Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Porsche Boxster S problems

Owners filed 2 complaints about the 2001 Porsche Boxster S with NHTSA between Sep 2003 and Aug 2008. The most-cited component is electrical system (1).

Complaints
2
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. Electrical system1
  2. Fuel system, other1

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 28, 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
20031
20040
20050
20060
20070
20081

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

Electrical system

1 report
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PORSCHE BOXSTER S. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE IGNITION MODULE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 47,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 18, 2008Electrical systemODI 10238710

Fuel system, other

1 report1 fire
“WAS DRIVING A 2001 PORSCHE BOXSTER WHEN LOST COMPLETE POWER. CAR TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP. WAS INFORMED THAT MY AIR INTAKE HAD BEEN SUCKING UP CIGARETTES AND CAUSING A SERIES OF SMALL FIRES IN MY CAR. AIR INTAKE HAS NO SCREEN TO PROTECT THINGS FROM GETTING IN -- JUST A PAPER AIR FILTER WHICH CAN BURN IF A CIGARETTE BECOMES STUCK ON THE FILTER. WAS NEVER INFORMED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BUT DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISOR HAS HEARD OF IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 24, 2003Fuel system, otherFire reportedODI 10039453
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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