Most common 2018 Porsche Panamera problems
Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Porsche Panamera complaints by model year
Best Panamera years: 2017, 2016, 2015. Years to avoid: 2011, 2018. Compare all years →
2018 Porsche Panamera recalls (6)
Electrical system
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Panamera, Panamera 4, Panamera GTS and Panamera Turbo vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of specific model names and model years.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the external coolant pump and inspect and replace the plug-in connection, if necessary, free of charge.
Service brakes
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017 Panamera 4, Panamera Turbo, Panamera Turbo Executive, 2017-2018 Panamera, Panamera 4S Executive, Panamera 4S, 2018 Panamera Turbo S Hybrid, Panamera 4 Hybrid Sport Turismo, Panamera 4 Sport Turismo, Panamera Turbo S Hybrid Sport Turismo, Panamera 4 Hybrid,…
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall is began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243.
Electrical system
Porsche Cars North America, Inc is recalling certain 2018 Panamera, Panamera 4, Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Executive, Panamera 4 E- Hybrid Sport Turismo, Panamera 4S, Panamera Turbo, Panamera Turbo Executive, Panamera 4 Sport Turismo, Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, vehicles.
Remedy: Porsche Cars North America will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began May 17, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche's customer service at 1-800-767-7243.
Service brakes
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2018 Panamera 4 Executive, Panamera 4S Sport Turismo, Panamera 4 Hybrid, Panamera 4 Hybrid Executive, Panamera 4 Hybrid Sport Turismo, Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo, Panamera Turbo S Hybrid Executive, Panamera Turbo S Hybrid, Panamera 4 Sport Turismo and Panamera…
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began April 19, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243.
Steering › Electric power assist system
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Porsche Panamera, Panamera 4, Panamera 4S, Panamera Turbo, Panamera 4S Executive, Panamera Turbo Executive, 2018 Panamera 4 Executive, Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Executive, Panamera S E-Hybrid Executive, Panamera 4…
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the power steering control unit, free of charge. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AJ13.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S Hybrid Executive, Panamera 4 Hybrid, Panamera Turbo S Hybrid, Panamera 4 Hybrid Executive, Panamera 4 Hybrid Sport Turismo, and Panamera Turbo S Hybrid Sport Turismo vehicles.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake line, and any damaged brake components, free of charge. The recall began June 26, 2019. 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 Panamera:
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 Panamera owners say
Engine & cooling
The contact owned a 2018 Porsche Panamera. The contact stated that when he was parking the vehicle, as he had shifted from reverse (R) to drive (D) to straighten the vehicle in the parking spot, the vehicle had inadvertently accelerated at an unknown speed. The contact stated that the vehicle ran through an intersection and crashed into five parked vehicles. The contact stated that he had depressed the brake pedal and was not able to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that his vehicle was stopped by the last vehicle he had crashed into. The contact stated that the police had arrived and issued a report. The contact stated that the vehicle air bags had deployed and that he was transported to the hospital by ambulance. The contact stated that he had bruises on both his ankles and calves and that he had bruises on both wrists and hands. …
The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Panamera. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the message "Engine Overheating - Park Vehicle" in red letters was displayed on the instrument cluster. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that there was a burning odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, but was not diagnosed; however, the contact was advised by the dealer that the failure could be related to the coolant pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Transmission & drivetrain
The auto in question was, and is, under the new car warranty - While driving forward, one of the automobile's display screens displayed an error message stating "Transmission error - Reverse gear not available"; this in itself is not a major issue as the car was in a forward gear. The major safety issue is that the car would not shift gears once this error message cam up. The error has occurred multiple times and, thankfully, did not happen at a critical time - i.e. merging onto a highway. The first time this happened was on August 6, 2020. Porsche was notified of the issue and I was told there was no fix at the time. It happened multiple other times and every time the dealer told me that there wasn't a fix. Porsche did apply a "temporary" fix in the November/December, 2020 timeframe, but this was not permanent and the error happened at least once more after the fix. …
The main water pump on my 2018 Porsche Panamera 4S failed prematurely. This is not a simple external coolant leak; the internal seal failed, allowing pressurized engine coolant to migrate into the vehicle's vacuum system. The coolant traveled through the vacuum lines and contaminated the vacuum solenoids and change-over valves. This failure mode presents a significant safety hazard because the vacuum system controls critical engine components, including turbocharger wastegates and exhaust flaps. Contamination of these components can lead to sudden loss of power, "limp mode" activation while driving at highway speeds, or unexpected engine behavior, increasing the risk of a crash. Cross-Reference to Known Defects: This vehicle utilizes the EA839 V6 engine platform, which is shared with Volkswagen and Audi vehicles (specifically the Audi S4, S5, SQ5, and Q7). …
Electrical system
The main water pump on my 2018 Porsche Panamera 4S failed prematurely. This is not a simple external coolant leak; the internal seal failed, allowing pressurized engine coolant to migrate into the vehicle's vacuum system. The coolant traveled through the vacuum lines and contaminated the vacuum solenoids and change-over valves. This failure mode presents a significant safety hazard because the vacuum system controls critical engine components, including turbocharger wastegates and exhaust flaps. Contamination of these components can lead to sudden loss of power, "limp mode" activation while driving at highway speeds, or unexpected engine behavior, increasing the risk of a crash. Cross-Reference to Known Defects: This vehicle utilizes the EA839 V6 engine platform, which is shared with Volkswagen and Audi vehicles (specifically the Audi S4, S5, SQ5, and Q7). …
The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Panamera. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V033000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact to park the vehicle outside the garage until parts became available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
2018 Porsche Panamera engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 8-speed dual-clutch | RWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 8-speed dual-clutch | 4WD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.9L 6-cyl turbo | 8-speed dual-clutch | 4WD | 21 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.9L 6-cyl turbo plug-in hybrid | 8-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 4.0L 8-cyl turbo | 8-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 4.0L 8-cyl turbo plug-in hybrid | 8-speed dual-clutch | AWD | 19 / 23 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Porsche Panamera a good car?
Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Panamera rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Panamera at the same age. It is one of the Panamera 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 Panamera?
The engine & cooling — 5 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (4) and electrical system (3).
How many recalls does the 2018 Porsche Panamera have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2018 Porsche Panamera, the most recent from January 27, 2023 (electrical system). 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 Panamera?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2016 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011 and 2018. See the full Porsche Panamera years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Porsche Panamera problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 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.