ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SOFTTOP STRUCTURE CATCH LEVER TENSION CAN EASE RESULTING IN A CRACK.
Consequence: THE SOFTTOP CAN INADVERTENTLY OPEN STARTLING THE DRIVER, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROOF ALIGNMENT AND ROOF LOCKING PINS. IN ADDITION, THE TWO ROOF LOCKING MOTORS WILL BE REPLACED. ALSO A NEW SENSOR SYSTEM WITHIN THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY WILL PROVIDE AN IMPROVED CONTROL SIGNAL TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IF THE ROOF IS NOT PROPERLY CLOSED WHEN THE DRIVER DRIVES OFF. THE RECALL BEGAN JANUARY 18, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-545-8039.
Reported: 2004-02-18 (February 18, 2004) · Model years: 2003
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FITTED WITH FRONT SEAT BACKS, WHICH DO NOT MEET PORSCHE'S STRENGTH STANDARDS.
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SEATS COULD TWIST, TILTING ON ONE SIDE TO THE REAR, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE FRONT SEATS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-545-8039.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
66.7%Usable mileage2 / 3 records
100.0%Valid incident date3 / 3 records
100.0%Valid filing date3 / 3 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates3 / 3 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
1995
1996
1997
1998
2003
Air Bags
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
1100.0%ODI 10713564 · 71,748 mi
I WORK AT A SMALL REPAIR FACILITY WHO SPECIALIZE IN FOREIGN CARS. I PERFORMED WORK ON MY CUSTOMERS 1996 911 CAB. THE HORN WAS BLOWING ALL THE TIME, MY CUSTOMER REMOVED THE FUSE AND ASKED ME TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. I REMOVED THE AIR BAG AND FOUND THE RUBBER INSULATOR HAD BROKEN AND THE RETAINING FRAME WAS MAKING CONSTANT CONTACT. I REPLACED THE RETAINING FRAME PART# 993 347 08 801 . INSTALLED THE AIRBAG AND REINSERTED THE FUSE. THE HORN IS NOW WORKING. I ALSO CHECK FOR CODES IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. FOUND CODE 2 AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON , CODE 30 IG…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA CABRIOLET. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, UPON BRAKING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK TILTED SLIGHTLY TO THE REAR POSITION WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE SEAT BACK SUPPORT ATTACHMENTS WERE NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO THE SEAT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V070000 (SEATS), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. …
THE CONSUMER LETTER CONCERNING THE PORSCHE RECALL A502 CONCERNING THE DEFECT IN THE LOCKING MECHANISM MOTOR IN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP OF THE VEHICLE. *MR RECALL CAMPAIGN #04V601000. *SC THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THE RECALL REPAIR REMEDIED. ONE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THE RECALL HAD BEEN SUSPENDED AND ANOTHER DEALER STATED THE LOCKING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REVISED BECAUSE IT WAS STILL BAD AND THE RECALL COULD NOT BE PERFORMED AT THAT TIME. *JB
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Air Bags
Too few reports for a range
71,748 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10713564 · 71,748 mi
I WORK AT A SMALL REPAIR FACILITY WHO SPECIALIZE IN FOREIGN CARS. I PERFORMED WORK ON MY CUSTOMERS 1996 911 CAB. THE HORN WAS BLOWING ALL THE TIME, MY CUSTOMER REMOVED THE FUSE AND ASKED ME TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. I REMOVED THE AIR BAG AND FOUND THE RUBBER INSULATOR HAD BROKEN AND THE RETAINING FRAME WAS MAKING CONSTANT CONTACT. I REPLACED THE RETAINING FRAME PART# 993 347 08 801 . INSTALLED THE AIRBAG AND REINSERTED THE FUSE. THE HORN IS NOW WORKING. I ALSO CHECK FOR CODES IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. FOUND CODE 2 AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON , CODE 30 IG…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA CABRIOLET. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, UPON BRAKING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK TILTED SLIGHTLY TO THE REAR POSITION WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THE SEAT BACK SUPPORT ATTACHMENTS WERE NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO THE SEAT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V070000 (SEATS), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. …
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1998: 0 complaints · 2003: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
1998
0
0
0
2003
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
1998
0
0
0
2003
1
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Air Bags
Seats
Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars
Air Bags
—
0
0
Seats
0
—
0
Structure:Body:Roof And Pillars
0
0
—
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
1 patterns with matching reports.
Warning lights and dashboard alerts
1 mentions · 33.3% of complaints
Median mileage: 71,748 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10713564 · 71,748 mi
I WORK AT A SMALL REPAIR FACILITY WHO SPECIALIZE IN FOREIGN CARS. I PERFORMED WORK ON MY CUSTOMERS 1996 911 CAB. THE HORN WAS BLOWING ALL THE TIME, MY CUSTOMER REMOVED THE FUSE AND ASKED ME TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. I REMOVED THE AIR BAG AND FOUND THE RUBBER INSULATOR HAD BROKEN AND THE RETAINING FRAME WAS MAKING CONSTANT CONTACT. I REPLACED THE RETAINING FRAME PART# 993 347 08 801 . INSTALLED THE AIRBAG AND REINSERTED THE FUSE. THE HORN IS NOW WORKING. I ALSO CHECK FOR CODES IN THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. FOUND CODE 2 AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON , CODE 30 IG…