2002 Porsche 911 Turbo

Defect. Ohlins USA, Inc (Ohlins) is recalling certain Front Struts, part number POS 5N20. These struts were sold as part of Ohlins strut kits part number POZ MN02, intended for installation on 1999-2005 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 4S (generation 996), and 2001-2006 Porsche 911 Turbo / Turbo S (generation 996) and kit part number POZ MN05, intended for installation on 2005-2012 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 4S (generation 997), and 2006-2013 Porsche 911 Turbo / Turbo S (generation 997). The pin of the strut may experience excessive stress during maximum steering, possibly resulting breakage of the pin.

Risk. If the pin fails, it will cause separation of the strut from the vehicle, affecting vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Ohlins will notify owners, and dealers will request the return of all unsold kits containing the subject part from dealer/distributor inventory for a full refund. All owners who purchased one of the kits (POZ MN02 or POZ MN05) will receive replacement front struts (POS 5N20 or POS 5N21 - These parts are interchangeable), along with new top mount interface solutions, free of charge. The recall began December 22, 2020. Owners may contact Ohlins customer service at 1-800-336-9029.

FROM A STOP I ACCELERATED IN A STRAIGHT LINE ONTO A FREEWAY ON-RAMP. APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS LATER I NOTICED A SQUEALING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE BELTS. I LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED A LARGE VOLUME OF STEAM COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. HAVING READ ABOUT OTHER PEOPLES EXPERIENCES WITH THIS ISSUE I IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE FREEWAY AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE, STOPPED THE CAR, AND TURNED IT OFF TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE AS ALL COOLANT HAD EXITED THE VEHICLE.

THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. I HAD CATASTROPHIC COOLANT FAILURE. A HOSE ON MY COOLANT SYSTEM POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ALL OF THE COOLANT TO GUSH OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, THE CAR DID SLIP A BIT I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS ISSUE HAPPENS TO 911 TURBO'S OFTEN DUE TO THE FACT THAT 8 HOSES WERE ATTACHED ONLY WITH A GLUE THAT CAN GIVE OUT AT ANY TIME. MY LOCAL PORSCHE SHOP WANTS $3000 TO DROP THE MOTOR AND REPAIR/FIX THE 8 HOSES. FROM MY READING ONLINE THIS ISSUE HAPPENS OFTEN TO THIS MOTOR IN CARS FROM 2001-2013. *TR

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE COOLANT FITTINGS WHICH MOUNT IN THE CYLINDER HEAD POPPED OUT. THE FITTINGS ATTACH TO THE COOLANT HOSES. IN BOTH CASES THE EPOXY THAT HELD THE FITTINGS IN HAD FAILED. EACH TIME I WAS DRIVING AND COOLANT SPEWED ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE BAY AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY ONTO THE ROAD AS I WAS DRIVING. THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH (10/19/11 - 52230 MILES ON THE ODOMETER). WHEN THIS FIRST FITTING POPPED OUT, SINCE IT WAS BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR, DAMAGED IT REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE ALTERNATOR AND EPOXIED THAT FITTING OUT. THE SECOND FITTING FAILED ON JUNE 14, 2012 WITH 56384 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THIS TIME IT WAS IN A LOCATION THAT REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE SIMILAR TO THE FIRST, AROUND 50 MPH AND COOLANT DUMPING OVER ALL OVER THE GROUND. SINCE THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME, THE SHOP I TOOK THE CAR TO REMOVED ALL 8 OF THE COOLANT FITTINGS IN THE ENGINE, REMOVED THE EPOXY, AND THEN WELDED THEM INTO PLACE. AFTER TWO OF THE FITTINGS POPPED OUT, I WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY CHANCES OF ANOTHER FITTING POPPING OUT AND BEING LEFT STRANDED YET AGAIN. *TR

