WHILE ON A PUBLIC FREEWAY, I HEARD A LOUD SNAP AND THE SHIFTER CABLES BROKE IN AN ATTEMPT TO SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR, LEAVING THE VEHICLE STUCK IN 3RD GEAR. VEHICLE WAS IN A GRADUAL ACCELERATION AT THE TIME OF FAILURE ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION, AS INITIALLY IT WAS NOT APPARENT WHAT HAPPENED AND THE ENGINE OVER REVED CAUSING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. EVENTUALLY IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN GEAR. SPEED CONTROL WAS IMPAIRED, AND VEHICLE WAS IN AN UNSAFE, DIMINISHED CONTROL CONFIGURATION. THIS ALSO CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL FOR A MOMENT AS THE TAIL OF THE CAR SWEPT OUT. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS MINIMAL TRAFFIC WHICH ALLOWED THE SITUATION TO BE HANDLED. HAD THE TRAFFIC BEEN HEAVIER THIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE. THIS ALSO MADE FOR AN UNSAFE SITUATION TRYING TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN AND MOVE OFF THE FREEWAY. VEHICLE IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, SO EVENTUALLY REDUCED THROTTLE AND USE OF THE CLUTCH ENABLED A SAFE OUTCOME. REPLACEMENT OF THE SHIFTER CABLES WAS REQUIRED TO RESTORE VEHICLE TO OPERATIONAL CONDITION ( AFTER TOW TO A REPAIR LOCATION). UPON SEARCHING FORUMS, THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN OF THE SHIFT CABLES. A PLASTIC SHEATH CAN MOVE OUT OF ALIGNMENT CAUSING METAL ON METAL WEAR OF THE CABLE UNTIL IT SNAPS.
2009 Porsche Cayman
Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train. No safety recall has been issued.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsWHILE ON A PUBLIC HIGHWAY, THE SHIFTER CABLES FAILED IN AN ATTEMPT TO SHIFT INTO 6TH GEAR, LEAVING THE VEHICLE STUCK IN 5TH GEAR. VEHICLE WAS IN A GRADUAL ACCELERATION AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION, AS INITIALLY IT WAS NOT APPARENT WHAT HAPPENED. EVENTUALLY IT BECAME APPARENT THAT A TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF SOME TYPE HAD OCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN GEAR. SPEED CONTROL WAS IMPAIRED, AND VEHICLE WAS IN AN UNSAFE, DIMINISHED CONTROL CONFIGURATION. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS MINIMAL TRAFFIC WHICH ALLOWED THE SITUATION TO BE EVALUATED WITHOUT PERIL. HAD THE TRAFFIC BEEN HEAVIER THIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE. VEHICLE IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, SO EVENTUALLY REDUCED THROTTLE AND USE OF THE CLUTCH ENABLED A SAFE OUTCOME. REPLACEMENT OF THE SHIFTER CABLES WAS REQUIRED TO RESTORE VEHICLE TO OPERATIONAL CONDITION ( AFTER TOW TO A REPAIR LOCATION). *TR
2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.
Reading this record
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.