Porsche recalls over 10,000 Taycans following government investigation

Porsche recalls over 10,000 Taycans following government investigation

July 8, 2021 Rebecca Rand

Atlanta, GA – July 8, 2021 – Porsche (OTCMKTS:POAH) has recalled 10,373 luxury electric cars that may stall due to a software issue. The recall comes on the heels of a recent investigation by an auto safety regulator and includes the following models:

  • 2020 – 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo
  • 2020 – 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo S
  • 2020 – 2021 Porsche Taycan 4S
  • 2021 Porsche Taycan
  • 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo
  • 2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
  • 2021 Porsche Taycan 4S Cross Turismo
  • 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo

The affected part is “power electronics.” There is no part number available.

Recall summary  

The axles of a car are responsible for transferring  the power from the car to the wheels, which is what moves the car forward, as reported.

In  the recalled Taycans, software designed to monitor communication between two computers on the front and rear axles may incorrectly sense a problem and trigger a shutdown of the car’s powertrain, causing the car to stall.

Investigation

Porsche discovered the issue while it was reviewing complaints brought forward by an investigation, conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about stalls in Taycan vehicles. The administration’s investigation focused on potential issues with the electric cars’ batteries, which are not mentioned in the recall documents.

It is not clear whether Porsche believes all the stalls in Taycans under investigation were caused by this software issue, instead of the battery issue proposed by NHTSA.

Warning signs

If the software error occurs, a warning message will appear on the car’s display, notifying the driver of a “motor control error” and instructing him or her  to stop the car in a safe place. Once the car is stopped, Porsche says, the vehicle can be restarted by pressing the on-off button. 

Read more about what to do if your car stalls in this article about a recent Chrysler recall.

Risks

According to Porsche’s own evaluation, stalls “can increase [the] risk of a crash in certain traffic situations.” Indeed, stalls put a car at risk of being hit by faster-moving traffic behind it.

The repair

Porsche dealers will update the problem software for free. Owners will be notified about the recall by August 27.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 10,000 electric vehicles are included in this Porsche recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandPorsche recalls over 10,000 Taycans following government investigation
US government investigates Porsche Taycan battery issues

US government investigates Porsche Taycan battery issues

June 9, 2021 Rebecca Rand

Washington, D.C. – June 9, 2021 – The arm of the U.S. government that regulates vehicle safety is conducting an investigation to determine if Porsche (OTCMKTS:POAHY) will be required to recall 12,146 2020-2021 Porsche Taycan electric cars for battery issues that can cause the car to stall.

Investigation summary  

The regulator – the  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – opened the investigation on May 17, after receiving nine Taycan owners’ complaints that described the cars’ stalling without warning, sometimes while driving on a freeway.

The cause appears to be the shutdown of the vehicle’s electrical system potentially brought upon by the loss of charge of the car’s 12-volt auxiliary battery, which normally powers headlights and climate control. Indeed, all drivers who submitted complaints saw an error message about a “battery fault” on the car’s display.  

Complaints

This issue potentially represents a serious safety hazard. One driver complained that not only the car stalled, but it also locked him or her inside while on a freeway. Six owners stated in their complaints that they were not able to restart their cars.

Risks

Stalling turns your car into a road hazard that other faster-moving cars may hit. Read more about the dangers of stalling, and what to do if your car loses power, in this article about a recent Jeep and Ram recall. 

Next steps

NHTSA is currently investigating the “scope and severity” of the Porsche Taycan’s issues with its battery. This process – called preliminary evaluation – usually takes about four months. If NHTSA finds a possible safety defect, it will conduct the so-called engineering analysis to see if a recall is warranted.

Recent Porsche Taycan recalls

The 2021 Porsche Taycan was just recalled for a separate issue with its suspension, which may break, causing the vehicle to lose control. Read more about it in NHTSA’s official recall documents.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 12,000 vehicles are implicated in this Porsche investigation. To see if this Porsche battery issue affects your car, bookmark our MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandUS government investigates Porsche Taycan battery issues
Porsche recalls cars due to potential airbag failure

Porsche recalls cars due to potential airbag failure

March 15, 2021 Aleksandra Snesareva

Atlanta, GA – March 15, 2021 – Porsche (OTCMKTS:VWAGY) is recalling 39,547 vehicles due to faulty front seat occupancy sensors, which may fail to detect a front seat passenger. This may result in the airbag failing to activate in the event of a crash,  magnifying the risk of the injury. 