WAS TRAVELING ON FREE ENTRY RAMP, AND AS I ENTERED THE FREEWAY AND APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CAR EXHIBITED A BRIEF SHUDDER AT WHICH TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND BEGAN TO BLINK. I NOTICED A VISIBLE WHITE CLOUD OF SMOKE BEHIND THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS AND THEN REMAINED OFF. I ALSO NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ROSE ABOVE 180F, WHICH IS THE APPROXIMATE OPERATING TEMPERATURE PER THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. THE GAUGE HELD SLIGHTLY ABOVE 180F (~5 MM PAST 180F) FOR THE DURATION OF THE DRIVE, ! 5 MILES BEFORE I STOPPED THE CAR AT MY NEXT DESTINATION POINT. UPON TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND EXITING THE CAR THERE WAS A DISTINCT ANTIFREEZE SMELL. THE CAR WAS OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AND WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF ANTIFREEZE DIRECTLY BELOW THE CAR JUST INSIDE THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. I ESTIMATE APPROXIMATELY 1-2 PINTS OF FLUID. UPON DRIVING THE CAR TO MY FINAL DESTINATION (PERSONAL RESIDENCE) THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REMAINED ABOVE 180F (! 5-10 MM). DURING THIS SHORT DRIVE, ~ 5 MILES, I TURNED THE CAR'S INTERIOR HEAT TO MAXIMUM TO HELP REMOVE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE. UPON TURNING THE OFF THE IGNITION THE CAR CONTINUED TO LEAK ANTIFREEZE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE ANTIFREEZE APPEARED TO BE LEAKING AT THE CONNECTION TO THE WATER PUMP, ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR JUST BEHIND THE EXHAUST, ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR. IT IS POSSIBLE IT WAS LEAKING FROM OTHER LOCATIONS BUT I COULD NOT MAKE THIS DETERMINATION WITHO

CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF COOLANT DUE TO COOLANT FITTINGS POPPING OUT. LOW SPEED, STRAIGHT LINE DRIVING AT THE TIME SO THERE WAS NO EXCURSION, HOWEVER REAR TIRES WERE SERIOUSLY WETTED AND IF I HAD BEEN IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT COULD HAVE CAUSED VEHICLE/PROPERTY DAMAGE AND/OR PERSONAL INJURY. *TR

OVER TIME I NOTICED A COOLANT SMELL FROM THE CAR WHENEVER I WOULD DRIVE IT WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAR WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I THEN NOTICED A SMALL PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER THE ENGINE AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THE COOLANT PIPE ON THE ENGINE WAS LOOSE AND COOLANT WAS BEGINNING TO DRIP FROM THE JUNCTION WHERE THE PIPE ATTACHES TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. AFTER SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, I LEARNED THAT THE COOLANT PIPES ARE GLUED INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK AND OVER TIME THERE IS A TENDENCY FOR THE GLUE TO DETERIORATE AND THE PIPES TO COME LOOSE IN TURN CAUSING A MAJOR COOLANT LEAK IN THE AREA OF THE ENGINE AND REAR TIRES. IF COOLANT WERE TO LEAK ONTO THE REAR TIRES, THIS COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF TRACTION OF THE REAR TIRES LEADING TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I ELECTED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REMOVED AND ALL 8 THE COOLANT PIPES PERMANENTLY WELDED INSTEAD OF GLUED AS THIS IS THE ONLY PERMANENT AND SAFE SOLUTION. I AM APPALLED THAT PORSCHE WOULD CHOOSE TO GLUE COOLANT FITTING ON THE ENGINE WHEN A FAILURE COULD CAUSE AND ACCIDENT. *TR

AFTER A ROUTINE DRIVE AFTER AN OIL CHANGE SERVICE A LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT SPILLED OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UNDER CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE FOUND LOOSE/BROKEN COOLANT FITTINGS FROM BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR AND SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE BAY. ENGINE WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO PINPOINT THE SOURCE OF ADDITIONAL LEAKS. *TR

COOLANT LINE BECAME SEPARATED AND DUMPED COOLANT ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY CAUSING VERY SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS WAS ON A LONG HIGHWAY ROAD TRIP WITH THE ENGINE VERY WARMED UP AND WORKING. FAILING COOLANT LINES THAT DUMP ARE VERY DANGEROUS TO THOSE BEHIND THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

GLUED IN COOLANT HOSES CAME OUT DUMPING ALL THE COOLANT FROM THE CAR IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SINCE THIS IS A REAR ENGINED CAR, IT SPRAYED THE REAR TIRES CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS LOSS OF TRACTION COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT/FATALITY IF GOING INTO A CURVE OR OTHER CONDITIONS. THIS IS A KNOWN CONDITION WITH PORSCHE AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

