Porsche has issued a recall alert for about 25,000 Panamera sedans from model years 2017-2021 because a component of their climate control systems can short circuit. In rare circumstances, Porsche tells federal safety regulators, the defect poses the risk of a vehicle fire.
Humidity can cause moisture to accumulate in the cars’ external coolant pump, Porsche says. That can cause a short circuit. Over time, Porsche says, the resulting thermal damage to a warning harness “can lead to increased risk of a vehicle fire.”
Owners might notice a malfunction of the climate control system and a warning message if a short circuit occurs. But Porsche equips the Panamera with an auto rest feature that can turn on the climate control system even when the car is unoccupied, with no one to see a warning message.
Porsche dealers will replace the pump with a model of a new design that, Porsche says, guards against moisture damage. The fix, as with all recall repairs, is free.
Automakers try to reach every owner with recall notices, but some always slip through the cracks. That leaves millions of Americans driving cars with safety defects they could get repaired free of charge. Find out if your car has any unaddressed recalls at our recall center.
