The Boxster (986/987/981/982 generations) is a solid mid-engine platform, but early 2.7L M96/M97 flat-sixes are notorious for IMS bearing failures and bore scoring that can total the engine. Later models (2009+) with DFI engines are far more reliable, though PDK transmissions and aging rubber require attention.
IMS Bearing Failure (1997-2008 M96/M97 engines)
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 40,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Metal shavings in oil or on magnetic drain plug, Rattling noise from rear of engine at startup or idle, Sudden catastrophic engine failure with no warning, Oil leak from rear main seal area (bearing debris damages seal)
Fix: IMS bearing replacement requires transmission drop, clutch out, and flywheel removal — 12-16 hours labor if caught early. If bearing grenades, you're looking at complete engine replacement or rebuild. Preventive replacement recommended at 60k-80k mi or on any pre-owned purchase.
Estimated cost: $2,500-4,000 preventive replacement; $12,000-20,000 engine rebuild/replacement after failure
Symptoms: Blue smoke on cold start that clears after warmup, Excessive oil consumption (>1 qt per 1,000 mi), Rough idle and misfires, especially cylinder 1-3, Loss of power under load; low compression test results
Fix: Requires engine removal and complete teardown with new Nickies or LN Engineering liners, pistons, rings — 40-60 hours total labor. Some shops offer sleeved short-block exchanges. No field fix exists; you either rebuild or replace.
Estimated cost: $15,000-25,000 for full rebuild with upgraded liners
Rear Main Seal (RMS) Oil Leak (1997-2012)
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Oil pooling under car after parking (center-rear), Oil visible on bell housing or transmission case, Drips accelerate after spirited driving or track use, No performance issues, purely a leak concern
Fix: Transmission and clutch must come out — 10-14 hours labor. Common to replace clutch and IMS bearing at same time since you're already in there. Seal itself is cheap; labor is the killer.
Estimated cost: $2,000-3,500 seal only; $4,000-6,500 if doing clutch/IMS simultaneously
Coolant Expansion Tank Cracking (All years, worse on 986/987)
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 80,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Coolant smell in cabin or engine bay, Visible coolant weeping from plastic tank seams, Low coolant warning light with no obvious external leaks, Overheating if leak progresses and goes unnoticed
Fix: Tank replacement is straightforward — 2-3 hours with coolant flush. Plastic gets brittle with age and heat cycles. Upgraded metal tanks available. Always pressure-test system after replacement.
Estimated cost: $400-700
PDK Transmission Mechatronic Unit Failure (2009-2016 PDK models)
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Harsh or delayed shifts, especially 2-3 or 6-7, Limp mode with transmission fault codes (P17xx range), Grinding or clunking during gear changes, Refusal to engage gears; stuck in neutral
Fix: Mechatronic sleeve replacement or full unit replacement requires transmission removal — 14-18 hours labor. Porsche updated sleeves around 2012; earlier units more prone. Some specialists offer rebuild services at lower cost than dealer replacement.
Estimated cost: $4,500-8,000 sleeve repair; $8,000-12,000 full mechatronic replacement
Top Hydraulic System Leaks and Motor Failure (All convertible years)
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 70,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Top operates slowly or stops mid-cycle, Hydraulic fluid stains in front trunk around pump area, Clicking or grinding from top motor during operation, Top will not latch or unlatch; dash warning light
Fix: Hydraulic line replacement 3-5 hours; pump/motor replacement 4-6 hours. Lines rot from age and heat. Micro-switches in latches also fail and are cheap but fiddly to replace. Keep system lubricated and exercised year-round.
Air-Oil Separator (AOS) Failure (All years, worse on M96/M97)
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: White smoke from exhaust on deceleration, Oil consumption increases noticeably, Oil in intake manifold or throttle body, Rough idle; occasional P0171/P0174 lean codes
Fix: AOS sits low on passenger side of engine — 4-6 hours labor with intake removal. Diaphragm fails and allows crankcase pressure to push oil into intake. Preventive replacement recommended every 60k-80k mi on track cars or high-performance use.
