1987 PORSCHE 944 open hood

Dear Porsche Owner Before going on a trip...
A lot has gone into the manufacture of your Porsche, including advanced engineering
techniques, rigid quality control and
demanding inspections. These engineering
and safety features will be enhanced by
you... the safe driver...
who knows his car and all controls who maintains his vehicle properly who uses his driving skills wisely, and who always drives within his own capabilities and
his level of familiarity with his vehicle.
You will find helpful hints in this manual on
how to perform most of the checks listed on
these pages. If in doubt, have these checks
performed by your Porsche dealer.
First things first
Turn the engine off before you attempt any
checks or repairs of the vehicle.
Be sure tires are inflated correctly. Check for
damage and tire wear.
See that wheel bolts are properly tightened
and not loose or missing.
Check engine oil level, add if necessary.
Make it a habit to have engine oil checked
with every fuel filling. Check coolant level to assure sufficient
engine cooling.
Be sure you have a well charged battery. Check brake fluid level. If too low, have
brake system checked.
Replenish windshield washer fluid. Check if engine hood is latched safely. Replace worn or cracked wiper blades. See that all windows are clear and
unobstructed.
Keep air intake slots and area between engine hood and windshield free of snow and ice, so that the heater and the windshield wipers work properly.
Check whether all light lenses are clean.
Be sure all lights are working and headlights
are aimed correctly.
Check under vehicle for leaks. Be sure all luggage is stowed securely.
Emergency equipment 3
It is good practice to carry emergency
equipment in your vehicle. Some of the things
you should have are: window scraper, snow
brush, container or bag of sand or salt,
emergency light, small shovel, first-
aid kit, etc.

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In the driver's seat... On the road...
Check operation of horn.
Position seat for easy reach of controls. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors. Attach your safety belts. Check operation of foot and parking brakes. Check all warning and indicator lights when
starting the engine.
NEVER leave car idling unattended. Lock doors from inside, especially with
children in the car.
To prevent inadvertent opening of doors
from inside or outside, drive with locked
doors.

Never drive after you have consumed
alcohol.
Always have your safety belt attached. Always drive defensively. Expect the unexpected. Use signals to indicate turns and lane
changes.
Turn on headlights at dusk. Always keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, depending on traffic, road and weather conditions. Reduce speed at night and during inclement weather.
Driving in wet weather requires caution and
reduced speeds, particularly on roads with
standing water, as the handling characteristics of the vehicle may be impaired due to tire
aquaplaning.
Also, when crossing stretches of deeper water there is a danger that too high of a speed can
cause water to enter the engine combustion
chambers through the intake air system
and/or water may strike the cooling fan
causing cooling system damage. In order to
avoid possible en- gine or cooling system damage when driving
through deep water, the vehicle should be
driven at a walking speed in first gear.
Observe speed limits and obey road signs.
When tired, get well off the road, stop and
take a rest. Turn the engine off. Do not sit in
the vehicle with engine idling. See
WARNINGS on "Engine Exhaust".
When parked, always set the parking brake.
Move the selector lever to "P" (Automatic
transmission) or move the gearshift lever to
reverse or first gear (Manual transmission).
On hills also turn the wheels toward the curb.
When emergency repairs become necessary, move the vehicle well off the road. Turn on
emergency flasher and use other warning
devices to alert other motorists. Do not park
or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust system may come in contact with dry grass, brush, fuel spill or other flammable
material.
Make it a habit to have the engine oil
checked with every fuel filling.
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NEVER invite car theft! An unlocked car with the key in the ignition switch invites car theft. A steering wheel lock and a buzzer alarm are standard equipment in your Porsche. The
buzzer will sound if you open the driver's door
while the key is still in the ignition lock. It is your reminder to pull the key out of the ignition lock and to lock the doors.



Always remove the ignition key, especially
if children are left unattended in the
vehicle. Unsupervised use of any vehicle
key may cause serious personal injury.
NEVER leave your vehicle unattended with
the key in the ignition lock. Take the key
and lock the doors.

Keys
The vehicle is supplied with three keys fitting
all locks. All keys are symmetrical so that
there is no wrong way of inserting them in the
locks. Two keys (a) are fitted with a battery
light which is integrated in the plastic handle
and lights up upon pressing the contact
button. The third key (b) is flat and should be
kept as an "emergency key", for instance, in
your purse.
After pulling the plastic head off the flat key, you can snap on a luminous plastic handle
available from your Porsche dealer.
WARNING NEVER remove the key from the steering
lock while you are driving or as the car is
rolling to a stop. The steering column will
lock when you remove the key, and you
will not be able to steer the car.

