FaultScore

1998 Porsche Boxster body problems

11 of the 44 complaints about the 1998 Porsche Boxster are about the body and structure — 25% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 49,697 miles.

C

11

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Door 5 45.5%
Roof AND Pillars 4 36.4%
Hinge AND Attachments 1 9.1%
Body 1 9.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 49,697 miles Livonia, MI

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

I HAD JUST RETURNED TO MY CAR AT A LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER, THE SKY HAD BEGUN TO LOOK AS IF A STORM WAS APPROACHING AND I DECIDED TO PUT UP MY CONVERTIBLE TOP. THE TOP WOULD NOT GO UP, SO I PROCEEDED HOME IN HOPES THAT I WOULD BEAT THE IMPENDING BAD WEATHER HOME. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT BEGAN TO STORM AND MY VEHICLE AND MYSELF WERE SOAKED. I WAS TERRIFIED AS I COULD BARELY SEE TO DRIVE. FORTUNATELY I MADE IT HOME BEFORE MY CAR CONKED OUT. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO HAVE MY DISABLED VEHICLE TOWED TO THE PORSCHE DEALER. IT WAS THEN EVALUATED BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, AND HE FOUND THAT A RELAY AND MOTOR HAD FAILED. THE DESIGN INVOLVES TWO RELAYS, ONE FOR THE LEFT SIDE AND ONE FOR THE RIGHT SIDE. THE LEFT SIDE FAILED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE CONVERTIBLE TOP TO COME UP. IN ADDITION TO THE MOTOR/ AND OR RELAY FAILURE IT CAUSED THE COWLING COVERING THE TOP TO JAM AND TORCHED IT, SO THAT IT BECAME FURHER DAMAGED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AGREED TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE WATER, BUT NOT THE MECHANICAL FAILURE THAT CAUSED THAT. THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT THE MOTOR AND RELAY WERE NOT REPLACEABLE AS PORSCHE HAD REDESIGNED THE SYSTEM, BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, SO THAT BOTH SIDE WOULD BE RAISED AT THE SAME TIME. THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2200.00 DOLLARS. I CONTACTED PORSCHE NORTH AMERCA, CUSTOMER COMMITMENT DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS AND THEY INDICATED THERE WAS NOT. THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE COULD LIKEWISE CONTACT THE REGIONAL LEVEL TO SEE IF PORSCHE WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPLACEMENT AND COST OF UPGRADING TO THE SAFER DESIGN FIX. THEY REFUSED. MY ARGUMENT IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO NAVIGATE HOME IN THIS STORM, (BELIEVE ME, IT WASN'T EASY).

NHTSA complaint #10133799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Diego, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

CONVERTIBLE TOP WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN. NLM

NHTSA complaint #606442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LOS Angele, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY

LEFT AND RIGHT SUN VISOR LIDS BROKE TWICE. YH

NHTSA complaint #606555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bakersfiel, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

CONVERTIBLE TOP GLIDE PLATES FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #609303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Orleans, LA

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

COOLANT LIQUID STARTED TO POUR OUT OF VEHICLE ,VEHICLE WAS IN SERVICE THREE TIMES.CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT. *AKTAILPIPE COVER CAME OFF, CONVERTABLE TOP MOTORS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT CAUSING NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE,ECU HAD TO BE RECODED TO ACCEPT KEY HEAD, LEFT HEADLIGHT LENSE REFLECTOR REPLACED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE DEALER REPLACED R/F SEATBELT LOCK WAS INOPERATIVE. SB

NHTSA complaint #831849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Valparaiso, FL

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

DRIVER'S DOOR CABLE BROKE.

NHTSA complaint #538121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Valparaiso, FL

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

DRIVER'S DOOR CABLE BROKEN.

NHTSA complaint #537595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sacramento, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

DRIVER'S DOOR CABLE BROKEN.

NHTSA complaint #537594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

INSIDE RELEASE MECHANISM ON DRIVER'S DOOR BROKEN.

NHTSA complaint #537593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, CT

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE DEFECTIVE DOOR CABLE MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE.

NHTSA complaint #537592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bowling Green, KY

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON. IS IT CONSIDERED A SAFTY ISSUE IF THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INTERIOR?

NHTSA complaint #537591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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