← New search

2012 Porsche Cayenne

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Porsche Cayenne do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 21.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Cayenne 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

20 reports with mileage · 7 unknown

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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 4 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

27 reports
10 miles · Mar 13, 2017
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

GPS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING , SERVICE TEST NO ERROR CODE BUT VISIBLE GPS MALFUNCTION ! MANUFACTURE CAN'T IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM SUGGEST TO REPLACE THE NEW PCM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR DRIVER TO BELIEVE ON THE GPS WHILE DRIVING ON IT. IT IS DESIGN FRAUD AND CARELESS OF SERVICE WHEN THE DEVICE IS MALFUNCTION AND SYSTEM CAN'T …

Read full complaint

GPS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING , SERVICE TEST NO ERROR CODE BUT VISIBLE GPS MALFUNCTION ! MANUFACTURE CAN'T IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM SUGGEST TO REPLACE THE NEW PCM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR DRIVER TO BELIEVE ON THE GPS WHILE DRIVING ON IT. IT IS DESIGN FRAUD AND CARELESS OF SERVICE WHEN THE DEVICE IS MALFUNCTION AND SYSTEM CAN'T DETECT IT. CUSTOMER HAS PICTURES AND VIDEOS SUPPORT THE CLAIM. VIDEO LINK: HTTPS://DRIVE.GOOGLE.COM/OPEN?ID=0B1W2Q8JZJUB7RGZSBHNTQ0O1S1K

NHTSA ODI #10960415

120,000 miles · Mar 2, 2017
Power Train

CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER BOLTS FAILED... VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING, INCLUDING BRAKING SYSTEM AND POWER STEERING. PORSCHE RECALLED SOME 2011S, BUT NO 2012 WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE KEPT THE FAULTY PARTS WHICH MATCH PART NUMBER WITH KNOWN DEFECT. PORSCHE WOULD NOT HONOR GOODWILL OR ANY DISCOUNT, EVEN WITH PROOF OF…

Read full complaint

CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER BOLTS FAILED... VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING, INCLUDING BRAKING SYSTEM AND POWER STEERING. PORSCHE RECALLED SOME 2011S, BUT NO 2012 WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE KEPT THE FAULTY PARTS WHICH MATCH PART NUMBER WITH KNOWN DEFECT. PORSCHE WOULD NOT HONOR GOODWILL OR ANY DISCOUNT, EVEN WITH PROOF OF MATCHING NUMBERS PER THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ODI #10958010

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2017
Power Train

PORSCHE CAYENNE 2012. HAS TRANSMISSION CASING ISSUES AND THEY ARE NOT RECALLING IT! HAD TRANSMISSION CASING REPLACED WITH UNMODIFIED PART AND IN LESS THAT 25K ITS BROKEN AGAIN. WORRY ABOUT MY SAFETY ON THE ROAD AS IM TRAVELING WITH KIDS AND ELDERLY A LOT. THEY COVERED FIRST EMPLACEMENT AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT RE…

Read full complaint

PORSCHE CAYENNE 2012. HAS TRANSMISSION CASING ISSUES AND THEY ARE NOT RECALLING IT! HAD TRANSMISSION CASING REPLACED WITH UNMODIFIED PART AND IN LESS THAT 25K ITS BROKEN AGAIN. WORRY ABOUT MY SAFETY ON THE ROAD AS IM TRAVELING WITH KIDS AND ELDERLY A LOT. THEY COVERED FIRST EMPLACEMENT AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT REFUSE TO COVER SECOND REPLACEMENT LABOR COSTS! ITS UNACCEPTABLE! PORSCHE DOES NOT HONOR THEIR QUALITY, WHEN THE PART WAS REPLACED UNMODIFIED IN 2015, THEY WERE FULLY AWARE THAT THIS WOULD BE A PROBLEM DOWN THE ROAD AND SURE ENOUGH, IT IS!! $650 DOLLARS IN LABOR MUST HAVE BEEN COVERED AS WAS THE SECOND REPLACEMENT PART!!

