There are 8 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2004 Porsche Cayennein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD "BOOM" NOISE AND FIRE STARTED COMING FROM THE GLOVE BOX IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. FIRE MARSHALS WERE CALLED ONTO THE SCENE TO ATTEMPT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, AFTER 3 HOURS THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A REPORT WAS MADE WITH THE FIRE MARSHALS. THE CONTACT STATED NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED AND REMAINS ON CONTACTS PROPERTY. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V069000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF FAILURE AND TOLD THE CONTACT THAT SINCE THEY DID NOT PURCHASE THE VEHICLE FROM A PORSHE DEALER THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD TO DO ASSIST THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.
WHILE DRIVING WITH BOTH OF MY CHILDREN IN THE RAIN MY ENTIRE CAR LOCKED AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPES STOPPED MY WINDOWS WOULDN'T ROLL DOWN AND MY DOORS LOCKED ON AND OFF MY ALARM SYSTEM STARTED TO GO OFF UNCONTROLLABLY EVEN WHILE DRIVING PORSCHE ISN'T BEING OF ANY HELP GIVING ME RUN AROUNDS ALSO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN THE PROCESS OF THE INCIDENT
THIS VEHICLE ALLOWS YOU TO BE LOCKED INSIDE. AFTER DRIVING IF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER OPEN THEIR DOORS THEN THE LOCK BUTTON IS HIT ON THE KEY (WHILE THE DOORS ARE STILL OPEN), THEN THE DOORS ARE CLOSED ANYONE INSIDE IN UNABLE TO UNLOCK ANY DOORS, EVEN WHEN HITTING THE UNLOCK BUTTON INSIDE THE VEHICLE LOCATED ON THE DOOR. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN.
ITS SEEMS TO BE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPS INTO FOUR WHEELS DRIVE, SOMETIME IT STUCK IN A DRIVE GEAR.
DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE WITHOUT WARNING LUCKILY IT HAPPENED TO MY YOUNG SON SO HE COULD GET OUT AND GET IN FROM OTHER DOOR TO DRIVE TO DEALER. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE NEW DOOR LOCK, ACCORDING TO DEALER SAME THING HAD HAPPENED TO FEW CARS.IN THE PAST. MY CONCERN IS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IS IT WAS ME OR MY WIFE , WE ARE NOT FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO GET OUT FROM OTHER DOORS. WHAT HAPPENS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY WHEN YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOOR. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND DOOR LOCKS SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR OLDER MODELS THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE WAY TO OPEN DRIVERSIDE DOOR MANUALLY IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. *TR
THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS (LEFT, RIGHT AND HIGH MOUNTED) REMAIN LIT AT ALL TIMES, AS DOES THE REAR RIGHT AND LEFT FOG LIGHTS. TURNING LIGHTS ON OR OFF HAS NO EFFECT. DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS NO EFFECT. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED RANDOMLY AND INCONSISTENTLY AND WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN UNOCCUPIED AND UNATTENDED AS WELL AS WHILE DRIVING. WHILE UNATTENDED, THE LIGHTS COMING ON DRAINS THE BATTERY AND CAN STRAND THE DRIVER. IF PROBLEM OCCURS AND THE BATTERY IS NOT DRAINED, THE DRIVER MAY BE WHOLLY UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND MAY DRIVE WITH THE BRAKE AND REAR FOG LIGHTS LIT. THIS PROBLEM ALSO CREATES A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AS THE BRAKE LIGHT REMAIN ON AT ALL TIMES. FOLLOWING DRIVERS HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE DRIVER MAY BE BRAKING AND COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL REAR END COLLISION. THE DRIVER OF THE CAYENNE, IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NO WARNING LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED TO MAKE THE DRIVER AWARE. IF PROBLEM IS NOTICED, REMOVING THE FUSES FOR THE FOG LIGHTS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS CORRECTS THE ISSUE, BUT MUST BE REINSERTED, ALLOWING FOR THE PROBLEM TO REOCCUR. VEHICLE BUILD DATE WAS 12/03 AND OUTSIDE OF THE PORSCHE WIRING HARNESS RECALL, BUT THIS MAY BE THE RESULT OF A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS FEEDING THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
HORN DOSE NOT WORK, NAVIGATION SYSTEM NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, RADIO NO LONGER WORKS. REFERENCE CAMPAIGN ID 04V069000. *TR
BREACH OF WARRANTY CLAIMS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IGNITION FAILURE, WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS, AIRBAG ILLUMINATION WARNINGS, LOCK FAILURE, WINDOW FAILURE, ALL WITHIN THE FIRST 10 MONTHS. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT GO MORE THAN 2 OR 3 MONTHS AND 3,000 TO 4,000 MILES WITHOUT HAVING THESE PROBLEMS COME BACK DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE CAR. TWICE THE CAR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND A THIRD TIME THE KEY BECAME LOCKED IN THE IGNITION AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN, START, ETC. THE LOCKS ALSO FAILED AND COULD NOT PUT THE CAR IN GEAR TO TOW. BECAME STUCK ON THE ROAD. MANUFACTURER & DEALER CAN'T GUARANTEE THE RELIABILITY OF VEHICLE BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING BUT CONTINUE TO TEMPORARILY REPAIR CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE OVER 30 DAYS WITHIN 10 MONTH PERIOD (AND COUNTING). *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026