SUMMARY OF SAFETY DEFECT: Active, unmitigated toxic gasoline vapor leak inside the cabin of a 2004 Porsche Boxster, presenting an acute fire and toxic chemical exposure hazard upon filling the tank and starting the vehicle. DEALER & CORPORATE EVASION: Ignored Warnings: Dealership intake and repair orders (such as Frank's Automotive RO #XXX) logged raw fuel odors but omitted proper fuel system diagnostics. Compromised Inspection: Authorized personnel at Porsche South Austin (PSA), including service advisor [XXX], used "gold certified" credentials to falsely clear the vehicle without remediation. Corporate Denial: In Case #XXX dated XXX PCNA Executive Case Specialist [XXX] formally refused to authorize an independent diagnostic inspection, hiding behind the franchise model to abandon consumer safety. REQUESTED ACTION: the federal safety agency should open a defect inquiry into unmitigated fuel vapor leaks and investigate authorized dealer practices of overriding safety concerns via unverified test-drive clearances. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2004 Porsche Boxster problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine3
- Fuel system1
- Steering1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine3
- Fuel system1
- Steering1
Recalls 1
Exterior lighting: headlights
- What is wrong
- Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2020 Porsche Macan, Cayenne, Panamera, and Cayman S, 2001-2004 Boxster, Boxster S, 2004 Boxster 50 JAHRE SPYDER 550 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all affected models and model years. The caps that cover the low-beam headlight horizontal adjustment screws are missing, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install missing caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Porsche's customer service at 1‑800‑767‑7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ANB4.
Recall number 22V656000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2004 Porsche Boxster 388
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Parts Information for Parts Withdrawal
- Parts Information for Parts Withdrawal
- Parts Information for Parts Withdrawal
- Parts Information for Parts Withdrawal
- Parts Information for Parts Withdrawal
- Parts Information for Parts Withdrawal
- Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche A40 Engine Oils
- Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche C30 Engine Oils
- Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche C20 Engine Oils
- Manufacturer's Certificate for Overview of Approved Porsche C40 Engine Oils
2004 Porsche Boxster fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L 6‑cyl | RWD | 16-18 | 24-27 | 19-21 |
| 3.2L 6‑cyl | RWD | 15-16 | 24 | 18-19 |
What 2004 Porsche Boxster owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The intermediate shaft bearing when out and spread metal shaving throughout the engine. This caused a catastrophic engine failure. I have to have the car towed to the mechanic and will have to have an engine rebuild. The car has been service according to the company provided service manual. I called porsche USA to see if they woudl do anything about the failure, since this has been a documented problem with certain porsches, but the company would not help.
2004 porsche boxster, 58-60k mi, had catastrophic engine failure at 10 mi/hr. Engine stalled; was able to restart and drive a few feet, but badly missing. Loud clanging noise from engine. No smoke. Oil drained from car when tilted on towtruck. Dealer found intermediate shaft (ims) failure; required engine replacement at $18k. Dealer said they had seen a significant number of ims failures (but porsche has not notified owners). No injuries, but certainly engine failure like this could have serious consequences at freeway speeds. Porsche forums on internet show frequency of failures from this defect (poorly designed bearing assembly on ims) is very high, as much as 8-11% in one forum poll. Defect found in my97-08.
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 porsche boxster. When accelerating from a stop light at 2 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and they stated that the ims (intermediate shaft) failed, which caused the engine to fail. It would cost $16,000-$20,000 to replace. The manufacturer stated that they were not responsible for the failure because the vehicle exceeded its warranty. The failure and current mileages were 20468. Updated 05/27/09. *lj the intermediate shaft bolt broke which caused the engine to fail. Updated 05/28/09.
Compare the 2004 Porsche Boxster
Other model years
Questions about the 2004 Porsche Boxster
Is the 2004 Porsche Boxster reliable?
Owners have filed 4 complaints about the 2004 Porsche Boxster, fewer than a typical Boxster model year.
What is the 2004 Porsche Boxster year score?
The 2004 Porsche Boxster scores 88 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Porsche Boxster: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Porsche Boxster?
Engine and cooling, with 3 complaints. Next is fuel system (1).
How many recalls does the 2004 Porsche Boxster have?
1 recall, covering exterior lighting.
What year does the Porsche Boxster have bad engine?
The Porsche Boxster model years with the most engine complaints are 1999 (16 complaints) and 2005 (11 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2004 Porsche Boxster get?
Official estimates for the 2004 Porsche Boxster range from 18 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.7L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 16-18 city and 24-27 highway.
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