The 2012 launch of the 981 generation brought an entirely new, lighter aluminium chassis and a longer wheelbase. It is widely considered the peak of the modern mid-engined Porsche, combining exceptional reliability with glorious naturally aspirated flat-six engines.
Dynamic engine mounts can fail internally, causing a dashboard error.
PADM Fault message
The adhesive on the door panel trim fails, causing the edge to pull away. Purely aesthetic but common.
Door trim lifting at the window line
The sports exhaust (PSE) valves can seize in the closed position, particularly on cars that do regular short journeys. Results in loss of the sport exhaust sound.
Loss of sport exhaust sound, Valve warning on dash
The PCM 3.1 system can suffer from screen freezes and reboots, particularly on earlier 981 models. Software updates usually resolve the issue.
Screen freeze, System reboot, Bluetooth disconnections