DRIVING THE CAR AT MODERATE HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AS SOON AS IT WAS SAFE, ABOUT 1 MILE AFTER THE WARNING LIGHT. AS I SLOWED THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. AFTER STOPPING AND INSPECTING THE CAR, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED IN A FILM OF COOLANT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST PORSCHE DEALER, AT WHICH THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED. RATHER THAN HAVE THE CAR SERVICED AT THE DEALER, I HAD THE VEHICLE SHIPPED BACK HOME TO BE REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS A COOLANT FITTING THAT WAS GLUED INTO THE WATER PUMP HOUSING. THE GLUE HAD FAILED CAUSING THE FITTING TO COME OUT OF THE HOUSING AND DUMPING ALL OF THE COOLANT IN A FEW SECONDS. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $2,779.21. AFTER THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, I RESEARCHED THE FAILURE TO FIND THAT IT WAS A RATHER COMMON OCCURRENCE. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2012, WHILE THE CAR WAS IN FOR UNRELATED SERVICE, I DECIDED TO HAVE THE REMAINING FITTINGS REPAIRED PREEMPTIVELY AT AN ADDITIONAL COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1200. *TR

DISCOVERED NUMEROUS PORSCHE CARS WITH GT1 BLOCK ENGINE PRE 2010 THAT ARE WATER COOLED HAVE COOLANT FITTINGS THAT ARE KNOWN TO FAIL DUE TO A GLUE THAT IS NOT HOLDING UP. AS SUCH, DRIVING CAN SUDDENLY RELEASE COOLANT ON THE GROUND CAUSING THE CAR AND THOSE CARS FOLLOWING IT TO CRASH WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THIS AFFECTS 996 AND 997 TURBOS AND GT3 VARIANTS. THE TOPIC IS DESCRIBED ON RENNLIST.COM, RENNTRACK.COM, AND A VENDOR ACTUALLY ADVERTISES A FIX (SHARKWERKS.COM). ONE GROUP OF PORSCHE DRIVING CLUB USERS WILL NOT LET CARS WITHOUT THIS BEING MITIGATED TO PARTICIPATE IN GROUP EVENTS DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS BASED ON A BIG CRASH IN 2012 AT THE MIDOHIO TRACK (MAY BE 2011). NON TRACK, STREET CRASHES AND INCIDENTS ARE DOCUMENTS ON THE INTERNET. THIS GROUP OF CARS IS A HUGE RISK TO ALL OTHERS ON THE ROAD IN ADDITION TO THEMSELVES. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED AND IT SEEMS TO BE ACCELERATING IN FREQUENCY. A REGISTRY OF CARS WITH THE PROBLEM AND INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND VIA THIS LINK: HTTP://FORUMS.RENNLIST.COM/RENNFORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=592328&REFERRERID=40465. *TR

POWER STEERING FLUID VALVE MAKES A NOISE. RESEARCH ON 6SPEEDONLINE.COM AND RENNLIST.COM NOTE THAT THIS WILL FAIL, OVERFILL THE RESERVOIR, AND CAUSE A MAJOR FIRE PERHAPS KILLING ME. PORSCHE HAS UPGRADED THE PART KNOWING OF THIS FAILURE AND HAS A PUBLIC TSB TO THIS EFFECT. *JB

THE CAR, A 2002 PORSCHE 911 TURBO 6-SPEED, POPS OUT OF 2ND GEAR OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 6 OTHER OWNERS WITH CARS BUILT BETWEEN 2001-2003 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *LA

THE CAR STALLS ON SLOW LEFT TURNS AND AT STOPS, THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF THE STALLING ISSUE THAT AFFECTED EARLY 2002 MODELS IN WARMER CLIMATES, THE CONSUMER WAS ASURED BY THE DEALER THAT THE ISSUE HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, FOUR HOURS AFTER TAKING DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO STALL, THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED AS TO WHY DEALERS CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO SELL VEHICLE WITH STALLING DEFECT. NLM