GVWR: Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg)
Make: PORSCHE
Manufacturer: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AG
Manufacturer Id: 13510
Model: Boxster
Model Year: 1999
Note: GVWR: 3,439 - 3,549 lbs
Other Restraint System Info: Restraint System: Passive
Plant City: Uusikaupunki
Plant Company Name: Valmet
Plant Country: Finland
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
IT'S WELL DOCUMENTED THAT EARLY PRODUCTION PORSCHE BOXSTERS HAD A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ENGINE FAILURES DUE TO CRACKED OR SLIPPED CYLINDER LINERS. THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL BUT PORSCHE DID REPLACE FAILED ENGINES UNDER WARRANTY. PORSCHE HAS NOT DIVULGED EXACTLY HOW MANY ENGINES THIS ACTUALLY OCCURRED IN OTHER THAN A BROAD RANGE OF 2.5 ENGINES IN LATE 1998-EARLY 1999. NOR HAVE THEY RELEASED ANY ENGINE NUMBERS THAT HAVE HAD SLEEVES INSTALLED. I PURCHASED MY CAR 2 WEEKS AGO FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 69K MILES AND FULL MAIN DEALER SERVICE HISTORY. THE ENGINE HAS NOW FAILED DUE TO A SLIPPED CYLINDER LINER. THE ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN RACED OR OVER-REVVED. I'M LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE $8 - $13K REPAIR BILL FOR A REPLACEMENT/REBUILT ENGINE. FORTUNATELY THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILST IN A CAR PARK. HAD IT DONE SO WHILST DRIVING ON THE BUSY INTERSTATE, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BOXSTER, PORSCHE TEAMED UP WITH KOLBENSCHMIDT TO MANUFACTURE THEIR NEW WATER-COOLED ENGINE. THE CASES EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ISSUES STARTING WITH THEIR POROSITY. IN 1998 KOLBENSCHMIDTїS CASTING MACHINE WAS DAMAGED. THIS LEAD TO LINER FAILURES IN LATE 1998 TO EARLY 1999. THIS WOULD TRANSLATE INTO ONLY THE 1999 MODEL YEAR DUE TO PRODUCTION DATES. THE TIME REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE MACHINE COULD HAVE SLOWED BOXSTER PRODUCTION DOWN SEVERELY UNLESS A FIX WAS FOUND. THE SOLUTION WAS TO RELINE SOME NOT-QUITE-PERFECT BLOCKS THAT WERE ON HAND. MOST OF THESE BLOCKS HAD A CASTING DEFECT OR A POROSITY PROBLEM IN AT LEAST ONE CYLINDER. KOLBENSCHMIDT BEGAN THE PROCESS OF THE REPAIRS UNTIL THE CASTING MACHINE WAS FIXED. THIS PROCESS STARTED BY BORING OUT THE FAILED CYLINDER TO ALLOW FOR THE INSERTION OF THE LINER. *TR
1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE LOST POWER AND FAILED. DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT #3 CYLINDER "BLEW OUT." DEALER REPLACED FAILED ENGINE WITH REMANUFACTURED ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY. *AK