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991.1 · 2014–2016

2014 Porsche Targa 4

3.4 L flat 6 · AWD · Targa · water-cooled

Power
350hp
Torque
287lb-ft
0–60
4.9s
Weight
3,384lb
lb / hp
9.7
Displacement
3.4L

Specification

US-market 2014
Power 350 hp
247 700
Weight 3,384 lb
2,910 3,640
Weight to power 9.7 lb/hp
4.6 lower is quicker 13.0

Where this car sits against every 911 in the catalog.

Engine
Engine code MA1.04 (9A1)
Layout flat 6, water-cooled
Displacement 3.4 L
Aspiration Naturally aspirated
Power 350 hp @ 7,400 rpm
Torque 287 lb-ft @ 5,600 rpm
Redline 7,800 rpm
Specific output 103 hp / L
Chassis & body
Drivetrain All-wheel drive
Body styles Targa
Transmissions 7-speed Manual · 7-speed PDK
Curb weight 3,384 lb
Wheelbase 96.5 in
Length 176.8 in
Width 72.9 in
Height 51.3 in
Performance & market
0–60 mph 4.9 s
Top speed 174 mph
Weight to power 9.7 lb / hp
MSRP when new $101,600 base

About the 2014 Targa 4

2014Targa returns with the classic hoop. Turbo and Turbo S arrive with rear-axle steering. GT3 launches PDK-only — and is recalled and re-engined the same year.

Targa 4The Targa returns to the classic wraparound hoop, with a theatrical automatic roof that folds the glass behind the seats.

Known issues

5 Specific to the Targa 4

Coolant pump failure

Major $900–$2,000
Affects

All 991, more commonly on higher-mileage cars.

What happens

The coolant pump fails, sometimes shedding impeller material into the cooling system. Caught early it is a routine part; caught late it means flushing debris out of the whole system.

Symptoms
  • Coolant temperature climbing in traffic
  • Coolant weeping at the pump
  • Coolant loss with no obvious external leak
  • Overheat warning under sustained load
What to do

Replace with the thermostat while the system is open. Many owners treat it as a preventive item at high mileage rather than waiting for it.

Parts for this job

PDK mechatronic faults

Major $1,400–$9,000
Affects

All PDK-equipped 991.

What happens

The mechatronic unit actuates the clutches and gear selection. Sensor and solenoid faults show up as harsh engagement, refused gears or a limp-home restriction.

Symptoms
  • Jerky low-speed engagement
  • Transmission warning or flashing gear indicator
  • Locked into a single gear
  • Clutch adaptation fault codes
What to do

Fluid, filter and a fresh adaptation resolve a meaningful share of complaints. A true mechatronic replacement is one of the largest bills on the car.

Cylinder scoring (rare on this engine)

Major $15,000–$30,000
Affects

Isolated reports on 991.1 3.8 L engines. Nothing like the frequency seen on the M96 and M97 — but not zero, so it is worth a borescope on a high-mileage naturally aspirated car.

What happens

The same failure mode as the earlier engines: liner surface degradation and piston skirt contact, showing up as oil consumption and lost compression.

Symptoms
  • Rising oil consumption
  • Cold-start ticking
  • Uneven compression or leak-down
What to do

No preventive fix. A borescope at inspection costs little and settles the question. Do not let a seller tell you the 991 "cannot" score.

PCM infotainment aging

Minor $700–$2,500
Affects

Pre-facelift 991 in particular; the 2017-on system is markedly better.

What happens

The original PCM is slow, its maps are long obsolete and it predates CarPlay. Screen delamination and unreliable Bluetooth pairing are common with age.

Symptoms
  • Sluggish or unresponsive screen
  • Bluetooth dropping
  • Bubbling or separation at the screen edge
  • Navigation data no longer updatable
What to do

Retrofit units that add CarPlay while keeping the factory look are widely available and are among the highest-satisfaction upgrades on the car.

Parts for this job

Air–oil separator failure

Minor $700–$1,500
Affects

All 991, far less frequently than on the M96 and M97 engines.

What happens

The separator diaphragm tears and the engine draws oil into the intake.

Symptoms
  • White smoke at start or under load
  • Rough idle
  • Oil consumption with no external leak
What to do

Replace the AOS.

Parts for this job
Does not affect this car

2014 GT3 connecting rod fastener recall, Centre-lock wheel torque — documented elsewhere in the 991.1 range but not applicable to the Targa 4. See the generation overview for the full picture.

Service intervals

8
Item Interval
Engine oil and filter 10,000 mi or annually
Spark plugs 40,000 mi
Brake fluid 2 years
Coolant Long-life, inspect at every service
PDK fluid and filter 40,000 mi
Manual clutch 60,000–100,000 mi
Coolant pump Preventive at high mileage
Serpentine belt 4 years / 40,000 mi

What fits this car

26 Sizes, capacities and part specs

The answers you need when something has already failed — bulb sizes by position, wiper lengths, battery group, fluid specs and capacities. Sizes are for US-spec cars and are a starting point: options and mid-year changes move them, so check against your own car and its VIN before ordering.

