There are 21 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2004 Porsche Cayennein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Strong odor of gasoline traveling through the vents injected into vehicle. Fuel filter has a crack. Underhood electrical problems that may cause a fire
The cam shaft actuator has gone out.. Recalled on newer vehicles mine is 2004. Front airbag is also non operational
TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE ISSUES IMMEDIATELY AFTER ACCELERATION BETWEEN 3 GEARS... CAR TRANSMISSIONS "STUMBLES" (TRANSMISSION LOCKING). WELL KNOWN ISSUE IN THE PORSCHE COMMUNITY AND PORSCHE SOLUTION IS DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE. NO ENGINE ERROR CODES ISSUED AS WELL. PORSCHE SAYS CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR QUITE A WHILE UNTIL I RESEARCHED THE ISSUES ONLINE. PREVIOUSE RECALL # 03V351000 - PORSCHE WILL NOT CURRENTLY HONOR THIS RECALL.
2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ROLLED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH, THEN CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLES. *JS *JS - (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE. WHILE DRIVING AND ACCELERATING, THE DRIVESHAFT MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO WOBBLE AND SHAKE. THE CONTACT CALLED MOMENTUM PORSCHE (10155 SOUTHWEST FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77074, (844) 894-5470) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
1) COOLANT PIPE PROBLEMS,PORSCHE NEVER FIX THEM ,HAD PAY TO GET THEM FIX.(2) FILTER FLANGE FUEL PUMP LEAKAGE,PROBLEMS PORSCHE SAID UNFORTUNATELY, AT THIS TIME PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.HAD IT REPAIR MY OWEN MONEY, DID NOT WANT TO CHANCE A RISK OF FIRE.(3) TRANSMISSION MODULE PROBLEMS DID NOT SHIFT RIGHT,HAD TO BUY NEW ONE.TO MANY PROBLEMS.
PORSCHE HAS RECALLED THE 2011 FOR HEADLIGHT BECOMING LOOSE. I HAVE A 2004 WITH SAME PROBLEM. ANY TYPE OF VIBRATION OR BUMP IT BECOMES LOOSE SAFETY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. PORSCHE IS AWARE OF DRIVESHAFT CLUNKING BECAUSE OF FAULTY BUSHINGS AND WILL NOT RECALL DRIVESHAFTS IT CLUNKS WHENN YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE TO PASSS A SEMI BUT ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP IT ALSO DOES IT TOO. PORSCHE DEALERBIN WALLINGFORD CT WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE WORKSHOP CAMPAIGNS.
WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND COMING FROM UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE AND MY TRUCK STARTED TO SHAKE. I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THEN PROCEEDED ON BUT ONCE THE TRUCK GOT OVER 20MPH THE KNOCKING NOISE STARTED AGAIN . *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE. THE CONTACT STATED HE PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HIS DRIVE WAY WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY BREAK ENGAGED AND LEFT TO ENTER HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED WITHIN 2-3 MINUTES LATER, WHEN EXITING HIS RESIDENCE, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY SHIFTED GEARS TO REVERSE AND ROLLED AWAY FROM HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HIT TWO TREES, A FENCE, CONTINUED TO ROLL AWAY AND HIT A SECOND FENCE WHICH DETAINED THE VEHICLE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATE NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD TO BREAK THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW TO ENTER AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP FOR BODY DAMAGE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATE AT THAT MOMENT HE DID NOT CONTACT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATES HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V446000 (POWER TRAIN) IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN PORSCHE OF OMAHA (6625 L ST, OMAHA, NE 68117) WHERE THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE SERVICED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
