greg0d

I see the use of Porsche Japan on the letter head, but could you highlight where it appears in the text? Perhaps I missed it.........

it's an understandable miss. in the body of the letter porsche japan is referred to as "当社" which is the standard and polite way to refer to one's company.

Would you mind telling us what the dealer found with your car? I hope for you it is good news! Thanks for posting the letter.

Unfortunately, all they did was a cursory inspection. According to the letter, I have to wait until the bearing fails before they will fix anything, at which time the repairs will be done at no cost.

I am still mulling over whether or not to do a preventative bearing replacement with the aftermarket bearing. It might be worth it to avoid the hassle of an engine failure.

...

What intrigues me is that all “official” letters from Porsche I have ever seen always reference the authority issuing the notification (Porsche Cars, Porsche Cars North America, etc.) somewhere within the body of the text; this one does not.

the letter is written in a typical Japanese business letter format and Porsche Japan is used in the body of the letter as well as at the top right corner.

LOL, yep JFP, we're saying the same thing, I just used a few more words. :)

Also interesting to note the phone number on the letter does match one listed on Porsche.com's website...

http://www.porsche.com/japan/jp/accessoriesandservice/porscheservice/emergencyservice

0120-846-911

my car has been to the dealer and the contents of the letter confirmed with them.

Here is a camera picture of the letter I got from Porsche Japan. Here is what the letter says in Japanese so you can plug whatever you want into google translate:

お客様各位 　　　 ポルシェジャパン株式会社お車に関する重要なお知らせ（インターミディエイト・シャフトについて）拝啓時下ますますご清栄のこととお喜び申し上げます。平素はポルシェ車をご愛用いただき、誠にありがとうございます。お客様のお車の品質を高レベルに保ち、安心してお乗りいただくためのご連絡をさせていただきます。これまでに生産されたポルシェ車の70％以上が、今なお世界の道路を走り続けてているーこの事実は、当社が誇る高いひんしつを物語るものです。ポルシェは卓越した車であるだけではなく、長くお乗りいただく楽しみを味わえる車でもあります。このような品質基準を長期にわたって維持するため、ポルシェでは車両の製造年代にかかわらず、品質に関するじょうほうを継続的に評価しています。こうした継続的検証を行う中で、当社｢911｣および｢ボクスター｣（2001年5月4日以降2005年2月21日までに製造された2001〜2005年モデル）のインターミディエイト・シャフト部分に、お客様の使用過程において損傷が発生する場合があることを確認いたしました。当社に記録によりますと、お客様は上記の範囲に該当することに致します。私どもの調査では、本件に関して今後お客様にご迷惑がおよぶ可能性は低いものと考えられます。しかしながら、これからもポルシェ車に安心してお乗りいただきますよう、当社は上記の調査結果および必要となりうる対応について、お客様にお知らせすることに致しました。（１） お客様におかれましては、インターミディエイト・シャフトが損傷するリスクを最小限に抑えるため、直ちに以下の症状に注意を払っていただきますようにお願いいたします。(a) 一般的なエンジン音とは異なる大きなエンジンの音(b）相当量のオイル漏出(c） 激しいエンジン振動がないか(d) エミッション・コントロール警告灯（チェック・エンジン警告灯）が点灯していないかもしも上記(a)ないし©の兆候が見られた場合には、直ちに車の運転を控え、お近くのポルシェセンターにご連絡いただき、措置に必要性を判断するためにエンジンの点検を受けていただきますようお願い申し上げます。また、(d)の兆候が見られた場合には、お近くのポルシェセンターまで相当の注意をもって運転の上、エミッション・コントロール警告灯（チェックエンジン警告灯）点灯の原因把握のために検査を受けていただきますようお願い申し上げます。（２） お客様の車両のエンジンに潜在的な故障に関する初期的な兆候があるか確認するために、可及的速やかにお近くのポルシェセンターにご連絡の上、エンジン点検を受けていただき、必要があれば修理していただきますようお願い申し上げます。上記（１）（２）のエンジン点検は無償で実施させていただきます。点検の結果、インターミディエイト・シャフトの修理が必要とされる場合、当該修理も無償で実施させていただきます。当社は上記の措置により、お客様にご不便をおかかしないようにと考えております。お客様にご不便をお掛けしますことをお詫びいたしますとともに。引き続きポルシェ車おご愛顧いただきますようにお願い申し上げます。 敬具

and here is an image with very rough translations in the margins:

Last month I got a letter from Porsche Japan saying that the intermediate shaft may need to be replaced and to bring it to the dealer for inspection. If it does need replacing it will be done free of charge. BTW, I did not buy my car from the dealer and have only gone there to get my doors reprogrammed.Has anybody from any other country been contacted by Porsche on this?

Come on Greg! We don't live in Japan, so why don't you give it a rest. I've seen your post on other threads... Don't hi-jack this one!

I posted this in several threads because this problem is in common with 986s, 996s, 987s and 997s. Maybe you don't live in Japan, but one presumes you own a Porsche. So, if Porsche Japan is taking action on this, perhaps others can use this as leverage to get their local Porsche to act.

Could you please post a copy of said letter to this thread to add credibility to your statement? Thank you!

i'm working on it. i can't find a scanner, so I may just post a picture of it taken with a camera-hopefully, by tonight.

i have a 996 and i just got a letter from porsche japan saying that the intermediate shaft could fail and to bring it in for inspection. if it needs to be repaired it will be done for free. my local mechanic is bringing it there for me at this time.

i don't use the dealer for service because it is out of the way (and frankly i don't like their attitude). however, i have visited the dealer to get some programming done that my local shop couldn't do, so my name and address were on file with them. it might be worthwhile to visit your local dealer and ask if they have a bulletin on the intermediate shaft.

This should be moved to the correct sub-forum (996).

Interesting, Greg0d. Keep us posted. Can you scan and attach a copy of your letter? Hide your personal info.

i posted it here because the subject was the intermediate shaft problem which the 986, 996, 987 and 997 all have in common.

i'll post a copy of the letter, but i doubt there are many readers who can read japanese. i can write a summary of what it says if anyone is interested.

Last month I got a letter from Porsche Japan saying that the intermediate shaft may need to be replaced and to bring it to the dealer for inspection. If it does need replacing it will be done free of charge. BTW, I did not buy my car from the dealer and have only gone there to get my doors reprogrammed.

Has anybody from any other country been contacted by Porsche on this?

tried the 991 during the summer with a ******** of a salesman in the passenger's seat which did not enhance the experience. every time i got even close to the speed limit he told me to watch the speed limit. it was supposed to be an hour test drive, but it ended up being only fifteen minutes because he really got on my nerves. needless to say, it did not leave me with really any impression of the car. two things i did notice were that 1) overall ride quality was better than my 996 and 2) the steering felt weird to me cornering at about 30 kilometers per hour.

i have a 996 and i just got a letter from porsche japan saying that the intermediate shaft could fail and to bring it in for inspection. if it needs to be repaired it will be done for free. my local mechanic is bringing it there for me at this time.

i don't use the dealer for service because it is out of the way (and frankly i don't like their attitude). however, i have visited the dealer to get some programming done that my local shop couldn't do, so my name and address were on file with them. it might be worthwhile to visit your local dealer and ask if they have a bulletin on the intermediate shaft.