Total Complaints
4 filings
PORSCHE CAYENNE S · model year
2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 9 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003PORSCHECAYENNE S carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 CAYENNE S is fuel/propulsion system with 2 filings, followed by tires (1) and power train:driveline (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 9 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 2003 CAYENNE S. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
4
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 1 |
Recalls (9)
22V65600030/08/2022
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
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
03V35100024/09/2003
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY BE MISSING THE GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR) AND GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS (GAWR) ON THE CERTIFICATION LABEL AS REQUIRED BY PART 567.4(G)(3) AND (G)(4).
17V57600020/09/2017
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo vehicles, 2004-2006 Cayenne vehicles, and 2006 Cayenne S "Titanium" Edition vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
04V06900018/02/2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS WAS INCORRECTLY ROUTED. DAMAGE TO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS CAN LEAD TO THE FAILURE OF VARIOUS ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS.
04V06800018/02/2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE GROUND CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SPIRAL RING OF THE TANK FILLER NECK AND THE CONNECTING PIPE TO THE FUEL TANK IS INADEQUATE, THE FLOW OF FUEL DURING REFUELING CAN CREATE AN ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE, WHICH COULD DISCHARGE AND SPARK. THIS SPARK COULD IGNITE FUEL VAP
04V07200018/02/2004
SEATS
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FRAMES WERE NOT ADEQUATELY WELDED.
04V23100017/05/2004
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR SEAT BELT LATCH ATTACHMENT BOLT IS INSUFFICIENT RIVETED.
04V59300015/12/2004
SEAT BELTS
CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." ALL THREE REAR SEAT POSITIONS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER POSITION ARE EQUIPPED WITH SEAT BELT RETRACTORS THAT HAVE A LOCKING FEATURE WHICH CONVERTS THE RETRACTOR F
19V44600012/06/2019
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, 2004-2010 Cayenne, 2006 Cayenne Turbo S, 2010-2016 Panamera S, Panamera 4 S, Panamera Turbo, 2011-2016 Panamera, Panamera 4, 2012-2013 Panamera Turbo S, 2013-2016 Panamera 4 GTS, 2014-2016 Panamera 4
Recent Complaints
20180209FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
PORSCHE NOTIFIED ME OF RECALL NOVEMBER 29 2017
20171220FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DEAR SIR/ MADAM THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF NOVEMBER 29, 2017, REGARDING RECALL OF OUR VEHICLE PORSCHE CAYENNE S #[XXX] (RECALL # 17V-576). PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED WITH THE FUEL PUMP IN THE VEHICLE, I HAD TO REPLACE THE PUMPS RH AND LH, WITH REQUIRED ACCESSORIES. A TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR, INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR, WAS $2,640. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THE ABOVE IS SUFFICIENT, OR I SHOULD STILL NEED ADDITIONAL REPAIR. ALSO LET ME KNOW IF YOU COULD BE ABLE TO REIMBURSE THE TOTAL OR PARTIAL COST OF THE ABOVE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
Mileage: 98,000
20090618POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
FAILURE OF DRIVESHAFT AND TRANSMISSION 6 YEAR HISTORY OF "HESITATION" WHENEVER CAR ACCELERATED. *TR
Mileage: 85,000
20040817CrashTIRES
IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, CONSUMER HAD TWO ACCIDENT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PERELLI TIRE TREAD. (NAR) *PH *CB
Compare 2003PORSCHECAYENNE S to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S have?▼
The 2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S?▼
Yes, the 2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S has 9 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE.
Is the 2003 PORSCHE CAYENNE S 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.