NHTSA Complaint #10511586 — 2002 PORSCHE 911 TURBO

WAS TRAVELING ON FREE ENTRY RAMP, AND AS I ENTERED THE FREEWAY AND APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CAR EXHIBITED A BRIEF SHUDDER AT WHICH TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND BEGAN TO BLINK. I NOTICED A VISIBLE WHITE CLOUD OF SMOKE BEHIND THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS AND THEN REMAINED OFF. I ALSO NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ROSE ABOVE 180F, WHICH IS THE APPROXIMATE OPERATING TEMPERATURE PER THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THE GAUGE HELD SLIGHTLY ABOVE 180F (~5 MM PAST 180F) FOR THE DURATION OF THE DRIVE, ! 5 MILES BEFORE I STOPPED THE CAR AT MY NEXT DESTINATION POINT. UPON TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND EXITING THE CAR THERE WAS A DISTINCT ANTIFREEZE SMELL. THE CAR WAS OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AND WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF ANTIFREEZE DIRECTLY BELOW THE CAR JUST INSIDE THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. I ESTIMATE APPROXIMATELY 1-2 PINTS OF FLUID. UPON DRIVING THE CAR TO MY FINAL DESTINATION (PERSONAL RESIDENCE) THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REMAINED ABOVE 180F (! 5-10 MM). DURING THIS SHORT DRIVE, ~ 5 MILES, I TURNED THE CAR'S INTERIOR HEAT TO MAXIMUM TO HELP REMOVE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE. UPON TURNING THE OFF THE IGNITION THE CAR CONTINUED TO LEAK ANTIFREEZE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE ANTIFREEZE APPEARED TO BE LEAKING AT THE CONNECTION TO THE WATER PUMP, ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR JUST BEHIND THE EXHAUST, ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR. IT IS POSSIBLE IT WAS LEAKING FROM OTHER LOCATIONS BUT I COULD NOT MAKE THIS DETERMINATION WITHOUT PUTTING THE CAR ONTO A LIFT. THE CAR CONTINUED TO LEAK COOLANT AT A SMALL RATE, ESTIMATED TO BE 20-30 DRIPS PER MINUTES. THIS DRIP RATE REMAINED CONSISTENT. THE CAR WILL BE TAKE TO AN INDEPENDENT PORSCHE SERVICE SHOP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. I AM AWARE THIS IS AN ISSUE ON MANY PORSCHE 911 MODEL CARS AND AM AWARE THE NHTSA MAY BE INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE FURTHER. *TR