Most common 2018 Porsche Macan problems
Share of the 35 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Porsche Macan complaints by model year
Best Macan years: 2015, 2016, 2022. Years to avoid: 2017, 2020, 2018. Compare all years →
2018 Porsche Macan recalls (5)
Seat belts › Rear/other › Anchorage
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2016-2020 Macan S, 2017-2020 Macan, 2017 Panamera Turbo, 2018 and 2020 Macan Turbo and Panamera 4, 2018 Macan Sport Edition, Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, and 2019 Panamera 4 Sport Turismo vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will replace and tighten the lower rear outboard seat belt anchor screws, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 24, 2023.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Macan, Macan Turbo Kits, Macan GTS, 2015-2018 Macan S, and Macan Turbo vehicles. The front passenger seat occupancy sensor mat may degrade and fail to detect a passenger in the front seat.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensor mat and seat cushion, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 25, 2021.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Macan vehicles. The fuel pump service cover may contact the flow nozzle on the filter flange of the fuel pump, potentially causing cracks and a fuel leak.
Remedy: Porsche will rework or replace and apply a protective film to the fuel pump flange. in addition, the fuel pump flange will be inspected and replaced if cracks are present. The recall began April 10, 2020.
Equipment
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Plug-in Hybrid, Cayenne GTS, Cayenne Plug-in Hybrid Platinum Edition, Macan Turbo and Macan GTS vehicles, 2017-2018 Cayenne S, Macan, Cayenne Platinum Edition and Macan S vehicles and 2018 Cayenne vehicles…
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ski bags, free of charge. The recall began January 10, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243.
Electrical system
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2018 Porsche Macan S and Macan vehicles. These vehicles have a control unit that may fail and prevent safety-related functions such as driver display alerts and possibly impair drivability and post-crash functions.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected control unit, free of charge. The recall began July 27, 2018. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2018 Porsche Macan:
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.
What 2018 Porsche Macan owners say
Air bags
The airbag light came on in the vehicle. We took it into the dealership, they said we need a passenger airbag sensor mat and seat cushion for the passenger seat airbag system. This item was recalled in 2018 Porche Macon NHTSA Campain ID 21V131000/Recall AMA2. Porche said since our VIN was not included in the recall we have to pay to fix it. They said the only way to get our VIN added was to contact NHTSA. The quote to fix an item that has been recalled was over $1,800. It doesn't seem fair to have to pay for something that has been recalled for this car and is known to be defective. The vehicle is ready for inspection anytime. The passenger safety is at risk as defined by the recall. …
Front Passenger Seat occupancy sensor mat recall has not been remedy by my porsche dealership within a reasonable amount of time. I have made several attempts, calls, emails, and subsequently reached out to Porsche customer services and Porsche USA --- all advising someone will reach out and it will be rectified. Subsequently, all I received was a letter with regards to the recall April 30, 2021 however they have been aware long prior about the situation. Even when it went in for service, they detected and service department forgot to mention/address to the representative I work with at the dealership. it is unreasonable for Porsche to expect me to continually not have a passenger in my front seat when this vehicle is my main means of transportation.
Fuel & propulsion system
The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Macan. The contact stated that while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's wife noticed an unusual odor in the interior and the exterior of the vehicle. In addition, the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed a fuel leak on the ground underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The contact stated that the vehicle was a fire hazard and unsafe to drive. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V077000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however the VIN was not included. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 44,920.
The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Macan. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor inside the vehicle, and the odor was coming from underneath the rear passenger's seat. The contact raised the rear passenger's seat and became aware that the cover of the fuel pump was wet. The contact had stopped driving the vehicle due to the possible safety risk. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V077000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,558.
Steering
The steering of the vehicle completely failed while driving. The steering column detached from the steering rack and steering the vehicle was no longer possible. There was no warning and its only by luck that nobody was killed. The defect was confirmed and repaired by the dealer. There is a single bolt that attaches the column to the rack, which if not torqued properly can fall out and lead to this complete failure of steering. I reported to incident to the manufacturer, but they have not responded to my case at all. Please also see: NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V493000 for exact same issue with different model/year. This is a much larger issue that originally thought and has a very high chance of death or injury especially for a high performance vehicle.
I purchased this vehicle from The Collection Dealer Coral Gables, Florida. I brought the car in to have them check the brake pedal travel. It seems to me that the brake pedal response to applying the brakes is spongy or too much travel. It feels like the lines have air in them. The Service advisor says it is normal for this Macan S to feel that way. I still don't think is right. Also, it has been a few times when I am parking the car seems like it wants to accelerate all by itself and I have to apply the brakes not to go over the parking spot stopper or if inside my garage, not to go thru the wall and end up inside my living room.
2018 Porsche Macan engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 7-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 7-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl turbo | 7-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Porsche Macan a good car?
Based on 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Macan rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Macan at the same age. It is one of the Macan years we suggest avoiding. 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 2018 Porsche Macan?
The air bags — 10 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (9) and steering (6).
How many recalls does the 2018 Porsche Macan have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2018 Porsche Macan, the most recent from June 26, 2023 (anchorage). 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 Macan?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2016 and 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2020 and 2018. See the full Porsche Macan years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Porsche Macan problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 27,000 miles; 83% 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.