Other Restraint System Info: Restraint System: Passive
Plant City: Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen
Plant Company Name: Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen
Plant Country: Germany
Seat Belts All: Manual
Trim: Carrera (2WD), Carrera 4S (4WD)
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 30 MILES PER HOUR AT A LOW RPM, I HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. INITIALLY I THOUGHT ROAD DEBRIS WAS CAUGHT UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND I WAS DRAGGING IT ALONG WHILE DRIVING. I QUICKLY TURNED THE CAR TO THE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE MOTOR OFF. UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE I NOTICED ALL OF THE ENGINE'S OIL SPEWING OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ARRANGED FOR A TOW VEHICLE. I THOUGHT AN OBJECT STRUCK THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF MY CAR. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND DETERMINED TO BE A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. NO EVIDENCE OF A ROAD HAZARD PERFORATING THE ENGINE WAS SEEN. SINCE I FILED THIS LETTER I HAVE LEARNED THAT MY ENGINE SUFFERED AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FAILURE. THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE M96 PORSCHE ENGINES (1999-2009). THIS DEFECT OCCURS IN WATER COOLED PORSCHE ENGINES. PORSCHE MOTOR COMPANY DENIES RESPONSIBILITY IN THESE VEHICLES BUT RECOGNIZES THAT ENGINE FAILURE DO OCCUR. I HAVE ACCURATE RECORDS WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR. HOW CAN AN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY RECOGNIZE THAT A DEFECT EXISTS BUT WILL NOT ISSUE OR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. UPDATED 09/12/11
2005
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ON INTERSTATE 79 NORTHBOUND AT APPROXIMATELY MILE MARKER 3 BETWEEN MINK SHOALS AND ELKVIEW, WV. I HAD JUST PICKED UP A PIZZA AND I WAS HEADED HOME A FEW MILES FROM MY HOUSE. I WAS GOING UPHILL WHEN I HEARD A POP AND SAW A HUGE PLUME OF STEAM SHOOT OUT FROM BEHIND MY CAR. I THEN TAPPED THE BRAKES AND THE REAR RIGHT TIRE GOT A LITTLE LOOSE AS IT HAD ANTIFREEZE COOLANT SPRAYING DIRECTLY ON IT. I MANAGED TO GET MY CAR HOME AS IT WAS QUICKLY STARTING TO GET HOT AND CLOSE TO OVERHEATING AS THERE WAS NO COOLANT LEFT. I GOOGLED "PORSCHE 911 COOLANT LINE FAILURE" AND QUICKLY LEARNED THAT MY ISSUE HAD HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS.I LEARNED THAT FROM THE FACTORY PORSCHE GLUES/EPOXIES THE COOLANT FITTINGS INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK AND OVER TIME AND MANY HEAT CYCLES LATER THE GLUE/EPOXY FAILS AND THE COOLANT SPRAYS EVERYWHERE AND MANY TIMES DIRECTLY ON THE REAR TIRES. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AND ANYONE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY. I PERFORMED A QUICK FIX ON MY CAR AND PINNED THE FITTING BACK INTO THE BLOCK. I LATER LEARNED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE DROPPED AND EACH OF THE 6 COOLANT LINES NEEDED TO BE WELDED TOGETHER TO TRULY PREVENT THIS FROM BEING A HAZARD. I PAID SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HAVE THE ENGINE DROPPED AND FIXED LIKE PORSCHE SHOULD HAVE DONE FROM THE FACTORY. THEY SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE ISSUE AND OFFERED TO FIX THE FAILED COOLANT LINES UNDER A RECALL BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE THIS HAS NOT BEEN DONE. PORSCHE CLAIMS NO FAULT OF THEIRS. MANY PERFORMANCE DRIVING EVENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE AND WON'T LET YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR AT THEIR EVENT UNLESS THE ISSUE HAS BEEN PROPERLY ADDRESSED BY DROPPING THE ENGINE. WHEN YOU SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY ON A CAR OR ANY MONEY FOR THAT MANNER YOU EXPECT THE CAR MANUFACTURE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS A HIGH PRIORITY. *TR