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QC? And the Macan is falling apart

13K views 67 replies 37 participants last post by  iconoclast 
#1 ·
Is it just me, or has anyone noticed a spate of complaints by first time posting members of odd complaints that have never been reported before?

Either Porsche is getting real sloppy, or we are being spoofed and trolled almost every day.

Don't feed the trolls.
 
#2 ·
Some issues are for 2015 Macan's, so it is not the new production problem.

Unless these complaints are untrue, it is pretty scary for many of us whose Macan's will be out of the factory warranty in a year or so.
 
#3 ·
I notice it, so you're not alone. A lot of people join the forums because they have a problem with the car and are looking for advice. While others join because they want to share experiences about the car with like members, make friends and share Porsche news, etc. I think of the former as "Grasshoppers" learning the Porsche way from the Masters, heck, I was one too, and you probably were too when you had your 1st Porsche car.
 
#4 ·
When you consider the ever increasing number of Macans on the road and that many forum member's cars are getting older with more miles, there are bound to be more problem reports.

No real indication that the Macan has a frequency of repair issue at all. And Consumer Reports and JD Power bear this out with surveys of substantial numbers of owners.
 
#6 ·
I think sometimes some of us just happen to not bother to report. I have my fair share of little problems here and there. Some were resolved while some not. Case in point, the passenger side windshield nozzle would never direct the fluid onto the glass. Whenever I use it, the car behind me gets sprayed. Dealer fixed it 3 times (replaced this and that), and the thing would only work for a day, and then it goes back to cleaning the car behind...
 
#8 ·
My 2015 Macan S as a data point: currently at 3 years and 4 months w/ 30k miles.

1. Turbo boost leak - fixed under warranty (cost unknown but dealer said it was not cheap)
2. Steering wheel squeak - fixed under warranty (replaced steering shaft - ~$400 billed to Porsche)
3. Passenger airbag sensor recall - about $1300 billed to Porsche
4. Fuel pump flange recall - cost unknown (shouldn't be expensive)
5. Rear hatch rain leak recall - cost unknown (shouldn't be expensive)
6. Brake pedal squeak - fixed under warranty (replaced brake master cylinder, etc. - cost unknown but not cheap)


Pending issues:
7. Passenger 18-way seat - side bolsters don't work any more
8. Pigeon cooing noise during idling - 2 dealers said normal so far, but it is loud sometimes
 
#29 ·
My 2015 Macan S as a data point: currently at 3 years and 4 months w/ 30k miles.

1. Turbo boost leak - fixed under warranty (cost unknown but dealer said it was not cheap)...
What were the symptoms you noticed?
Do you have a thread on this issue?
 
#10 ·
I have a new to me 2017 turbo with 12K miles, coming from a 2015 911 TTS. The interior build quality seems solid, however the car make all sorts of strange mechanical and squealing type noises a lot. No interior rattles or squeaks, thankfully.

My main concern is a loud squeal which seems to come from the left side of the car under light to moderate acceleration or throttle position, around 2k RPM. It is quite loud, especially when I hear it reflected off of adjacent structures or cars. Sounds a bit like a brake squeal. It is definitely not turbo spooling noise, and it goes away as RPMs climb or under more throttle. I will probably see the dealer about this one. Unfortunately I purchased outside of Porsche, and they may not be so happy to hunt down noises for me.


I also have the brake squeak, which does not bother me so much. Nor does a rattle that comes from under the car at lower speeds and RPMs, like when driving around a parking lot. There is also a very loud, floppy like mechanical noise that lasts about a second, coming from under the hood when accelerating hard. I think this is in second gear. Although these things don't really bother me, it makes the driving experience seem cheapened, like I had bought a used Lebaron, not a 100k porsche. I also recently purchased a 1995 carrera, which is totally solid. My 911 turbo also seemed much more solid. So maybe the QC on the macan is a little lean. I certainly won't be keeping it without a warranty.

I must say however, it is a blast to drive and offers great design and comfort.
 
#11 ·
My main concern is a loud squeal which seems to come from the left side of the car under light to moderate acceleration or throttle position, around 2k RPM. It is quite loud, especially when I hear it reflected off of adjacent structures or cars. Sounds a bit like a brake squeal. It is definitely not turbo spooling noise, and it goes away as RPMs climb or under more throttle. I will probably see the dealer about this one. Unfortunately I purchased outside of Porsche, and they may not be so happy to hunt down noises for me.

I also have the brake squeak, which does not bother me so much. Nor does a rattle that comes from under the car at lower speeds and RPMs, like when driving around a parking lot. There is also a very loud, floppy like mechanical noise that lasts about a second, coming from under the hood when accelerating hard. I think this is in second gear. Although these things don't really bother me, it makes the driving experience seem cheapened, like I had bought a used Lebaron, not a 100k porsche. I also recently purchased a 1995 carrera, which is totally solid. My 911 turbo also seemed much more solid. So maybe the QC on the macan is a little lean. I certainly won't be keeping it without a warranty.

