2004 Porsche Cayenne Porsche Cayenne 2004

We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

2004 Porsche Cayenne repairs by problem area

Engine (34%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (17%)

Brakes and Traction Control (6%)

Suspension and Steering (11%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (15%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (8%)

Other (9%)

Chart based on 142 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2004 Porsche Cayenne.

2004 Porsche Cayenne repair cost distribution

$2500+ (9%)

$1000 - $2499 (17%)

$500 - $999 (21%)

$100 - $499 (32%)

< $100 (20%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 109 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2004 Porsche Cayenne

Engine not specified

Porsche Cayenne in Pennsylvania, United States
Jul 2011 - Aug 2011
Aug 2011

127000 mi

US $1100
Passenger side Air Suspension Strut air bag blew. Dealer wanted to replace both, I refused, told them to rebuild the strut, and they did. 

Return to top

2004 Porsche Cayenne 4dr SUV

turbocharged 450hp 4.5L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD w/low range

Porsche Cayenne in California, United States
Aug 2011 - Sep 2011
Sep 2011

101000 mi

US $3000
AC fan screeching. Serpentine belt replaced. One turbo oil line replaced. Part used to stablize drive shaft replaced. Cracked "Turbo" badge replaced. Curbed rims fixed and refinished. With Maintenance - $7,000 total. 
Porsche Cayenne in Colorado, United States
Jun 2014 - Jan 2023
Aug 2014

89100 mi

US $375
replace battery 
Nov 2015

100000 mi

US $200
Bad coil 
Feb 2016

102500 mi

US $750
Leaking cooling fluid reservoir. 
Jul 2018

121000 mi

US $500
Brake pump vacuum hose replacement 
Porsche Cayenne in Nevada, United States
Aug 2011 - Apr 2017
Sep 2011

132000 mi

US $700
Intermittent engine power shutdown at less then half a tank of fuel and at highway speed. Remove and replace both fuel pumps and flange units. No more problems. 
Aug 2012

140700 mi

US $1700
Replaced front lower control arms due to worn rubber bushings. Replaced with upgraded OEM Porsche Turbo S control arms. 
Apr 2016

165000 mi

US $1100
R&R upper control arms, shock top mounts and both front tires with new. All parts oem Porsche from dealer. 
Porsche Cayenne in Texas, United States
Feb 2009 - Mar 2014
Apr 2009

56400 mi

US $2200
replaced all engine coolant tubes 
May 2009

58000 mi

US $1000
replaced driveshaft 
Aug 2009

60400 mi

US $180
replaced all 8 pencil ignition coils myself. No labor cost, just parts. All 8 were cracked. 
Apr 2011

96000 mi

US $125
CEL on for small vacuum leak (P0456) in emissions system. Replaced gas cap.  Glove box won't open. Latch is broken. A plastic pin snaps off, causing the latch to stop working. 
Jul 2011

101000 mi

US $300
lubed gas cap and CEL stayed off since July. 
Jan 2012

US $650
center console upper lid won't open. Latch assy was dislodged. Entire console assy had to be replaced. 
Apr 2012

114000 mi

US $385
fuel tank purge valve and oil mist separator had vacuum leaks 
Jun 2012

119000 mi

US $550
large vacuum leak causing CEL to stay on. Gas mileage dropped from 18 mpg to 14 mpg. Replaced the gas tank vent (purge) valve assembly on the front of the engine. Main battery (under driver's seat) tested bad with various electrical problems like radio changing stations by itself. Replaced main battery. 
Sep 2012

122000 mi

US $25
Brake booster faulty. The vacuum line on the brake booster was repaired but the trouble light is still on. Power steering pump losing fluid. Inspected again by a Porsche factory mechanic but no solution was found other than to refill the pump with PS fluid.  
Nov 2012

126300 mi

US $150
trouble code for faulty air quality sensor. Replaced sensor. 
Jan 2013

131000 mi

US $100
seal below driver's door fell off. Had to order 8 clips and install them to re-fit the seal. hood strut failed to support open hood. Replaced strut. 
Feb 2013

