Problem Lookup › Porsche › Cayman › 2012
Car problem report
2012 Porsche Cayman problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2012 Porsche Cayman has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 2owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 9%fail the UK MOT
The least complained-about Porsche Cayman year on file: 2 complaints, against an average of 6 for the other model years.
Every Porsche Cayman model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2012 Porsche Cayman?
The components named most often in the 2 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2012 Porsche Cayman been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Seat Belts PORSCHE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 911 SPEEDSTER AND 911 GTS RS 4.0; AND MODEL YEAR 2012 BOXSTER (INCLUDING S AND SPYDER); CAYMAN (INCLUDING S AND R); 911 CARRERA (INCLUDING S, GTS, 4, 4S, AND 4 GTS); 911 TARGA 4 AND TARGA 4S; AND 911 TURBO AND TURBO S MODELS MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 31, 2011, THROUGH JUNE 10, 2011. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE MOUNTING HOLES IN THE SEAT BELT ANCHOR PLATES FITTED TO THE VEHICLE ARE TOO SMALL. IF THE HOLE DIAMETER IS TOO SMALL, THE ANCHOR PLATE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ROTATE ABOUT THE FASTENING BOLT AS DESIGNED.
Risk: SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT BE ROUTED OPTIMALLY AROUND THE OCCUPANT, OR MAY POTENTIALLY LOOSEN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY DURING A CRASH.
Fix: PORSCHE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELT ANCHORS AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE SEAT BELT. THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PORSCHE AT 1-800-767-7243.
Is the 2012 Porsche Cayman recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSARear axle carrier side parts may not meet required specifications
Risk: The carrier side parts installed on the rear axle during a certain period may not meet the required specifications.
Fix: The left and right carrier side parts of the affected vehicles must be replaced.
EU Safety GateThe cradle side panels on the rear axle may be defective, which could result in the breakage of one of the two slots for the suspension…The cradle side panels on the rear axle may be defective, which could result in the breakage of one of the two slots for the suspension wishbones on the side panel of the cradle.This could impair the wheel control and result in a loss of control over the vehicle, increasing the risk of an accident. The product does not meet the requirements set out in the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 17/09/2021
How often does the 2012 Porsche Cayman fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2012, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2012 Porsche Cayman owners report?
2 of the 2 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
I WAS DRIVING TODAY ON 4TH OF JULY AT 10 MILES AN HOUR OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND IT STOP ALL OF THE SUDDEN. ME, MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER PUSHED IT BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY AS I WAS BLOCKING ONE WAY EGRESS FOR THE NEIGHBOURS AND THEIR POSSIBLE GUESTS FOR JULY 4TH. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT FAILED, I GUESS IT IS SHIFT CABLE BROKE. IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY, THIS FAILURE COULD KILL ME AND OTHER DRIVERS WHO COULD BE DRIVING BEHIND. JUST BOUGHT THE CAR ON 5/31/15 FROM DEALERSHIP AFTER LEASING IT FOR 3 YEARS. WHILE PUSHING THE CAR BACK I HURT MY BACK EVEN MORE THEN IT WAS PRIOR. 7/4/15
I WAS GOING DOWN HILL IN 3RD GEAR OF A MANUAL SHIFT. THE SHIFT SUDDENLY BROKE AND I COULD NOT CHANGE THE GEAR AND HAD TO PULL OVER IN A NARROW ROAD WITHOUT ANY SPACE FOR CARS TO PASS BY. IT TOOK PORSCHE 110 MINUTES TO COME A GET THE CAR. LUCKY FOR ME, I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER A HIGHWAY! *TR
2012 Porsche Cayman: questions owners ask
Is the 2012 Porsche Cayman reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Porsche Cayman; the most common categories were engine (2, 100%). There is 1 safety recall.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Porsche Cayman?
Across 2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (100% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2012 Porsche Cayman have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2012 Porsche Cayman; the most recent (campaign 11V409000, 2011-08-05) concerns Seat Belts. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Cayman
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2012 only; combines NHTSA's entries for CAYMAN and CAYMAN R.