Powertrain, electrical issues, and problems relating to the back-up camera and infotainment system are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Are you experiencing unexpected shifting into park or neutral? You may be eligible to join our class action investigation.
The 2022 Porsche Taycan is a high-end electric car that was poised to change how people think about electric travel. In fact, the automaker boasts that it provides an “electric driving experience with even more intense emotion.” Yet, many customers are frustrated and disillusioned with the company because of defective powertrain problems and issues relating to a malfunctioning electrical system.
Click on other model years to view more problems: 2020 2021
Between December 19, 2021, and October 24, 2022, 30 disgruntled owners have filed complaints to the NHTSA about their 2022 Porsche Taycans.
The most common problem reported relates to the powertrain. Half of all the complaints are listed in this category. Most report that their upmarket all-electric cars suddenly shut down or shift from drive to park.
Electrical system complaints come a close second, with 11 complaints. These complaints are varied but include issues with the backup camera and the infotainment system.
There is also a recall listed by Porsche under Powertrain and Backover Prevention.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Power Train | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Electrical System:propulsion System:charging:cable/cord:accessory | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Back Over Prevention |
On June 8, 2022, Porsche announced a recall for 12,490 units due to a vehicle display malfunction. The problem is that a touch control panel or malfunctioning center screen may obstruct the driver’s view of camera-assisted driving functions. This, of course, increases the risk of Taycans crashes.
According to the recall notification, this is due to a software error and dealers must install the new software without charge.
We've fixed thousands of lemon problems. Message or call 877-795-3666 today.
Most of the complaints that blame a faulty powertrain state that the Taycan randomly shifts into neutral or park without any warning. Lemberg Law has a class action investigation in place and is addressing these complaints.
An owner from New York states quite simply that “the car shifted from drive to park twice within a 10 minute drive unexpectedly. Both times occurred while driving under 5 mph and stopped at a traffic light.”
But an owner from Colorado goes into much more detail stating that the vehicle randomly shifts while in reverse and drive.
“This situation has been dangerous each time it has happened.” The problems were that the driver “was in traffic, and unaware that my vehicle (was) no longer in gear until I tried to accelerate, and my car was unresponsive. I can’t imagine how your vehicle not being in the gear you put it in, is not a safety concern. I also fear that the vehicle may go into park while at highway speeds, and be catastrophic.”
Alarmingly, the dealer told him that “she believes this is normal operation because she has heard of it happening.”
Another owner states that the Taycan switches to park erratically and unintentionally. Although their dealership said it was “a known issue,” they couldn’t find the source of the issue, and couldn’t fix it.
There are no technical service bulletins (TSBs) that address the issue.
It turns out that the entire electrical system also has problems. Customers are taking to the internet to complain about all of the faults.
The first NHTSA complaint on file about the electrical system relates to the battery, which is a major issue when you’ve just bought an electric car. According to the complaint from a Florida owner, the vehicle was fully charged but after three days of inactivity the battery drained.
According to the dealer, the battery needed to be recharged to transport the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. Incredibly, the approximate failure mileage was only about 150 miles.
The next complaint about the electrical system was from an owner in Nevada. This time there was an electrical failure warning and the car lost power. Again, the high-voltage battery had failed. “Our safety was put at risk by being stopped in a dangerous location on a narrow 2-lane road at night with falling temperatures. The ‘Electrical Failure’ warning happened simultaneously with the vehicle losing power.”
There have also been complaints about charging issues. One comes from an owner in California who was unplugging a charging cable after a “Please unplug” message illuminated.
“There was an explosion at the port with an ear-splitting bang and a large spark. The car dashboard then displayed ‘Electrical system error’ and was totally unmovable, so it was towed to a dealer.” More than 40 days later, the owner filed the NHTSA report because the car was still in the shop and not repaired.
Infotainment issues are listed as electrical system problems and in the Unknown or Other category of complaints.
One owner explains that “the display is one LED unified panel and it goes dark and loses its ability to function while the car is in motion.” It prompts you to reboot while the car is moving. But to reboot the system the driver has to “lean forward toward the passenger seat left portion of the screen and take 1 hand off the wheel.”
This isn’t safe because the driver has to take his or her eyes away from the view plane of the road for more than 5 seconds.
Another complaint relating to this problem refers to the Porsche Communication Manager. When driving the vehicle, the center console screen spontaneously goes “blank/black. The screen appeared to reboot while the car was on and froze with the word PORSCHE across the center screen.”
While the car was moving, the driver couldn’t operate the screen.
“The navigation, climate control, back-up camera, radio, and many other controls are all utilized through this center touch screen. Those were all inoperable until the car was stopped, turned-off, and then turned on again.”
Others report more specific issues with the back-up camera.
When you buy an EV claiming to have all of the latest safety equipment included, it’s going to be disappointing when the equipment doesn’t work as you expect it to. An early complaint filed with the NHTSA states, “The backup camera in the Taycan is very difficult to use. The view is not clear and very distorted making it hard to judge distances.”
Another one states,”Rear camera view is distorted when backing up. Unable to safely see behind you when driving.”
Luckily for 2022 Taycan owners, as mentioned earlier, there is a recall that might solve this problem.
Do you think you have a lemon? If so, it might be worthwhile contacting a lemon law firm like Lemberg Law.
The law makes Porsche pay legal fees so it’s not going to cost you anything and you may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
All you need to do is call our Helpline or fill in our contact form and we will assess your Porsche Taycan problems free of charge.
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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