131800 mi

US $3000
replaced air suspension compressor replaced water pump and 2 radiator hoses. Cost $800 
Mar 2013

133000 mi

US $225
replaced check valve on evap emission system 
May 2013

135000 mi
replaced vacuum booster and related vacuum lines Control arms and tie-rod ends. 
Nov 2013

140000 mi

US $60
Smoke test to detect multiple leaks in brake booster vacuum lines. second driveshaft center support bearing to fail. This one lasted 70,000 miles and 4 years. Will replace with aftermarket EPS support collar this time. Driveshaft is a $1200 job. 
Feb 2014

147000 mi

US $235
Lack of proper heat shielding caused vacuum line assy to crack at multiple points and leak vacuum. Huge loss in gas mileage and failure of brake boost pressure. Foil-backed fiberglass sheet to better protect new line still on order when car totaled. 
Porsche Cayenne in Portugal
Mar 2014 - Jun 2018
Jan 2015

€4000
Two turbos changed due to cracking in one of them starting to leak oil Noisy transmission shaft, replaced. Front suspension bushes 
Aug 2016

101060 mi

€1500
Left front pneumatic absorber exploded, while reversing with the suspension on high to climb a 45 cm step 
Sep 2017

115320 mi

€500
Starter contacts replaced. New spark plugs , oil and filters 
Feb 2018

115940 mi

€2000
Replaced various rubber hoses from the refrigeration system. Replaced plastic connectors for the fuel injectors. New battery 
Porsche Cayenne in Ohio, United States
Dec 2011 - Jun 2018
Jun 2012

107000 mi
Air Pump failure repair Secondary air pump not working, replaced fuse. 
Oct 2012

114200 mi

US $150
Brake Booster fault 
Aug 2013

128000 mi

US $42
Window regulator passenger side failed. Replaced cables which resolved problem. 
Apr 2015

152200 mi

US $800
Water pump replacement. At the same time did thermostat and cooling lines. Starter was weak probably because of water line failure long time ago. Power steering pump was still functional but leaking. Valve cover gaskets had gone brittle and were leaking. 
Jan 2018

181000 mi

US $340
Fuel Line replaced 
Porsche Cayenne in Colorado, United States
Oct 2014 - Sep 2015
Jan 2015

49300 mi

US $1800
Drive shaft replaced and other parts 
Porsche Cayenne in California, United States
Dec 2014 - May 2017
Jun 2015

68000 mi

US $750
Thumping noise caused by deteriorating front struts. Not replaced on this visit. They were replaced by the previous owner at about 50K. Update May 2017: no change. 
Oct 2016

68000 mi
Cornering light malfunction. 
Jan 2017

68000 mi

US $800
Emissions. Replaced two O2 sensors (before cat) and the computer would still not reset. Still shows O2 fault. Won't pass California Smog. 
Porsche Cayenne in Washington, United States
Dec 2016 - Jan 2018
Nov 2017

95000 mi

US $400
Replaced rear door air struts. Door wouldn't stay open in cold weather. 
Jan 2018

95000 mi

US $500
Replaced vacuum line assembly to Brake Boost. Old assembly had cracks/fractures, leaked vacuum, caused warning light. 
Porsche Cayenne in Virginia, United States
Feb 2008 - Mar 2012
Aug 2008

78000 mi
right headlight malfunction warranty repair 
Mar 2011

113000 mi

US $2000
Engine cooling supply lines running down the valleys of the engine block to the heater. The plastic injection molded parts of the assembly failed. Poor application for plastic given the intense heat and pressure. Porsche changed this for the '08. 
Porsche Cayenne in New Hampshire, United States
Dec 2015 - Feb 2018
Jun 2017

192000 mi

US $250
Replaced climate control blower and capacitor 
Porsche Cayenne in Colorado, United States
Feb 2010 - Sep 2015
Jul 2010

73000 mi

US $600
Plastic coolant pipes replaced with aluminum due to leak in plastic pipes. 
Porsche Cayenne in Colorado, United States
Jan 2015 - Jul 2016
Jun 2015

108000 mi

US $106
Brake booster vacuum hose from booster pump to check valve cracked. Replaced with $106 replacement part. 
Mar 2016

113000 mi

US $1400
Coolant "T"s on back of engine exploded. Also needed several vent/breather tubes during replacement process. Issue is specific to Turbo models and occurred despite metal coolant pipe upgrade already being installed. 

