Used car guide

2004 Porsche Cayenne: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Porsche Cayenne first registered in 2004: we looked at the 944 MOTs these cars had during 2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

944MOTs of 2004 cars, done in 2025
73%pass first time (all 2004 cars: 58%)
6,100typical miles a year
2.1×the usual rate for sub-frame

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2004 Porsche Cayenne?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2004 Porsche Cayenne than on all cars registered in 2004.

  • Sub-frame2.1× usual
    Porsche Cayenne
    13% All 2004 cars
    6.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0.3% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Seat belts2.4× usual
    Porsche Cayenne
    4.4% All 2004 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.3%, against 0.6% of all 2004 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

Rigid brake pipes: 2.9% here, against 17.1% of all 2004 cars. Coil springs: 3.6% here, against 10.9% of all 2004 cars.

Common 2004 Porsche Cayenne MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2004 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
    34% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Suspension
    32% 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.

  • Brakes
    29% 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.

  • Tyres
    27% 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
    11% 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
    10% 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 2004 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 sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 2.1× as often on the 2004 Porsche Cayenne as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the seat belts? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the 2004 Porsche Cayenne as on other cars the same age.)
  3. 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
2023133Tyres 13%
20222,433Tyres 19%
20211,577Tyres 20%
20202,361Tyres 22%
20193,228Tyres 22%
20181,835Tyres 21%
20171,767Tyres 23%
20162,790Tyres 22%
20152,334Tyres 23%
20141,857Tyres 25%
20132,158Tyres 24%
20121,915Tyres 24%
20111,199Tyres 26%
2010856Tyres 25%
2009796Lights and electrics 27%
2008561Lights and electrics 26%
2007664Lights and electrics 30%
2006822Suspension 29%
20051,188Lights and electrics 32%
2003452Lights and electrics 34%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, counting the MOTs of Porsche Cayenne cars first registered in 2004. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score