NHTSA Complaint #10367939 — 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE S

THE PORSCHE CAYENNE (AND OTHER PORSCHE MODELS) HAVE A COOLANT LEAK PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE'S "LOW COOLANT LEVEL" LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE COOLANT LEVEL AND FOUND IT TO BE SEVERELY LOW. THE PORSCHE DEALER SERVICE (AND ON-LINE FORUMS) REPORT THAT PORSCHE CAYENNE ENGINES ARE ENCOUNTERING A COOLANT LEAK PROBLEM THAT APPEARS TO AFFECT ALL CAYENNE S, CAYENNE TURBO AND CAYENNE TURBO S ENGINES BUILT FROM 2003 TO 2006 (MY VEHICLE IS A 2004 MODEL). THE COOLANT LEAK PROBLEM IS LOCATED IN THE PLASTIC COOLANT PIPES LOCATED UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PORSCHE DEALER, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO THE PLASTIC MATERIAL USED BY PORSCHE (WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN CHANGED TO A METAL MATERIAL) AND THE PLASTIC FITTINGS. THE LACK OF COOLANT CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, OR EVEN BLOW AN ENGINE, WHICH CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING. IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, PORSCHE SERVICE SAYS THAT THE COOLANT PIPES MUST BE REPLACED, WHICH IS A VERY LABOR AND PARTS INTENSIVE SERVICE COSTING WELL OVER $1,000. *TR