Problems · NHTSA complaints

2018 Porsche Panamera problems

Owners filed 12 complaints about the 2018 Porsche Panamera with NHTSA between Jan 2018 and Feb 2026. The most-cited component is power train (4).

Complaints
12
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train4
  2. Engine4
  3. Electrical system3
  4. Suspension1
  5. Engine and engine cooling1
  6. Service brakes1
  7. Air bags1
  8. Other / unknown1

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
20181
20190
20200
20211
20221
20231
20242
20255
20261

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

Power train

4 reports
“The main water pump on my 2018 Porsche Panamera 4S failed prematurely. This is not a simple external coolant leak; the internal seal failed, allowing pressurized engine coolant to migrate into the vehicle's vacuum system. The coolant traveled through the vacuum lines and contaminated the vacuum solenoids and change-over valves. This failure mode presents a significant safety hazard because the vacuum system controls critical engine components, including turbocharger wastegates and exhaust flaps. Contamination of these components can lead to sudden loss of power, "limp mode" activation while driving at highway speeds, or unexpected engine behavior, increasing the risk of a crash. Cross-Reference to Known Defects: This vehicle utilizes the EA839 V6 engine platform, which is shared with Volkswagen and Audi vehicles (specifically the Audi S4, S5, SQ5, and Q7). Audi and Volkswagen have already acknowledged this specific manufacturing defect in the class action settlement Fiscina v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Case No. 2:21-cv-11251). Under that settlement, Audi extended the warranty on this water pump to 10 years/80,000+ miles for the exact same failure mode…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2025Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11703784

Engine

4 reports1 crash
“This vehicle has an engine which has rocker arms that are known to fail. The manufacturer has not issued a recall to fix this issue which can result in a catastrophic engine failure. They have acknowledged the rocker arms in pre 2018 models to be defective and insufficiently reinforced to handle the strain of the valve train.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 27, 2025EngineODI 11676431

Electrical system

3 reports4 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Panamera. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V033000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact to park the vehicle outside the garage until parts became available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 8, 2023Electrical systemODI 11520904

Suspension

1 report
“The ride height sensor on the right front suspension is mounted to the upper control arm via a plastic bolt and bracket. This plastic mounting component failed under normal driving conditions. The failure caused the ride height sensor to malfunction, which directly affects the vehicle's air suspension system and its ability to maintain proper ride height and handling characteristics. When driving, I received multiple chassis height warning messages stating that the chassis was too high or too low or malfunctioning. The ride height sensor is a critical component of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system. Its failure can result in: - Incorrect suspension height, affecting vehicle stability and handling - Suspension system faults that may trigger unexpected warning conditions while driving - Potential loss of driver control in the event of sudden sensor failure at highway speeds This failure is not isolated to my vehicle. A review of Porsche owner forums including Rennlist and 6SpeedOnline reveals similar plastic mount failures on the ride height sensor across multiple Porsche platforms, including the Cayenne, Macan, and Panamera. The fact that…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2026SuspensionODI 11720639

Engine and engine cooling

1 report
“The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Panamera. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the message "Engine Overheating - Park Vehicle" in red letters was displayed on the instrument cluster. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that there was a burning odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, but was not diagnosed; however, the contact was advised by the dealer that the failure could be related to the coolant pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 12, 2025Engine and engine coolingODI 11698937

Service brakes

1 report1 crash
“The contact owned a 2018 Porsche Panamera. The contact stated that when he was parking the vehicle, as he had shifted from reverse (R) to drive (D) to straighten the vehicle in the parking spot, the vehicle had inadvertently accelerated at an unknown speed. The contact stated that the vehicle ran through an intersection and crashed into five parked vehicles. The contact stated that he had depressed the brake pedal and was not able to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that his vehicle was stopped by the last vehicle he had crashed into. The contact stated that the police had arrived and issued a report. The contact stated that the vehicle air bags had deployed and that he was transported to the hospital by ambulance. The contact stated that he had bruises on both his ankles and calves and that he had bruises on both wrists and hands. The contact stated that the driver's front fender, door, and quarter panel had been damaged by the crash. The contact stated that the driver's front wheel had sheared off the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle had been towed to an impound lot and his insurance provider had declared the vehicle a total loss. The…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 28, 2025Service brakes, EngineCrash reportedODI 11657200
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.