A 2018 Porsche Panamera 4S came into our Shrewsbury shop this week from Little Silver for its 4-year and 2-year service. On paper it’s a routine factory service. Once we opened it up, it wasn’t routine: the air box was packed with leaves, and more leaves were sitting in the intercooler and radiators behind the front bumper.
Here’s everything we did, why each item matters on this car, and what Panamera owners around Little Silver, Rumson and Fair Haven should know heading into fall.
The car: 2018 Panamera 4S
The second-generation Panamera (971) 4S runs a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, an 8-speed PDK and all-wheel drive. It’s a strong powertrain, but it has to breathe. Twin turbos, intercoolers and a radiator pack all depend on clean airflow, which is why the filters and the front-end cooling stack matter more here than on a naturally aspirated car.
What we found: leaves in the air box and intercooler
The photo above shows the new air filter on the left, the old filter in the middle, and the air box lid on the right, full of leaves. The old filter was dark and loaded with debris.
With the front bumper cover off, we found more leaves packed against the intercooler and radiators. A car that parks under trees pulls leaves into the front intakes every time it drives, and in a Shore town in October that adds up fast.
Everything we did, and why
Spark plugs (every 4 years). The 2.9L twin-turbo V6 builds high cylinder pressure under boost. As plugs wear, the gap opens up and it takes more voltage to fire them, so misfires show up under load long before you’d notice anything at idle. Fresh plugs protect the coils and the catalytic converters too.
Engine air filter (every 4 years). A clogged filter makes the turbos work harder to move the same air. Ours was dark and the air box was full of leaves, so we replaced the filter and cleaned out the housing.
Brake fluid flush (every 2 years, whatever the mileage). Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air. Water lowers its boiling point, so a hard stop or a long downhill can cause a soft pedal, and it corrodes the brake system and ABS unit from the inside. Porsche calls for it every 2 years for that reason.
Cabin filter (every 2 years). This filters the air you breathe inside the car. Salt air, pollen and leaves at the Shore load it up quickly, and a clogged one cuts A/C and defrost airflow.
Oil and filter change (every year). Turbocharged engines are hard on oil, and the turbo bearings depend on it. Even a low-mileage Panamera gets fresh oil every year.
Body drains cleared. The Panamera has drains in the cowl under the windshield, in the sunroof, and at the rear. When leaves clog them, rainwater backs up into the cabin or onto electronics. On a car with this many leaves up front, we cleared them out.
Radiators and intercooler cleaned. Leaves blocking the intercooler mean hotter intake air and less power. Leaves blocking the radiators mean higher coolant temperatures and more strain on the fans. We cleared the debris from the cooling stack.
Our techs putting the front bumper cover back on this Panamera 4S once the coolers were clear, in our Shrewsbury shop.
What’s not due yet, and what comes next
On the 971 Panamera, the PDK transmission oil, all-wheel-drive oils and drive belt are due at 60,000 miles or 6 years under the factory schedule. If you’re coming up on that service, call us ahead of time, since it’s a bigger visit.
Panamera owners near Little Silver: check your intakes this fall
If your Panamera, Cayenne or Macan parks under trees, a quick look at the air box, the front intakes and the body drains this fall can save you a cooling problem or a wet carpet later. It should be checked at every service.
Porsche service in Shrewsbury, NJ
Massimo Motorworks has worked on Porsches at the Jersey Shore since 2004, and we’re an official Bosch Car Service center. Every repair is backed by our 2-year / 24,000-mile warranty. Our Shrewsbury shop is a short drive from Little Silver, Red Bank, Rumson and Fair Haven. See our Porsche service page for everything we do.
Is your Porsche due for its 2-year or 4-year service? Call our Shrewsbury shop at (732) 268-7192, or stop by 430 Broad St, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702. Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 8am–1pm.