The 4 Most Common Porsche 992 Engine Problems

The Porsche 992 is the 8th generation of the 911 Carrera, released in 2019 and still in production today. The 992 is the successor to the 991 which was produced from 2011 through 2019. In addition to various transmission and engines changes, the 992 Turbo and Turbo S models received a new 3.7L twin-turbo flat-six.

Porsche consolidated the number of engine options for the 992 911’s sticking with three engines:

• 3.0L twin-turbo flat-six
  • Base, 4, 4S, and GTS models
  • 380-473hp and 332-420lb-ft. of torque
• 3.7L twin-turbo flat-six
  • Turbo and Turbo S models
  • 542-641hp and 443-590lb-ft. of torque
• 4.0L naturally aspirated flat-six
  • GT3 models only
  • 503hp and 347lb-ft. of torque

Despite the Porsche 992 being relatively new, there are a number of common problems that have already emerged. Fortunately, the majority of these issues so far are minor. This article is going to discuss common problems and reliability of the 2019+ Porsche 992 Carrera 911 models.

Common Porsche 992 Engine Problems

1. Ignition coil failure
2. Engine mount failure
3. PDK transmission leaks
4. Loose front axle drive shafts

1. Porsche 992 Ignition Coil Failure

911’s have a history of burning through coil packs more quickly than other vehicles. Ignition coils send electricity to the spark plugs, allowing the cylinder to fire and create combustion. When an ignition coil goes bad it affects the spark plugs ability to create the spark necessary for combustion. This can lead to numerous performance issues and things like misfires and pre-detonation.

Similar to issues with the 991, the 992 ignition coils are prone to corroding and failing. The retaining bolts also corrode frequently which can cause issues with getting the ignition coils out. These issues seem to be more so caused by age rather than mileage. However, it is possible to see coil packs start to fail around the 20,000 mile mark. Fortunately, they tend to fail one at a time.

Beru is the OEM ignition coil manufacturer for the Porsche 992. A set of new coils only costs a few hundred bucks, so we generally recommend replacing them every other time you replace your spark plugs. Replacing them every 50,000-60,000 miles and using bolt grease should help prevent any issues with corroded bolts. While no problem is a good problem, failing coil packs is pretty harmless and easy to fix.

Symptoms of Bad Porsche Ignition Coils

• Cylinder misfires
• Hesitation upon acceleration
• Rough idling
• Hard starts

2. 911 Carrera 992 Engine Mount Failure

Engine mounts are not only responsible for keeping the engine attached to the frame, but also for controlling the softness or stiffness of the ride. Engine mounts reduce engine vibrations and have an impact on handling and cornering. Of course, simply polyurethane engine mounts are too basic for Porsche. Porsche uses a system called Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts. These are electronic engine mounts that stiffen at high RPMs for more performance and cornering, and soften at low RPMs for more comfort.

Porsche had a manufacturing issue with 2019 and 2020 model year 992’s. Porsche did not properly seal the engine mounts when they were installed, allowing water to get into the mounts. When this happens the mounts lose their ability to dynamically adjust stiffness, functioning more like a traditional engine mount. The water trips the electrical connection and then will throw a warning message for the PADM system.

Engine Mount Failure Symptoms

• Decreased handling
• Softer cornering
• More engine vibration at high RPMs
• PADM warning message on the dash

Unless you frequently put your 911 to the test in the corners, you probably won’t notice a huge decrease in handling or driving comfort. The most telltale symptom is the warning message that will appear when water causes an electrical fault with the engine mounts.

While there is a technical service bulletin and recall for this issue, fixing the issue is no simple task. Replacing the engine mounts requires the engine being pulled. Despite getting it fixed for free, it isn’t always very comforting to have your engine pulled on a new Porsche.

3. 992 Carrera PDK Transmission Leaks

Porsche’s PDK transmission has received a lot of praise as one of the fastest dual clutch transmissions on the market. However, it hasn’t come without it’s share of issues here and there. One of the biggest issues with the PDK is that it isn’t very serviceable. Therefore, a lot of PDK issues result in needing to replace the whole transmission. Fortunately, all 992’s will still have warranty to cover the bill here, but this isn’t quite the case on some older models with the PDK.

