Porsche forced to recall thousands of cars as wheels may fall off

Some Porsche owners have been told not to drive their luxury cars as the manufacturer issues a recall to thousands amid the risk of wheels falling off.

Around 1,000 drivers in the UK have been sent letters or emails with the warning telling them 'not to use your vehicle until further notice'.

The price for the top-end cars, the drivers of which have been sent the notification, ranges from about £100,000 to £200,000.

The issue concerns specific models which have centre-lock wheels which are attached to the axle with one bolt.

This is compared with most cars, which have five-bolt wheels, according to the Times.

This has caused outrage among many drivers, with one who had an inspector come to see their car and told the car was to be grounded telling the newspaper: 'This is wheelgate. They have rushed out cars, very expensive cars, that are not up to scratch and there is no fix.'

The notice sent to drivers reads: 'On your Porsche, there is a possibility that the wheel attachments using the central lock do not meet the required specifications.'

It goes on to explain that this can lead to damage or breakage of the central locking nut.

This may lead to the wheel attachment becoming loose which can result in a loss of wheel and loss of control, the notice goes on to say.

Adding: 'For safety reasons, Porsche urgently requests owners to stop using the vehicle until the remedial measure has been implemented.'

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The car manufacturer has confirmed that the issue specifically affects the Porsche 718 (982), 911 (992) and Panamera (G3) models.

The newspaper understands that the only solution is a replacement part and that the manufacturer expects to be available for the majority of affected vehicles in the UK by February. 

It isn't the first time this year Porsche has issued recalls.

It recently issuing a callback for 27,000 Taycans due to battery fire risk.

In the summer, it was forced to issue a global recall for the £90,000 Taycan  due to a brake system issue.

In 2015, German manufacturer Volkswagen - which owns Porsche - was hit with 'dieselgate' when it was found it had installed illegal software to cheat emissions.

The issue affects vehicles built between September 1 last year and October 23 this year.

However, the company insists that not all the cars manufactured between these dates will be affected.

New reports this week suggest thousands more cars could be recalled in a new dieselgate emissions scandal which could impact Britons nationwide. 

As part of a Department for Transport (DfT) probe, a total of 47 different models from 11 manufacturers are suspected of being more polluting than previously thought.

It's understood some 20 motoring brands have been impacted, with the exact models affected so far being kept secret, reports The Times. 

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