Electrical & Back Over Prevention issues are among the top complaints from vehicle owners
When the first Porsche Taycan launched in late 2019, it was an instant hit. Then, the company’s first fully electric car, the Taycan (meaning spirited young horse), outsold the company’s flagship sports car in the first 9 months of 2021. But by the end of 2021, there were already a multitude of complaints about the first two models, most of them about the electrical system.
Click on other model years to view more problems: 2020 2022
The United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records include complaints made between October 2020 and December 2021. Of these, 42 relate to the electrical system. This is a real worry for an all-electric vehicle.
Many Taycan owners have reported complaints to Lemberg Law of vehicles randomly shutting down while running. Some display an electric system error warning and others simply lose power suddenly. Read our detailed post on Taycan power loss issues.
Other common problems relate to the powertrain, engine and engine cooling, back over prevention, and forward collision avoidance. The 8 complaints relating to engines, engine cooling, and powertrain all link to electrical system errors.
Additionally, 2021 complaints include problems with airbags, service brakes, and visibility/wipers.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Electrical System:propulsion System | |
| Engine | |
| Power Train | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Back Over Prevention: Warnings | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
Of the 27 complaints registered by NHTSA for the 2021 model, 17 involve the electrical system. More than 10,000 Taycans were recalled in July 2021 because a software error can cause loss of motive power. Dealers must reprogram the power electronics and engine control unit free of charge.
But electrical system problems continue, and they aren’t only a loss of motive power. For instance, a complaint about deceleration points out there had previously been an error in pre-cooling the air con.
One particularly serious complaint describes how two people were injured when the airbags in a 2021 Taycan didn’t deploy. The components involved are listed by NHTSA as the electrical system and airbags.
While this is the only accident reported to NHTSA, several complaints describe near misses, with drivers swerving to avoid other cars. One complainant whose car was only two weeks old, with less than 750 miles on the clock, got several electrical system errors. “I am afraid for my safety because if this happens on the road or in traffic, there will be no way of moving this car out of the way.”
In another complaint, a Taycan owner states that a car with 1,234 miles on the clock started shuddering before it stalled and displayed “electrical system error, park vehicle in a safe place.” The next day they were notified of the recall mentioned above. The dealer tried to repair the car several times, without success and it remained with the dealer. At the time of the complaint on 31 July 2021, the owner was still without a vehicle.
Apart from shutting off, some cars won’t start, sometimes, but not always, after shutting down.
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The main complaint about backover prevention relates to the rear camera. This is also a big issue discussed on the Taycan forum. Some believe that these problems are also software-related.
Instead of an electrical system alert, Taycan owners complain that they see a collision warning alert. One driver who said there weren’t any vehicles close to the car when this happened told the dealer it could happen if “I don’t have both hands on the wheel.”
According to the complaint, Porsche was unable to solve the problem despite acknowledging they had received several similar complaints. They said, “that they reviewed the log, they have never seen or heard of the problem and that they don’t know what may have caused it.”
If you find you have bought a lemon you can try and negotiate a settlement with Porsche. But, as some Taycan owners discover, it’s not that easy.
After several unsuccessful attempts to have his powertrain repaired, one Taycan owner told NHTSA he had decided to take Porsche on: “At this point, I do not think they know, for sure, what is wrong with the car. I have requested that Porsche North America buy back the car so I can buy another one. They keep telling me to be patient while they investigate and go through their processes.”
But, after 6 weeks of waiting, he reported he hadn’t made any progress.
Instead of hitting your head against a brick wall, rather contact Lemberg Law and let us take care of negotiations. We have helped many car owners get cash settlements, replacement vehicles, and/or buy-back agreements from manufacturers. And it costs you nothing because the law makes Porsche cover the legal bill.
Call our Helpline today and we’ll evaluate your case.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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How about recurrent PCM malfunction problems? Is this covered under Lemon Law as well ?
I have a Porsche Taycan EV that needs parts for repair. The car was sent to a repair shop on March 28, 2022. Porsche doesn’t have parts for the repair. I was told that one part will be available on July 11, and other parts is still TBD. How can Porsche have parts to build vehicle and put it in the market, but doesn’t have parts for service? What should I do?