Your New Porsche 911's Dashboard Could Break If The Airbag Deploys

Dec. 14, 2022 3:37 PM ET by Jay Traugott Recall / Comments

The good news is that this recall is limited to very few examples.

Porsche and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) have issued a recall for a grand total of 53 examples of the 2022-2023 Porsche 911 in the US market.

The problem, identified through production records for vehicles built between September 13 and November 29, 2022, involves the leather dashboard cover that could detach if the passenger side airbag deploys following a crash.

Porsche says the adhesive used between the airbag lid and the dashboard cover did not meet proper production process requirements. The automaker only became aware of the defect in October following production test results. Testing was conducted at a high temperature, and additional testing was carried out "in a certain temperature range" to study the behavior of the instrument panel's components.

2020-2023 Porsche 911 Carrera Front View Driving

2020-2023 Porsche 911 Carrera Rear View Driving

2020-2023 Porsche 911 Carrera Side View Driving

Porsche did not want to take any chances, especially when the test results indicated a potential "negative influence" on the passenger airbag's deployment, which is a significant safety issue.

Porsche has determined it necessary to replace the affected 911s' entire dashboard, which could potentially "break and separate" if said airbag were to deploy. The carmaker says it will notify dealerships of the problem on December 21, 2022, and will contact owners starting on February 3, 2023.

Fortunately, there have not been any reports of accidents of the dash separating following an airbag deployment.

2020-2023 Porsche 911 Carrera Driver Area

2020-2023 Porsche 911 Carrera Central Console

2020-2023 Porsche 911 Carrera Front Seats

The recall notice does not state that owners should avoid driving their 911s until the fix has been completed, but they should still be cautious. Like all recalls, this one will be done free of charge. The new dashboard unit will have the adhesive applied correctly.

The German-built 911 has rarely faced recalls, and this one is relatively small. However, the 991-generation 911 GT3 was infamously recalled in 2014 due to potential engine failure and resulting fires. The problem was traced to a piston connecting rod bolt that resulted in at least two then brand-new examples going up in flames.

Last March, the all-electric Taycan was recalled due to a seat belt issue and, before that, a separate recall because of sudden power loss.