Estimated cost: $800-1,400
Owner tips
Pre-purchase inspection MUST include bore-scope of cylinders and oil analysis on any pre-2009 model — walk away from bore scoring
IMS bearing upgrade and RMS replacement are smart investments at first clutch job on 1997-2008 cars
Keep top exercised monthly year-round; lubricate latches and seals to prevent hydraulic system strain
Use quality 0W-40 or 5W-50 and change every 5k mi on M96/M97 engines — oil starvation accelerates IMS and bore wear
2012+ 981/982 cars with DFI engines are significantly more reliable; prioritize these if buying used
Buy a 2012+ model if possible; pre-2009 cars are ticking time bombs unless IMS and bores have been documented as addressed — budget $5k-10k reserve for eventual engine work on early cars.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
Be the first to unlock repairs for the 1997–2024 Porsche 718 Boxster
Procedures haven't been generated for this vehicle yet. Become the founding sponsor and we'll generate expert-grade, step-by-step repair walkthroughs for every common job on it — free for every mechanic and DIYer who looks it up after, forever.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2018 718 Boxster, Boxster S and Boxster GTS, 718 Cayman, Cayman S and Cayman GTS, 911 Carrera, Carrera T, Targa 4 GTS, Carrera 4, Carrera S, Carrera 4S, Carrera GTS, Carrera 4 GTS, Carrera Cabriolet, Carrera S Cabriolet, Carrera 4S Cabriolet, Carrera GTS Cabriolet, Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Targa 4, Targa 4S, Turbo, Turbo S, Turbo S Exclusive Series, Turbo Cabriolet, Turbo S Cabriolet and GT3 vehicles. The side air bag impact sensors may not have been properly tightened to the vehicle.
Consequence: In the event of a crash, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the air bag sensors, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 17, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKA4.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE · 19V113000
2019-02-20
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017-2019 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S vehicles and 2018-2019 718 Boxster GTS and 2018-2019 718 Cayman GTS vehicles. In the event of a crash, a crossmember may detach from the luggage compartment bracket, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will secure the crossmember with additional rivets, free of charge. The recall began April 19, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKA3.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE · 19V113000
2019-02-20
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017-2019 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S vehicles and 2018-2019 718 Boxster GTS and 2018-2019 718 Cayman GTS vehicles. In the event of a crash, a crossmember may detach from the luggage compartment bracket, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will secure the crossmember with additional rivets, free of charge. The recall began April 19, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKA3.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE · 19V113000
2019-02-20
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017-2019 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S vehicles and 2018-2019 718 Boxster GTS and 2018-2019 718 Cayman GTS vehicles. In the event of a crash, a crossmember may detach from the luggage compartment bracket, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will secure the crossmember with additional rivets, free of charge. The recall began April 19, 2019. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AKA3.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · 17V134000
2017-03-02
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2016 911 GT3 RS and 911 R vehicles and 2017 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4, 911 Carrera 4S, 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S, 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, 911 Targa 4, 911 Targa 4S, 911 Turbo S, 911 Turbo S Cabriolet, 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S vehicles. The passenger frontal air bag inflator initiator may fail to ignite during a crash.
Consequence: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the passenger frontal air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2017. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AH03.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD · 17V135000
2017-03-02
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, 911 Targa S, 911 Targa 4S, 911 Turbo Cabriolet, 718 Boxter and 718 Boxter S vehicles. During manufacturing, the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 212, "Windshield Mounting."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the windshield separates from the vehicle, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will rebond the windshield, free of charge. The recall began on May 12, 2016. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for the recall is AH04.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS · 17V054000
2017-01-25
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain 2017 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera S, 911 Carrera 4, 911 Carrera 4S, 911 Targa 4, 911 Targa 4S + GTS, 911 Carrera Cabriolet, 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman, and 718 Cayman S vehicles. The screws that fasten the fuel collection pipes in the engine compartment may shear off, resulting in a fuel leak.
Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will install improved fastening screws, free of charge. The recall began March 27, 2017. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AH01.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW · 16V946000
2016-12-30
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2017 718 Boxster, 718 Boxster S, 718 Cayman, 718 Cayman S, 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera S, 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, 911 Carrera 4S, 911 Turbo, 911 Turbo S, 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, and 911 Turbo Cabriolet vehicles. The seat mounted side air bag inflator initiator may fail to ignite during a crash.
Consequence: If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the side air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AG10.
Building an app?
Free API access to all this data — 50 requests/day, no card required.