Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne, and it carries 3 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 29 | 47% |
| Power train | 14 | 23% |
| Air bags | 3 | 5% |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 3% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 1 | 2% |
| Power train | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2011 Porsche Cayenne S. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights failed to illuminate properly. The contact stated that there was water intrusion in the headlight h
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, RANDOMLY A SERIOUS UNSAFE TO OPERATE 'SERVICE NECESSARY' WARNING APPEARS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS; ABRUPTLY SHUTTING OFF. WITH THE SERVICE NECESSARY WARNING INDICATED
NHTSA complaint: Forward collision avoidance
The original Porsche leather upper dashboard has shrunk, causing exposed staples, and rippling of the leather , including rippling and bunching of the leather that is covering the passenger dash airbag assembly. I have
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Porsche dash material is separating from the substrate of the structure. This material is directly between the airbag and the now loose material on the surface of the dash (leather). Porsche will not repair this and re
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The leather on my Porsche Cayenne dashboard has shrunk and is pulling away from the front of the dashboard. My mechanic tells me that this is a possible safety issue because if the vehicle is in an accident, the front pa
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. Additionally, while driving, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist, a
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My vehicle has camshaft and crankshaft correlation problems due to the well-known problem with its screws and other things. I reported it to Porsche and they told me that it has already been repaired but I don't understa
NHTSA complaint: Engine
2011 Porsche Cayenne S Model- Consumer is writing in reference to Porsche Recall ANB4. Requesting investigation into the rubber sealer replacements and ordering the Porsche Cars North America to redo the recall for all s
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Cayenne vehicles manufactured April 28, 2010, to January 11, 2016. The brake pedal pivot pin may be missing a circlip, allowing the pivot pin to move and the brake pedal to dislodge.
Risk: If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly circlip, installing any missing circlips, free of charge. The recall began on July 8, 2016. Owners may contact Porsche c
PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CAYENNE, CAYENNE S, CAYENNE S HYBRID, AND CAYENNE TURBO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 8, 2010, THROUGH JANUARY 31, 2012 BECAUSE THE HEADLAMPS MAY COME LOOSE AND DETACH FROM THE FENDER.
Risk: A DETACHED HEADLIGHT COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VISIBILITY AND AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP LOCKING ASSEMBLIES, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 9, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.
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
Risk: Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 cust
| Reliability raw | 74 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 36 | below average |
| Depreciation | 40 | below average |
| Performance | 68 | good |
| Efficiency | 34 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 29 of them (47%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 74/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 57/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.