2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4S — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

2003 PORSCHE 911 C4S COUPE: CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IN NEW YORK. WOULD LIKELY HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, IF HAD STILL BEEN ON I-87. MOMENTS BEFORE, DIVERTED TO NEARLY EMPTY RT-9. FROM WEB RESEARCH AND DISCUSSIONS WITH PORSCHE SERVICE CENTERS, I ESTIMATE THAT 1ST GEN WATER COOLED BOXER ENGINES IN BOXSTER AND 911 DURING '99-'08 HAVE HAD > 5% CATASTROPHIC FAILURE RATE ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT SYSTEM (SHAFT, BEARINGS, LUBRICATION SYSTEM). THE 2ND GEN WATER COOLED BOXER ENGINES INTRODUCED IN 2009 ELIMINATED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. MY EXPERIENCE INDICATES PORSCHE AG AND PORSCHE NA HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING A COVER-UP BY PERSUADING AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS TO RETURN THE ENGINES UNOPENED TO PORSCHE AG, WHERE THEY DO A NICE BUSINESS SALVAGING THE CASE FOR REMANUFACTURED ENGINES SOLD BACK TO VICTIMS. THAT HAPPENED TO ME AT PEPE PORSCHE. AT FIRST, THEY SAID THE 'INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BOLT' BROKE. THERE IS NO SUCH PART, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A THREADED END. MY 3RD PARTY WARRANTY COMPANY SAID, 'SORRY, FINE PRINT, WE DO NOT COVER FAILURES CAUSED BY BROKEN BOLTS'. PEPE LATER ADMITTED THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL FAILURE MECHANISM WAS LIKELY INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BEARINGS. THE WARRANTY COMPANY DEMANDED AN INSPECTION. BY THEN, THE BROKEN ENGINE WAS LONG GONE, AND I HAD SPENT $13,000 FOR INSTALLATION OF A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. I FOUGHT PORSCHE AG, PORSCHE NA, AND PEPE FOR SATISFACTION (BY MYSELF, WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY). I FINALLY SETTLED FOR 50% BACK FROM PEPE. WATCHING THE TOYOTA STORY VIS A VIS THE NHTSA, I HAVE RENEWED HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WOULD PRO-ACTIVELY RECEIVE MY COMPLAINT AND INVESTIGATE. I SUGGEST YOU POLL AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS TO FIND OUT HOW MANY '996-SERIES' ENGINES THEY HAVE SEEN FROM 1999-2008 MODEL YEARS WITH CATASTROPHIC FAILURES, HOW MANY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH A CRASH, AND HOW MANY ENGINES WERE RETURNED TO PORSCHE AG UNOPENED, WITHOUT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE FAILURE MECHANISM. *TR