The component in question is a sensor mat with multiple part numbers, including 95B881256L and 95B881256M.

The recall includes the following compact SUVs:

  • 2017 Porsche Macan
  • 2018 Porsche Macan
  • 2017 – 2018 Porsche Macan GTS 
  • 2015 – 2018 Porsche Macan S
  • 2015 – 2018 Porsche Macan Turbo 

Recall summary  

The recall concerns the front seat occupancy sensor mats, which identify when a passenger is sitting in the seat, ultimately determining whether or not the airbag deploys. Because of the degradation of the fabric that composes the mat, the sensor may fail to “see” the passenger. In that case, the airbag will fail to deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

Warning signs

The occupants will be alerted to the faulty sensor by activation of the “airbag warning” or “passenger airbag OFF” lamps.

Other Porsche recalls  

This is at least the second Porsche recall since 2019 concerning software affecting airbag activation. In July 2019, over 7,500 vehicles were recalled for a similar issue.  The recall did not include any of the cars that are part of this recall.  Additionally, in February of last year, the 2017 Porsche Macan and 2017 Porsche Macan S  were among the cars recalled for a possible fuel leak.

Risks 

Airbags’ goal is to cut down on the risk of “upper body injury.” As such, passengers in a crash without an airbag are at a higher risk of injury, especially in a “moderate or severe” crash.

Repair 

The repair is a free replacement on the sensor mat and seat cushion. The recall will begin on May 2, 2021.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Approximately 40,000 vehicles are part of this Porsche recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Aleksandra SnesarevaPorsche recalls cars due to potential airbag failure
Porsche issues recall on Cayennes and Panameras

Porsche issues recall on Cayennes and Panameras

November 13, 2019 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – Nov. 11, 2019 – Porsche Cars North America recently revealed that it will have to recall tens of thousands of its Panamera hatchbacks and Cayenne light SUVs in the near future, due to an issue with their brake warning indicators.

Specifically, the recall involves 44,128 vehicles – 100% of which are expected to have the issue in question – including those that have been recalled previously, such as:

  • Porsche Panamera hatchback variants from the 2017 and 2018 model years.
  • Porsche Cayenee light SUV variants from the 2019 and 2020 model years.

In both cases, it seems a faulty software update is to blame for the issues that led to the recall.

The Defect

All vehicles in this Porsche recall were originally subject to a recall in February 2019, as well as vehicles that were found to potentially have this problem but which had not been identified during the first recall. All were identified using data regarding production dates, and every vehicle in the recall is expected to carry a software defect.

The defect in the vehicles’ software will make it so that, if the brake pad’s are worn down to dangerous levels and need to be replaced, the red dashboard warning light meant to indicate a potential problem will not illuminate. This could be particular problematic for drivers who look at these displays in the “map” or “night vision” submenus on the dashboard screen.

The only way drivers would be able to tell there was an issue with their brake pads at all would be a yellow warning message in the vehicles’ multi-functional displays, though those could easily be dismissed by the operator until they turn the vehicles on again. In certain traffic conditions, driving on worn-out brake pads could increase the risk of a crash.

Affected Panameras were produced from Sept. 23, 2016 to Dec. 21, 2018. Affected Cayennes were manufactured between April 4, 2018, and Aug. 2, 2019. However, the identification numbers on the vehicles in the recall were non-sequential.

Timeline of Events

The original recall mentioned above was initiated Feb. 20, 2019, and was meant to address this software problem. Porsche attempted at the time to develop and implement a software patch that would create a brake-wear warning light that remained continuously illuminated, given the gravity of such a problem.

However, after installing that software patch on affected vehicles, the company learned that this solution was also faulty – specifically, it would not show up as continuously lit in the display’s map and night vision modes. Posche identified this issue later on, which prompted an additional investigation to determine how many more vehicles may have been affected by the problem. Based on those findings, the auto manufacturer issued a secondary recall on Oct. 9, 2019 to supersede the first action.

The company noted that Panameras manufactured on or after June 19, 2019, and Cayennes produced on or after July 29, 2019, will not have this software problem.

The Solution

Drivers of affected vehicles should take their Posches to a dealership, where the new software will be added to those vehicles’ systems. This includes both owners of vehicles that had not previously been involved in the recall – who will soon receive notification from the manufacturer about this problem – and those who already received a remedy.