Return to top

2004 Porsche Cayenne 4dr SUV

340-horsepower 4.5L V8 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD w/low range

Porsche Cayenne in California, United States
Mar 2013 - Mar 2014
Mar 2013

150000 mi

US $341
PCM Configuration and Key programming (key needed to be reprogrammed)+ new key 
Apr 2013

150300 mi

US $1000
Front lower control arms replaced with Turbo version hood strut, rear tailgate struts 
Jul 2013

152300 mi

US $150
Replaced leaking front strut 
Feb 2014

155000 mi

US $40
Rear window struts replaced Rear window struts replaced 
Porsche Cayenne in Ontario, Canada
May 2016 - Oct 2021
Jul 2016

76660 mi

C $160
Repair valve cover gaskets and another o ring on camshaft to stop small oil leaks. I replaced the struts which support the rear door. The parts came from Amazon.com and cost 128 USD. The repair took about three hours and I did it myself with the help of You-Tube videos. 
Sep 2016

78740 mi

C $100
Replaced AC actuator motors (5) and repaired 2. Parts bought used on eBay, $100. Safety check required replacement of lower ball joint/control arms. I bought them on Amazon.com for $100 each and installed them. 
Oct 2016

79140 mi
Replaced one ignition coil. I did a Jimi fix on the drive shaft hanger bearing. That involves fitting short pieces of heater hose in place of a failed membrane and holding them in place with zip ties. All reports say that it prevents an expensive repair and lasts as well as the factory piece which is too weak for heavy applications. 
Dec 2016

81220 mi

C $60
Replaced boots on right front quarter axle. Cleaned and regreased the CV joints, reinstalled the unit. Changed brake fluid and power steering fluid, changed the engine oil and filter. 
Jan 2017

81720 mi

C $360
Replaced the main battery under the driver's seat. Checked, but did not replace the second battery in the trunk under a bass speaker. 
Mar 2017

93620 mi

C $90
Replaced expansion tank on cooling system. 
Nov 2017

90520 mi

C $236
System vacuumed and recharged with dye. Two weeks later the inspection showed no leaks. A good job by a local specialist. 
Apr 2018

94240 mi

C $78
I set out to change the coolant pipes on the 2004 Porsche Cayenne's engine, only to discover that they had already been done. While I had it apart I changed the spark plugs (two of which had visible fouling) and coils, but discovered the eBay set of eight coils (I had used one to date) only had three more which worked, so still using four of the original, cracked coils, but they work fine, after much fussing with error codes. Total cost of this repair, $78.00 CDN for the plugs. From this my advice would be to go upscale in purchasing coils for a Cayenne. They are a pain to change because of the plastic covers, fragile vent hoses, and the engine mount which must be removed for access to #3. As well, one misfiring cylinder causes the entire bank to shut down because the ECU senses a risk to the O2 sensor and puts four cylinders into limp mode. 
May 2018

94940 mi

C $360
The 2004 Cayenne S had a couple of visits to Pat's Radiators in Kingston over depleted refrigerant and approaching summer. The first test failed to locate a leak. The second involved removing the front bumper cover only to discover nothing wrong with the condenser, either. So they recharged it with dye and it's been fine ever since.  
Jul 2018

97020 mi
2004 Cayenne S started to miss badly while 50 miles from home, but finally it showed a code. Cylinder 2. I changed the coil from new Chinese ones I had on hand. The spark plug required re-torquing, strangely. This improved performance after a month of intermittent misfiring. Lesson: Don't buy bargain coils for this car. 
Porsche Cayenne in Colorado, United States
Jun 2014 - Jun 2018
Sep 2014

