2003 Porsche Cayenne S Recalls, Complaints & Specs
9 safety recalls list the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S, and owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
9 safety recalls for the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Headlights (exterior lighting)
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…
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…
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Gear position indication (prndl) (power train)
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, 2004-2010 Cayenne, 2006 Cayenne Turbo S, 2010-2016 Panamera S, Panamera 4 S, Panamera Turbo, 2011-2016 Panamera, Panamera 4, 2012-2013 Panamera Turbo S, 2013-2016 Panamera 4 GTS, 2014-2016 Panamera 4 S Executive, Panamera Turbo Executive,…
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. Owners are instructed to use the parking brake until their vehicle is repaired. The recall began August 9, 2019. Owners…
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Fuel pump (fuel system)
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo vehicles, 2004-2006 Cayenne vehicles, and 2006 Cayenne S "Titanium" Edition vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel filter flanges with new filter flanges that have a protective film, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018. Owners may contact Porsche customer…
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Seat belts
Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." all three rear seat positions and the front passenger position are equipped with seat belt retractors that have a locking feature which converts the retractor from an emergency locking retractor…
Remedy: Dealers will permanently install a clip in either of the affected rear outboard seat belts and provide an owner's manual insert. The clips will prevent unwarranted conversion from alr to elr mode with child seat…
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Seat belts: rear/other
On certain passenger vehicles, the rear seat belt latch attachment bolt is insufficient riveted.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the belt buckle latch and, if necessary, replace the latch. Owner notification began on june 1, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
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Filler pipe and cap (fuel system)
On certain sport utility vehicles, if the ground connection between the spiral ring of the tank filler neck and the connecting pipe to the fuel tank is inadequate, the flow of fuel during refueling can create an electrostatic charge, which could discharge and spark. This spark could ignite fuel vapors in the area outside the tank filler…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ground connection and, if necessary, corrected. Owner notification began on march 29, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
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Electrical system: front underhood
On certain sport utility vehicles, the main wiring harness was incorrectly routed. Damage to the main wiring harness can lead to the failure of various electrical systems.
Remedy: Dealers will re-route the wiring harness. Owner notification schedule began on march 29, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
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Seats
On certain sport utility vehicles, the driver's side seat frames were not adequately welded.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side seat frame. Owner notification began on march 29, 2004. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
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Labels (equipment)
On certain sport utility vehicles, the affected vehicles may be missing the gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) and gross axle weight ratings (gawr) on the certification label as required by part 567.4(g)(3) and (g)(4).
Remedy: Dealers will apply the corrected label. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 91,500 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Porsche notified me of recall november 29 2017”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 9, 2018 · Fuel/propulsion system
“Dear sir/ madam thank you for your letter of november 29, 2017, regarding recall of our vehicle porsche cayenne s #[xxx] (recall # 17v-576). Please note that due to the problem i experienced with the”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 20, 2017 · Fuel/propulsion system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2003 Porsche Cayenne (Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 14 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 12 / 17 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 4.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 5-spd |
Compare Porsche Cayenne S model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Porsche Cayenne S model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 Porsche Cayenne S | 9 | 4 |
| 2004 Porsche Cayenne S | 9 | 48 |
| 2005 Porsche Cayenne S | 4 | 10 |
| 2006 Porsche Cayenne S | 3 | 13 |
| 2007 Porsche Cayenne S | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 5 |
| 2009 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 Porsche Cayenne S | 3 | 17 |
| 2012 Porsche Cayenne S | 2 | 6 |
| 2013 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 Porsche Cayenne S | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 2003 Porsche Cayenne S
How do I know if my 2003 Porsche Cayenne S has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 9 campaigns currently list the 2003 Porsche Cayenne S; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Porsche dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V351000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Porsche models
- Cayenne503 complaints
- Taycan272 complaints
- Macan239 complaints
- Boxster164 complaints
- 911143 complaints
- Panamera114 complaints
- 911 Turbo79 complaints
- 911 GT359 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.