Dealers received notification of the recall on Oct. 16, 2019, and owners can expect to receive notifications of their own around Dec. 16.

For additional information about this recall, consumers can contact Porsche Cars North America by phone at 1-800-767-7243, or call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

For more information on this or other recalls past or present, visit MotorSafety.org.

Sean ReyesPorsche issues recall on Cayennes and Panameras
Porsche recalls vehicles with defective airbag control modules

Porsche recalls vehicles with defective airbag control modules

July 31, 2019 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, Calif. — July 31, 2019 — Porsche Cars North America has recalled more than 7,500 vehicles potentially equipped with defective air bag control modules, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The campaign affects multiple Porsche models, including:

  • 2016-2017 Porsche 911 coupes produced between June 30, 2015, and April 16, 2016.
  • 2016-2017 Porsche Boxster coupes produced between July 1, 2015, and March 15, 2016.
  • 2016 Porsche Cayman coupes produced between July 8, 2015, and April 18, 2016.
  • 2016 Porsche Panamera hatchbacks produced between June 23, 2015, and April 7, 2016.

The German automaker suspects just 1% of the recalled vehicles contain the defective components.

The Defect

The recalled vehicles potentially contain air bag control modules with defective capacitors that could cause current deviation, leading to changes in equivalent series resistance levels. ESR fluctuation could catalyze unexpected air bag and seatbelt pretensioner deployment or inhibit airbag functionality. Both outcomes increase the risk of an accident. As a consequence, the defect poses a serious safety hazard to owners and occupants. That said, the automaker has yet to receive reports connecting the defect to any accidents or injuries.

Timeline of Events

Porsche’s airbag control module supplier, ZF Group, based in Germany, received a report from Kia Motors in August 2011 describing a situation in which the owner of a vehicle featuring the brand’s products was involved in a collision, during which his air bags failed to deploy, according to NHTSA documents. ZF group investigated the incident and determined electrical overstress to be the cause of the incident. Less than one year later, another Kia owner, this one in Egypt, had a similar experience, which ZF Group again linked to EOS.

The parts vendor received four additional reports throughout 2015 — three involving Kia vehicles and one involving a Hyundai Motor Company vehicle — which detailed instances of air bag malfunction. ZF Group links all incidents to EOS and in January 2016 contacts the NHTSA for assistance. The company collaborated with various automakers, parts providers and the NHTSA that year to study the problem in-depth. The work continued into 2017, during which time ZF Group issued multiple customer communications and received new reports of air bag deployment failure.

Hyundai issued a voluntary safety recall for select vehicles outfitted with ZF Group airbag control modules in February 2018. Kia followed suit in June 2018, at which point the NHTSA advised ZF Group to launch an independent recall for its air bag control modules. The company filed the official Part 573 paperwork June 13, 2018. Porsche received a copy of this recall June 24, 2019 and on July 10, 2019, elected to initiate its own recall campaign.

The Solution

The German automaker intends to direct dealers to assess the air bag control modules in affected vehicles and replace them if necessary, free of charge. Porsche will notify dealers Sept. 15, 2019 and contact owners via first-class mail within 60 days of that date, per NHTSA documentation. Owners in need of more immediate assistance can contact Porsche customer service personnel by calling (800) 767-7243. Callers should use the recall identification code AKB4. Owners can also connect with the NHTSA directly using the Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Sean ReyesPorsche recalls vehicles with defective airbag control modules
Porsche Recalls Over 14,000 Vehicles for Fuel Leak Risk

Porsche Recalls Over 14,000 Vehicles for Fuel Leak Risk

March 22, 2019 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – March 22, 2019 – Porsche Cars North America is recalling certain 2017-2019 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S vehicles and 2018-2019 718 Boxster GTS and 2018-2019 718 Cayman GTS vehicles. A crossmember may detach from the luggage compartment bracket during a head-on crash, resulting in a fuel leak and potential fire in the presence of an ignition source. As many as 14,388 vehicles may be affected by this issue.

The Defect

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Report on this issue, in the event of a crash, a crossmember may detach from the luggage compartment bracket and penetrate the bulkhead wall, possibly causing a fuel leak. If this happened with a spark or ignition source present, the leak could increase the risk of fire.

