Porsche Are Suddenly Shutting Off — But Only in One Country
These Porsche owners won’t be going anywhere in a hurry.
Is Porsche Russia dealing with a cyberattack, or is the explanation something far less dramatic? A new report out of the country claims that hundreds of Porsche vehicles have suddenly become undriveable. Owners nationwide say their cars are experiencing abrupt engine shutdowns and fuel cut-offs, leaving high-performance models and SUVs completely immobilized—whether in the driveway, a parking lot, or wherever they happened to stop.
Widespread Problem Is Leaving Vehicles Disabled
Reports of the problem first surfaced last week, when members of a Russian Porsche Macan owners’ club began sharing complaints. What started as a handful of incidents quickly gained traction, leading to broader awareness and a spike in visits and calls to Porsche service centers.
Russian outlet RBC reports that hundreds of Porsche vehicles—some dating back to 2013—may be affected. The issue appears to span all gasoline-powered models, including the Cayenne and the iconic 911. Rolf, Russia’s largest new-car dealership group, confirmed the problem, noting that it began seeing an uptick in service inquiries starting November 28.
Rolf Service Director Yulia Trushkova explained the scope of the issue, stating, “At the moment, there is no communication with any model or internal combustion engine type. Any vehicle can be blocked.” She added that the company is still investigating the problem and exploring mechanical methods to unlock affected cars.
In a formal statement, the dealer group reiterated the concern: “Communication has been lost on all models. Any vehicle can be blocked. Right now, the issue can be bypassed only by resetting and disassembling the factory alarm unit.”
The leading theory points to Porsche’s vehicle tracking system as the culprit. The system relies on an onboard security module equipped with satellite tracking to locate stolen cars. As a protective measure, the module immobilizes the vehicle if it loses signal—an anti-theft safeguard that, in this case, appears to be misfiring.
Dealer Suggests the Issue May Be Intentional
Rolf has raised the possibility that the VTS security system is being intentionally triggered, but there may be a less calculated explanation. Widespread GPS and communications jamming linked to Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine could be interfering with the system. The fact that the failures are occurring at different times and requiring different fixes makes pinpointing a single cause even more difficult.
Porsche officially withdrew from the Russian market in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, opening up yet another potential factor: system neglect. If the required infrastructure or software updates are no longer being maintained in the region, that lapse could have contributed to the large-scale malfunction.
Some owners, however, have found temporary workarounds. Reports indicate that disconnecting the security module—or even leaving the vehicle’s battery unplugged for an extended period—can disable the system and restore drivability.
Even though Porsche stopped officially importing vehicles into Russia in 2022, the brand’s cars continue to enter the country through private sellers and independent dealerships. It’s unclear exactly how many Porsche are currently on Russian roads—or how many are affected by this widespread immobilization issue. In Porsche last full year of official sales in Russia, the automaker delivered 6,262 vehicles, with Cayenne SUVs making up more than half of that total.
Harja.Tn has contacted Porsche’s regional representatives for comment regarding the situation.
