So I bought a 2011 NEW with 20 miles from my local Porsche dealer. After about 300 miles I noticed the car was drifting to the right...not really pulling hard..but on the freeway at 75 it would stay straight for 200 feet and then start drifting to the right.

I took it in and they set it on the alignment rack and they couldn't get it aligned. The left front would not come back into specs. After a day, they called me and told me they fixed it by loosening up the under carriage and then tightening it up.

Yesterday I took it back to the dealer for the same issue, but now it seems like there is a bunch of slack in the steering. At freeway speeds I can move the steering wheel left and right about 1" to either side and there is NO response. I KNOW for a fact this wasn't how it felt when I bought it. I traded in a 2011 GT3 RS for it and I even mentioned to my sales man how tight the steering on the 4S felt...I loved it!

The service manager took the car out with me yesterday and he said that slop was normal! To me that is BS! I have had 24 cars and this is the sloppiest feeling I have EVER had. As a matter of a fact, I almost went into a barrier on the freeway yesterday on the way to the dealer on a left hand turn because the steering is such crap and the delay was something I have NEVER experienced.

The service manager said that this might be due to the alignment being set up too neutral. I have no idea if this sound correct or if he is covering his butt.

I called today to see if it was ready for pickup and was told they have not been able to resolve the drifting issue.

Either way, I need a little input form some guru's on this subject. I am not feeling to comfortable with my $110,000 purchase! I might be taking to to an attorney for a lemon law issue (I am not sue happy) since the drifting and the slop makes the care very difficult to predict how it will handle.

Thanks for your help guys....

 

Oh no!! Im not technical here but just want to wish that everything wks out for you!!

 

This does not sound right.. The good news is that you are in California and we have a lemon law. Document this and contact the Porsche zone rep and customer service dept.. They need to jump on this and get it right, or they need to put you in another car.

 

Bummer! I bought a 2010 4S about a month ago (240 miles). Freaking LOVE it! Steering us dead on and TIGHT. Something is terribly wrong with your car.

 

Thanks. I will make a couple calls tomorrow and start the process.

I will ask my Porsche dealer for the complete service report tomorrow.

 

I just bought a USED PTT, and so to give you reassurance the car is steady as a rock, no pulling in any direction, absolutely no vibration in the steering wheel. What you are describing is not normal.

Good luck on the hunt...

What tire pressures do you use + what mark/size of tires you use? I had once a set of Nokias that used to swever from side to side. It was solved, when tires were changed to another brand.

 

I have the same issue. However mine is drifting to the left. This happens after i had to change my rear right tire due to a big bold make a hugh hole on it. The car feels completely different from before. I tested it at high speed and it feels less direct as before. Im really upset about this. Worst is all of the tire shops i try to fix doesnt hv the right alignment data for panamera on their machine. Im in indonesia and pana is rare here. If someone can help or provide info to assist i am eternaly grateful...

 

Ok..so my Panamera s fixed. The dealer said that the steering shat...or some part of it..was put in a little of by the factory. There are splines on it at it appears that when the shaft was installed, it was off a few degrees and that caused the electronic power steering unit to try adjust to the position it was in.

The dealer put it back in the correct position and now the steering is perfect...tight and crisp like a Porsche should be.

Now comes the new issue! I drove the car all day Friday and Saturday am I put the key in and the following message appeared. "Ignition Lock Faulty". I called the dealer and they said to cycle the key...lock and unlock the car with the key and to try the second key. I did both and the message still is active. The dealer is going to come pick it up and figure out what is wrong. The dealer is great...but WTF is wrong with Porsche? You spend $110,000 on a car and you have these kinds of problems? Makes me wonder if my Panamera was built on a Friday afternoon in an old GM plant by union workers that don't care about quality!

 

oh man, glad to hear the steering issue is resolved but sorry to hear new electrical issue, but seems to be easier to solve, now, maybe just need to reset the ECU. Anyways, good luck again to you.