Timeline of Events

Porsche became aware of the problem February 2019 in the context of type approval tests, when it was noticed that a fuel leakage occurred during a frontal crash test. Due to an inadequate connection between the lower longitudinal member and crossmember, the lower longitudinal crash beam component could penetrate the bulkhead wall at the lower cross body component in the event of a head-on collision.

Following a thorough investigation of the root cause, Porsche did additional tests Feb. 3-9 to evaluate possible remedies for the issue.

The matter was then brought to the product safety committee at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG on Feb. 13. Upon successfully solving the issue by reinforcing the lower longitudinal crash beam components with additional rivets Feb. 15, it was decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall for the potentially affected vehicles.

The Solution

The recall will begin April 21, 2019. Porsche will notify owners of all affected vehicles, so that they can bring them to Porsche dealers for inspection and repair. If necessary, the lower longitudinal member will be secured to the crossmember using additional blind rivets, free of charge.

Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche’s number for this recall is AKA3. Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov. The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 19V113000.

Sean ReyesPorsche Recalls Over 14,000 Vehicles for Fuel Leak Risk
Porsche Recalls More Than 100 Vehicles for Brake Line Corrosion

Porsche Recalls More Than 100 Vehicles for Brake Line Corrosion

December 21, 2018 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – December 19, 2018 – Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S Hybrid Executive, Panamera 4 Hybrid, Panamera Turbo S Hybrid, Panamera 4 Hybrid Executive, Panamera 4 Hybrid Sport Turismo, and Panamera Turbo S Hybrid Sport Turismo vehicles due to potential corrosion in the brake lines. The potential number of units affected is 112.

The Defect

According to the NHTSA Recall Safety Report, the brake lines installed on the front axle may corrode over time. Due to the corrosion within the line, it is possible that the filter of the hydraulic unit may become clogged by corrosive particles, which may affect the front axle braking performance. Braking ability that is reduced due to a corroded brake line can increase the risk of a crash. Due to corrosive particles within the brake line and a potentially congested hydraulic unit, the braking performance of the front axle may be impaired.

Timeline of Events

On October 8, 2018, the vehicle production plant discovered brake lines with signs of corrosion. An analysis revealed a negative production influence which had been caused by the supplier. On November 12, 2018, this matter was presented to the Working Group of the Product Safety Committee at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, and on November 21, 2018, the Product Safety Committee determined that this was a case of a safety defect and decided to implement a voluntary safety recall.

The Solution

Porsche will notify owners of the affected vehicles to be recalled to the workshop to have the brake line and other possibly damaged braking components (e.g. hydraulic unit) replaced by the dealer with parts manufactured according to specification, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 27, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche’s number for this recall is AJ11. Owners may also call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 18V-841.

Sean ReyesPorsche Recalls More Than 100 Vehicles for Brake Line Corrosion
Porsche Recalls 95 Vehicles for Unsecured Ski Bag Strap

Porsche Recalls 95 Vehicles for Unsecured Ski Bag Strap

December 19, 2018 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – December 19, 2018 – Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Plug-in Hybrid, Cayenne GTS, Cayenne Plug-in Hybrid Platinum Edition, Macan Turbo and Macan GTS vehicles, 2017-2018 Cayenne S, Macan, Cayenne Platinum Edition and Macan S vehicles and 2018 Cayenne vehicles equipped with the optional ski bag, due to weakness of the strap securing the bag to the vehicle. The potential number of units affected is 95.

The Defect

According to the NHTSA Recall Safety Report, the ski bag fastening strap may have been sewn with incorrect thread, possibly resulting in the strap seams tearing and the ski bag being unsecured in the event of a crash. As a result, there is the possibility that the strap seams could tear under a high load and the ski bag may not be held in its position during a crash. If the ski bag detaches during a crash, it can increase the potential risk for the passengers when the ski bag is not held properly in position.

Timeline of Events

As a result of internal tests in June 2018, which showed that the affected parts presented an unintended behavior, on July 3, 2018, the matter was presented to the Working Group of the product safety committee at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Further analysis identified the usage of an unapproved sewing thread. Due to a relocation of production, the supplier used a new sewing thread, which did not meet the required specification. On November 21, 2018, the product safety committee determined a safety defect and decided to implement a voluntary safety recall.

The Solution

Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ski bags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 27, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche’s number for this recall is AJ12. Owners may also call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153). The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 18V-844.

Sean ReyesPorsche Recalls 95 Vehicles for Unsecured Ski Bag Strap
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