58000 mi

US $150
camshaft sensor bank 2 
Nov 2015

75200 mi

US $15
Drive shaft wore out. Replaced rubber gasket with 5/8" coolant hose and zipties. 
Porsche Cayenne in Alabama, United States
Jun 2013 - Jun 2015
Jun 2015

118000 mi
At 118K well-maintained miles developed bad knock. Dealer assessed scorched cylinder, apparently common. Quote for full rebuild $18K. Decided to junk it. Overrated Porsche - never again. My wife's Accord is @ 240K and going strong. 
Porsche Cayenne in California, United States
Mar 2012 - Jan 2017
Jul 2012

123200 mi

US $2500
Replaced driveshaft replaced fan blower 
Porsche Cayenne in Texas, United States
Feb 2011 - Dec 2016
Mar 2011

105000 mi

US $2300
Original equipment plastic crossover coolant pipes cracked. Replaced with aluminum pipes. Also, ignition coils all replaced. 
Porsche Cayenne in Tennessee, United States
Feb 2011 - Mar 2014
Mar 2011

66000 mi

US $600
cardan shaft replaced 
Sep 2011

68000 mi
water accumulating inside body cavity (not cabin interior) Dealer at no charge removed a rubber plug under the car to drain 
Oct 2011

68200 mi
RR door lock not working, will repair later Door lock restored after lubrication of actuator 
Apr 2012

70800 mi

US $700
Cooling tubes leaking/replaced Water pump failed/replaced 
Mar 2013

79000 mi

US $325
Key replaced after new batteries didn't fix it. It was not communicating to the lock/security system so when I used the manual key inserted into the door handle to open the door the alarm system went off with no way to stop it!  
Porsche Cayenne in Illinois, United States
Aug 2010 - Oct 2013
Sep 2010

106000 mi
cooling tubes repaired 
Dec 2011

118000 mi

US $48
headlight bulb low beam out. also needed proper aiming. 
Jan 2013

121800 mi

US $300
Rear hatch struts failed and were replaced. This is the second time in 8 years. Last ones lasted 4 years like the first ones. 
Porsche Cayenne in Colorado, United States
Mar 2011 - Aug 2014
Jul 2011

87000 mi

US $1384
The primary fuel pump was replaced because the car was losing power and not running properly Water pump replaced due to excessive noise - dealer felt that failure was impending 
Jun 2013

122000 mi

US $255
Engine torque arm replaced due to split busing noticed by dealer during 120,000 mile routine maintenance. 
Aug 2013

124500 mi

US $1227
Replacement of cardan shaft due to vibration 
Feb 2014

134300 mi

US $675
Driver's side front door latch replaced because interior lights and fuel pump priming didn't work when driver's door opened. 
Porsche Cayenne in Saskatchewan, Canada
Feb 2011 - Aug 2011
Mar 2011

45260 mi

C $100
Bought car with engine noise, diagnosed as scuffed cylinder, also have engine coils misfiring and engine oil leak diagnosed as coming from valve cover. Have cost estimate for reman engine at $16,000 and not sure if I will proceed. 
Aug 2011

48980 mi
Engine has scuffed cylinder and cracked coil packs. Estimated cost to replace engine now $27,000, so car has been sold as is. 
Porsche Cayenne in New Jersey, United States
Mar 2011 - Dec 2016
Jul 2011

51200 mi

US $100
Cardan shaft, known issue. 
Mar 2012

60000 mi

US $100
shift valve body control defective. repaired under warranty with $100 deductible 
Sep 2013

82000 mi

US $662
catastrophic engine failure, cracked cylinder (#3) piston seized, connecting rod smashed piston into valves, connecting rod continued to smash piston into pieces. Vehicle not repaired yet, Porsche NA contacted for engine replacement... 
Porsche Cayenne in United Arab Emirates
Aug 2011 - May 2014
Oct 2011