I must say however, it is a blast to drive and offers great design and comfort.
Do a search for midpipe exhaust clamp bracket noise.

My brake squeal stopped for good when I stopped applying tire shine product to the tires per the Service Manager's recommendation.
 
#14 ·
My 3.5 month old Macan was nothing but a bad experience for me. I joined this forum right around the time I ordered it in January, but read many posts for a month before becoming a member. Not once did I ever expect to hate my new car. I do think that those who are happy don't tend to hang around much, but those with problems continue to seek forum help. I don't believe that we have many trolls here though. With all my 40+ years of driving, this Macan was not my most expensive vehicle, however it was the most problematic from the get go. I don't know if it is because of Porsche QC or just the bad PDK transmission from my experience. I find it hard to believe that the transfer case problems continue to pop up here, and that Porsche can't seem to get a grip on it. Very unsettling for a luxury brand. Most cars will have a few minor fixes after delivery, but to have a bad transmission, transfer case, brake problems (also noted on the forum) etc leads me to believe these are engineering problems that originated in the design or that Porsche is outsourcing their equipment to inferior manufacturers. None the less, my experience with the Macan was very disappointing, that is why I traded it in.
 
#15 ·
It is very difficult to discern from anecdotal accounts on a forum whether problems are significantly common. Individual reports are of course real and significant to those who have the problems.

I recall an extremely common problem with the model of motorcycle my wife and I each rode, more so than our transfer case issue. It was the subject of countless posts and eventually led to a recall. Then someone started a poll thread. This biggest of all issues affected 4% of all owners. Good news isn’t posted.

Here’s one other observation. The Macan field population only started to accumulate in 2015. It doubled by the end of 2016, took another jump in 2017, etc. it’s still relentlessly increasing since virtually all are still on the road and sales grow each year too. So even if problem rates are constant, we’d expect posted reports to grow too. Of course some of them (like finer things) are with new vehicles, so initial quality isn’t perfect. To assess it we have to rely on the likes of JDPowers or Consumer Reports.
 
#19 ·
Haha by 7 million miles the tail will fall off any tiger. :laugh:
 
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#20 · (Edited)
No issues with my current TPP after 16 months of ownership. My first Macan only had to go into the dealership for recalls. I guess both of mine weren't the last ones off the assembly line on a Friday. :eek:
 
#23 ·
Early adopter, took delivery in May 2014 so I’m out of warranty and about to purchase a Fidelity after market. Only minor issues thus far, still love driving my Macan. I do think you hear more about the issues vs those who don’t have anything major to report.
 
#28 ·
It does sound like two pieces of metal rubbing and making a horrid high pitched screeching sound. It is quite unpleasant and sort of ruins the driving experience for me. I have seen a few other posts describing it as well with no resolution reported.
Have dealer check the mid-pipe bracket. You can also look under the car and see if it is cracked.

Check this thread: https://www.macanforum.com/forum/complaints/71953-cracked-mid-pipe-exhaust-plate-bracket.html
 
#33 · (Edited)
Don't feed the trolls.
I don't consider them trolls. People with a problem with their car will seek solace in complaining to other owners of the same model seeking information that, perhaps, they aren't the only one with the same problem. Or, they could could be just seeking a fix. Nothing is wrong with that. Misery loves company, etc etc etc. Once they find solace or don't, they leave. People come and go all the time and a new wave appears. This is the ebb and flow of any automotive forum. Its just how it works. No, I do not believe they are trolls. That said, of course there are some but the honest people are honestly seeking information of some kind of confirmation.

Got a complaint? File it in the complaint subforum. Obviously, transfer cases seems to be a problem. Is it a "big" problem? Do you see an IMS level class action law suit? When you do, then its a big problem. This article said it all very well back when the Macan was announced:

Avoidable Contact: Cayenne won’t help ya, Cayenne won’t do you no good.

"... the cheaper the car, and/or the bigger the market, the higher the expectations. There’s a reason that you can buy a Cayenne Turbo S for $15,000 against an original MSRP of $143,000 just seven or eight years after it leaves Leipzig: it doesn’t meet expectations. The man who spent six figures on the Cayenne Turbo S can afford to take that loss, but his more modestly-accomplished younger brother can’t afford to take the same hit on his Macan. If you want to play in the mass market, you need to bring mass market skills to bear. There’s no evidence that Porsche has those skills. Which means that they will eventually fail, and they will fail on a scale from which there is no recovery.

I could be wrong. The Macan could be a tremendous success and it could be so well-built and reliable that it creates an entirely new generation of loyal buyers who can’t wait to buy the Porsche sports cars as companion pieces."


It seems to me they have succeeded. Sales continue to boom. There are no class action lawsuits that I know of for quality.
 
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