KATHMANDU: Hundreds of Porsche vehicles across Russia have stopped working due to a malfunction in their factory Vehicle Tracking System (VTS), according to owners and local dealerships, reports The Moscow Times.
Drivers in Moscow, Krasnodar and several other cities reported sudden engine shutdowns and blocked fuel delivery, leaving cars unable to start.
Rolf, the country’s largest dealership group, said service requests surged after cars lost connection to their satellite-linked alarm modules. The issue affects all Porsche models equipped with VTS, including vehicles dating back to 2013.
Some owners temporarily restored power by rebooting or disabling the VTS unit, while others tried disconnecting the battery for several hours. Technicians say the vehicles appear mechanically sound but remain immobilized once the system triggers.
A Rolf representative told Russian media that a deliberate shutdown “cannot be ruled out,” though no evidence supports that claim. Porsche’s Russian office and global headquarters have not commented.
Porsche halted deliveries to Russia in 2022 but still operates subsidiaries in the country. For now, the cause of the VTS failure remains unknown, and the number of stranded cars continues to rise.
