Carbon build-up on intake valves (DFI)
usually 100,000–180,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Rough idle
Fix: Walnut blasting
€500–1,000
Common faults, service intervals and costs
Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman (981 / 982)
2012–now
1
engines covered
4
known faults
8,803
roadworthiness tests in the statistics
17
official recalls
Enter your VIN and mileage and get a plan built for your exact engine and gearbox.
The Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman (981 / 982) has been built since 2012.
For this generation we cover 1 engines and 4 known faults, each with the mileage range where it usually appears.
The most expensive known risk is DCT mechatronic / solenoids: it usually appears at 120,000–220,000 km and costs €800–2,000 to fix.
In UK roadworthiness tests in 2024, at 0–50 thousand km this model most often failed on: tyres and wheels (2.7 %), lights, wipers and visibility (1.5 %), brakes (0.3 %). It fails less often than average on: tyres and wheels, lights, wipers and visibility.
Engines
| Engine | Fuel | Timing drive | Oil |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1) | Petrol | Chain | 0W-40 · Porsche A40 · ~8.5 L · every 15,000 km |
Faults by engine
3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1)
Water pump / thermostat
usually 80,000–140,000 km · Wear part
Signs: Coolant weep
Fix: Replace pump
€500–900
Gearboxes
Manual
Clutch wear
usually 120,000–200,000 km · Medium risk
Signs: Slipping, high bite point
Fix: Replace clutch kit
€500–900
PDK (7 / 8-speed, wet clutch)
DCT mechatronic / solenoids
usually 120,000–220,000 km · Medium risk
Signs: Harsh shifts
Fix: Repair; keep oil changes at 60,000 km
€800–2,000
Scheduled service
Intervals and typical prices for the 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1) engine. Other engines differ in oil, timing drive and some filters; the app gives the exact plan.
| Item | Interval | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil + oil filterEngine | every 15,000 km or every 12 months | €70–150 |
| Cabin (pollen) filterClimate | every 15,000 km or every 12 months | €15–40 |
| Brake fluidBrakes | every 24 months | €50–95 |
| A/C service (regas + desiccant)Climate | every 24 months | €70–150 |
| Air filterEngine | every 30,000 km or every 24 months | €15–45 |
| Spark plugsIgnition | every 60,000 km or every 48 months | €50–160 |
| Auxiliary (serpentine) beltEngine | every 120,000 km | €70–180 |
| Coolant replacementCooling | every 150,000 km or every 96 months | €70–150 |
| Timing chain inspection (listen on cold start)Engine | every 150,000 km | €0–120 |
| Manual gearbox oilTransmission | every 150,000 km | €60–130 |
| Front brake padsBrakes | usually at 30,000–60,000 km | €60–150 |
| Front brake discs + padsBrakes | usually at 60,000–120,000 km | €150–320 |
| Rear brake padsBrakes | usually at 50,000–90,000 km | €50–130 |
| Tyres (set of 4)Wheels | usually at 40,000–60,000 km | €320–700 |
| Wiper bladesBody | checked at service | €20–50 |
| 12V batteryElectrical | checked at service | €100–220 |
Roadworthiness tests by mileage
Share of tests in the United Kingdom (DVSA MOT, 2024) that this model failed because of each system. Bold red means more often and green less often than an average car of the same age and mileage. Sample: 8,803 tests.
| thousand km | 0–50 | 50–100 | 100–150 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 0.3 % | 0.9 % | 2.0 % |
| Suspension | 0.2 % | 1.0 % | 2.5 % |
| Steering | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.0 % |
| Tyres and wheels | 2.7 % | 3.6 % | 4.4 % |
| Lights, wipers and visibility | 1.5 % | 3.3 % | 3.5 % |
| Body and corrosion | 0.0 % | 0.1 % | 0.7 % |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 0.3 % | 0.5 % | 1.8 % |
Most common engine versions in the EU
New cars of this generation registered in the EU, Iceland and Norway 2010–2025: 22,598, of which 21 in Croatia. The share shows how common each version is.
