Vehicle Data Hub

2021 Porsche Cayenne problems

The 2021 Porsche Cayenne has 30 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (20%) concerns electrical system. Next are air bags (13%) and engine (10%).

At a glance

Complaints
30 filed with NHTSA
Most reported
Electrical system 20% of complaints
Crashes and fires
0 and 0
Injuries and deaths
0 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

Where the complaints are

Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.

  • Electrical system 20%
  • Air bags 13%
  • Engine 10%
  • Brakes 7%
  • Drivetrain & axles 7%
  • Forward collision avoidance 7%
  • Steering 7%
  • Backover prevention 3%
  • Fuel system 3%
  • Seat belts 3%

What the data shows

None of these complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 100% of model years in our database.

Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2021 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 13 model years of the Porsche Cayenne with enough data (30 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 5 safety recall campaigns.

What owners wrote

A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.

Check engine light thrown intermittently and dealer is unable to reproduce issue. Multiple incidents of the same issue by other owners. [link removed] Pattern is the same. Take delivery of new car, get CEL <1000 miles, take to the dealer and dealer is unable to permanently fix or reproduce.

September 2021

When the vehicle is decelerating and the transmission is in gear 2 the vehicle will lurch forward interfering/fighting with the normal operation of the brakes. This consistently happens when braking to a stop. The vehicle has 260 miles and I have driven it perhaps 4 - 5 times for a total of 30 miles. This is demo vehicle bought from a Porsche dealership and under full warranty.

September 2021

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Porsche Cayenne. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase on 5/29/25, the mileage was 21,000. The contact had taken the vehicle to another dealer for other repairs, and the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was flagged for Odometer Fraud, and the actual mileage was 90,000. The dealer found an odometer tampering device still located on the vehicle, but deactivated the device.

Reported at 90,000 miles, July 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Porsche Cayenne. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V896000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera failed to display a clear image on the screen. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the rear vehicle detection sensor failed to alert the driver of a nearby vehicle. The local dealer was contacted.

Reported at 48,000 miles, November 2025

Other model years of the Cayenne

Best and worst years for the Porsche Cayenne