Recall 21V318 affects 136 2020-2021 Porsche Cayenne SUVs with a missing passenger-seat heating element that disables airbag deployment. Repair is free at any franchised Porsche dealer.
Porsche is recalling 136 2020-2021 Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne GTS, and Cayenne E-Hybrid vehicles under recall 21V318 because the passenger seat back heating element was not installed, which can throw off the Occupant Classification System calibration. The front passenger air bag can fail to deploy in a crash, and Porsche dealers will correct the system free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The Occupant Classification System in these Cayennes is the safety logic that decides how the front passenger airbag should behave in a crash. It reads weight and seating data from sensors built into the passenger seat to tell whether the seat is empty, holds a small occupant, or holds an adult. The system then arms, suppresses, or scales the passenger airbag accordingly. The seat backrest assembly, including its heating element, is part of what the system is calibrated against.
On the affected vehicles, the heating element for the passenger seat backrest was left out during assembly because of an incorrect parts list. That missing component changes the physical makeup of the seat back from what the Occupant Classification System was calibrated to expect. As a result, the system can misread the passenger seat and classify the occupant incorrectly, which affects how the passenger airbag deploys in a crash.
If the system detects a fault, the airbag warning lamp or the Passenger Airbag OFF lamp will light up on the dashboard. That dashboard alert is the warning sign to watch for.
Who's affected?
Covers five Cayenne variants (Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne GTS, Cayenne E-Hybrid, and the 2020 E-Hybrid logged separately) across the 2020 and 2021 model years, all sharing the same backrest heating element.
| 2020 Porsche Cayenne S | front air bag |
|---|---|
| 2020 Porsche Cayenne S | seat assembly |
| 2020 Porsche Cayenne | front air bag |
| 2020 Porsche Cayenne | seat assembly |
| 2020 Porsche Redundant Cayenne E-Hybrid | front air bag |
| 2020 Porsche Redundant Cayenne E-Hybrid | seat assembly |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid | front air bag |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid | seat assembly |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS | front air bag |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS | seat assembly |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne S | front air bag |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne S | seat assembly |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne | front air bag |
| 2021 Porsche Cayenne | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 136 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific SUV is included in this recall.
What's the safety risk?
If the front passenger air bag fails to deploy in a crash, the front-seat passenger faces a higher risk of injury. Watch the dashboard: an illuminated airbag warning lamp or a lit "Passenger Airbag OFF" indicator when an adult is seated up front means the classification system is not reading correctly, so schedule the repair soon. Repair is free at any franchised Porsche dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2020-2021 Porsche Cayenne is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Porsche dealer to schedule the free installation of the passenger seat back heating element, which restores correct calibration of the Occupant Classification System so the front passenger air bag deploys as designed.
- Reference recall number 21V318 (Porsche recall AMB0) when you call the dealer or Porsche customer service.
- Call Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243 with questions about the repair or your owner letter.
- Avoid carrying a front-seat passenger until the repair is complete, since the passenger air bag deployment is the affected safety system.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Porsche technician installs the missing heating element in the passenger seat back and recalibrates the Occupant Classification System so it reads passenger weight correctly. Parts and labor are free under the recall. If you previously paid out of pocket to address the missing heating element or related Occupant Classification System calibration, Porsche's standard reimbursement plan covers documented expenses. Bring your receipts to the service desk when you arrive, or call Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243 and reference recall AMB0 before your appointment.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| May 5, 2021 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| June 25, 2021 | Owner notification mailed |
| June 27, 2021 | Dealer notification began |
| June 27, 2021 | Dealer notification ended |
| June 27, 2021 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| June 27, 2021 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 21V318?
Recall 21V318 covers 136 2020-2021 Porsche Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne E-Hybrid, Cayenne GTS, and Cayenne GTS Coupe vehicles where the passenger seat back heating element was not installed. The missing element can affect the Occupant Classification System calibration, and the front passenger air bag can fail to deploy in a crash.
What should I do if my 2020-2021 Porsche Cayenne is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific Cayenne is included in recall 21V318. If it is, contact a franchised Porsche dealer to schedule installation of the passenger seat back heating element. Reference Porsche recall number AMB0 when you call. The repair is free, and Porsche customer service is reachable at 1-800-767-7243.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to perform the recall repair at no cost. Porsche dealers will install the passenger seat back heating element free of charge at any franchised Porsche dealer, regardless of where the vehicle was originally purchased.
What is the safety risk of recall 21V318?
The missing seat back heating element can affect how the Occupant Classification System reads the front passenger seat. If the system reads incorrectly, the front passenger air bag can fail to deploy in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to a front-seat passenger.
What if I bought my Porsche Cayenne used?
The free repair still applies. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to honor the recall regardless of ownership history. If Porsche never mailed you a notice, check your VIN to confirm whether your specific Cayenne is included, and reference recall number AMB0 when you call the dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/21V318000 |
|---|---|
| Porsche customer service | 1-800-767-7243 |
| NHTSA recall # | 21V318 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 21V318000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 24, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →