Porsche Cayman problems, reliability and years to avoid
If you are considering buying a used Porsche Cayman, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 known faults for this model, 2 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Porsche Cayman reliable?
The Porsche Cayman has 2 known faults in our database across 3 generations, 2 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing failure causing catastrophic engine destruction without) and engine (cylinder bore scoring on the M96/M97 flat six in first generation 997 and 987 cars). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Which Porsche Cayman years should you avoid?
No year is a write-off on its own. What matters is which serious faults a given year and engine can have, and whether the car in front of you has had them fixed.
2004 to 2007, 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 (M96/M97): cylinder bore scoring on the M96/M97 flat six in first generation 997
Each one is set out in full below, with the symptoms, the typical mileage and a rough repair cost.
Generation 1 of 22 known faults · 3 good notes
Porsche Cayman 987 (2005 to 2013) problems
Engine/EmissionsHigh severity📝 Editorial
Intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing failure causing catastrophic engine destruction without warning. The risk depends on which bearing the engine has: engines from 1997 to 1999 used a double-row bearing that rarely fails, engines from 2000 and 2001 may carry either bearing, engines from 2002 to 2005 a single-row bearing that fails most often, and engines from late 2005 to 2008 a larger bearing that fails far less often but cannot be replaced without stripping the engine. The engines that replaced the M96 and M97 from the 2009 model year (997 Gen 2, 987 Gen 2 and later) do without an intermediate shaft entirely, and the Mezger engines in the Turbo, GT2 and GT3 use a different intermediate shaft design that does not suffer this failure
Rough guide
£Unknown
Typical symptoms
metallic debris in the oil filter during servicing
loud rattling noise from the engine
sudden and complete engine failure
Affected vehicles
Engines:
M96 / M97 (Non-Mezger)
Typical mileage:
Unknown miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
Cylinder bore scoring on the M96/M97 flat six in first generation 997 and 987 cars, causing piston slap, high oil consumption, and eventual engine failure
Rough guide
£Unknown
Typical symptoms
ticking or tapping noise from the engine (piston slap)
high oil consumption
one exhaust tailpipe noticeably sootier than the other
Affected vehicles
Engines:
3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 (M96/M97)
Typical mileage:
Unknown miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
What owners like about the 987
3 notes
The Porsche Cayman offers superb balance and agility, providing amazing grip for a confident driving experience.
This car is quite refined and sufficiently comfortable for daily driving, making it practical for regular use.
The Porsche Cayman is available with the efficient and responsive double-clutch PDK gearbox, enhancing its performance.
Generation 2 of 20 known faults · 4 owner reports · 2 good notes
Porsche Cayman 981 (2013 to 2016): owner reports
What owners report on the 981
4 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Interior · January 2019A 2014 Cayman GTS experienced a heater blower fan sticking due to moisture, requiring manual freeing to restore function.
Exhaust · July 2018Exhaust fittings on a 2013 Cayman 981 rusted severely, becoming unserviceable and needing replacement at a cost of £782.
Suspension and steering · November 2017The offside rear damper failed on a November 2014 Porsche Cayman, leading to an MoT failure and a £1,000 repair quote.
Electrics · February 2014Headlights on a post-2013 Porsche Cayman were prone to internal condensation in cold weather, affecting the beam pattern.
What owners like about the 981
2 notes
The Porsche Cayman was recognised as the 'Best Coupé' in the 2014 UK Car of the Year Awards, highlighting its market appeal.
Cayman GT4 models are equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, high-performance road-legal track rubber for enhanced grip.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 4 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Porsche Cayman advert and we check it in seconds.
Recall work is done by the manufacturer, and GOV.UK says you will not usually have to pay for it. These are the 7 DVSA recalls for the Cayman, newest first. They do not tell you whether this particular car has had the work: for that, put the registration into the free GOV.UK MOT history check, which shows a recall status where the manufacturer shares it, or ask a franchised dealer to check the VIN.
🏛️ June 2024Cars built June 2023 to March 2024
ARA7 Recall campaign - Replace shift cable
On affected vehicles the transmission shift cable may have had the safety clip on the shift cable incorrectly fitted or the cable sheath on the shift cable may be damaged resulting in the risk of a roll away incident after the vehicle is placed in park (P) if the parking brake is not applied.
Put right by: Replace shift cable
DVSA R/2024/243
🏛️ December 2023Cars built June 2023 to October 2023
On affected vehicles the rear spoiler setting may not meet specifications due to incorrect coding during production making it too high. The high-mounted brake light may become less visible while driving and the aerodynamics of the vehicle may change.
On affected vehicles the rear spoiler setting may not meet specifications due to incorrect coding during production making it too high. The high-mounted brake light may become less visible while driving and the aerodynamics of the vehicle may change.
Put right by: Re-code the rear vehicle electronics control unit on affected vehicles.
DVSA R/2024/00145 vehicles affected in the UK
🏛️ September 2021Cars built January 2014 to July 2014
Rear axle carrier side parts may not meet required specifications
The carrier side parts installed on the rear axle during a certain period may not meet the required specifications.
Put right by: The left and right carrier side parts of the affected vehicles must be replaced.
DVSA R/2021/3141,854 vehicles affected in the UK
🏛️ August 2019Cars built June 2015 to June 2016
Air bag control unit may have been installed with a faulty capacitor
Possible fault within the air bag control unit.
Put right by: Software upgrade to the control unit and replacement if faulty.
DVSA R/2019/2501,810 vehicles affected in the UK
🏛️ April 2019Cars built February 2016 to February 2019
Inadequate connection between lower longitudinal member and cross member
Inadequate connection between the lower longitudinal member and cross member.
Put right by: Secure the lower longitudinal member to the cross member using additional blind rivets.
DVSA R/2019/0951 vehicles affected in the UK
🏛️ March 2019Cars built November 2017 to April 2018
The airbag sensors in the side members on the vehicle may not be screwed tightly enough
There is a possibility that the side airbag sensors are not tightened to specification.
Put right by: Check both side airbag sensors and rework the fixing where necessary.
DVSA R/2019/111211 vehicles affected in the UK
🏛️ November 2014Cars built May 2014 to June 2014
Bonnet catch assembly may fail
On affected vehicles the upper part of the catch mechanism fitted to the front luggage compartment lid may not be secured to the correct specification. The mechanism may become detached from the lid allowing it to open unintentionally.
Put right by: Replace upper part of catch mechanism and secure with new screws
DVSA R/2014/151378 vehicles affected in the UK
Recall data published by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence v3.0. A recall listed here may not apply to every car of this model: the build dates and the registration check are what decide it.
Porsche Cayman timing chain, and service intervals
A timing chain has no change interval, which is not the same as lasting for ever. Listen for it on a used Cayman, and check the oil has been changed on time. These are the figures UK specialists work to.
Timing chainChain
M96, M97, 3.4, 3.6, 3.8
No fixed replacement interval
The M96/M97 engines use timing chains. However, the far bigger concern is the Intermediate Shaft (IMS) bearing which drives the chains. This bearing can fail catastrophically and should be proactively upgraded.
Always confirm against the vehicle handbook. Intervals vary by engine, and several manufacturers revised theirs after failures in service.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: September 2026
Porsche Cayman buying questions
Which Porsche Cayman years should I avoid?
No Porsche Cayman year is a write-off, but the 987 (2005 to 2013) carries the most serious faults: engine. The 981 (2013 to 2016) and 718 (2016 on) have none rated high severity. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Porsche Cayman?
Ask the seller about the engine faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for metallic debris in the oil filter during servicing and ticking or tapping noise from the engine (piston slap). Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against its known faults before you travel. Check a Porsche Cayman advert →
Are there any recalls on the Porsche Cayman?
The DVSA lists 7 safety recalls for the Porsche Cayman issued between 2014 and 2024. The most recent, from June 2024, is "ARA7 Recall campaign - Replace shift cable". Recall work is done by the manufacturer, and GOV.UK says you will not usually have to pay for it. This list is by model, so it cannot tell you whether one particular car has had the work: the free GOV.UK MOT history check shows a recall status from the registration where the manufacturer shares it, and a franchised dealer can check the VIN.
What is the real MPG of a Porsche Cayman?
Owners report 27.6 mpg on average across the Porsche Cayman engines with data, about 91% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 115 owner submissions. Porsche Cayman Real MPG by engine →
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Porsche Cayman owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Porsche Cayman goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.