NHTSA Complaint #10398191 — 2004 PORSCHE BOXSTER

2004 PORSCHE BOXSTER, 58-60K MI, HAD CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT 10 MI/HR. ENGINE STALLED; WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE A FEW FEET, BUT BADLY MISSING. LOUD CLANGING NOISE FROM ENGINE. NO SMOKE. OIL DRAINED FROM CAR WHEN TILTED ON TOWTRUCK. DEALER FOUND INTERMEDIATE SHAFT (IMS) FAILURE; REQUIRED ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT $18K. DEALER SAID THEY HAD SEEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF IMS FAILURES (BUT PORSCHE HAS NOT NOTIFIED OWNERS). NO INJURIES, BUT CERTAINLY ENGINE FAILURE LIKE THIS COULD HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. PORSCHE FORUMS ON INTERNET SHOW FREQUENCY OF FAILURES FROM THIS DEFECT (POORLY DESIGNED BEARING ASSEMBLY ON IMS) IS VERY HIGH, AS MUCH AS 8-11% IN ONE FORUM POLL. DEFECT FOUND IN MY97-08. *TR