MODELYEARINDEX

Which Porsche Cayenne years to avoid

Across 5 scored model years, the 2019 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Porsche Cayenne Full report
D
Grade 2014–2021
2019 vs model median 1.2×
Model median3× median
Electrical 8
Driver Assist 6
Lights & Visibility 4
Avoid

2019

Best

2016 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2014
1.36× 23 C
2016
1.00× 19 C
2019
1.21× 28 D
2020
1.00× 16 C
2021
0.61× 17 B
2023 P
1.09× 11 B
2025 P
1.11× 13 C

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2014 C 23 reports · median 5,000 mi

  1. Body & Interior 4

    Luxor beige dashboard is too bright and reflects in the windshield creating blind spots in bright sunlight. A near miss happened because of the temporary blind spot. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Fuel System 3

    The car would not start after multiple attempts. The SUV needed to be towed to the nearest dealership. They said the fuel gelled and recommended that "I" have the fuel station place the 'correct additive' to the diesel… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 3

    Same day I both car when I reached home... The right side turn signal light fell off and was hanging from the wire. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

3 fire

2019 D 28 reports · median 9,800 mi

  1. Electrical 8

    There's a electrical issue with the vehicle. Periodically, these error messages run in a continues loop( ACC not available, high beam assist not available, driving light control error, pas restricted and camera system… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Driver Assist 6

    The surround video camera system frequently fails. One, several and sometimes all cameras randomly fail when triggered by placing transmission in reverse to park. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Lights & Visibility 4

    Matrix headlights do not work, at all. Nighttime driving is dangerous without these headlights. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

2 crash

The best year for the Cayenne

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2021 is the best-scoring Cayenne model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 72.3 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2021 0.61× 17 B
2016 1.00× 19 C
2020 1.00× 16 C

Recalls

15 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
22V656000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS 2014, 2016 222,858
25V896000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2019–2025 172,107
16V169000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES 2014, 2016 88,300
19V735000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2019, 2020 44,128
19V115000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2019 14,110
20V271000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES 2020 1,805
21V271000 SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY 2021 1,568
22V040000 SUSPENSION:REAR 2021 1,241
18V751000 SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER 2019 415
13V506000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2014 207
25V634000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2025 177
21V318000 SEATS 2020, 2021 136

+ 3 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2019 were reported at a median of 9,800 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Porsche Cayenne years should you avoid?
2019 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Porsche Cayenne model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Porsche Cayenne?
2021 is the best-scoring Porsche Cayenne model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 72.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Porsche Cayenne have?
15 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Porsche Cayenne model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2019 Cayenne
Complaints in window
28
Severity-weighted
34
Model median (weighted)
28
vs model median
1.21×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
6
Open investigations
0
Score 54.7 D