sjg1138

Big News! Porsche has issued a recall on the variocam bolts. Thank you NHTSA!

June 7, 2017 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V368000
Camshaft Controllers may Loosen and Fail
An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V368000

Manufacturer Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Components ENGINE
Potential Number of Units Affected 17,986

Summary
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Panamera S, Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo vehicles, 2011-2012 Panamera and Panamera 4 vehicles, and 2011 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo vehicles. The affected vehicles have camshaft controllers that may come loose inside the engine, potentially resulting in an engine stall.

Remedy
Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fastening screws for the camshaft adjusters, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AH08.

deilenberger

Thanks to everyone who reported the Variocam bolt issue to NHTSA. It's because of your reports that this happened! Very cool to hear this. I'll be thanking the NHTSA investigator who listened and made this happen.

CarGuyNVA

WOW! This is big news! Very cool. I think this deserves a post of its own in the forum to alert owners about this....it's kind of buried here. I wouldn't have checked here without having read this news in another thread.

AGARubberDuck

So for a punch list, or a search jumping point if you will, is this really all we have for the 958?

-Variocam bolts on early models (now under recall)
-transfer case failure (fluid change, or $4k worst case at the dealer)
-windshield wipers (lol)
-beige interior has wicked dashboard glare (class settlement to cover Ray-Bans, $175)

They've been racking up miles long enough you'd think we would have good data on common issues by now. If this is all there is, a 958 will be mine in July. There's an 11 TT with only 27k miles on the clock with my name on it. (PDCC, Burmester, Entry and Drive to name a few ) The 04 left a terrible impression with the constant onslaught of known issues. I really need to know what to expect, and think others will also benefit from a concise list to search from.

deilenberger

That's pretty much it. Probably want to add in drain plugging up - so cleaning the cowl and HVAC drains should be added to the yearly maintenance schedule. And I've heard of one or two HVAC blower motors going ****-up, but not endemic.

They're pretty darn reliable compared to the early 955's..

MayorMcCheese

This was a good read and definitely worth reading as one of the first threads on this forum for the 958 - I am nearing the purchase of a 2011 S and this was replaced under recall just 30 days ago

smegman

I got water in my passenger foot well... I hear this is a common issue in VAG cars with the drainage lines getting clogged, so make sure to clean them out (will let you know if that solves the issue!)

deilenberger

https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-...l#post14290437

And it's not necessarily the cowl drains. If the HVAC drain plugs up - you can get several inches of water inside the HVAC box, then it starts dripping out behind the carpeting, and soaks the passengers side footwell. Don't ask me how I know,..

It's actually very easy to clear that line - from inside the vehicle (basically pull it out and clean it, then put it back in) - so I'm adding that to the yearly cabin filter change job.

Chaos

Thank you for all your efforts. I'm actively looking for a 11-2-12 PIG

dushash

OP thank you very much!!! This is the most useful thread so far I've come along for those who look to purchase 2011+ PIGs

I have a question tho, with my $40k budget I'm looking at 2011 Turbo with around 80-100k miles - given I do basic maintenance myself and I don't drive much (maybe 10-12k miles a year), will it last me for 7-8 years without rust or major drivetrain issues and/or without stranding me on the road?

deilenberger

Thanks for the kind words.

I don't think anyone can answer that question since the '11 is the first year of the 958 turbo, and there are none that are 7-8 years older. The 955/957 series have vehicles of that age still running around. Rust generally isn't a Cayenne issue (although a few 955's/957's got out of the factory without proper sealing of a door-seam-edge, and some have reported rust on that seam.) I haven't heard of any rust complaints on the 958 series.

Same answer on your drivetrain question. Aside from the transfer case issues - the 958 drivetrain hasn't had any recurrent/common/endemic issues. It's possible as the vehicles get to higher mileages (150,000 and up) that there will be some common failure points, but there aren't enough of them that have reached that mileage (or higher) to answer that question.

In general - any car with 150-170,000 miles on it will require some repairs. The Cayenne suspension seems quite rugged (especially compared to BMWs), but how long can dampers really provide adequate damping? 100k miles might be when the performance starts to suffer. The engines seem rugged (with the exception of the Variocam issue on 2011 and a few 2012's - but the recall should address that issue), but again - some wear is bound to occur.

It's pretty much a craps shoot. You could buy one that lasted forever with no problems. You could buy one that had a poor service history by the 1st and/or 2nd owner(s) - and might be a nightmare. Best you can do is use the guidance above to eliminate the real dogs - then have a dealership do a pre-purchase inspection BEFORE you buy one.

dushash

Thanks deilenberger!

I also wanted to ask about things like PDCC and other Porsche specific electronics (not general power windows, doors etc). Do you think they are very well done and shouldn't be a problem or it's better to avoid such cars and look for "more simpler" CTT?
Thank you

deilenberger

Unlike the early 955 models - in general - the electronics in the 958 series have not been especially troublesome. I've heard of some problems once in a while, but no pattern is forming. I think they can be listed as reasonably reliable. Many of the electrical issues on any Cayenne - can be traced back to a failing battery. That can cause all sorts of spurious error warnings to go off.

AGARubberDuck

I recently converted from a 955 owner to a 958 owner. Both CTT. I can tell you- you are FAR better off with a 958 over a 955/957. That's not to say there aren't problem areas. I'm learning 958's with PTV+ are becoming known for eating the rear diff, though potentially mitigated through regularly changing out the lifetime oil.

In regards to electronics, All models of cayenne seem to be prone to drains becoming plugged, subsequently letting water (whether rain from the cowl are/sunroof lines or condensation from the AC evap) trickle down into the passenger-side foot well, below the carpet. When this happens, electrical wiring underneath the several inches of foam become saturated and all sorts of odd behavior can happen.

dushash

Thank you very much!

P.S. A side question: what color suits 958 best?