Coolant Leaks in Porsche Engines
- Porsche vehicles have problems with coolant leaks.
- An investigation into claims of coolant hoses slipping out of place was closed in 2014.
- Porsche has been sued multiple times for using plastic coolant pipes known to burst.
Coolant leaks are bad for your engine. Hopefully this doesn't surprise any of you. Antifreeze can mix with your car's oil and create a toxic hell-stew that kills your engine. It can strip your combustion chambers of their oil and create excess heat and wear. It can also make a terrible mess of your driveway or garage.
Let's look at some of the most common areas where coolant leaks happen in Porsche vehicles.
The Coolant Hose Slip ∞
In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into claims that a coolant hose fitting can disconnect from the engine block sending all the engine's coolant spewing out in a moment that would make Old Faithful jealous.
The investigation was closed because NHTSA couldn't tie any injuries or accidents directly to the problem and they said Porsche fixed the problem.
Try telling it to owners like this 2014 911 owner who said his hose disconnected at just 636 miles.
The Coolant Pipe Burst ∞
Porsche was sued 8 times for using plastic coolant pipes that burst. Those lawsuits were eventually consolidated into one and Porsche agreed to reimburse 2003-2006 Cayenne owners for those defective pipes. Reluctantly.
Information about the settlement can be found at coolantpipesettlement.com but – and I hurt to burst your coolant pipe here – the deadline has passed.
Lawsuits Regarding This Problem
Lawsuits about this problem have already been filed in court. Many times these are class-action suits that look to cover a group of owners in a particular area. Click on the lawsuit for more information and to see if you're eligible to receive any potential settlements.
Dismissed Padilla and Shames, et al., v. Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Dismissed
In dismissing the lawsuit one last time, the judge ruled the plaintiffs do not allege any precise statements, documents or misrepresentations made by Porsche or how such statements misled the plaintiffs.
Case Filed
Porsche Cayenne and Panamera coolant pipes and leaks have caused a proposed class-action lawsuit that alleges the epoxy adhesive falls apart and fails, causing the coolant pipes to separate from the thermostat housings.
Generations Where This Problem Has Been Reported
This problem has popped up in the following Porsche generations.
Most years within a generation share the same parts and manufacturing process. You can also expect them to share the same problems. So while it may not be a problem in every year yet, it's worth looking out for.
2nd Generation Cayenne
- Years
- 2011–2020
- Reliability
- 12th out of 13
- PainRank™
- 3.15
- Complaints
- 31
1st Generation Macan
- Years
- 2015–2020
- Reliability
- 5th out of 13
- PainRank™
- 0.35
- Complaints
- 3
1st Generation Panamera
- Years
- 2010–2016
- Reliability
- 10th out of 13
- PainRank™
- 1.67
- Complaints
- 14
Further Reading
A timeline of stories related to this problem. We try to boil these stories down to the most important bits so you can quickly see where things stand. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts for your vehicle over at CarComplaints.com.
Porsche has agreed to settle an 8-lawsuits-turned-into-1 accusation that the automaker uses defective, plastic coolant pipes that can burst.
They just aren't happy about it. According to David Woods at CarComplaints.com:
"Porsche argued the tubes failed after the warranties expired, hence they weren't under obligation to repair the cars at no cost. Instead, Porsche charged owners up to $3,600 for a special kit that replaced the plastic pipes with aluminum cooling tubes."
The settlement awards 42,000 US owners of 2003–2006 Cayennes with up to $1,800. The final amount will be based on if the tubes have burst, if they've been fixed, how much it cost, and can the owner show proof of payment. There's more information about the settlement at coolantpipesettlement.com.
keep reading article "Busted Coolant Pipes Lawsuit Settled"Porsche 911 cars with the GT1 engine might suddenly lose all their coolant and shut down, just don't expect a recall for it.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which opened an investigation last year says Porsche has fixed the problem.
"Porsche submitted reports suggesting a problem with the adhesive used to attach coolant pipes in about 6,800 model year 2007-2008 Porsche 911 cars. The problem was fixed by the supplier and according to NHTSA, the initial problem wasn't as bad as first thought."
NHTSA said no injuries or crashes were caused by coolant leaks and since they only order recalls for safety-related issues, it's no surprise the investigation was closed. Disappointing? Yes. Predictable? Also yes.
keep reading article "Investigation Closed into 911 Coolant Leaks"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is going to take a look at the 2001-2007 Porsche 911 to find out why it's GT1 engine is suddenly losing all its coolant and shutting down.
I should say allegedly, but try telling this guy that it's not real:
"One Porsche owner said their vehicle took on a mind of its own when hot antifreeze leaked and covered the road and rear tires. The vehicle went out of control and traveled off the road."
The most likely source for a sudden leak that fast would be a coolant hose fitting disconnecting from the engine block.
keep reading article "NHTSA Investigates 911 Coolant Leaks"