Airbag complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I am reporting a safety defect with my 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS. The leather dashboard is delaminating and lifting away from its underlying structure. This defect is concerning because: The delamination is occurring on the drivers side but will eventually expand in the area covering the passenger-side airbag. If the airbag deploys, the raised/lifted dashboard material may interfere with or obstruct proper deployment, posing a serious risk to passenger safety. Porsche Cars North America (PNA) has been notified, but they classify this issue as "cosmetic" and refuse to repair it voluntarily under warranty or goodwill. Furthermore, The issue was not disclosed by the dealer at purchase. I have consulted two Porsche dealerships, both of which confirmed Porsche considers this a cosmetic defect not covered by the Certified Pre Owned warranty. …
Over approximately the past month, the leather covering on the dashboard of my 2021 Porsche Cayenne has rapidly begun lifting, buckling, and separating across a substantial portion of the dashboard. The deformation has become increasingly pronounced in a short period of time despite normal use and careful maintenance of the vehicle. I am concerned that this may present a safety issue because the passenger airbag deploys through the dashboard area. The dashboard material is visibly distorted and separating, and I am concerned that this deformation could potentially interfere with the intended deployment path or performance of the passenger airbag in a collision. This does not appear to be normal cosmetic wear. The affected area is not routinely touched or subjected to ordinary wear, and the condition developed quickly on a relatively recent vehicle. …
Seat belt and airbag indication lights and sound alarms remain on and notifying on the dashboard regardless of buckling. It will intermittently stop and start as the car is in motion. In the beginning, notification was present then resolved day-to-day. More recently, the alarm is present every drive. Driver was unsure whether or not the notifications were valid or not as the pattern of notification had little consistency. Dealership service later admitted that it was a faulty seat belt buckle and that part had failed internally, but refused to remedy it unless paid for. Car is essentially inoperable and unsafe until faulty buckle is replaced, as a faulty seat belt buckle can be fatal, with faulty implying a manufacturing issue and not of user misuse or abuse of systems. Manufacturer will not provide warranty and dealership continues to demand vehicle owner to pay.
Porsche dashboard leather shrunk and is bubbling on the entire top where the Airbag sits. I was told that if the vehicle was in an accident the airbag might not deploy correctly. The Porsche dealer looked at it and recommended replacing the entire dashboard! This is a very common issue with Porsche, and a safety concern which seems due to the fact that Porsche did not use the correct adhesive on all most of cars build in the last 10 years. The dashboard is not withstanding normal sun light and this causes a safety issue.
Porsche leather dashboard shrunk and staples pulled out. I was told if the vehicle was in an accident the airbag may not deploy properly. The Porsche dealer looked at it recommend that it be replaced. This is a known manufacturer defect that has been occurring with many of Porsche leather dashboards in different models. The manufacture is not taking responsibility in repairing or recalling this dangerous situation and putting the cost onto the customer. The fact that this is an option they offer as an additional cost on their vehicles , knowing this is a dangerous defect. This alone should automatically issue recall to fix before someone gets seriously injured.
the dashboard has a fitted leather coating covering the airbag... the leather and its surrounding seals has melted.. almost entirely.. and it is rippled and uneven all around... this is widespread for these models and may cause problems with the airbag in the dash...the airbag has to be able to deploy without any problems.. the dash should be fixed so it is safe
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to express a serious safety concern regarding the dashboard of my 2016 Porsche Cayenne S. The leather on the dash has begun to shrink and is no longer fitted properly. This misalignment is causing me significant worry about the potential impact on airbag deployment in the event of an accident. Given the crucial role that the dashboard and its covering play in the proper functioning of the airbag system, this issue could compromise the airbags' deployment or effectiveness. This is not only a major safety concern but also poses a risk of the airbags failing to protect occupants as intended, potentially leading to severe consequences during a collision. I am aware that this problem is not unique to my vehicle, as several other owners of the same model have reported similar issues. …
Porsche dashboard leather shrunk and staples pulled out. I was told that if the vehicle was in an accident the airbag might not deploy correctly. The Porsche dealer looked at it and recommended replacing the entire dashboard which costs over $10,000. This is apparently a very common issue.
Related recalls (1)
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2021 Cayenne GTS, Cayenne GTS Coupe, 2020-2021 Cayenne Coupe, Cayenne S Coupe, Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe vehicles. The passenger seat back heating element was not installed and may impact the calibration of the Occupant Classification System.
Remedy: Dealers will install a heating element, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 25, 2021. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AMB0.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Frequently asked questions
Which Porsche Cayenne years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2016 (11), 2019 (11), 2014 (9) and 2013 (6) model years. Airbag complaints make up 28% of all complaints for the 2016.
Is there a recall for Porsche Cayenne airbag problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 21V-318 (front passenger, May 5, 2021). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Porsche Cayenne airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 106,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal › sensor/control module (1 mentions).
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.