911 GT3 recall update: Porsche reportedly replacing all engines

Porsche recalled all 785 2014 GT3s on the road last month for an unexplained problem that could cause the engine to catch fire. The company told owners to stop driving the cars immediately. Two vehicles in Europe caught fire after engine damage occurred.

Last Friday, the company said in a statement that it was close to finding the problem with the 469-hp, 3.8-liter flat six motor and that it would inform customers as soon as it knows.

On Monday, one of our contributors abroad found a letter from Porsche on an owner forum explaining that the damage was caused by a loosened piston-rod screw connection, which damaged the crankcase. The company is currently testing an optimized screw.

And here’s the kicker: “At Porsche, we are rigorous when implementing an engineering solution; therefore, after the successful testing and validation, we will be installing new engines with optimized piston-rod screw connections in all 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 vehicles.”

So there you go. If you have a 911 GT3, Porsche will drop in a new engine to make sure no shenanigans take place. This would actually be a boon if the cars were a little older. Taking a GT3 in with 20,000 miles and getting it back with zero would be a nice parting gift. Since the cars are brand new, there probably aren’t too many with a bunch of miles.

Check out the full text of the letter below, uploaded to a Porsche forum website.

Dear _____________

[Title] [Last_Name]:

As advised previously, engineers at Porsche AG have been conducting technical analysis of the Porsche 911 GT3 engine in order to find a solution to the problem which led us to recommend you stop driving your car.

This analysis is now completed, and we would like to inform you about the cause of the problem and the planned remedial actions.

As already communicated, two vehicles in Europe suffered engine damage, causing the vehicles to catch fire.

Analysis has revealed that in both cases the engine damage was caused by a loosened piston rod screw connection which damaged the crankcase. In order to avoid this in the future, an optimized screw connection is currently being tested. For the final validation of this solution, Porsche AG is currently carrying out extensive tests.

At Porsche we are rigorous when implementing an engineering solution, therefore, after the successful testing and validation we will be installing new engines with optimized piston rod screw connections in all 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 vehicles.

Due to the complexity of the necessary arrangement, we are currently unable to provide you with a specific workshop date for your Porsche 911 GT3. We will be arranging an appointment with you individually, as soon as the logistics planning is finalized. We will be providing you with additional information within the next three weeks.

We continue to remain committed to supporting your individual needs during this time.

Your personal contact person will make contact with you within the next days to discuss individual solutions to bridge the gap until you are reunited with your Porsche 911 GT3.

Thank you very much for your patience and your loyalty to the Porsche brand.

Kind regards,

Tim Quinn

Vice President, AfterSales

Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

By Jake Lingeman