- The problem
- Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2003-2020 Porsche Macan, Cayenne, Panamera, and Cayman S, 2001-2004 Boxster, Boxster S, 2004 Boxster 50 JAHRE SPYDER 550 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all affected models and model years. The caps that cover the low-beam headlight horizontal adjustment screws are missing, which can allow the headlights to be improperly adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- The risk
- Improperly adjusted headlights may not illuminate the road properly, or cause a glare to oncoming drivers, which can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the headlights for sealing caps and install missing caps as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Porsche's customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is ANB4.
Vehicle safety record
2002 Porsche Boxster Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2002 Porsche Boxster with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (3) and the engine & cooling (3). Those complaints describe 3 crashes. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in August 2022 for the headlights. For comparison, the 2001 has 13 and the 2003 has 19.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Boxster year, for its age
#229 most complained-about 2002 vehicle
- Complaints
- 11
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 3
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2002 Porsche Boxster problems
Share of all 11 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2002 Porsche Boxster recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
- The problem
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
- The problem
- Certain 2-door convertible passenger vehicles equipped with the tiptronic (automatic) transmission may have been produced with an incorrectly adjusted key-lock-cable down to the shift selector. If the key-lock-cable is not adjusted correctly, it is possible that the ignition key will snag upon being removed fro the ignition lock or the slector lever can be shifted from position "p" with the ignition key removed and the locking button operated.
- The risk
- If the selector lever is then shifted from position "p" to position "r, n or d" with the vehicle parked, and if the parking brake is not on, the vheicle will not be secured from inadvertenly rolling away, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the cable adjustment and, regardless of the results of this inspection, the key-lock-cable must also be adjusted. Owner notification began july 15, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact porsche at 1-800-545-8039.
What owners say
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11 complaints about the 2002 Porsche Boxster
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
2002 Porche boxster. Consumer writes in regards to complaint concerning vehicle parts *tgw the consumer stated the cables from the shifter to the transmission failed while driving in heavy traffic.
The seat belt on my vehicle, when buckled, has a tendency to not latch completely and allows for the release without pressing the release button. Also when it is latched, there is a tendency for it to get caught and not release without significant pulling force on the buckle. *Tr
Ims engine failure. Known issues with porsche. Porsche boxster 49,500 miles. Place car in reveres, engine seized. Replacement of engine necessary. $8000- $15,000. *Tr
See odi case number: 10318487, computer failure due to water leakage into cab. This happened to me twice in fall, 2008. The first time, the dealer replaced the computer (at my cost) and one month later, it happened again. Again, the computer was replaced and the carpets needed removal and cleaning due to fungus, all at my cost. *Tr
We own a 2002 porsche boxster with approximately 66,000 miles. We purchased the vehicle, used, in late 2003. On three separate occasions we have experienced total loss of use of the vehicle due to water leaking into the interior compartment and flooding the control unit, rendering the car totally inoperable. The incidents have taken place in october, 2004 at 33,000 miles, april, 2008 at 61,000 miles, and currently in february, 2010. The repair has initialed replacing the control unit and having to pull out...
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the carpet so as to inhibit mold growth. The first incident was repaired under the vehicle's warranty, the second time was repaired at our expense of approx. $1,600. The estimate for this current repair is $1,500. We believe this poses a severe safety risk because the first incident took place while the car was in use. We were driving up a hill. Suddenly the vehicle became inoperable and we had to maneuver the car using the handbrake, to reverse down the hill. The car had to be towed to the dealer. We have investigated the problem on the internet and found that this is a common problem with certain porsche's vehicles. There is a defect in the vehicle and/or the restrictive filters that cause them to become clogged with debris and cause the water leakage. In addition to this problem recurring domestically, we note that the nhtsa, was informed via frcl-09f028-2453 dated april 5, 2009 of a similar problem in non-u.S. Markets. We would appreciate your investigating this defect. *Tr
I was driving at low speeds in town, and the car stalled with the check engine light flashing. The car was towed to a local dealer (porsche of lansing) who indicated that the timing chain broke (prematurely, as the car only has 37600mi). The car was in repair for 7 weeks, at a cost of $7700. The day after the repair was finished, the car made a loud ticking noise and then a v. Loud snapping sound from the engine. The dealer indicated that the timing chain slipped causing catastrophic engine damage. This time, the...
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dealer has agreed to replace the engine with a new (remanufactured) unit. I contacted porsche for good will assistance regarding the original premature engine failure. They declined to give any support because the failure occurred "more than 1 year after the original warranty expired" (the dealer claimed the in-service date was 10/2001). However, the maintenance manual shows a stamp from the original porsche dealer, clearly indicating the in-service date is 2/27/2002. Since the failure occurred on 1/22/2007, this is less than one year after the original warranty expired...
Two weeks ago I had a problem with my power window lift mechanic at the drivers side which I had it fixed at the park place porsche in dallas texas and was told that my warranty doesn't cover for the power window lift mechanic and was charged 516 dollars. Having done my own research I found out that the limited warranty that I have covers electrical mechanics including power windows. Heres the website itself (http://www.Porsche.Com/usa/pre-owned-vehicles/approved/)
Brakes suddenly loose pressure and car does not stop.
My clutch was making a terrible noise for a week after I initially purchased the car and then again about a week prior to the failure of the clutch. I only have 24000 miles on the clutch and it failed suddenly causing a burning cloud of smoke. I reported the problem initially to the porsche dealer in new orleans, crescent city motors, and they told me that noises were common and that it was not a problem. I feel this caused my clutch to burn up prematurely, however, they feel like there was no problem in the materials and workmanship. I have heard that there are problems with the throw out bearing in porsche boxsters and this is the part that was making the noise. *Jb
Original equipment tires on 2002 porsche boxter s are not safe on wet pavement. The type of tires are designed for clean dry pavement only. Very dangerous on wet pavement. No warning is provided to owner. Not disclosed to owner, tire manufacturer warns of use on other than clean dry pavement. Car hydroplanned during first rainstorm and caused serious accident on busy interstate highway. Tires had to be replaced.
On two occasions and on two separate vehicle engine camshaft failed while driving. Dealer and manufacturer were aware of problem. Feel free to provide any further information.*Ak
Porsche Boxster: every year compared
All Boxster years2002 Porsche Boxster vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Porsche Boxster | 11 | 4 | F | |
| 2002 Porsche 911 GT2/Targa/Turbo | 24 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S/Carrera 4 Cabrio | 13 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera/Carrera Cabrio | 13 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2002 Porsche Boxster S | 11 | 2 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Porsche 996 Turbo | 1 | 0 | - | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2002 Porsche Boxster
Does the 2002 Porsche Boxster have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2002 Porsche Boxster: headlights (August 2022); headlights (May 2009); exterior lighting (April 2009); automatic transmission (January 2003). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Porsche Boxster?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (3), engine & cooling (3), transmission & drivetrain (2).
How many complaints has the 2002 Porsche Boxster had?
11 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on July 30, 2002 and the latest on September 13, 2012. Of these, 3 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2002 Porsche Boxster a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 19 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Porsche Boxster year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Porsche Boxster years have the most complaints?
1998 (32), 1999 (28), 1997 (22). See every Porsche Boxster year compared.
What should I do if my 2002 Porsche Boxster has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data