1998 Porsche Boxster
Not enough comparison years on file yet for a fair verdict.
This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.
- Complaints
- 32
- Recalls
- 4
- Investigations
- 1
- Top problem
- Structure
Campaigns on file for 1998
Opened by NHTSA
34% of complaints
Complaints per year
1998: 32 complaints
View as data table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1989 | 1 |
| 1997 | 22 |
| 1998 | 32 |
| 1999 | 28 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 13 |
| 2002 | 10 |
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 16 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
Known problem areas
Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.
Structure
34% · 11 reportsMost commonly citing door and roof and pillars.
Show complaint excerpts
Inside release mechanism on driver's door broken.
NHTSA ODI report, 1998-07-02
The defective door cable make it impossible to open the driver side door from the inside.
NHTSA ODI report, 1998-07-02
This seems to be very common. Is it considered a safty issue if the door cannot be opened from the interior?
NHTSA ODI report, 1998-06-28
Air bags
25% · 8 reportsMost commonly citing frontal.
Show complaint excerpts
Porsche started selling boxsters in 1997. The car has a problem in that the airbag light will come on and the owner will not know if the airbags are working properly or not. Porsche has had over 7 fixes on this issue and none have worked to date.
NHTSA ODI report, 2005-05-16
Also filed under Equipment
Engine and engine cooling
25% · 8 reportsMost commonly citing engine and gasoline.
Show complaint excerpts
Engine coolant tank cracked for Porsche Boxster (1998). The temperature monitor flashes indicating overheating engine and may cause engine to seize while driving. Contacted dealer who indicated its a common safety problem.
NHTSA ODI report, 2003-11-17
Electrical system
22% · 7 reportsMost commonly citing switch and module.
Show complaint excerpts
My vehicle had only approximately 65,000 miles when the horn started to malfunction. The horn started to routinely deploy on its own. In the short term I had to have it disconnected by my regular mechanic so I could continue to operate the car.
NHTSA ODI report, 2012-09-11
Seat belts
6% · 2 reportsMost commonly citing anchorage and front.
Safety timeline
4 recalls · 1 investigation · oldest first
To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →
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R
1998-03-02Air bags98E005000 Equipment description: child seating system air bag deactivation kit for use on 1997-1998 911 Carrera S, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S, and turbo (1997 model only), part No. 993 803 283 00, and 1997-1998…
Remedy: Dealers will install a modified air bag deactivation kit.
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I
1998-07-09Preliminary evaluationClosed 1998-11-24 Door cable failure
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R
2003-07-15Power train03V004000 Certain 2-door convertible passenger vehicles equipped with the tiptronic (Automatic) transmission may have been produced with an incorrectly adjusted key-lock-cable down to the shift selector. If…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the cable adjustment and, regardless of the results of this inspection, the key-lock-cable must also be adjusted. Owner notification began July 15, 2003. Owners who take their…
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R
2009-05-11Exterior lighting09E012000 Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…
Remedy: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
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2009-07-28Exterior lighting09E025000 Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…
Remedy: Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Buy-smart checklist
1998 Porsche Boxster — pre-purchase inspection
Inspect
- Structure: 11 reports on file for this year.
- Air bags: 8 reports on file for this year.
- Engine and engine cooling: 8 reports on file for this year.
Verify these recalls were completed
- Recall 98E005000 · Air bags
- Recall 03V004000 · Power train
- Recall 09E012000 · Exterior lighting
- Recall 09E025000 · Exterior lighting
FAQ
- Is the 1998 Porsche Boxster reliable?
- There isn't enough NHTSA complaint data on file yet to give this model year a verdict.
- What are the most common problems with the 1998 Porsche Boxster?
- The most-reported component is structure, accounting for 34% of complaints on file.
- How many recalls does the 1998 Porsche Boxster have?
- 4 recalls on file for this model year.
Data updated 2026-10-31 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.