2016 Porsche Cayenne Problems and Recalls (38 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2016 Porsche Cayenne is Lights (13% of 38 owner reports). There are 2 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 38 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 2016 Porsche Cayenne?

5 of 38 filings named Lights (13% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (5 reports).

There are 2 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 2015 has 13 reports on file; this year has 38. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2016 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 2 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. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  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 5 complaints · 13.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 0
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 2
  • Deaths 0
All Porsche Cayenne years →
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 5 of 38 owner complaints (13.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 5 complaints, 13.2% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 5 · 13.2% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 5 complaints, 13.2% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 5 · 13.2% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 3 complaints, 7.9% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 · 7.9% Engine (ENGINE): 3 complaints, 7.9% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 3 · 7.9% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 7.9% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 · 7.9% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 2.6% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 · 2.6% Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE): 1 complaints, 2.6% of reports Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 1 · 2.6% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 2.6% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 2.6% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 1 complaints, 2.6% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 · 2.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 17 complaints, 44.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 17 · 44.7% 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) 5 13.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 5 13.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 7.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 3 7.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 7.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 2.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lane keeping (LANE DEPARTURE) 1 2.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 2.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 2.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 17 44.7% 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 Jul 2015; the first recall shown was reported in Mar 2016. 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2024-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2026-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2015 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 16V169000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V169000 Recall campaign 22V656000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V656000 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002
  • Campaign 22V656000 was reported 2,344 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q1 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 3
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 2
2024-Q2 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 4
2024-Q4 Owner reports 3
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q4 Owner reports 2
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 2
2026-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 16V169000
Recall campaign 1 22V656000
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

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 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 →

  2. 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 38 complaints · page 1 of 2
2026-08-28Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11760414
CrashFireInjuryDeath
[XXX] the salesman at cars 4 your budget sold a 2016 Porsche VIN#[XXX] ON XXX to [XXX] DOBXXX. The vehicle's odometer was tampered with by [XXX] he had the miles rolled back by a friend of his. the customer has no idea this was done to the vehicle the miles were rolled back before the vehicle went to [XXX] auto auction were the vehicle went unsold [XXX] kept the vehicle and contiuned to drive it for persoal use before financing the vehicle to Mr. [XXX] for $19,000 ON XXX. [XXX] boss [XXX] Has knowledge of this transaction and was fine with it has long a [XXX] gave him a cut of the profits from the sale. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-05-29Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11740920
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2026-05-21Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11739293
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 it. This is a very common issue.
2026-03-03Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11721778
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I noticed a hesitation when I Pressed the gas pedal, I also noticed the smell of Gasoline when I parked it in my Garage. I had my Certified mechanic look at it and he told me there was a recall on the Fuel sending unit, creating a transfer case failure, apparently the flange breaks and leaks gas. I googled it and it confirms it. I called the local dealer and they have not called me back?
2025-12-08Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11703693
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 and recommended replacing it. This is a very common issue.
2025-10-25Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11695576
CrashFireInjuryDeath
passenger side leather covered dashboard delaminated making air bag deployment inpossible
2025-01-11Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11635383
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 it. This is a very common issue.
2024-11-25Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11627258
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Engine oil leak detected in 2021 @33,195 miles caused by broken aluminum bolts in upper part of timing cover. Repaired by dealer on a “good will” basis for what I was told would have cost me approximately $9-10,000. Oil leak reappeared in 2023 @44,657 miles (less than 12,000 since first leak) caused again by broken aluminum bolts in the lower, upper oil pan, and timing cover. Repair done this time by independent shop at a cost of $6,865.70.
2024-11-23Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11627046
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Porsche cayenne leather dashboard shrunk and peeling out. I was told that if the car was in an accident, the airbag might not deploy correctly. This is a common issue.
2024-11-22Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11626837
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The dashboard leather has shrunk and the staples are beginning to pull out. I have read that this may keep the dashboard airbag from property deploying in the case of an accident. This is a common issue and the dealers are recommending replacement.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Porsche Cayenne?

Owners named Lights most often — 5 of 38 reports (13%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2016 Porsche Cayenne?

NHTSA lists 2 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 2016 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