Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Porsche 911 Carrera problems

Owners filed 13 complaints about the 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera with NHTSA between Jun 2004 and Nov 2016. The most-cited component is engine (6).

Complaints
13
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine6
  2. Power train2
  3. Engine and engine cooling2
  4. Air bags2
  5. Steering1
  6. Electrical system1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20041
20051
20060
20072
20080
20090
20102
20110
20122
20132
20140
20152
20161

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

6 reports
“ALUMINUM COOLANT TUBES WHICH APPARENTLY ARE GLUED TOGETHER VIA THE OEM FACTORY BECOME OLD AND BRITTLE AND BLOW APART. COOLANT IS THEN POURING OUT OF THE ENGINE AT A HIGH RATE INTO THE CITY STREET. IN MY CASE, I WAS SITTING AT A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN THE COOLANT PIPE BURST/SEPARATED. IN ORDER TO FIX/REPAIR THE ISSUE, THE ENGINE MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE 8 COOLANT TUBES MUST BE WELDED AND/OR DRILLED AND PINNED TO KEEP THE ISSUE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 29, 2016EngineODI 10928575

Power train

2 reports
“THE CLUTCH SLAVE FAILED ON MY 911 TURBO AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A GT2 SLAVE WHICH REMOVES THE HYDRAULIC ASSIST. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2015Power trainODI 10701030

Engine and engine cooling

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD, ABNORMAL BANG. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND A LARGE OIL SPILL FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WERE TAKEN APART TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE INTERMEDIATE MAIN SHAFT (IMF) HAD COLLAPSED AND EXPLODED, KILLING THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 41,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10339683

Air bags

2 reports
“ERRONEOUS AIRBAG FAILURE ERROR CODE DETECTED. AIRBAG FAILURE LIGHT ON DASH AND AIRBAG FAILURE TEXT ALSO APPEARS ON DASH. PORSCHE DEALER REPORTS THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY PORSCHE CARS OF NORTH AMERICA TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE FIX INVOLVES RE-WIRING THE GROUND SYSTEM AND REPLACING THE SEAT BELT CLASPS. DEALER INDICATES THAT THIS WOULD COST ME $850 TO HAVE THIS REPAIR WORK DONE. DEALER RESET THE ERROR CODE BUT IT RE-APPEARED THE FOLLOWING DAY INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT. PORSCHE SHOULD FIX THIS ADMITTED DEFECT FOR FREE AND ISSUE A RECALL AS THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD. IGNORING THE FALSE FAILURE INDICATION MAY VERY WELL MASK MORE SERIOUS UNDERLYING ERROR CONDITIONS WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 9, 2010Air bagsODI 10324727

Steering

1 report
“2002 PORSCHE 996 WITH POWER STEERING VALVE FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR VALVE MADE A HIGH PITCHED NOISE. HE STATED THAT THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE A FIRE SINCE THE VALVE IS LOCATED RIGHT OVER THE EXHAUST AND OR THE TURBO. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2007SteeringODI 10207132

Electrical system

1 report1 fire
“PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, TURNED IT TO START THE VEHICLE, AND THE BATTERY COMPLETELY EXPLODED. ACID VAPORS FILLED THE GARAGE AND BURNED EYES AND CAUSED COUGHING AND BURNING THROAT SENSATION. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 29, 2007Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10186490
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.