NHTSA Complaint #10507029 — 2005 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO

I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE GARAGE THE NEXT MORNING THERE WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF FLUID SURROUNDING THE CAR BELOW. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STATED THAT I NEEDED TO CHECK COOLANT LEVEL. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE PORSCHE OF PLANO AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE WRITER THAT THE COOLANT PIPES ARE A COMMONLY KNOWN, WELL DOCUMENTED POINT OF FAILURE. HE SUGGESTED I RUN A SEARCH ON GOOGLE. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT PORSCHE USED PLASTIC MATERIALS IN THE DESIGN OF THE COOLANT PIPES WHICH ARE LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE PLASTIC BECOMES BRITTLE OVER TIME DUE TO THE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN IT BECOMES BRITTLE ENOUGH IT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOOSE ALL FLUID IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN CARS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND OTHERS THAT ARE PARKED. PORSCHE DOES NOT SUPPLY THE SAME PARTS TO REPAIR A FAILURE. PORSCHE INSTEAD SELLS A KIT MADE OF ALUMINUM PIPING THAT IS DESIGNED NOT TO WITHSTAND THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE ORIGINALLY BEEN MANUFACTURED. THE COST FOR THE KIT AND LABOR RANGES BETWEEN $2,000 - $3,000. THE ISSUE IS NOW PART OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT DUE TO THE NUMBER OF OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. *TR