NHTSA Complaint #11141928 — 2011 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO

TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. THERE IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY PORSCHE OF AN ASSOCIATED DEFECT OF THE TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AND A RELATED WORKSHOP BULLETIN (WB) WHEN REPLACING THE TRANSFER CASE. PORSCHE MECHANICS ARE INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE A "VENT HOSE" FOR THE TRANSFER CASE. THIS NEWLY REVISED DESIGN PART NUMBER FOR THE REVISED VENT IS 958-301-047-10. THE REASON: THE ORIGINAL DESIGN FOR CAYENNE 958 PORSCHE TRANSFER CASES HAD THE HOSE ENDING ON THE LOWER (CLOSER TO THE GROUND) SIDE OF THE TRANSFER CASE. THE NEW HOSE ENDS ON THE UPPER (FURTHER FROM THE GROUND) SIDE OF THE TRANSFER CASE. PORSCHE DETERMINED THAT MOISTURE WAS GETTING SUCKED INTO THE CASES AND CAUSING FLUID CONTAMINATION. SINCE THE TRANSFER CASE USES A "MULTIPLATE WET CLUTCH", MOISTURE COULD PREMATURELY CORRODE OR ALLOW RUST TO FORM, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE CLUTCH TO BIND AND WORK ERRATICALLY. THESE ARE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED BY MULTIPLE OWNERS OF 958 CAYENNES DISCUSSED IN PORSCHE FORUMS (E.G. RENNTECH.ORG, RENNSLIST.COM, ETC.). THIS REVISED VENT DEVELOPED BY PORSCHE TO REPLACE THE EXISTING DESIGN, SHOULD BE COVERED BY PORSCHE. MOREOVER, OWNERS OF 958 CAYENNES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURES OF THE TRANSFER CASE AND SUBSEQUENT REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSFER CASE AND THE NEWLY DESIGNED HOSE, SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE FULL COST OF THE REPLACEMENT TRANSFER CASE AND THE HOSE. THERE ARE NOW HUNDREDS OF CAYENNE OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. MOREOVER, THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE DOES NOT CALL FOR ANY PREVENTATIVE FLUID CHANGES OF THE TRANSMISSION OIL. THIS SHOULD BE REVISED AND RECOMMENDED SERVICING SHOULD BE PRESCRIBED (E.G., EVERY 10,000 MILES). THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSFER CASE COULD CAUSE VEHICLES TO LURCH OR REACT IN AN ERRATIC OR UNSAFE CAPACITY ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF OPERATION, INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEED DRIVING. SUCH AN ERRATIC EVENT COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC HARM TO DRIVERS, PASSENGERS, OR BYSTANDERS.