1997 Porsche Boxster problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Porsche Boxster, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 7 | 32% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 32% |
| Power Train | 5 | 23% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 18% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 14% |
| Equipment | 1 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 porsche boxster. While attempting to engage in park gear, the shifter became very difficult to move out of the drive position. The vehicle was towed to an unknown independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission selector seized and the selector leveler had to be replaced…”
Power Train · filed Feb 26, 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 porsche boxster. The contact stated that the gear shift failed to shift into the park position. As a result, the contact was unable to start the vehicle. The contact had to shift the gear into neutral in order to start the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the gear indicator displayed…”
Power Train · filed Feb 18, 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 porsche boxster. The contact stated that the air bag light sporadically illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the seat belt buckles, harness and control unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The…”
Seat Belts · filed Mar 26, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
182 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Porsche Boxster. The 10 most recent:
Special tools and equipment information for the Boxster, Cayman, 911, and Panamera
No. 2404 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 15, 2024
Special tools and equipment information for brake caliper pins for the 911, Boxster, and Cayman
No. 2403 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 14, 2024
Information for PIWIS tester update 42.500.020
PIWIS2401j · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 9, 2024
Information for PIWIS tester update 42.300.050 & .052
PIWIS2302s · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 17, 2023
Instructions on manufactures certificate for approved Porsche A40 engine oils
No. 35-23 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2023
Instructions on manufactures certificate for approved Porsche C30 engine oils
No. 33-23 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2023
Instructions on manufacturers certificate for approved C20 engine oils
No. 32-23 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 14, 2023
Information for PIWIS tester update 42.300.040 & .041
PIWIS2302r · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 10, 2023
Information for PIWIS tester update 42.300.035
PIWIS2302q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 7, 2023
Information for PIWIS tester update 42.300.030 - .032
PIWIS2302p · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 3, 2023
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Porsche Boxster has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Porsche Boxster?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.