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Porsche 911 Common Problems

Smoke at Start-Up or Check Engine Light, etc?

Listed below are Porsche 911 common mechanical problems with their likely resolutions. These are the most frequent 911 problems diagnosed by our Porsche techs over the years.

An accurate diagnosis of an issue by a Porsche Technician typically saves you time and money  that can help. If you’re researching and considering buying a 911, our used car buyer guides highlight mechanical issues to be aware of before you complete a purchase.

Check engine light? Scanned the car and not sure what to make of those OBD codes? Our article on how to interpret and make sense of those fault codes may help.

Maintenance rarely solves a problem. However, neglecting maintenance can cause issues – check your last service update with our recommended maintenance schedules.

Scanned Your 911 and Read Diagnostic Codes?

The following sections identify common problems through symptoms. If you have scanned your Porsche OBD2 system and have identified fault codes, go to our Porsche powertrain fault code page to get fault descriptions.

Can’t Find An Answer Below? – Contact Us For More Help

If your 911 has mechanical issues that don’t appear here, simply drop us an email via the forms or pop-up contact and we’ll do our best to share a solution with you.

Clicking on a heading gives you more detail.

996 | 997 | 991

Common Oil Leaks

Rear Main Seal Oil Leak

Air Oil Separator (AOS)

Smoke on Startup - Cold Engine

Cylinder Scoring – The Deadly Knocking Noise

IMS Bearing – The Hype vs The Facts

Low or No Battery Power

Check Engine Light - Engine Runs Normally

Check Engine Light with Misfires - Engine Runs Rough

Over-heating – Cracked Cylinder Liner

Clutch Pedal is Heavy - Turbo 911

Coolant Leaks - Leaking Radiators, Hoses and Water Pumps

Oil Mixed in Coolant System or Coolant in Oil

Coolant Pipe Failure - Porsche 911 Turbo 997.1

Check Engine Light and Misfire At Higher RPM

Check Engine Light - Cam Solenoid Failure

Low Mileage Storage Problems

Gear Shift Cable Problems - Sloppy Gear Change - Manual Transmission

2nd Gear Pop-Out - Manual Transmissions

PDK Issues - Transmission Failure

Exhaust Rattle and CEL for Catalytic Converter Inefficiency

Cabriolet Top Malfunction

Hood or Engine Lid Will Not Stay Open

AC System Will Not Cool

Unusual Electrical Behavior - Windows Not Aligned on Cabriolet

Ignition Switch Failure

Rear Spoiler Malfunction

Faulty Change Over Valve (COV) Solenoids

Oil Level High or Low - Topping Off Oil Level

Check High Level Brake Light Message

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