PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO · model year

2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO

8 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008PORSCHECAYENNE TURBO carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 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 2008 CAYENNE TURBO is engine with 7 filings, followed by power train (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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2008 CAYENNE TURBO. 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.

8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

8 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE7
POWER TRAIN1

Recalls (1)

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

Recent Complaints

20170810ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY TEMP GAUGE STARTED CLIMBING AND THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A PORSCHE MECHANIC. HE LATER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS THE PIPE OR TUBE THAT CONNECTS TO THE WATER/COOLANT DISTRIBUTOR CAME LOOSE SPILLING ALL OF THE COOLANT OUT, WHICH COULD OF LED TO A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. NOT SURE WHAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE YET. MY MECHANIC SAID HE'S SEEN THIS FAILURE ON 957 CAYENNE V8S MANY TIMES. THIS IS A DANGEROUS THING TO HAVE HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY.

Mileage: 88,500

20141029ENGINE

UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION A COOLANT DISTRIBUTOR PIPE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND SPRAYED/LEAKED COOLANT ALL OVER THE ENGINE BAY AND UNDERNEATH THE CAR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE WHERE A PRESSED IN PIPE FITTING CAME LOOSE FROM THE ENGINE CASTING. REPAIR REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $3.500. ALL THE COOLANT WAS LOST FROM THE ENGINE AND LUCKILY I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND NOT THE HIGHWAY. *TR

Mileage: 61,093

20140903ENGINE

IN 2010, I BOUGHT A '08 CAYENNE TURBO AT 40K MILES. PRIOR TO DELIVERY, I HAD PORSCHE DEALERSHIP RUN A SYSTEM CHECK TO CONFIRM THE VEHICLE WAS MECHANICALLY SOLID & FREE OF DEFECTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY PERFORMED A REPAIR ON THE COOLANT PIPES (STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY) AND ASSURED ME IT WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION TO PURCHASE. 105K MILES: CAYENNE'S STARTER WAS MAKING NOISES AND NOT FUNCTIONING 100% OF TIME, SO I BROUGHT VEHICLE TO THE SAME PORSCHE DEALERSHIP WHO HAD BEEN SERVICING IT SINCE 2010. THE STARTER WAS IMMERSED IN COOLANT. I WAS INFORMED THAT MY (PREVIOUSLY "REPAIRED") COOLANT PIPES HAD A LEAK & REQUIRED REPAIR. I REVIEWED MY PREVIOUS INVOICE FROM ORIGINAL "REPAIR" UNDER WARRANTY AT 40K MILES & IT APPEARED TO BE THE SAME ISSUE, SAME PART #S, ETC. I RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL A FEW DAYS LATER INFORMING ME THAT MY CAYENNE NOW HAD A SECOND COOLANT LEAK AT THE CROSSOVER PIPE TOWARD THE BACK OF THE ENGINE NEAR FIREWALL (REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO REPAIR). THE SERVICE G

Mileage: 40,000

20140706ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING, ALL OF THE SUDDEN FELT A STRONG COOLANT SMELL, SLOWED DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND DROVE HOME. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE COUPLING PIPE THAT INSERTS INTO THE WATER DISTRIBUTOR WAS COMING OUT. THE GLUE THAT HELD THE PIPE IN PLACE FAILED AND THE PIPE WAS 60% OUT! I STOPPED IN TIME BEFORE THE PIPE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT AND SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLANT OCCURRED, THE PIPE WAS LITERALLY FINGER TIGHT, NOTHING HELD IT IN PLACE ANYMORE. PORSCHE QUOTES $3500 TO REPAIR!!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE A SERVICE ACTION CLEAR AS DAY. *JS

Mileage: 74,000

20140417ENGINE

THE CAR SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A HUGE LEAK IN COOLANT. AFTER DIAGNOSE, IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT ON THE COOLANT DISTRIBUTOR BEHIND THE ENGINE THERE IS A COUPLER WHICH WAS GLUED ONTO THE DISTRIBUTOR. THE GLUE WILL BREAK DOWN OVER A FEW YEARS AND THE COOLANT PIPE BE BLOWN OUT CAUSING THE ENTIRE ENGINE TO LOSE COOLANT, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS IS A PURE DESIGN ISSUE AND PORSCHE DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL ON. THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING IS THAT IN ORDER TO FIX IT, THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAS TO COME OUT, WHICH WILL COST MOST THAN 5000 TO 6000 DOLLARS

Mileage: 72,000

20131011ENGINE

SUDDEN AND TOTAL COOLANT LOSS WHEN COOLANT DISTRIBUTION HOUSING PIPE CAME APART WHILE DRIVING ON A PUBLIC ROADWAY RESULTING IN DISABLED VEHICLE. PART # 948-106-061-06 DISTRIBUTOR TUBE FAILURE AT BOTTOM CONNECTION. REQUIRED TO REMOVE ENGINE AND REPLACE COOLANT DISTRIBUTION HOUSING. *TR

Mileage: 32,425

20130430ENGINE

I PURCHASED MY 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO AS A SECOND OWNER BUT BEFORE THE PURCHASE WAS COMPLETED THE COOLANT HOSE RUPTURE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE REPAIR WAS AT A COST WELL NORTH OF $2000 AT THE MOTOR WERKS PORSCHE OF BARRINGTON. I ALSO HAVE A 2002 PORSCHE 996 TURBO WHICH JUST RECENTLY RUPTURED THE COOLANT HOSE. THE COST IS ONCE AGAIN RIGHT AROUND TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. I'M JUST FED UP THAT THIS EPOXY FAILURE WITHIN THE COOLANT SYSTEM WHICH HAS AFFECTED SO MANY PORSCHE OWNERS. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT FIXED EVEN IN THEIR LATER MODELS BUT VERY HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT MAYBE SOMETHING WILL ARISE WITH THESE COMPLAINTS. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

20130430POWER TRAIN

I PURCHASED MY 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO AS A SECOND OWNER BUT BEFORE THE PURCHASE WAS COMPLETED THE COOLANT HOSE RUPTURE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE REPAIR WAS AT A COST WELL NORTH OF $2000 AT THE MOTOR WERKS PORSCHE OF BARRINGTON. I ALSO HAVE A 2002 PORSCHE 996 TURBO WHICH JUST RECENTLY RUPTURED THE COOLANT HOSE. THE COST IS ONCE AGAIN RIGHT AROUND TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS. I'M JUST FED UP THAT THIS EPOXY FAILURE WITHIN THE COOLANT SYSTEM WHICH HAS AFFECTED SO MANY PORSCHE OWNERS. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT FIXED EVEN IN THEIR LATER MODELS BUT VERY HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT MAYBE SOMETHING WILL ARISE WITH THESE COMPLAINTS. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

Compare 2008PORSCHECAYENNE TURBO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO have?
The 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO?
Yes, the 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO has 1 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 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO?
The most-complained component for the 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO is ENGINE with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2008 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO 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.