The 2017 718 Boxster S with the 2.5L turbocharged flat-four is a solid performer, but suffers from a critical engine defect affecting cylinder scoring and bearing failure, particularly in early production years. When maintained properly and not afflicted by the bore scoring issue, these are reliable sport cars with typical Porsche running costs.
Cylinder Bore Scoring and Piston Ring Failure (9A2 Engine)
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 30,000-70,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (more than 1 qt per 1,000 mi), Blue smoke from exhaust on cold starts or deceleration, Rough idle and misfires in advanced cases, Metallic knocking sounds if bearing damage occurs
Fix: Complete engine rebuild or short block replacement required. Involves pulling the entire engine, replacing scored cylinders, pistons, rings, and often bearings. 25-35 labor hours depending on extent of damage and whether full rebuild or short block swap is performed.
Estimated cost: $15,000-25,000
Connecting Rod and Main Bearing Failure
Rare · high severity
Typical onset: 40,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Heavy metallic knocking from engine bay, especially under load, Sudden loss of oil pressure, Check engine light with low oil pressure codes, Catastrophic engine failure if ignored
Fix: Often related to the bore scoring issue or oil starvation from excessive consumption. Requires complete engine teardown, crankshaft inspection/replacement, bearing replacement, and often cylinder work. 30-40 labor hours for full rebuild.
Estimated cost: $18,000-28,000
PDK Transmission Oil Cooler Failure
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission temperature warning on instrument cluster, Harsh or delayed shifts when transmission is hot, Visible leaks near front of transmission, Limp mode activation in severe cases
Fix: Cooler lines crack or corrode at connections. Requires removal of undertray and sometimes front bumper cover for access. Replace cooler and lines, flush system. 4-6 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $1,200-2,000
Transmission Mount Deterioration
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Excessive drivetrain movement felt through chassis, Vibration at idle that wasn't previously present, Visible cracks or separation in rubber mount
Fix: Rubber mounts fatigue from heat and stress. Mid-engine layout makes access moderate. Support transmission, remove old mount, install new. 2-3 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $600-1,000
Fuel Filter Clogging (Early Production)
Occasional · medium severity
Symptoms: Hesitation or stumble during hard acceleration, Engine stalls or runs rough under boost, Check engine light with lean fuel mixture codes, Reduced power output
Fix: Some early 2017 models had fuel filter contamination issues from manufacturing. Filter is integrated into fuel pump module in tank. Drop tank, replace pump/filter assembly. 3-4 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $800-1,400
Head Gasket Failure (Related to Bore Scoring)
Rare · high severity
Typical onset: 40,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Coolant loss with no visible external leaks, White smoke from exhaust, Overheating under load, Oil contamination with coolant (milky appearance on dipstick)
Fix: Often occurs in conjunction with cylinder scoring issues. Requires engine removal, cylinder head removal on affected bank, resurfacing heads, new gaskets, head bolts. 20-28 labor hours if combined with other internal work.
Estimated cost: $8,000-14,000
Owner tips
Check oil level religiously every 500 miles — early warning sign of bore scoring is consumption above 1 qt per 1,000 mi
Get a pre-purchase inspection including compression and leak-down tests on all four cylinders before buying used
Verify engine replacement history and ensure any prior bore scoring claims were addressed under warranty
Change PDK transmission fluid every 40,000 miles instead of Porsche's 'lifetime' recommendation
Keep detailed service records — Porsche extended some engine warranties for bore scoring, documentation helps with claims
Buy only with comprehensive pre-purchase inspection and confirmed clean bill of health on engine internals — the bore scoring lottery can be financially catastrophic, but unaffected examples are fantastic drivers.
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 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster S
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 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.