THE PORSCHE CAYENNE IS NOTORIOUS FOR DRIVE / CARDAN SHAFT FAILURES. HAD BAD DRIVE SHAFT NOISES, AND SUBSEQUENT PREMATURE FAILURE, IT WAS A WORN CENTER SUPPORT DAMPENER AND A FAULTY CENTER SUPPORT BEARING. I EXPERIENCED BANGING, BUMPING, GRINDING NOISES FROM MY PORSCHE CAYENNE AND WAS UNAWARE AT THE TIME IT WAS THE DRIVE SHAFT. I HAVE OUTLINED THE NOISES AND CAUSES BELOW: - A CLANKING OR CLUNKING NOISE WHILE ACCELERATING OR FROM DECELERATION TO ACCELERATION AROUND 35TO 40MPH AND WHILE CAYENNE WAS SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD TO 4TH GEAR. AROUND 5TH AND 6TH GEAR GOING AROUND 50-60 MPH IT STOPPED. IF I KEPT THE RPM UNDER 200 IT SEEMED TO RUN OK, NO ISSUE, BUT IF I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR HARD OR GUNNED IT, IT WENT HAYWIRE. IT WAS THE RESULT OF A WORN AND DAMAGED DAMPENER OR DIAPHRAGM LOCATED ON THE CENTER SUPPORT BEARING. THIS CONDITION WILL ALLOW FOR THE DRIVE SHAFT TO TRAVEL UP AND DOWN WITH VARIATIONS IN DRIVE LINE TORQUE. THIS MOVEMENT WILL PRODUCE A LOUD CLANKING OR CLUNKING SOUND AND MAKE FOR A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS CONDITION IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FAILURES ON THE CAYENNE DRIVE SHAFT, ALL MODELS 2003 TO 2006. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND FREE FIX BY PORSCHE BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY OF THE VEHICLES AND MODEL YEARS STATED ABOVE! BUT NO, PORSCHE QUOTED ME $2,500 TO FIX IT. NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AREA, THE HARD RUBBER DAMPENER ON THE CENTER SUPPORT SHAFT OF THE POWER TRAIN, WHICH BY THE WAY IS POSSIBLE. NO, PORSCHE WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE ENTIRE POWER TRAIN FOR $2,500. *JS
UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY I STARTED HEARING A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE, SOMETHING LIKE A LIFTER HITTING THE BLOCK. I PULLED BACK IN TO MY DRIVEWAY AND CALLED A REPAIR SHOP AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. WHEN MEETING WITH THE TECHNICIAN I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A SCORED CYLINDER AND THAT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE MODEL AND YEAR. THE ONLY RECOURSE TO FIX THE ISSUE WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. A REPLACEMENT ENGINE WOULD COST $17 -35,000 - MORE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. IF I WERE TO REPLACE IT WITH A USED ENGINE, I WOULD BE DESTINED FOR A REPEAT OF THE SAME ISSUE. IF THIS ISSUE IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL FOR THESE VEHICLES? I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED TO HAVE A AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEALERSHIP MAKE THE DIAGNOSIS I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOLD, BUT THERE IS NOT A AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WITHIN 500 MILES OF MY LOCATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE S. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT ONCE AND JOLTED RAPIDLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED EVERY TIME VEHICLE'S SPEED WAS AROUND 20 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE FAILURE IF THE VEHICLE MAINTAINED A HIGHER SPEED. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIR; HOWEVER WHEN NOTIFIED, THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE RELATED TO A FAILED DRIVE SHAFT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 94,000.
COOLANT LEVEL APPEARS LOW ALL THE SUDDEN AND PIPES R LEAKING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE S. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A SEVERE VIBRATION OCCURRED ALONG WITH A SIMULTANEOUS BANGING SOUND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CENTER DRIVE SHAFT BEARING WAS FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,800. UPDATED 5/24/11 *CN UPDATED 06/06/11
BEGINNING IN AUGUST 2007, MY CAR EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEMS AND EVENTUALLY HAD TO HAVE THE CONTROL UNIT REPLACED. AFTERWARDS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DIFFERENTLY, BUT I ASSUMED THAT WAS RELATED TO THE NEW CONTROL UNIT. IN EARLY 2008, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO RUN ROUGHER DURING WARM UP AND OCCASIONALLY THE RIGHT TIRE WOULD ?SKIP? AS IF TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. I ASSUMED (INCORRECTLY) THAT THIS WAS DUE TO TIRE WEAR. FINALLY, IN MAY 2008, THE DRIVE SHAFT FAILED. THIS WAS TWO MONTHS AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND AT 52,764 MILES. