRAND NEW ON JUNE 15, 2011. THE CAR HAD BEEN SPECIAL ORDERED SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DELIVERY DATE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS THAT PORSCHE CAYENNES AND PANAMERAS MANUFACTURED DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD OUR CAR WAS MADE WERE RECALLED IN CHINA FOR THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE-ALUMINUM CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER BOLTS SHEARING OFF INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSING TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. THIS CAR WAS OUT OF THE PORSCHE 4 YEAR/50K WARRANTY PERIOD. I NOTIFIED PORSCHE NORTH AMERICA OF THIS INCIDENT AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS COVERED UNDER OUR GEICO MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN INSURANCE. GEICO SENT OUT INSPECTORS TO EXAMINE THE CAR AND DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS. WE SURRENDERED THE CAR TO GEICO AND WERE PAID WHAT THEY DEEMED THE CAR WAS WORTH. THE LAST TIME WE SAW THE CAR WAS AT PAUL MILLER PORSCHE IN PARSIPANNY, N.J. ON JULY 26TH WHEN WE EMPTIED IT OF OUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT IN THIS INCIDENT. OBVIOUSLY A CAR SUDDENLY STOPPING WHILE BEING DRIVEN IS HUGE DANGER. HAD THIS OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY OR IN FASTER TRAFFIC THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.

THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASING REPORTS OF VARIOCAM CAMSHAFT DRIVE BOLT FAILURES ON THE 2011 PORSCHE CAYENNE V8 ENGINES. WHEN THESE BOLTS FAIL, ENGINE DAMAGE OCCURS, AND THE ENGINE TYPICALLY STOPS RUNNING. IN THE CASE OF THE TURBO MODEL - THIS CAN ALSO RESULT IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY SINCE THE BRAKES ARE POWERED OFF A CAMSHAFT. THERE IS ALSO A LOSS OF POWER STEERING - MEANING YOU HAVE A 4,500LB VEHICLE WITHOUT BRAKES OR STEERING. PORSCHE HAD A LIMITED "WORKSHOP CAMPAIGN" FOR THESE VEHICLES THAT ADDRESSED A CERTAIN RANGE OF VIN# IN THE USA. IT IS WC-22 (I'M ATTACHING A PDF OF IT.) THE FAILURES ARE NOW BEING REPORTED WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY IN VIN#'S NOT COVERED BY THIS WORKSHOP CAMPAIGN. THE CAMPAIGN INVOLVES REPLACING THE VARIOCAM ASSEMBLY WITH ONE ASSEMBLED WITH STEEL BOLTS RATHER THAN ALUMINUM BOLTS. EARLIER VERSIONS OF THIS ASSEMBLY ALSO USED STEEL BOLTS, AND THE FAILURES APPEAR LIMITED TO ONES WHERE THE ALUMINUM BOLTS WERE USED. THE MOST COMPLETE DISCUSSION ON THIS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP://WWW.6SPEEDONLINE.COM/FORUMS/CAYENNE/319690-SNAPPED-CAMSHAFT-ADJUSTER-BOLT-ENGINE-BRAKE-HYDRAULICS-FAILURE.HTML THERE ARE OTHER WEBSITES AND DISCUSSIONS ON THE SAME FAILURE. HERE IS AN ARTICLE ON THE RECALL PORSCHE DID IN CHINA FOR THE SAME PROBLEM: HTTP://EUROPE.AUTONEWS.COM/ARTICLE/20150209/ANE/150209861/PORSCHE-WILL-RECALL-SOME-PANAMERA-CAYENNE-MODELS-IN-CHINA MINE HAS NOT FAILED YET - BUT IT APPEARS TO BE JUST A MATTER OF TIME, MINE HAS THE ALUMINUM BOLTS IN THE ASSEMBLY. I WOULD ASK THAT PORSCHE EXTEND THE WORKSHOP CAMPAIGN TO ALL THE VEHICLES WITH THE ALUMINUM BOLTS USED IN THE VARIOCAM ASSEMBLY. THE FAILURE OF BOTH BRAKES AND STEERING THAT OCCURS WHEN THESE BOLTS FAIL IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES. IT MAKES ME HESITANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I'VE ASKED THE LOCAL DEALER ABOUT IT, AND THEY CLAIM MY VEHICLE IS NOT EFFECTED.