Porsche recalls 100,000 cars for rollaway risks
Apparently, one bushing isn't as durable as it should be.
One little part can cause a whole lot of trouble, especially if it's connected to a bunch of bits responsible for keeping your car in place after you've put it in Park and walked away. That's the reason behind Porsche's latest recall.
Porsche has issued a recall for approximately 100,000 examples of the 2010-2016 Porsche Panamera and the 2003-2010 Porsche Cayenne . The vehicles subject to the recall carry non-sequential VINs and the production dates vary wildly, so concerned owners should keep an eye on their mailboxes for official recall notifications.
The problem stems from the gear selector cable bushing. According to recall documents filed with NHTSA, this part might be made of plastic that isn't as durable as was suggested. The bushing itself might come loose from its moorings, allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than the lever's location would belie. This means that an owner may put the vehicle in Park, take out their key and leave the vehicle, but it might not actually be in Park. This creates a rollaway concern.
Porsche first caught wind of the issue in late 2018, following multiple incidents in the field. After analyzing the circumstances around these incidents, Porsche figured out the part in question, and it looked to see where in the production timeline the part was implemented. Thankfully, it appears no injuries or property damage have been linked to the defective part.
Until the vehicles in question can be returned to the dealership, Porsche wants owners to apply the parking brake every time the vehicle is parked, which should prevent any rollaway concerns. Once at the dealership, the affected vehicles will have their shifter cable bushings replaced with improved units, free of charge. Porsche said owners should expect to receive notifications by first-class mail in early August.