Bulbs and lighting

6 Bi-xenon was standard on most US cars; full LED arrived as an option on the 991.2.
Low / high beam — bi-xenon D3S 35W Shop →
Front turn signal PY21W Shop →
Fog light H11 55W Shop →
Brake / tail LED Integrated rear light bar — not a replaceable bulb. Shop →
Reverse P21W Shop →
Licence plate W5W Shop →

Wiper blades

2
Driver side 26 in Shop →
Passenger side 24 in Shop →

Battery

3
Group size Group 48 (H6) AGM Shop →
Minimum cold cranking amps 680 CCA —
Registration required Yes A replacement should be coded to the car so charging suits the new battery. Skipping it shortens its life. —

Fluids and capacities

6
Engine oil — capacity 8.5 qt with filter —
Engine oil — specification 0W-40, Porsche A40 approved Shop →
Coolant — specification Porsche pink G40, phosphate-free Shop →
Brake fluid DOT 4, low viscosity Shop →
PDK fluid 8.5 qt, Porsche-specific ATF The highest-value non-scheduled service on the car. Shop →
Fuel tank 16.9 gal 17.7 gal on all-wheel-drive cars. —

Wheels and tyres

6
Bolt pattern 5 x 130 mm
Centre bore 71.6 mm
Tyre size — 19 in front 235/40 ZR19
Tyre size — 19 in rear 285/35 ZR19
Tyre size — 20 in front 245/35 ZR20
Tyre size — 20 in rear 305/30 ZR20

Torque values

3 Safety-relevant. Verify against factory documentation before relying on these.
Wheel lug bolts 96 lb-ft (130 Nm) Star pattern, on the ground, calibrated wrench.
Engine oil drain plug 37 lb-ft (50 Nm) New sealing washer every time.
Oil filter housing cap 18 lb-ft (25 Nm)

Fitment for the 2014 991.1 Targa 4. Torque values in particular are safety-relevant — verify against factory documentation rather than relying on this page alone.

Buying guide

7
  1. 01

    The engine anxiety is over — check everything else

    No intermediate shaft, no bore-scoring epidemic. Shift your inspection budget from the engine to the gearbox, the cooling system and the electronics, which is where 991 money actually goes.

  2. 02

    Naturally aspirated or turbocharged is the real decision

    A 991.1 gives you a flat-six that revs to 7,800 and sounds like one. A 991.2 gives you more torque everywhere and a quieter, faster car. Drive both before deciding — the spec sheet argues for the newer car and plenty of people still choose the older one.

  3. 03

    Insist on PDK service history

    Fluid and filter records are the difference between a maintained gearbox and a lottery ticket on the most expensive component in the car.

  4. 04

    Borescope a high-mileage naturally aspirated car anyway

    Scoring is rare on the 9A1, not impossible. The inspection is cheap and the answer is worth having in writing.

  5. 05

    Budget for the infotainment

    A pre-facelift PCM has no CarPlay and dated maps. A retrofit is one of the few upgrades that measurably improves daily use and holds its value at resale.

  6. 06

    Manual carries a premium and will keep it

    The 7-speed manual Carrera, the Carrera T and the 2018-on manual GT3 are the configurations the market has decided to care about.

  7. 07

    Check the Targa mechanism through a full cycle

    The 991 Targa roof is spectacular and complicated. Run it open and closed several times and watch for hesitation.

Parts and gear

14 Chosen for this car, not for the commission

What a Targa 4 actually costs to keep, grouped by why you would buy it. Prices are typical US parts-only figures — labour is separate, and the DIY note says whether that matters. Where a link earns us a commission it costs you nothing and never changes what appears here.

Parts that fix a known problem on this car

3 Each one maps to an issue above
  • Cooling $350–$800

    Coolant pump and thermostat

    The failure described above, and the part that fixes it. Replace the thermostat at the same time — the system is already open and the labour overlaps almost entirely.

    FCP Euro → Shop job
  • Interior $700–$2,500

    CarPlay-capable PCM retrofit

    Replaces the dated pre-facelift head unit with one that keeps the factory look and adds CarPlay and current mapping. Consistently the highest-satisfaction upgrade owners make to a 991.1, and it survives resale.

    FCP Euro → DIY or shop
  • Engine $250–$550

    Air–oil separator

    Less failure-prone than on the older engines, but the same symptom and the same fix when it does go.

    FCP Euro → DIY or shop

Worth doing before it fails

3 Cheaper than the repair it avoids
  • Cooling $120–$280

    Radiator grille screens

    The 991 collects debris in its low front radiators exactly as every water-cooled 911 before it. Cheap mesh, expensive radiators.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Exterior $600–$2,200

    Paint protection film for the nose

    Wide, low and expensive to repaint. Film the bumper, bonnet and mirrors before the first long trip rather than after the stone chips arrive.

    Shop this → Shop job
  • Chassis $300–$700

    Engine and transmission mount set

    High-mileage mounts let the drivetrain move and blunt the response. Worth doing on a car past 60,000 miles that feels less sharp than it should.

    FCP Euro → Shop job

Consumables you will rebuy

5 Ordinary running costs
  • Fluids $280–$550

    PDK fluid and filter kit

    The most valuable non-scheduled service on the car, and the one that protects the mechatronic unit. Buy the correct-specification fluid and the filter together.

    Shop this → Shop job
  • Fluids $90–$170

    Porsche-approved engine oil

    Approved specification only — the long factory interval depends on it. Around eight to nine quarts a change.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Fluids $20–$55

    Oil filter and hardware

    Bought with every change. Still worth cutting open on a high-mileage naturally aspirated car.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Fluids $20–$75

    Brake fluid

    Two years, annually with track use. The cheapest meaningful brake improvement on any 991.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Service $35–$90

    Cabin and engine air filters

    Straightforward jobs that carry real shop labour. Order with the oil.

    Shop this → DIY

Tools worth owning

3 Bought once, used for years
  • Diagnostics $250–$1,000

    Porsche-specific diagnostic interface

    The only way to tell a PDK adaptation that needs resetting from a mechatronic that needs replacing before you authorise the work.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Lifting $180–$480

    Low-profile jack and jack pads

    The 991 sits low and its jack points need proper pucks to avoid crushing the sill.

    Shop this → DIY
  • Storage $60–$140

    Battery tender

    An electronically dense car that hates sitting. A low battery produces a dashboard of faults that have nothing to do with the battery.

    Shop this → DIY