Used car guide

2003 Porsche Cayenne: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Porsche Cayenne first registered in 2003: we looked at the 1,567 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,567MOTs of 2003 cars, done in 2023–2025
72%pass first time (all 2003 cars: 57%)
5,800typical miles a year
2.4×the usual rate for seat belts

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2003 Porsche Cayenne?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2003 Porsche Cayenne than on all cars registered in 2003.

  • Seat belts2.4× usual
    Porsche Cayenne
    4.1% All 2003 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1%, against 0.6% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£250 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock and retract smoothly.

Better than most

Coil springs: 3.4% here, against 10.4% of all 2003 cars. Braking performance: 1.7% here, against 7.4% of all 2003 cars.

Common 2003 Porsche Cayenne MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2003 Porsche Cayenne MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Lights and electrics
    31% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    26% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    25% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    25% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    13% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    11% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2003 Porsche Cayenne

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the seat belts? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the 2003 Porsche Cayenne as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Porsche Cayenne?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Porsche Cayenne compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023130Tyres 13%
20222,484Tyres 19%
20213,115Tyres 21%
20207,140Tyres 21%
20199,554Tyres 21%
20185,477Tyres 22%
20175,377Tyres 24%
20168,347Tyres 23%
20157,068Tyres 23%
20145,650Tyres 23%
20136,494Tyres 24%
20125,827Tyres 25%
20113,660Tyres 25%
20102,656Tyres 24%
20092,471Tyres 26%
20081,757Tyres 25%
20072,108Lights and electrics 30%
20062,687Lights and electrics 27%
20053,893Lights and electrics 30%
20043,214Lights and electrics 33%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Porsche Cayenne cars first registered in 2003. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score