So far, we have seen the PDK leak from a few different places. There have been multiple accounts of a failed oil pan gasket causing leaks from the oil pan. Additionally, the transmissions oil cooler relief valve has failed a few times resulting in leaks. It appears a cause of the issue with the relief valve is the oil spec, which hasn’t been specified by Porsche. A new relief valve and some FS 75W-90 appear to have fixed the issue.

The PDK transmission is actually very reliable. The majority of the issues that have arisen so far seem to be small quality control issues. Once fixed there shouldn’t be any concerns over issues or reliability with the transmission. Fortunately, Porsche’s approach a lot of time is to just replace the whole transmission under warranty if any issues arise as they claim it isn’t serviceable.

4. Porsche 992 Drive Shaft Issues

An unfortunate common theme with early model 992’s is manufacturing defects. Another such case of this is with the font axle drive shafts. The drive shafts are prone to becoming loose at the joint due to installation errors. The drive shaft is responsible for transferring power from the engine to the wheels.

The loose drive shaft issues can cause the front wheels to not receive full power, affecting performance and acceleration. This issue has so far been exclusive to C4 models. The loose drive shaft will also cause noises and squeaking sounds while driving.

Fortunately, this is addressed by Porsche with a service bulletin and is being replaced under warranty. Replacement procedure involves replacing both drive shafts.

Other Porsche 992 Issues

As discussed above, the 992 had a number of quality control issues that plagued early model years. Fortunately, the number of actual engine problems is relatively limited for now. However, it is also very early to tell if there are any truly “common” problems with these engines. So far most issues have been addressed and replaced via warranty.

Outside of the engine, there have been a lot of smaller issues with build quality, PCM, electronics, and so on. Here is a list of other problems encountered:

• Adaptive cruise control issues
• Oil leaks (oil pan gasket, etc.)
• Squeaky doors
• Other random rattles and squeaks
• Panel gaps
• Random clicking noises
• Drivetrain lash issues
• PCM/electronic issues with the head unit and various other electronics

One of the more well documented issues is problems with the adaptive cruise control. This was an option on the 911 that helps control cruise control speed by slowing down when you’re approaching a car ahead too quickly with cruise control enabled. Issues with the system make the car try to stop really quickly while driving with cruise control on. The sensors seem to think that there is something too close in front of the car, causing need for it to brake very quickly.

Oil leaks and PDK transmission leaks haven’t been extremely common. PDK leaks have been more frequent than engine oil leaks.

The most frustrating thing for new 992 owners seems to be the service delays. Parts are taking months to arrive from overseas and dealerships are short-staffed in their service departments. This is causing a lot of 992’s to sit at the dealer for a few weeks while these small issues are being fixed.

Porsche 992 Reliability

So, is the Porsche 992 reliable? We don’t have any concerns or doubts over the long-term reliability of the 992 911’s. There have been a number of manufacturing issues and small defects, however, this is pretty normal with early model years. Additionally, there has been a lot going on with labor shortages, parts shortages, and so on which clearly has had an impact on quality.

With that being said, the majority of the problems that have arisen so far seem to be from manufacturing issues instead of faulty components or systems. The engines have had very few actual issues, with most issues being electrical or having to do with ancillary engine components.

The one caveat is that the 992 hasn’t been out for very long. And, Porsche’s don’t tend to be heavily driven cars. Therefore, it is a bit more difficult to tell whether there are actually any engine problems with these cars or not. We haven’t seen any major catastrophic failures yet which is a good sign. But it will take a couple more years to really determine whether there are any long-term concerns with these engines.

It’s also worth noting that there are plenty of problem free Porsche 992’s out there as well. Keep in mind the people with problems tend to have bigger voices and be more outspoken than those with no issues. So I do believe a lot of the issues mentioned here are probably slightly blown out of proportion. And to be fair, people tend to nitpick problems a little more closely when you’re talking about $125k+ cars.

How has your experience been with the 992?