When driving car, it feels rough and is hard to accelerate so I took it to the dealer and was told it was the transfer case. The transfer case seems to be a manufacture problem and is common among these cars. It's unsafe and almost impossible to drive on the highway .
The worst 2012 Porsche Cayenne S problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Transmission5
- Engine1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission5
- Engine1
Recalls 2
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
Exterior lighting: headlights
- What is wrong
- Porsche is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 cayenne, cayenne s, cayenne s hybrid, and cayenne turbo vehicles manufactured from march 8, 2010, through january 31, 2012 because the headlamps may come loose and detach from the fender.
- Risk
- A detached headlight could lead to loss of visibility and an increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlamp locking assemblies, free of charge. The safety recall began on march 9, 2012. Owners may contact porsche at 1‑800‑767‑7243.
Recall number 12V065000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S 427
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
- 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
- Special Tools and Equipment Information for alignment machines
2012 Porsche Cayenne S 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.8L 8‑cyl | AWD | 16 | 22 | 18 |
What 2012 Porsche Cayenne S owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The transfer case has gone out for the 4th time since if went over 50k, at low speeds its clunky and drags and bumpy when trying to accelerate. I found other individuals having the same problem mutli times as myself and this is not cheap to fix. The dealer knows this is a problem but will not help with cost
Transfer case failure. Care clunks/drags in low gears.
The porsche dealer informed me the bumping noise while accelerating is the transfer case. It is a common problem on all 2012 cayenne cars. The transfer case will make the bumping noise when accelerating. It will eventually slip to the dangerous point. This is when you accelerate into traffic and the transfer case only slips and leaves the sitting in traffic unable to move. The repair is $5000 and replaces the transfer case. The new transfer case corrects the design flaw. The flaw was in the transfer case vents that would allow water to build up in the case. The new case comes with vent tubes installed so the case can vent properly and water doesn't build up in the transfer case fluid. It is a shame that this problem happens between 30,000 and 80,000 miles. If I pay $60, 000 -$100,000 for a car I would expect to get past 100,000 miles before a major repair. Hopefully I don't get killed in traffic when it starts slipping more.
Faulty transfer case the car had a bumpy and violent shudder at slow speeds when attempting to accelerate. Feels like misfiring and then grinding and the car does not respond to the accelerator. It was dangerous when attempting to accelerate into traffic. I called to make an appointment and with a simple explanation they diagnosed it over the phone. The dealership acknowledged that these transfer cases were failing regularly and that the parts were redesigned and even stocked in the dealership since it happens so regularly. With a basic search of the internet it is apparent that this problem is widespread and that porsche has acknowledged the design flaw but they are not choosing to recall. This is a safety issue and should be replaced by the manufacturer whether the car is under warranty or not.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 porsche cayenne s. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 17v368000 (engine). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Compare the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S
Other model years
Questions about the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S
Is the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S reliable?
Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S, close to a typical Cayenne S model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 5 complaints. Next is engine (1).
How many recalls does the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S have?
2 recalls, covering exterior lighting.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S get?
Official estimates for the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S range from 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.8L 8-cyl, AWD) gets 16 city and 22 highway.
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