The Porsche 997, the successor and younger sibling to the Porsche 996, started in the works as early as late 1998, despite its first layman release coming in 2004, with the Model Year 2005.

A favourite within niche Porsche Facebook settlements, and an extremely large contender for the best all-around “budget” Porsche model – it truly was the first Porsche to take its toes out of the water and step into modern 2000s society.

Despite the aforementioned, generously termed, mixed success of the Porsche 996, Grant Larson had not given up on the initial 1992 blueprint and remained keen to establish that the new millennium of Porsche 911 models could be a success. So, in 2001, after compiling mountains of clay models and sketchy diagrams, a final design was signed off. The project was officially on.

Porsche zealots were understandably ecstatic to find several relatively minor, but quickly commended, aesthetical changes had been made to the Porsche 997 in light of the 996’s downfall. This included the canning of the greatly abhorred “fried-egg lights,” with a return to the vigorously fan-guarded oval shape, and a reworked interior – something that was far more evocative of the insides of the classic 911, as opposed to the 996’s perhaps more flamboyant.

However, despite a slight power gain, bigger wheels and a rather insignificant chassis change, the opening Porsche 997 was, in fact, very similar to the Porsche 996.

So, does it suffer from the same problems as the Porsche 996?

Fortunately, likely due to the mounds of letters threatening mob action after the 996 release, Porsche technicians did manage to tackle the bulk of the major issues that the forerunner had so regularly endured.

Nevertheless, many of the Porsche 997 models do not come out of the tin as a perfect car, and it can, and does, unfortunately, suffer from issues that may become serious if left untreated.

Despite that, the Porsche 997 is, as suggested before, one of the greatest Porsche 911 models to own, as, although it has its flaws, they are relatively easy to fix and remains pretty cost-effective.

So let’s take a look at what the most common issues of owning a Porsche 997 are.

Porsche 997 Common Issues

Porsche 997 Bad Service History

The service history is something you should intensely inspect and consider when buying any used car, but especially more so with older car models like the 997.

Not only this, but any history of mechanical work that has not been done by a Porsche trained specialist is a great indicator of how the car was looked after – especially considering that non-specialist servicing can be very damaging to any Porsche.

On top of all that, the latest servicing documentation will be a good read into what issues the car has been facing and what costs you will likely soon have to pay.

Over-revving Events

Over-revving is the boogeyman of Porsche problems; one that is commonly risked by especially extravagant Porsche “drivers.” However, over-revving, no matter how well-intentioned, often leads to an invalidation of the Porsche manufacturer warranty.

You can quite easily check if revving has been abused by previous owners by checking with the ECU, which should tell you exactly if it has been occurring, and if so how badly.

Although internet guides can be a good indicator of how to interpret what your ECU is telling you, it is always best to check over the findings with an expert to get the best possible read of it.

Although this is almost solely a problem with manual Porsche 997s, engine damage caused by over-revving will not necessarily be abrasively apparent to the naked eye or ear, so this is one thing to push up on the list of your checking priorities.

IMS Bearing Failure

IMS Bearing failure was only a present issue with the earliest instalments of the Porsche 997 models and was fixed in late 2006 with the introduction of factory-fitted solutions.

A good rule of thumb is to always ask about the status of the IMS Bearing, but it is also extremely unlikely that any 997 post-2007 will experience any of these issues; however, if you’re looking at a more classic 2005-2006 Porsche 997, definitely look into the IMS Bearing as otherwise it could lead to disastrous damage and engine failure.

You can find IMS Bearing solutions for the 997 on our website.

Bore Scoring on the Porsche 997

Bore scoring is not a widely experienced issue on 997s, despite what many internet sleuths may have you believe. It is not experienced at all on DFI engines of the second-gen Porsche 997 or the first generation turbos (and GT models) and is far more likely to occur on 3.8 engines of first-gen standard Porsche 997s than those holding a 3.6.

However, it is an extremely costly issue to have if it does occur, so it is better to be safer than sorry.

A darkened nearside exhaust tip or rattling/tapping noise when in idle are normally decent indicators of bore scoring occurring, however, if you are going for an older version of a 997 and are concerned about bore scoring you should request a borescope inspection on the car.

Cracked Coil Packs

A misfiring engine is never a pretty sight on any car, however, a test drive induced engine misfire is not something to hang up your boots for.

Arrange for a specialist to take a look at the root cause of the misfiring engine as cracked coil packs are the most common issue, and replacements (which you can find on our website here) and reinstatements are relatively inexpensive.

Faulty Alternator Cables

A faulty alternator cable in some early Porsche 997 models led to a decreased battery life and run-time. Replacing it with an upgraded alternator cable is an easy fix and theoretically straightforward job, however, routing can be a tricky task on 997s.

Despite this, any Porsche 997 for sale will likely have this issue fixed, however, it’s always best to check with the previous owner about if they experienced any issues if you’re buying the earliest available model.

Damaged Radiators

Coolant radiators and aircon condensers found in the nose of the 997 are prone to leakage, and the vents are typically only washed during servicing by a specialist, so radiators in poor condition are an, unfortunately, common sight.

Always check with the previous owner about the state of their radiator, as some may have applied simple modifications to prevent leaking, or if they are not sure, take it to a specialist.  Shop Radiator replacements here.

Final Thoughts on Porsche 997 Common Issues

The 997 is a car that defined the sports range of the mid-2000s for Porsche and is still considered by many to be the best model – in terms relative to the cost and the performance.

The Porsche 997s faults can be fixed and it can become a fantastic 911 that runs like a daily driver. Shop our Porsche 997 parts here.

Have any queries about parts for your Porsche, need some information, want to chat with a specialist or need help with a problem to do with other services/parts?

Don’t hesitate to contact us, visit our shop to see items on offer or enquire about our services – we’ll be happy to help with all manners of Porsche!

997 (911) MK1 & MK2 2005-2012 Porsche Parts Q&A's Technical Information