Recall 16V946 covers 85 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman, 911, and 718 Boxster vehicles for side air bag failure. Free repair at any franchised Porsche dealer.
Porsche is recalling 85 2017 718 Cayman, 911, and 718 Boxster vehicles because the seat-mounted side air bag inflator initiator can fail to ignite during a crash. If that happens, the side air bag will not deploy, increasing injury risk; Porsche dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The seat-mounted side air bag in the 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman, 911, and 718 Boxster sits in the seat and is designed to deploy beside the occupant during a side-impact crash. Its inflator contains an initiator, which is the part that starts the chemical reaction that fills the air bag. When it works correctly, that reaction happens fast enough for the bag to open before the occupant moves into the impact area.
On affected Porsche vehicles, some Autoliv-supplied initiators were built with the wrong generant mix ratio. The generant is the chemical material that creates the gas for inflation, and the mix has to be within specification for ignition to start. If the initiator does not ignite in a crash, the side air bag does not deploy as designed and the occupant loses that layer of crash protection.
There is no warning sign before failure. The problem is inside the air bag module, so the driver will not feel, hear, or see a change during normal driving.
Who's affected?
All listed Porsche sports cars share the same side air bag component in this recall.
| 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman | side air bag |
|---|---|
| 2017 Porsche 911 | side air bag |
| 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster | side air bag |
| Units affected | 85 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific car is included.
What's the safety risk?
If the inflator initiator fails to ignite, the side air bag will not deploy in a crash, increasing injury risk for occupants on that side. There is no warning sign before the failure, so confirm whether your VIN is included and schedule the repair soon. Repair is free at any franchised Porsche dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman, 911, or 718 Boxster is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Porsche dealer to schedule the free side air bag module replacement that addresses the inflator initiator problem.
- Bring the recall notice if Porsche mailed one. If not, reference recall number 16V946 when you call.
- Call Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243 with questions about scheduling or recall number AG10.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Porsche technician replaces the affected seat mounted side air bag modules. Parts and labor are covered under the recall, so the dealer repair is free. Out-of-pocket repairs already paid are handled through the existing warranty, not through a separate reimbursement program, because Porsche says the affected vehicles were still under warranty. Ask the service desk how warranty coverage applies if you have prior repair paperwork.
| Reimbursement | Warranty coverage applies |
|---|
Timeline
| December 30, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| March 27, 2017 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V946?
Recall 16V946 covers 85 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman, 911, and 718 Boxster vehicles with a seat-mounted side air bag inflator initiator that can fail to ignite during a crash. Porsche dealers replace the affected air bag modules for free.
What should I do if my 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman, 911, or 718 Boxster is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 16V946. If it is, contact a franchised Porsche dealer to schedule replacement of the affected side air bag modules. Reference recall number 16V946 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Porsche will replace the affected air bag modules free of charge at any franchised Porsche dealer.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is reduced side-impact protection in a crash. NHTSA campaign 16V946 says the seat-mounted side air bag inflator initiator can fail to ignite, so the side air bag will not deploy, increasing injury risk. Porsche replaces the affected air bag modules for free.
What if I bought my Porsche used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the original owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific 2017 Porsche is included, then contact a franchised Porsche dealer and reference recall number 16V946.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V946000 |
|---|---|
| Porsche customer service | 1-800-767-7243 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V946 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V946000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →