2015 Porsche Cayenne Problems and Recalls (13 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2015 Porsche Cayenne is Lights (23% of 13 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Lights — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 13 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2015 Porsche Cayenne?

3 of 13 filings named Lights (23% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (3 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2014 has 53 reports on file; this year has 13. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2015 Porsche Cayenne

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Lights. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Lights 3 complaints · 23.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 0
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 0
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) appears in 3 of 13 owner complaints (23.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 3 complaints, 23.1% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 3 · 23.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 3 complaints, 23.1% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 · 23.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 15.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 · 15.4% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 1 complaints, 7.7% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 · 7.7% Engine (ENGINE): 1 complaints, 7.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 · 7.7% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 7.7% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 · 7.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 7.7% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 7.7% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 3 complaints, 23.1% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 3 · 23.1% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 3 23.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 23.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 15.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 7.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 1 7.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 7.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 7.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 3 23.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2015; the first recall shown was reported in Dec 2014. 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Dec 2014 Apr 2025 Recall campaign 14V824000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V824000 Recall campaign 16V169000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V169000 Recall campaign 22V656000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V656000 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q1 Owner reports 2
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 14V824000
Recall campaign 1 16V169000
Recall campaign 1 22V656000
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Brakes and Lights.

  1. Recall campaign 14V824000

    Safety recall 14V824000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the suspension alignment was incorrectly performed, vehicle handling could be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will perform a front and rear suspension alignment, and check the screw connections for the proper torque, retightening as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification date. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AF04.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 16V169000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    If the brake pedal dislodges, the driver may not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake pedal assembly circlip, installing any missing circlips, free of charge. The recall began on July 8, 2016. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AG02.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 22V656000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.
    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. Owners may contact Porsche's customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ANB4.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 13 complaints · page 1 of 1
2025-05-31Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11664131
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Air bag light on occupant not detected code, just like Porsche Mecan campaign AMA2
2024-12-10Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11629837
CrashFireInjuryDeath
June 7-8, 2024 driving in rain, the #17- 25 amp headlight fuse blew, leaving my family and me stranded without headlights in the dark on I-70 highway. When headlights quit during this drive and it became Very Very dangerous! After getting the 2015 Cayenne home, I inspected both headlights. Driver's side headlight had a lot of moisture on the inside of lens. The passenger side headlight had about 1 cup of water inside headlight. Reading about Porsche Cayenne headlights leaking online, this issue should be a recall. I am going to take to dealership have them work on unrelated recall. I will ask them to inspect Cayenne. I can not drive this vehicle during inclimate weather or at night for an emergency or otherwise. I have been really busy at work and personally to take 60 miles to dealership. I have another vehicle I have been driving.
2024-06-20Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11595610
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Dealership is selling vehicle without disclosing recall information or correcting.
2024-03-25Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11579292
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When I start the vehicle I get an error message that the rear lights are not working properly, but they are functioning well. This message is random and it can show up at anytime. I have contacted Porsche about this and they said that this is due to a faulty part that can be replaced, but requires 5000 USD. This problem was there when the vehicle was under warranty, but they never pursued or investigated it.
2024-02-19Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11572810
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Headlight not working properly.
2021-09-07Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11431928
CrashFireInjuryDeath
On August 21 2021, I was out shopping. When I went out to return home, the car would not start. I could not jump start it or anything. I had it towed to the dealer. I found out from Porsche and dealership that my car was disabled by Porsche Connect. I do not have this service or pay for it. On Friday Sept 3, I was informed by Porsche customer service that it disabled my car because the original owner (in 2015) changed their phone number. So Porsche assumed stolen and shut down. I did not authorize this, I did not sign up for this service. They will not fix the car because they say it is out of warranty. Because I do not know the code to turn the car back on, they want to replace parts and say I have to get the Porsche Connect App. This is a known issue at Porsche because the dealer found a TSB on it. They are not taking responsibility for shutting down the car with out my permission. This is a safety issue depending on where I could have been.
2021-08-23Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11430182
CrashFireInjuryDeath
After the emissions recall was performed the vehicle has an issue that when turning a corner the engine will not produce any power and will not shift down in order to get the car to accelerate. You get no response from the throttle pedal unless you depress it fully to the floor and then the car will jerk and accelerate uncontrollably. This creates an unsafe condition when trying to pull out into traffic. I have almost been in an accident multiple times because of this with oncoming cars and with cars following me as they are trying to merge also and my vehicle will not accelerate. I have driven a vehicle identical to mine that has not had the emissions recall performed and it does not have this issue.
2021-06-14Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11420884
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The 2015 Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid has a charging port for charging the electric drive battery. The electric plug does not disconnect from the vehicle. Based on the OBD-II software used for diagnosis Error Code - P0D9400 Error Description - High-voltage charger - charging-plug lock fault (00A93D)
2018-12-18Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11162255
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY PORSCHE CAYENNE DIESEL HAS HAD THE PORSCHE DIESEL EMISSIONS SETTLEMENT PROGRAM "FIX" COMPLETED. SINCE THE "FIX" THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. WHEN MERGING, TURNING A SLOW SPEED CORNER OR ROLLING THROUGH A YIELD SIGN THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT LAG/DELAY FROM THE TIME THE THROTTLE INPUT HAPPENS AND A RESPONSE FROM THE MOTOR. THIS DELAY HAS BEEN AS LONG AS 2 SECONDS LEADING TO NUMEROUS NEAR MISSES. PORSCHE HAS INSISTED THE VEHICLE IS FINE AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ON MAR 16, 2018, AT 04:28 PM, "(XXXX)(PCNA, CR_EXT)" <(XXXX)@PORSCHE.US> WROTE: GOOD AFTERNOON MR. (X), I AM SORRY TO LEARN OF YOUR DISSATISFACTION WITH YOUR VEHICLE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EPA/CARB APPROVED EMISSIONS MODIFICATION, THE SHIFTING BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN ADJUSTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENHANCED AUTOMATIC ENGINE BRAKING FEATURE HAS BEEN REMOVED. WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE THE REDUCTION IN MPG NOTED BELOW, ARE YOU TOWING AT THAT TIME? BEST REGARDS, [XXX] CUSTOMER COMMITMENT SENIOR SPECIALIST US CENTRAL REGION AND CANADA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR
2018-11-14Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11151396
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP FROM RE-CALL REPAIRS, OUR CAR SHUT OFF ON US IN THE BUSY 5:00 PM AUSTIN TRAFFIC. IT WAS SCARY & DANGEROUS. PORSCHE EMPLOYEES STEVE & AMY HELPED US WITH TOWING TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE FOR MY HUSBAND & I TO TRAVEL BACK TO VICTORIA COUNTY WHILE OUR CAR GET SERVICED. I REACHED OUT TO ARIELLE VAUGHN, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER, BUT I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG OR WHAT IS GOING ON WITH OUR CAR.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2015 Porsche Cayenne?

Owners named Lights most often — 3 of 13 reports (23%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2015 Porsche Cayenne?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes and Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2015 Porsche Cayenne?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources