2004 Porsche Cayenne S problems & reliability
48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Porsche Cayenne S, alongside 9 safety recall campaigns. 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 14 | 29% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 11 | 23% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 15% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 15% |
| Engine | 6 | 13% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 8% |
| Tires | 4 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 18 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 35 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 71,000 miles (middle 50% between 30,210 and 98,245 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“2004 porsche cayenne s. Consumer writes in regards to reimbursement for vehicle fire damages. *as *js”
Engine · filed Sep 21, 2018
“2004 porsche cayenne. Consumer writes in regards to issues with the fuel filter flange safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the fuel filter flange could not be replaced without replacing the fuel tank and the fuel line. The consumer requested that manufacturer incur the repair costs. *js”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Aug 22, 2018
“Received recall notice for filter flange of fuel pump. Called dealer who said did not have repair parts and does not know when they will get them. Called porsche u.s. And they told me the same thing. No date for receiving parts or repairing my car.”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Jul 17, 2018
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION
Engineering Analysis EA06005 · opened Mar 15, 2006 · closed Mar 12, 2007
- SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION
Preliminary Evaluation PE05060 · opened Nov 10, 2005 · closed Mar 15, 2006
Technical service bulletins
400 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Porsche Cayenne S. The 10 most recent:
Special Tools and Equipment Information for Diagnostic Equipment Standards for all USA Porsche Centers
SPTL2314a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 28, 2026
Special Tools and Equipment Information for alignment machines - Q2 2026 Software Spec Update Available
SPTL2608 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 17, 2026
Product Knowledge for Model Type Designations
GR16D8a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 2026
Product Knowledge for Chassis/VIN Numbering Systems
GR16D8 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 2026
Porsche Tester Software Update Information Software Version: 44.300.000
TSTR 2642 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2026
VAS 621001A Matrix Headlamp Aimer – Automatic Shipment / Maha Installation
SPTL 2607a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 30, 2026
VAS 621001A Matrix Headlamp Aimer – Automatic Shipment / Maha Installation
SPTL 2607 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2026
Allocation of Approved Engine Oils MY 2027 (13/26)
13/26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2026
PiUS Update Information Software Version: 3.2
TSTR 2641 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
PiUS Update Information Software Version: 3.2
TSTR 2641 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
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 2004 Porsche Cayenne S has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns — 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 2004 Porsche Cayenne S?
- · 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.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 71,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.