| Version | Share | Years | CO₂ | Fuel use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Petrol2.0 (1,988 cm³) · 220 kW (299 hp) · Petrol | 49.7 % | 2016–2025 | 191 g/km | 9.0 L |
| 2.5 Petrol2.5 (2,497 cm³) · 257 kW (349 hp) · Petrol | 13.5 % | 2016–2025 | 180 g/km | 9.7 L |
| 2.7 Petrol2.7 (2,706 cm³) · 202 kW (275 hp) · Petrol | 11.6 % | 2013–2018 | 182 g/km | — |
| 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1)3.8 (3,800 cm³) · 283 kW (385 hp) · Petrol | 8.7 % | 2015–2021 | 238 g/km | — |
| 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1)3.4 (3,436 cm³) · 239 kW (325 hp) · Petrol | 7.1 % | 2013–2016 | — | — |
| 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1)3.8 (3,800 cm³) · Petrol | 2.7 % | 2015–2018 | 238 g/km | — |
| 2.7 Petrol2.7 (2,706 cm³) · Petrol | 2.4 % | 2013–2016 | — | — |
| 2.0 Petrol2.0 (1,988 cm³) · Petrol | 1.2 % | 2016–2020 | 171 g/km | — |
| 3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1)3.4 (3,436 cm³) · Petrol | 1.2 % | 2013–2017 | 190 g/km | — |
Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), monitoring of CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars, CC BY 4.0. CO₂ and fuel use are official type-approval values (WLTP from 2021), not real-world consumption.
Official recalls
Recalls the manufacturer published in the United Kingdom for this model (17). The same recalls usually apply across Europe. Ask an authorised dealer to check by VIN whether your car is affected and whether the work has been done.
- Brakes / ABS / ESP ARA7 Recall campaign - Replace shift cable05/06/2024 · R/2024/243
- Brakes / ABS / ESP 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.20/12/2023 · R/2024/001
- Wheels / tyres The fitted tyres may adversely affect vehicle emission outputs10/01/2022 · R/2022/035
- Suspension / axles Rear axle carrier side parts may not meet required specifications15/09/2021 · R/2021/314
- Suspension / axles Individual threaded connections at the vehicle's suspension might not be tightened to the specification due to insufficiently cut thread of locknuts24/03/2021 · R/2021/090
- Engine / loss of power Connecting rods installed may not be to specification24/03/2021 · R/2021/139
- Fuel system The tightness of the high pressure fuel line on cylinder bank 2 cannot be guaranteed due to a manufacturing error05/02/2020 · R/2020/026
- Airbag Air bag control unit may have been installed with a faulty capacitor23/08/2019 · R/2019/250
The other recalls (9) are listed in the app.
Common questions
Does the Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman (981 / 982) have a timing chain or a timing belt?
3.4 / 3.6 / 3.8 DFI flat-six (9A1): chain.
What are the known problems with the Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman (981 / 982)?
The faults with the highest risk: DCT mechatronic / solenoids (120,000–220,000 km, €800–2,000); clutch wear (120,000–200,000 km, €500–900). The full list by engine is on this page.
What does the Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman (981 / 982) most often fail its roadworthiness test on?
In UK roadworthiness tests in 2024, at 0–50 thousand km this model most often failed on: tyres and wheels (2.7 %), lights, wipers and visibility (1.5 %), brakes (0.3 %). It fails less often than average on: tyres and wheels, lights, wipers and visibility.
What should you check when buying a used Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman (981 / 982)?
Before you buy, ask an authorised dealer to check by VIN that the recalls have been done (17 have been published for this model). On the test drive, watch for these signs: harsh shifts; slipping, high bite point. The full checklist is in the guide to buying a used car.
Other generations
Porsche 911 (996) 1997–2005Porsche 911 (997) 2004–2012Porsche 911 (991.1) 2011–2016Porsche 911 (991.2) 2016–2019Porsche 911 (992) 2019–
Models with the same engines
These models share engines with this car, so they share some of its faults too.
Other Porsche models
Porsche Cayenne (958 / 9Y0) 2010–Porsche Macan 2014–Porsche Panamera 2009–Porsche Taycan 2019–
Sources and notes
Faults, intervals and prices are indicative and collected from public sources and owner experience; always rely on the service book and a qualified workshop. Test statistics: DVSA – Anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0. Dutch tests: RDW Open Data (CC0). Engine versions: EEA, monitoring of CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars (CC BY 4.0, DG CLIMA). Owner complaints: NHTSA ODI (public domain). Recalls: DVSA Vehicle Safety Branch Recalls Database, OGL v3.0. Brand and model names are trademarks of their owners and are used only to describe the vehicles.
Updated 08/10/2026