83080 mi

¤2800
Replaced bearing rear drive shaft. Fuel vent valve replaced, 150 AED Small micro switch on gear lever (P-warning) replaced!, 350 AED Changed all clips for mounting door sill 
Nov 2011

83700 mi
Right front drive shaft replaced! 2300 AED key did not come out start switch! Modified start switch so key will never being locked again! 
Dec 2011

84320 mi
Changed electric motor transfer box Changed wind screen wash water reservoir cover. Rear window wash system leaks on two places. Looks like the tubing cannot manage hot temperatures. Removed almost all roof covers to fix. Bottom protection not properly fixed. Fixed by placing new bolds and screws (not OEM). 
May 2012

88600 mi

¤411
Right front power window defect! Replace the complete power window mechanism. 
Sep 2012

93000 mi

¤1000
Front left drive shaft damaged. 
Dec 2012

96100 mi

¤50
Replaced left front drive shaft oil seal gasket from the front differential gear. 
Feb 2013

99200 mi

¤1750
Car key not recognize by immobilizer module! Ordering a new key takes +/- 10 working days?? 
Oct 2013

106400 mi
Rear Hatch Struts Replaced Rear drive shaft leaking grease. 
Nov 2013

108500 mi

¤3000
After replacing spark plugs, car did not accelerate anymore. Damaged ignition coils! Replaced all 8 coils => OK now. (old model: 938-602-104-05 => new 948-602-104-20) 
Dec 2013

110360 mi

¤4700
Alternator stopped charging battery. 5 hr work + 2650 AED for the alternator + few small parts to replace. 
Feb 2014

112200 mi

¤932
Secondary vacuum pump replaced PN: 95560510511. 
Mar 2014

114080 mi

¤5500
No fuel supply to ignition Replaced fuel filter + fuel pump Done in Muscat (Porsche Center Oman) Thanks to Mr. Francis 
May 2014

115320 mi

¤800
Interior roof fabric came off, complete replaced in special chop for interior. 
Porsche Cayenne in Virginia, United States
Feb 2011 - May 2014
Mar 2011

56000 mi
Replaced drive shaft due to vibration. Would not have lasted more than a few more weeks. 
Aug 2011

59100 mi
Replaced leaking water pump because adding coolant weekly. Also replaced coolant tubes as preventive maintenance. Rough engine when accelerating, cleaned injectors. Replaced rear hatch switch for cosmetic reasons. 
May 2012

65700 mi

US $1500
Seal failed causing loss of transmission fluid. 
Porsche Cayenne in North Carolina, United States
May 2011 - Sep 2011
Jun 2011

99830 mi

US $475
Lower control arm bushings torn. Excessive movement and clunking. Replaced torn Front Lower Control Arms/Bushing Left and Right 
Aug 2011

101000 mi

US $164
Growling noise from front differential. Changed front and rear differential fluids along with transfer case ATF. Significantly reduced noise level. Growling noise coming from front axle. Determined Front Differential Gear oil needed to be replaced due to excessive break down. 
Porsche Cayenne in Florida, United States
Mar 2013 - Aug 2014
Dec 2013

76000 mi

US $2200
Plastic water intake broke and need to be replaced. Part $800.00 for the kit and $2,000.00 labor with $300.00 discount. 

Return to top

2004 Porsche Cayenne 4dr SUV

247-horsepower 3.2L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD w/low range

Porsche Cayenne in Washington, United States
Nov 2014 - Jul 2018
Jun 2015

102000 mi

US $1000
Replaced faulty plugs and coils on all cylinders. Apparently all were original, never having been replaced before. 
Oct 2015

103000 mi
Left radiator fan running continuously due to control module failure. Replaced fan/module assembly. 
Sep 2016

100 mi

US $600
Replaced air shocks that hold up the tailgate. The tailgate would not stay up in cold weather. 
Jul 2018

108000 mi

US $800
Driver’s window regulator broke which caused window to fall all the way into door. 

Return to top

See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs
See TrueDelta's information for all Porsche models.

2004 Porsche Cayenne Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2004 Porsche Cayenne problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.