NHTSA ODI #10957198

42,000 miles · Jul 22, 2016
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 PORSCHE CAYENNE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH DOWNHILL AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO REPEATEDLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR THE BRAKES TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS I…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 PORSCHE CAYENNE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH DOWNHILL AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO REPEATEDLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR THE BRAKES TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V169000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI #10887728

50 miles · Sep 3, 2013
Visibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 PORSCHE CAYENNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED AN ABNORMAL GLARE FROM THE WINDSHIELD WHILE ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.

NHTSA ODI #10538643

789 miles · Aug 3, 2012
Engine

THE ENGINE OF MY PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO WAS SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHILE TURNING LEFT ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY. THE OPPOSITE CAR HAD TO VEERED OFF TO AVOID COLLISION. THE CAR KEPT MOVING FORWARD UNTIL IT HIT THE CURB. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10469096

1,400 miles · Feb 27, 2012
Equipment Adaptive/mobilitySeatsUnknown Or Other

I RECENTLY PURCHASED PORSCHE CAYENNE S 2012 AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT THE SUV BUT THE COMFORT ENTRY FEATURE DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND DEALER ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT DIDN'T OFFER ANY SOLUTION. IT WORKS SOME TIME AND IT DOESN'T OTHER TIMES. WHEN YOU SET YOUR POSITION AND SAVE THE POSITION WHEN Y…

Read full complaint

I RECENTLY PURCHASED PORSCHE CAYENNE S 2012 AND I'M HAPPY ABOUT THE SUV BUT THE COMFORT ENTRY FEATURE DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND DEALER ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT DIDN'T OFFER ANY SOLUTION. IT WORKS SOME TIME AND IT DOESN'T OTHER TIMES. WHEN YOU SET YOUR POSITION AND SAVE THE POSITION WHEN YOU UNLOCK THE DOOR WITH THE SAME KEY IT SUPPOSED SAVE ALL YOUR PREFERENCES LIKE SEAT,SIDE MIRRORS AND OTHERS BUT IT DOESN'T WORK MOSTLY...! I CHECKED IN FORUMS AND MOST OF THEM DO COMPLAIN OR THEY JUST GOT USED TO IT. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION WE PAID CLOSE TO $5000.00 TO THIS FEATURE AS AN OPTION. I REQUEST YOU TO INVESTIGATE ON THIS ISSUE AND IF YOU SEE A PROBLEM PLEASE ASK THE PORSCHE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10449465

Official recalls

4

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.

16V169000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages

Mar 23, 2016

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Cayenne vehicles manufactured April 28, 2010, to January 11, 2016. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a circlip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly circlip, installing any missing circlips, free of charge. The recall began on July 8, 2016. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AG02.

12V329000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

Jul 12, 2012

PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 PANAMERA TURBO, 2012 PANAMERA TURBO S, AND 2012 CAYENNE TURBO VEHICLES. THE TURBINE WHEEL OF A TURBOCHARGER MAY FRACTURE DUE TO A CASTING DEFECT. IF A FRACTURE OCCURS, VEHICLE PERFORMANCE WILL BE DECREASED AND THE TURBINE SHAFT MAY FRACTURE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE SHAFT FRACTURES, OIL MAY BE DRAWN INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, RESULTING IN SMOKE AND THE INCREASED RISK OF A FIRE.

Remedy: PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TURBINE WHEELS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 31, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.

12V065000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Feb 21, 2012

PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CAYENNE, CAYENNE S, CAYENNE S HYBRID, AND CAYENNE TURBO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 8, 2010, THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2012 BECAUSE THE HEADLAMPS MAY COME LOOSE AND DETACH FROM THE FENDER.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A DETACHED HEADLIGHT COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VISIBILITY AND AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP LOCKING ASSEMBLIES, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.

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.