PORSCHE BOXSTER (987) · model year

2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER (987)

3 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005PORSCHEBOXSTER (987) carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2005 BOXSTER (987) is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and electrical system (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 2005 BOXSTER (987). Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

3
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
AIR BAGS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20150828CrashAIR BAGS

FALSE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT CAUSED INITIAL DISTRACTION FOLLOWED BY FALSE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.. TRYING TO STEER THE CAR DURING THIS EVENT AND DEAL WITH TRAFFIC, VEHICLE ENTERED INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT (T BONED) ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE.. AIRBAGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THEN DEPLOYED.. NO AIRBAGS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DEPLOYED - ONLY THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG PRIOR TO IMPACT.

20150828CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FALSE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT CAUSED INITIAL DISTRACTION FOLLOWED BY FALSE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.. TRYING TO STEER THE CAR DURING THIS EVENT AND DEAL WITH TRAFFIC, VEHICLE ENTERED INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT (T BONED) ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE.. AIRBAGS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THEN DEPLOYED.. NO AIRBAGS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DEPLOYED - ONLY THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG PRIOR TO IMPACT.

20110420ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VEHICLE WAS 2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER. CAR ENGINE SELF-DESTRUCTED WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH. CAUSE WAS FAILURE OF INTERMEDIARY SHAFT BEARING AT 29,000 MILES AS DETERMINED BY ENGINE DISSEMBLY. CAR HAD BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND SERVICED BY PORSCHE FACILITIES FOR ITS LIFE. INTERMEDIARY SHAFT FAILED AFTER BEARING FAILED, SENDING METAL PIECES THROUGHOUT ENGINE INCLUDING INTO OIL SUMP. TIMING BELT PERFORATED CAMSHAFT COVER. ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER REPORTS ON INTERNET SITES, EASILY SEARCHABLE, FOR "PORSCHE ENGINE FAILURE" OF THIS TYPE. *TR

Mileage: 29,000

Compare 2005PORSCHEBOXSTER (987) to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER (987) have?
The 2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER (987) has 3 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER (987)?
The most-complained component for the 2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER (987) is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER (987) safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER (987); no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.