2012 Porsche Cayenne Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 12about this part
- Share
- 44%of 27 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 54,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2012 Porsche Cayenne, 44% of the 27 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 54,000 miles.
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.
“Car had a skipping feeling when driving especially when turning. Vehicle has only 20,000 miles and transfer box has to be replaced. They charged me 4660.47 for the replacement claiming the five year warranty expired. The car is always garaged and used during the winter. When I complained to Porsche they sent me a check for $950.”
NHTSA complaint #11048376, filed 2017-11, 20,000 miles“I got the Cayenne from 2012 in 01/17/2017 tree days after buying the SUV transfer case was not working correctly, when shifting to 3rd gear noise and lost of power this at 39,273 miles repair was done now only 20,000 miles later same problem. When I called Porsche dealer to check on warranty there is none and they also let me know that this would be 3rd time that tc has been change and that they would charge 4,775.00 to repair.”
NHTSA complaint #11203979, filed 2019-04, 76,253 miles“The transfer case is faulty. It was replaced at 26,000 miles and now it is acting the same way again at 48.000 miles. I was entering the hwy and the car jumped forward and suddenly lost power before jumping into gear. This is not safe considering there was a car in front of me and behind. Did not cause an accident but could have. Dealer admits the transfer case has been a constant problem with 2011-2017 Cayenne but refuses to totally cover replacement. …”
NHTSA complaint #11321883, filed 2020-04, 47,500 miles“2012 Porsche Cayenne with 47,000 miles. Noticed jerking when turning left and some slippage in transmission. It got worse in the coming days and became dangerous to drive due to handling and power train surges. I took it to southpoint Porsche in durham, nc, this week and was told it needs a new $4,435 transfer case. A local Porsche shop directed me to reviews which note the same 'known' issue - due to a known defect that drains fluid by transfer case and gets moisture into the case. …”
NHTSA complaint #11235031, filed 2019-07, 47,800 miles“Transfer case failure. Causes intermittent rough stuttering when depressing gas pedal on highway especially on incline. Car dealer did not detect problem when performing diagnostics. Went to another dealer service location. Service representative drove the car and quickly confirmed the cause is a transfer case failure. We were told our car can stall at anytime which is a clear safety hazard. After a lot of research, we found out transfer case failure is a consistent and recurring issue for Porsche Cayenne's manufactured in 2011 to 2017.”
NHTSA complaint #11099903, filed 2018-06, 54,000 milesRelated 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…
- 11032387Apr 17, 2026Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the transmission oil. Part number 00004321012 is affected - the vehicles that use this part number should be included.
- 11032274Apr 8, 2026Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the transmission oil. The vehicles affected are ones that use the part number 00004330563
- 11030909Mar 5, 2026Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the transmission fluid. Part number 00004321048. The cars affected are ones that use the part number listed.
- 11029202Feb 27, 2026Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the (00004321048) Transmission fluid. The vehicles affected are ones that use the part number mentioned.
- 11029150Feb 12, 2026Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the 7 speed dual clutch gear box. Part numbers 0BG300047 and 0BG300047X are affected. Cars that are involved are ones that use…
- 11024071Sep 12, 2025Parts information for parts withdrawal involving the rear axle steering. The part numbers are 992501031H, 992501032H, 992501033AB, 992501033AC. The vehicles affected are cars…
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 20% |
| 2021 | 2 | 10% |
| 2020 | 4 | 17% |
| 2019 | 6 | 13% |
| 2018 | 1 | 8% |
| 2017 | 1 | 6% |
| 2016 | 7 | 18% |
| 2015 | 3 | 21% |
| 2014 | 17 | 32% |
| 2013 | 16 | 40% |
| 2012 | 12 | 44% |
| 2011 | 11 | 37% |
| 2009 | 6 | 40% |
| 2008 | 6 | 22% |
| 2006 | 8 | 20% |
| 2005 | 4 | 13% |
| 2004 | 10 | 26% |
Other parts of the 2012 Porsche Cayenne
7 complaintsEngine
4 complaintsElectrical system
3 complaintsSeats
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaintsBrakes
1 complaintsElectronic stability control
1 complaintsEquipment
1 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Porsche Cayenne
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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