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS DRIVESHAFT HAS HAD MANY FAILURES, AND THAT DEALERSHIPS KEEP SEVERAL ON HAND TO ADDRESS THE RELATED PROBLEMS. WITH THAT IN MIND, I REQUESTED THAT PORSCHE REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT UNDER WARRANTY. THE PART COST $895.51 PLUS $69.40 IN TAX FOR A TOTAL OF $964.91. SINCE THE LABOR WAS PERFORMED AT MY LOCAL SERVICE CENTER, I AM REQUESTING ONLY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PART. I HAVE SAVED THE FAILED PART AND CAN ALSO SUPPLY YOU WITH THE ORIGINAL PAPERWORK. I AM ATTACHING COPIES OF THE REPAIR BILL (IMPORT SPECIALTIES) AND THE PREVIOUS WARRANTY WORK (NEWPORT AUTO CENTER). PORSCHE DENIED THE CLAIM ON JUNE 9, 2008. THE DRIVESHAFT REPRESENTS BOTH A DEFECTIVE PART AND A POTENTIAL FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION IT THE UNIT FAILED AT A HIGH SPEED. *TR
CAR WAS DRIVING NORMAL. PARKED IN GARAGE AND 2 HOURS LATER TOOK BACK OUT FOR SHORT DRIVE. REACHING 25 MPH, CAR BEGIN SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND THAN AS ACCELERATED FURTHER STOPPED SHAKING. PULLED OVER, THAN ACCELERATED AGAIN SLOWLY, CAR BEGIN SHAKING AT APPROX 50 MPH. SLOWED AGAIN. AND CAR CONTINUED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. TOOK TO INDEPENDENT PORSCHE SHOP, AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS "FAILED DRIVE SHAFT CENTER BEARING". *TR
SEVERE VIBRATION/NOISE IN MAIN REAR DRIVE SHAFT. FAILURE OF RUBBER BUSHING COMPONENT ON CENTER SUPPORT BEARING CAUSES SEVERE INSTABILITY OF DRIVE SHAFT. POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENT AT SPEED. FIRST FAILURE AT 72000 MILES. DEALER ADMITS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF FAILURE ON VEHICLES NATIONWIDE TO THE EXTENT THAT PORSCHE DOES NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE FROM WAREHOUSE AND OTHER DEALERS ARE RELUCTANT TO TRANSFER STOCK BECAUSE OF ANTICIPATED NEED. *JB
WHEN MERGING ONTO A FREEWAY OR SIMILAR HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES JUST DIE IN RESPONSE WHEN YOU HIT THE GAS PEDAL TO INCREASE SPEED TO MATCH OTHER TRAFFIC. THIS CAUSES OTHER TO TAKE AVOIDANCE ACTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND ON ONE OCCASION A SEMI NEARLY REAR ENDED ME. *NM
MAIN DRIVE SHAFT CENTER BEARING FAULTY, FAILURE WITHOUT NOTICE, CAUSING SEVERE VIBRATION IN DRIVE TRAIN. DEALER WILL REPLACE WITH UPGRADE PART WITH NO REIMBURSEMENT FROM MAKER. *TR
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE S. WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL AT SLOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WILL FEEL AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JERK, AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY WHETHER IT IS WARMER OR COLDER TEMPERATURES. THE SERVICE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE, , BUT THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES. THE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM INCLUDED, UPDATING AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT. THIS STILL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SENT A TECHNICIAN TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN REPRODUCED THE PROBLEM, AND SAID THAT IT WAS A CONDITION OF HILL HOLDER FUNCTION WHICH HOLDS THE VEHICLE IN PLACE TO APPROXIMATELY 800-1100 RPMS, AT WHICH IT WILL START TO ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WA SCOLD. THE CONTACT REQUESTED FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO SUBMIT THE REASON WHY THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE VEHICLE. THE REMEDY FROM THE MANUFACTURER WAS FOR THE CONTACT TO ACCELERATE MORE WHEN GOING UP A HILL. THE SECOND EXPLANATION THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED WAS THAT THE JERKING OF THE VEHICLE WAS CAUSED BY OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES. THE CALIFORNIA NEW MOTOR VEHICLE BOARD REQUESTED THAT THE SECOND EXPLANATION BE PUT INTO WRITING, BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED. ANOTHER SAFETY CONCERN BOTHERING THE CONTACT WAS THAT WHILE DRIVING AND UPON ACCELERATION THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. WHEN ACCELERATING NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, THE ENGINE WILL COMPLETELY LOSE POWER. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THIS WAS TRANSMISSION CONTROL., BUT THE REPAIRS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 21 complaints
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