Porsche Infotainment Suit

By Nicole Halavi

A class action lawsuit was recently filed against Porsche alleging the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) units received software updates that caused permanent damage to the units. The damage apparently resulted in May of 2020 when Porsche infotainment systems were sent Sirius updates that allegedly caused the communication units to constantly activate and deactivate.

The class action includes: “All entities and individuals who, on the date the Update was transmitted, owned or leased a Porsche vehicle equipped with an XM radio antenna and Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system 3.0 or 3.1 that received the Update.”

Owners complain the PCM units continuously reboot and drain the car batteries. Even more frustrating for these owners is the $2,000 to $4,000 cost they are forced to pay to replace the destroyed PCM units.

One plaintiff purchased a used 2011 Porsche Panamera in 2012 and still received the infotainment update without having been a Sirius customer. Once the PCM update was complete, the infotainment system in his vehicle began rebooting every 2 to 10 minutes even when the engine was off. The PCM unit also made a loud static sound each time the system rebooted, which could distract the driver and create a potentially dangerous situation on the road. Ultimately, the car’s battery degraded, and the hard drive was damaged due to a software update the owner never even authorized.

The plaintiff also claims that one Porsche dealer told him the reboot cycles permanently damaged the infotainment system hard drive, a problem that could only be resolved by replacing the entire PCM unit. The owner could not drive his vehicle for over 2 months until he paid over $3,000 to replace the PCM unit.

This infotainment defect has allegedly also caused problems in the vehicle’s navigation, radio, sound, and phone systems. The suit alleges that the automaker should have known that these Sirius-related updates would cause problems and put drivers at risk, yet the problems are ongoing, and the automaker has made no attempt to remedy the issues.

What Can I Do if I’m Driving a Porsche with a Sirius XM Radio?

If you are driving a Porsche equipped with Sirius radio functioning, and it is exhibiting any of the issues discussed above, California’s lemon laws are here to protect you and prevent any further complications. The attorneys at CCA are very knowledgeable about the issues associated with the infotainment system in Porsche vehicles and will work with you to fight back against the automaker.

Please do not hesitate to call CCA today for a free consultation: (833) LEMON-FIRM. We’ll get you the compensation you deserve – and at no cost to you!

About the Author
Sepehr Daghighian is a partner with CCA that is well-versed in all aspects of lemon-law litigation. A 2005 graduate of Loyola Law School, Mr. Daghighian has been practicing litigation throughout the state of California for over 13-years. In this time, Mr. Daghighian has advocated on behalf of California consumers in hundreds of lemon law cases throughout our great state. Mr. Daghighian has also successfully tried numerous such cases to verdict in both Federal and State Court.