NHTSA Complaint #10519858 — 2004 PORSCHE 911 GT3

I PURCHASED MY 2004 PORSCHE GT3 IN MAY OF 2009. IT HAD JUST UNDER 20,000 MILES ON IT. IN AUGUST, 2010, I WAS DRIVING ON TRACK AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY AND ONE OF THE COOLANT FITTINGS CAME LOOSE FROM THE ENGINE. THE EPOXY THAT HOLDS THE PRESS-FIT COUPLER TO ONE OF THE HEAT EXCHANGERS HAD LOST ITS ABILITY TO RETAIN THE FITTING AND CAME DISCONNECTED. ALL OF THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS LOST IN A SINGLE INSTANCE. [CATASTROPHIC COOLANT LOSS]. I HAD THAT FITTING REPLACED BY THE PORSCHE DEALER IN DALLAS UNDER AFTERMARKET WARRANTY. I CAN PROVIDE INFO REGARDING THE ON THIS AT YOUR REQUEST, AND I HAVE SOME PICTURES OF THE OFFENDING PART. I HAD A SECOND (AND SEPARATE) FITTING FAIL IN JANUARY 2011 AT 35,000 WHILE DRIVING ON TRACK AT MOTORSPORT RANCH HOUSTON. THEY SAME SYMPTOMS WERE FOUND - THE PRESS-FIT COUPLING HAD COME LOOSE RESULTING IN COMPLETE COOLANT LOSS. THIS WAS ALSO REPAIRED WITH A FACTORY REPLACEMENT PART UNDER AFTERMARKET WARRANTY AT THE PORSCHE DEALER IN HOUSTON. I BELIEVE THERE ARE 8 KNOWN PRESS-FIT COUPLERS ON THE GT1 ENGINE BLOCK IN THE 996 AND 997 MODEL GT AND TURBO CARS. EACH OF THESE IS KNOWN TO FAIL BASED ON THE PRESS-FIT COUPLER AND POOR DESIGN (USE OF EPOXY ON A HIGH PRESSURE COMPONENT). I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON PORSCHE GT/TURBO CARS AND HAS BEEN DISCUSSED ON THE INTERNET (E.G. RENNLIST) FOR MANY YEARS. 25% OF MINE HAVE FAILED, AND ALMOST EVERY OTHER GT DRIVER I KNOW HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE FAIL. *TR