2011 Porsche Cayenne S Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 12about this part
- Share
- 71%of 17 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 61,062miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the engine of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S, 71% of the 17 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 61,062 miles. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was pulling forward on a level city street and turning left from a stop sign. There was a significant amount of shuddering and feeling of a loss of power. This was a significant safety issue due to oncoming traffic. Over a period of several months this had been increasing in severity but the dealer could not identify the problem. I took it to the dealer and was able to repeat the problem for them. They identified the transfer case as the issue. It was replaced. …”
NHTSA complaint #11058495, filed 2018-01, 70,000 miles“Very scary and dangerous experience engine stalled after filling up with gas. The vehicle required two or three attempts to start. I exited the gas station onto the ramp for the interstate. The car suddenly locked up less than a mile down the interstate while driving 70, MPH. There was no power braking or power steering at all. Fortunately, I remained in the far right lane and momentum carried the vehicle off the next exit ramp before vehicle completely shut off. …”
NHTSA complaint #11000763, filed 2017-06, 140,000 miles“The screws holding my camshaft actuator failed and I experienced immediate engine lose as well as braking lose due to no vacuum. At the time of my engine failure it was a known issue for Porsche (see wc-22) whereas they did not make public aware or proactively fix the issue. This ended up costing me approximately $7500 out of pocket (in addition to several emotional damage due to financial constraints and the immediate danger when the engine failed at highway speed in the far left lane). …”
NHTSA complaint #11004844, filed 2017-07, 72,000 miles“The coolant pipe design is flawed. The barb is glued and pressed in the aluminum body. Over time the glue loses its properties and the barb comes out thus causing massive coolant leak and the engine can overheat. The part was redisgned around 2015 where the barb is now threaded, but the original part is a safey hazard for the older models with potential huge repair costs.”
NHTSA complaint #11183714, filed 2019-03, 54,000 miles“Engine stalled while driving. Car taken to Porsche dealership where they determined the camshaft controller needed to be replaced as it was broken. Paid $4000 in repairs in 2016. Porsche has since issued a recall for this issue, however they will not reimburse for the previous repairs as they noted. No response on timing.”
NHTSA complaint #11056633, filed 2017-12, 48,365 milesRelated recalls
- 17V368000Jun 7, 2017Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Panamera S, Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo vehicles, 2011-2012 Panamera and Panamera…Covers: Porsche Cayenne S 2011, Panamera Turbo 2010–2012, Panamera 4S 2010–2012 +4 more
Related service bulletins
- 11037816Sep 22, 2026Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche C40 Engine Oils. Note that this bulletin covers all models back to model year 1984, for which C40 engine oils are…
- 11037813Sep 22, 2026Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche C20 Engine Oils. Note that the bulletin covers all models back to model year 1984, for which C20 engine oils are…
- 11037812Sep 22, 2026Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche C30 Engine Oils. Note that the bulletin includes all models back to model year 1984, for which C30 engine oils are…
- 11037808Sep 22, 2026Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche A40 Engine Oils. Note that this bulletin covers all vehicles from model year 1997 to 2020, for which A40 engine oils…
- 11035916Jul 22, 2026Allocation of Approved Engine Oils MY 2027 (13/26)
- 11034777Jun 25, 2026Overview of Approved Porsche C20 Engine Oils (20/26)
- 11034776Jun 25, 2026Overview of Approved Porsche C30 Engine Oils (19/26)
- 11034775Jun 25, 2026Overview of Approved Porsche C40 Engine Oils (21/26)
- 11034774Jun 25, 2026Overview of Approved Porsche A40 Engine Oils (15/26)
- 11034773Jun 25, 2026Overview of Approved Porsche C30 Engine Oils (16/26)
Engine: other model years
Other parts of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S
3 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsElectronic stability control
1 complaintsExterior lighting
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology