NHTSA Complaint #10447857 — 2004 PORSCHE 911 TURBO

AT A DRIVER EDUCATION EVENT IN KENT, WA, A PORSCHE TURBO HAD A FAILURE IN THE COOLANT FITTINGS THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO DUMP ALL OF ITS COOLANT ON THE PAVEMENT. I WAS BEHIND THE CAR IN A PORSCHE GT3 AND UPON DRIVING OVER THE COOLANT LOST TRACTION AND TOTALED MY CAR. THE SPEED OF THE TURBO AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS APPROX 90 MPH, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE DOWN THE STRAIGHT-AWAY AFTER THE FAILURE BUT STOPPED AFTER REALIZING THE CAR WAS SMOKING. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 996 SERIES, MORE COMMONLY IN THE GT3 THAN THE TURBO. THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN FORUMS SUCH AS RENNLIST.COM. HTTP://FORUMS.RENNLIST.COM/RENNFORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=679777&REFERRERID=108168. I HAVE HEARD OF A PCA CHAPTER THAT HAS REQUIRED THAT CARS ON THE TRACK RUN WITH WATER WETTER OR FIX THIS ISSUE WITH GETTING THE FITTINGS WELDED. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS AND THE DAMAGE TO CARS EXPERIENCING THIS FAILURE AND THE CARS AROUND THEM, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS. ESPECIALLY SINCE TURBOS AND GT3S ARE PURPOSE BUILT CARS FOR TRACK ENTHUSIASTS. IN GT3 DOCUMENTATION, IT STATES THAT DAILY DRIVING WILL ACTUALLY CAUSE THE SERVICE INTERVALS TO INCREASE. IT IS BUILT FOR THE TRACK, IT SHOULD SURVIVE BEING DRIVEN ON THE TRACK WITHOUT SUCH FAILURES. *TR