Porsche Macan Brake Problems
2017 Porsche Macan by Vauxford — CC BY-SA 4.0
In 2014, Porsche introduced its latest five-door luxury crossover SUV to the world: the Macan. The Porsche Macan has several variants for its buyers to choose from and was designed to be more compact and sportier than the Porsche Cayenne, making it perfect for those looking to drive multiple passengers around in style.
CoPilot wants to make sure you get a perfectly working Macan without any prior defects, so we’re here to tell you everything you need to look out for before buying.
The Most Common Problems with Porsche Macan & Costs to Fix
These are the most common problems reported by owners on platforms such as carproblems.com, carcomplaints.com, and Car Talk Community.
- Too much brake pedal travel. Cost to fix: $100 - 750 (depending on nature of issue)
- Light alert on. Cost to fix: N/A
- Belly pan damaged. Cost to fix: $100
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Porsche Macan: Brake Pedal Travel
Cost to fix: $100 - 750
The Porsche Macan is an exceptional vehicle with very few problems. Even its most reported problem, brake pedal travel, has happened to an exceptionally low number of Macans. However, we will still dive into this problem in order to keep you as educated as possible about any potential flaws. Brake pedal travel essentially means that your pedal sinks very quickly when you brake rather than depressing at a normal rate.
Excessive brake pedal travel can stem from a number of causes, and the exact origin will determine the cost of your repairs. If the issue is as simple as a low amount of fluid in the master cylinder, this will be easy to fix and will likely cost around $200 for the mechanics’ time.
Brake pads and drums suffer from wear and tear over time, making them less effective in stopping the car. Replacing these should run you about $100. More concerning would be a problem with the master cylinder, which stores brake fluid and sends it to the wheel cylinders.
If something goes wrong here, brake pedal travel can become a huge issue. Depending on the severity of your brake pedal travel and how much longer it takes the car to stop, this could become a safety hazard, so make sure to take your Porsche Macan into a shop immediately. Replacing the master cylinder will cost about $300, but if you wind up having to replace the entire brake system, it’ll be closer to $750.
Problem Two: Light Alert
Cost to fix: N/A
One Porsche Macan had a report that the Right Rear Warning Light would pop up now and then, refusing to go away no matter what was done with the light. The light was in complete working order, so this was likely due to an internal malfunction with the vehicle’s computer.
Unfortunately, the customer that complained about this problem was not able to find a fix, unless they would be willing to replace the car’s internal systems or have overly expensive repairs done. For this reason, there isn’t a particular cost attached to this defect.
It’s extremely unlikely that this would happen to you because, again, only one report has ever been filed for this problem, but it would be important to watch out for this while looking at buying a Porsche Macan. It should be easy to tell if the Macan suffers from this flaw, as the Right Rear Warning Light would be flashing incessantly.
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Another common problem with Porsche Macan: Damaged Belly Pan
Cost to fix: $100
As with the previous issue, there has only been one report of belly pan damage with the Porsche Macan. The belly pan is a metal or plastic sheet covering the underside of a vehicle in order to protect the engine compartment from dirt and other grime.
Many consider the belly pan a non-essential piece of a car, but it is important to have if you’re in areas with an extreme climate, like a lot of snow for example, so that it can prevent unwanted materials from entering underneath your car.
This case of a damaged belly pan with the Porsche Macan shouldn’t be something you have to worry about, as it occurred from general wear and tear after purchase. The driver went through a snowstorm which negatively impacted their vehicle and slightly tore up the belly pan.
The good news is that if this happens to you, it’s relatively inexpensive to fix. All you have to do is take your SUV into a shop and have them replace the belly pan, generally costing $50 - 100.
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How to Avoid Buying an Unreliable Used Porsche Macan
The Porsche Macan is widely renowned for being incredibly reliable, and its track record of minimal complaints is a testament to that. However, you’ll still want to do your due diligence in inspecting the car before buying, so we recommend taking it for a test drive and checking the smoothness of the ride and how the brakes feel.
If it’s difficult to make the car stop and the brakes feel like they’re descending too low, you should look for another model. Even more importantly, always make sure to have your favorite mechanic approve the car and ask for a pre-purchase inspection!
The Easiest Way to Find Reliable Porsche Macans in Your Area
For the easiest way to find reliable Porsche Macans in your area, download the free CoPIlot car shopping app. We’ll search every dealership in your area for the five-door luxury crossover SUV you’re looking for and make a list, personal to you, of the best purchases near you.
CoPilot is built using the same technology that car dealerships use to buy and sell their inventory, making it the smartest and easiest way to buy a used Porsche Macan.
If you’re more interested in a newer, off-lease ride, try CoPilot Compare, the search engine for nearly-new cars. Not only do we exclusively show you models that are 5 years or newer with low mileage (most with CPO availability), we’ll also break down how much you save buying used vs. new and show you the best nearly-new listings in your area.
On top of all this, CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no ‘promoted’ or ‘sponsored’ listings - just the best cars in your area. Learn more about how CoPilot works on our About Us page.
