2011 Porsche Panamera

No clear pattern

0% of complaints about the 2011 Porsche Panamera arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2011 vehicle, but with only 51 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is engine (21 complaints), typically at 6.3 yr or about 68,120 miles.

Complaints: 51
Median age at failure: 6.8 yr
Median mileage: 75,000 n=29
Crash / fire / tow: 7.8% of reports
Safety recalls: 5

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

22V656000 2022-08-30

Exterior lighting:headlights

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 adjustment screws are missing, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.

19V446000 2019-06-12

Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)

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, Panamera Turbo S G1 II, Panamera Turbo S Executive, 2013 Panamera 4 Platinum Edition, Panamera Platinum Edition, 2016 Panamera 4 Edition, Panamera Edition, Panamera Turbo S Executive Luxury Sports vehicles. The bushing that attaches the gear selector lever

If the vehicle is exited without the transmission being in Park and without the parking brake being applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move, increasing the risk of a crash.

19V322000 2019-04-24

Electrical system

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2010-2016 Panamera 4S and Panamera S, 2011-2016 Panamera, Panamera 4 and Panamera Turbo, 2012-2016 Panamera Turbo S and Panamera S E-Hybrid, 2013-2016 Panamera GTS, 2013 Panamera Platinum Edition and Panamera 4 Platinum Edition, 2014-2016 Panamera 4S Executive, Panamera Turbo Executive and Panamera Turbo S Executive, 2015 Panamera Diesel and 2016 Panamera 4 Edition, Panamera Edition and Panamera Turbo S Exclusive Series vehicles. Water may enter the A/C blower control unit, causing an electrical short circuit.

An electrical short increases the risk of fire.

17V368000 2017-06-07

Engine

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2010-2012 Panamera S, Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo vehicles, 2011-2012 Panamera and Panamera 4 vehicles, and 2011 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo vehicles. The affected vehicles have camshaft controllers that may come loose inside the engine, potentially resulting in an engine stall.

An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

12V329000 2012-07-12

Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 PANAMERA TURBO, 2012 PANAMERA TURBO S, AND 2012 CAYENNE TURBO VEHICLES. THE TURBINE WHEEL OF A TURBOCHARGER MAY FRACTURE DUE TO A CASTING DEFECT. IF A FRACTURE OCCURS, VEHICLE PERFORMANCE WILL BE DECREASED AND THE TURBINE SHAFT MAY FRACTURE.

IF THE SHAFT FRACTURES, OIL MAY BE DRAWN INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, RESULTING IN SMOKE AND THE INCREASED RISK OF A FIRE.

In owners’ own words

Engine 25,000 mi 2.0 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 PORSCHE PANAMERA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT ONE OF THE ENGINE BOLTS DISLODGED INTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE. THE ENGINE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

Engine 68,120 mi 4.6 yr in service

CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER BOLT PIN BROKE OFF AND CAMSHAFT CAME A PART. INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOOK A PART THE ENGINE AND FOUND A BUNCH OF METAL IN THE OIL PAN. THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ON CARS IMPORTED INTO CHINA BUT THAT DID NOT COVER MY CAR. HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET WITH SOME HELP FROM THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY.

Engine 46,000 mi 5.0 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 PORSCHE PANAMERA. WHILE DRIVING 35 -40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SPEED DROPPED TO 10 MPH. THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL DISABLED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAM SHAFT ADJUSTER DETACHED AND MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ENGINE BLOCK, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO SEE A LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2011 Porsche Panamera

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

How to read this