Most common 2005 Porsche Cayenne S problems
Share of the 10 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Porsche Cayenne S complaints by model year
Best Cayenne S years: 2003, 2008. Years to avoid: 2004, 2011. Compare all years →
2005 Porsche Cayenne S recalls (4)
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2020 Porsche Macan, Cayenne, Panamera, and Cayman S, 2001-2004 Boxster, Boxster S, 2004 Boxster 50 JAHRE SPYDER 550 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all affected models and model years.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install missing caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (PRNDL)
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, 2004-2010 Cayenne, 2006 Cayenne Turbo S, 2010-2016 Panamera S, Panamera 4 S, Panamera Turbo, 2011-2016 Panamera, Panamera 4, 2012-2013 Panamera Turbo S, 2013-2016 Panamera 4 GTS, 2014-2016 Panamera 4 S Executive, Panamera Turbo…
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter cable bushing, free of charge. Owners are instructed to use the parking brake until their vehicle is repaired. The recall began August 9, 2019.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo vehicles, 2004-2006 Cayenne vehicles, and 2006 Cayenne S "Titanium" Edition vehicles. These gasoline-powered vehicles have a fuel pump flange that may crack, allowing fuel to leak.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel filter flanges with new filter flanges that have a protective film, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018.
Seat belts
Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." all three rear seat positions and the front passenger position are equipped with seat belt retractors that have a locking feature which converts the retractor from an emergency locking…
Remedy: Dealers will permanently install a clip in either of the affected rear outboard seat belts and provide an owner's manual insert.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2005 Porsche Cayenne S:
SRS warning light illumination
During the preliminary evaluation phase, odi identified 76 owner complaints and 6,582 warranty claims related to airbag warning light illumination from either a faulty side-impact airbag module or wiring harness.to date, there has been no allegation of crash, injury or death reported.Porsche reports that a bad batch of modules was produced during mid-November to mid-December, 2003.however, Porsche?s warranty data…
SRS warning light illumination
Porsche is initiating a customer notification action to address a condition related to a faulty or loose connector in the side airbag system.Porsche's testing has shown that the faulty connector will not prevent side airbag deployment.the faulty connector will cause the circuit resistance to exceed the threshold for illumination of the air bag warning light.Porsche has reported a large number of warranty claims for…
What 2005 Porsche Cayenne S owners say
Engine & cooling
The engine has plastic coolant pipes between the front and back of the engine. They failed and dumped all the coolant out while on the road. Car was disabled and had to be towed. After researching, it's concluded that this is a very common failure in cayennes with a v8 engine at about 60000 miles. Mine had 61000. This is a safety concern. The car can be disabled at anytime. Also, the repair is very costly, exceeding 3000 usd for parts and labor.
I own a 2005 Porsche Cayenne. Since owning this truck there have been numerous items that have gone wrong. All the main computers had to be replaced, front drive shaft, transmission, and now a coolant tube. The last item is my concern, which cost $2,800.00 to fix on a truck that has 71,000 miles on it. When it was taken to the dealer I was told that all the Cayenne?s from 2003 ? 2006 have to have this part changed (it?s made of plastic), because it breaks. Now Porsche knows there is an issue with this part because it has recalled of the replacement parts that where on all of the dealerships shelves. After doing this there redesigned the and part made it out of aluminum and had this part on back order because there where so many Cayenne?s that need this part fixed sitting in the dealerships. …
2005 Porsche Cayenne S engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Porsche Cayenne S a good car?
Based on 10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Cayenne S rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Cayenne S at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Porsche Cayenne S?
The engine & cooling — 4 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the speed control & acceleration (2) and electrical system (1).
How many recalls does the 2005 Porsche Cayenne S have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2005 Porsche Cayenne S, the most recent from August 30, 2022 (headlights). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Porsche Cayenne S?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004 and 2011. See the full Porsche Cayenne S years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Porsche Cayenne S problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.