At highway speeds, randomly a serious unsafe to operate 'service necessary' warning appears on the instrument panel and the cruise control malfunctions; abruptly shutting off. With the service necessary warning indicated, the vehicle is unsafe to operate. This unsafe vehicle is not drive-able with cruise control. Error will go away on its own. This breakdown appears to be known to porsche based on what I have seen on internet community sites
The worst 2011 Porsche Cayenne problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine12
- Transmission11
- Airbags3
- Acceleration1
- Brakes1
- Driver assistance1
- Electrical1
- Lights1
- Steering1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2011 Porsche Cayenne
Recalls 3
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
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
- What is wrong
- Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Cayenne vehicles manufactured April 28, 2010, to January 11, 2016. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a circlip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.
- Risk
- If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly circlip, installing any missing circlips, free of charge. The recall began on July 8, 2016. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1‑800‑767‑7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AG02.
Recall number 16V169000 · 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 2011 Porsche Cayenne 448
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
2011 Porsche Cayenne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6‑cyl Hybrid | AWD | 20 | 24 | 21 |
| 3.6L 6‑cyl | AWD | 15-16 | 22 | 18-19 |
| 4.8L 8‑cyl | AWD | 15 | 22 | 17 |
What 2011 Porsche Cayenne owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Porsche dash material is separating from the substrate of the structure. This material is directly between the airbag and the now loose material on the surface of the dash (leather). Porsche will not repair this and recommends a replacement at an estimated $10,000 USD. There is a significant risk to safety as the now loose upper material will interfere with the deployment of the airbag on the passenger side, adding potential harm and injury to a passenger inside the vehicle.
The original Porsche leather upper dashboard has shrunk, causing exposed staples, and rippling of the leather , including rippling and bunching of the leather that is covering the passenger dash airbag assembly. I have been informed that in the event of an accident causing airbags to deploy, the passenger airbag would likely not deploy correctly, and further injury could also occur because of exposed staples and hardware that should not be exposed. My Porsche dealer and independent dealer have both advised replacement of dash (for a very large sum of money). I have also taken the vehicle to multiple upholstery shops and all have declined to fix the problem solely due to the airbag risk/liability. This is very common issue for late model porsche full leather option dashes, and specifically Cayenne models seem to be heavily affected. At this point, I am worried about the safety of my vehicle, and continue usage, and the dealer price to fix out of pocket is prohibitive (the part itself from the porsche dealer is >$6000, not including significant labor charges to remove and replace the full dash). Cayenne owners have been quoted over $10,000 to fix the issue from dealers. Thank you for your time
The leather on my Porsche Cayenne dashboard has shrunk and is pulling away from the front of the dashboard. My mechanic tells me that this is a possible safety issue because if the vehicle is in an accident, the front passenger airbag may not deploy correctly and recommends replacing (expensive). In checking various Porsche online forums, this appears to be a common issue among owners with the more expensive leather dashboards.
My vehicle has camshaft and crankshaft correlation problems due to the well-known problem with its screws and other things. I reported it to Porsche and they told me that it has already been repaired but I don't understand how to fail again and deny help for its repair.
2011 Porsche Cayenne S Model- Consumer is writing in reference to Porsche Recall ANB4. Requesting investigation into the rubber sealer replacements and ordering the Porsche Cars North America to redo the recall for all subjected vehicles after providing enough headlight rubber sealers to dealerships. Recall letter & pictures attached.
I have a 2011 model Porsche Cayenne S. From the service records, I can tell the car has had two transfer cases already replaced and is in need of another. The first transfer case was replaced in mid-2016 by the dealer at about 46,000 miles. The second transfer case was replaced just over 12,000 miles later, at 58,500 miles, in late 2019. Both replacements were done by the previous owner. This should have been the newest and most updated transfer case with the new control modules and GNC-coated plates, but this does not appear to have solved the problems Porsche is having with the transfer cases. It is now mid-2023, and an independent shop says I need another transfer case in my car at 76,000 miles. It is hard to believe that Porsche considered the upgraded parts (2018+) to be a permanent solution, especially when it only lasted about 17,000 miles.    I will hopefully be able to have my local dealership dissect the transfer case I am replacing so that I can learn more about what actually failed on this updated unit. Transfer cases are a major part of the vehicle and should be expected to last just as long as other major components (ex. engine, transmission). It is very unsafe when any major part of the drive train fails. PS. One of the main reasons for purchasing this specific cayenne was because I believed the transfer case it had installed in 2019 would have solved all of these issues and I would not need to replace it again.Â
The contact owns a 2011 Porsche Cayenne. The contact noticed that the smoke light stop functioning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fuse for the smoke light was replaced. On another occasion, the contact noticed that the passenger-side headlight to the vehicle stop functioning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the light bulb was replaced but the failure reoccurred, and the passenger side headlight light bulb was replaced. On another occasion, the air condition stops functioning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the blower motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 04V069000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) and did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 20,000. The contact stated that the failure mileage was between 60,000 and 80,000. The recall for a faulty main wiring harness does not include the contact's VIN. The contact has concerns about the bad wiring eventually causing a fire. No repairs have been made. The contact stated the problem still persists, and informed there is a electrical problem.
2011 Cayenne Turbo: Vehicle has had recent transfer case servicing. Experiencing a grinding sensation on roundabouts, and turns that almost feels as if the brake is applied. If issue continues to worsen, it could easily cause an accident as a sudden speed reduction on a roundabout, or turn may prompt unaware/inattentive drivers to rear-end me, or worse. Dealership is citing transfer case failure, however, my vehicle is one year removed from the end of the extended warranty campaign and is no longer eligible for a replacement unit.
Intake camshafts adjuster bolts broke while in motion on city street c@p case with porsche # 0005611574 manufacturer campaign number : ah08
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Questions about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne
Is the 2011 Porsche Cayenne reliable?
Owners have filed 30 complaints about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne, close to a typical Cayenne model year.
What is the 2011 Porsche Cayenne year score?
The 2011 Porsche Cayenne scores 70 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Porsche Cayenne: 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 2011 Porsche Cayenne?
Engine and cooling, with 12 complaints, typically around 90,000 miles. Next is transmission (11).
How many recalls does the 2011 Porsche Cayenne have?
3 recalls, covering exterior lighting and service brakes, hydraulic.
What year does the Porsche Cayenne have bad engine?
The Porsche Cayenne model years with the most engine complaints are 2011 (12 complaints) and 2004 (10 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2011 Porsche Cayenne get?
Official estimates for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne range from 17 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.0L 6-cyl hybrid, AWD) gets 20 city and 24 highway.
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