— A Porsche transfer case class action lawsuit alleges 2011-2018 Porsche Cayenne and Porsche Macan vehicles are defective even though Porsche offered a transfer case warranty extension.
According to the Porsche transfer case lawsuit, the components fail and pose a safety risk "unreasonably dangerous" to occupants.
California plaintiff Saman Kohanof purchased a new 2016 Porsche Cayenne, but in late 2023 when the Porsche had less than 60,000 miles on it, the vehicle began "kicking, jerking, bouncing, clicking, and other transfer case-related issues."
The plaintiff says he took the vehicle to a "third-party dealership" where he was told it would cost about $5,000 to repair the transfer case problem.
The plaintiff says he learned in early 2024 the Porsche vehicles had transfer case problems and Porsche had created a transfer case warranty extension.
For his vehicle, the transfer case warranty was extended to seven years from the date the Porsche was delivered, regardless of mileage.
The class action lawsuit alleges the plaintiff was never provided notice of the transfer case warranty extension, but in January 2024 the plaintiff contacted Porsche and demanded his vehicle be repaired for free under the transfer case extended warranty.
The lawsuit alleges Porsche refused the demand, so the plaintiff asked to speak to a supervisor and was told to expect a call from a supervisor. The plaintiff contends months passed and no one called.
"As a result of the safety issues associated with the Defect, including but not limited to incorrect torque being applied to the driven wheels or oil leaking and contacting the tires, Plaintiff stopped using his Vehicle." — Porsche transfer case lawsuit
Porsche has allegedly concealed the transfer case problems since 2015.
In 2017, Porsche allegedly made changes regarding the transfer case oil to be used for the Cayenne and Cayman vehicles, changing from 000-043-301-36 to 000-043-305-63 oil.
However, the class action says all this did was mask the transfer case defects.
Porsche Transfer Case Warranty Extension Allegedly a "Sham"
The class action lawsuit references a Porsche transfer case warranty extension issued in 2020, but the lawsuit alleges the warranty extension denies there are transfer case problems.
The plaintiff contends all affected Porsche customers were not notified of the transfer case warranty extension.
According to the automaker:
"Porsche is extending the warranty coverage for the Transfer Case in Model Year 2011–2018 Porsche Cayenne and 2014–2018 Macan vehicles because the Transfer Case long-term durability may be below Porsche’s high quality standards."
The length of the warranty extension depends on the specific model and model year of the vehicle, regardless of mileage.
- 2011-2014 Porsche Cayenne: Transfer case warranty extended to 10 years
- 2015-2018 Porsche Cayenne: Transfer case warranty extended to 7 years
- 2014-2018 Porsche Macan: Transfer case warranty extended to 7 years
"No action is needed at this time. However, if you previously paid out-of-pocket for a repair to your Transfer Case, you can apply for reimbursement. This Warranty Extension will be reflected automatically in the warranty system of any authorized Porsche dealer. If the Transfer Case in your vehicle needs service, please contact any authorized Porsche dealer to schedule an appointment." — Porsche
Calling the Porsche transfer case warranty extension a "sham," the plaintiff asserts the extension wasn't widely advertised and was based on years rather than usage. In addition, the class action alleges the transfer cases were not repaired and the allegedly repaired vehicles continued to have transfer case problems.
The Porsche transfer case class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Saman Kohanof v. Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
The plaintiff is represented by the Law Offices of Leon Ozeran.
Following are the Porsche transfer case warranty extension letters in PDF format.
