Porsche issues global recall for its £90,000 electric Taycan sports car over brake issue

27/06/2024

Porsche is aware of a front brake hose fault that can cause a fluid leakLess than 1% of all Taycans globally are said to be affected by the problemCars displaying warning message need fixing but are said to be safe to drive

Porsche has been forced to issue a global recall for its £90,000 Taycan electric sports cars due to a brake system issue.

The German marque has called in all Taycans models from the 2020 model year all the way up to the latest 2025 version.

The iconic sports car maker says the issue affects less than 1 per cent of all Taycan models sold around the world, and that cars remain safe to drive but fixing the safety issue is of paramount importance.

While a Porsche spokesperson told us the UK recall has yet to be officially announced and only a very small number of cars are impacted, it will go ahead with 'installing optimised brake hoses on the front axle as a precautionary measure'.

Porsche has issued a recall notice across its 150,000 Taycan models sold worldwide, after a small number of the cars have been affected by a braking issue. Cracks can develop that cause brake fluid to leak, which could cause a part brake failure, it has been reported

The sports car manufacturer has identified a problem with the front brake hoses, with some cars developing cracks causing brake fluid to leak, with the result that there could be loss of brake pressure and braking performance.

The exact number of cars affected hasn't been disclosed, but Porsche has instructed owners on how to proceed if a fault develops.

If a warning light on the dashboard - like 'brake fluid low' or 'PSM failure' - shows up, then the owner should drive their Taycan to a Porsche dealership, where the hose will be fixed or replaced.

If a red light appears, owners are instructed not to use the car and contact Porsche.

Cars not displaying a warning light are safe to drive Porsche insists.

The newly updated Porsche Taycan - that can now go 421 miles on a single charge - is also subject to the recall notice. Porsche currently sells the conventional Taycan (left), Taycan Cross Turismo estate (centre) and Taycan Sport Turismo shooting brake (right)

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Despite the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) - which oversees car safety recalls in Britain - yet to confirm the call back for UK examples, Porsche told This is Money it will be going ahead.

'As part of internal quality analyses, it was determined that material failure can occur in the brake hoses of the front axle on Porsche Taycan vehicles,' an official statement given to us reads.

'The safety of customers, passengers, and third parties is a top priority for Porsche. For this reason, Porsche will install optimised brake hoses on the front axle as a precautionary measure.

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'If a material failure occurs in a brake hose on the front axle, brake fluid may leak out and brake pressure may be reduced. As a result, the brake pedal must be depressed further when braking (increased brake pedal travel) and braking performance is reduced. The usual braking distance may increase, and the associated risk of accident and injury may increase.

'If the system detects a deviation in brake pressure, a yellow warning message (PSM failure – Visit workshop, Continued driving possible with adjustment) appears in the instrument cluster. If the brake fluid level is too low, a red warning message (Brake fluid low - park vehicle safely) is displayed.

'In this particular case, it is recommended that the affected vehicle be parked in a safe place as soon as the yellow warning message appears and to contact the responsible Porsche Centre or Porsche Assistance. The independent transfer of the vehicle to a qualified specialist workshop should be avoided.

'The affected parts are available. They will be replaced as a precaution and free of charge. The time required for this precautionary measure is expected to be around two hours.'

Porsche will be writing to UK owners to invite them to bring their Taycan to a dealership to have the replacement horse fitted.

This falls under the warranty cover.

Over 40,000 Porsche Taycan models built between July 2019 and May 2021 were called back over a potential safety fault that could deactivate airbags and seatbelt tensioners

Around 150,000 Taycans have been sold worldwide since 2020, with models across all markets potentially affected.

Prices in the UK start from £86,500 for the standard Taycan, while the priciest (Taycan Turbo GT with Weissach Package) rings in at a whopping £186,300.

It's been reported by Motor Authority that seven cars in the US have suffered this braking fault so far, out of 31,689.

The Taycan had an airbag recall in 2022, with 43,000 cars at risk of the fault, and battery cell 'anomalies' were detected with around 3,000 cars last month.