When the key bulb becomes weak, you
should install a new battery of the same
voltage. Acid leaking from a discharged
battery might damage your clothing.
1.
Use your finger nail or a small screw driver
to carefully lift the key handle cover.
2.
Insert a new commercial battery (1.5 V) in
the contact button.
3.
Assemble key top as shown in the above figure.
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Key number
The key number is impressed on a plastic tag
(d) which comes with the keys. Detach this tag and keep it in a safe place. The key numbers
of the other keys are embossed on the key
heads.
For your protection against theft:
Record the key number and keep it in a safe
place, such as your wallet. Do not keep it in
the vehicle.
If you should lose a key, provide your Porsche dealer with the key number to obtain a duplicate key.
For the lockable wheel nuts, three identical
keys (c), plus four wheel nuts with lock slee
ve, are included. When taking the vehicle to your
Porsche dealer or to a workshop for wheel or
tire service, remember to leave one key with
the service attendant.
In case of loss, duplicate keys cannot be
furnished by your Porsche dealer. Do not
leave these keys in the vehicle. Keep them in
a safe place.
See "Lockable wheel nuts" for details.




Anti-theft alarm
If your Porsche is equipped with an antitheft
alarm system, you will be given an additional
set of duplicate keys. Keep one of these keys
in a safe place but not in the car.
The alarm system can be activated or
deactivated with this key only.
The lock for the anti-theft alarm system is
located behind the door lock on the driver's
side.
To activate the alarm system, insert the key
and turn the lock slot 90° to the right.
To deactivate the alarm system, insert the
key and turn the lock slot 90° to the left.
When the alarm system is activated, and an
attempt is made to open either door, or to lift
the engine hood or the rear hatch, the alarm
will be triggered and will produce an intermittent high-pitched noise for about 30
seconds.
Should an attempt be made to start the
engine, the alarm will also be set off.
However, when the alarm system is activated, it is impossible to start the engine.
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Luggage Compartment
Luggage and other belongings should be
protected from the sun and "inquisitive eyes"
by pulling the rolled-up luggage cover from
behind the rear seat back and hooking it into
the eyelets on the rear cross wall. When
unhooked, the cover rolls itself up
automatically.
To prevent luggage and other objects from
sliding around while the car is in motion, you
can secure them with spider straps available
through your dealer or other supply firms. The
eyelets for this purpose can be found behind
the rear seat back and on the luggage
compartment floor. Luggage space
To provide for additional luggage space, press the knob on the left or right side to release the rear seat back. Then tilt forward.
Luggage compartment light
The light is located on the left side of the
luggage compartment. The light can be
switched on or off, regardless of ignition or
vehicle light switch positions.
Roofracks
The installation of commercially available
roofracks is not compatible with the roof
design of your Porsche.
When installing the Genuine Porsche Roof-
rack available up till now, the maximum
permissible weight load of 75 Ibs or 35 kg
must not be exceeded.
The "New Genuine Porsche Roofload
Transport System" provides for maximum
permissible weight loads of up to 165 Ibs or
75kg.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to advise you about which type of roofrack can best serve
your individual needs and load carrying
requirements.
WARNING
Make sure that the load is carefully
mounted. Secure it additionally by locking
the roof transport system.
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Engine Hood
To unlatch the engine hood, pull the release
lever on the left underneath the instrument
panel. Opening the hood
Lift hood slightly and pull up on handle (arrow) to disengage safety catch. Then lift up the
hood.
Make sure the windshield wipers are not tilted
forward.
The engine compartment light on the hood will come on when the vehicle lights are turned
on.
Closing the hood
Lower the hood and press it down on the hood latch until you hear an audible click.
WARNING
Should you notice at any time while driving that the hood is not secured properly,
please stop at once and close it.

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Exercise Extreme Caution when Working under the
Engine Hood


The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially hazardous area. If you are not
fully familiar with proper repair procedures, do
not attempt the adjustments described on the
following pages. This caution applies to the
entire vehicle.
Only work on your vehicle outdoors or in a well ventilated area. Ensure that there are no open flames in the
area of your vehicles at any time when
gasoline fumes might be present. Be
especially cautious of such devices such as
hot water heaters which ignite a flame
intermittently.
Before working on any part in the engine
compartment, turn the engine off and let it
cool down sufficiently. Hot engine
compartment components can burn skin on
contact.
Even after the engine has stopped the
radiator fan may continue running until the
temperature of the coolant has dropped to a
certain level. Therefore, never touch the fan
blades as they will rotate spontaneously
when the thermostat turns the fan on, even with ignition off. Be alert and cautious around engine at all
times while the engine is running.
If work has to be done with the engine
running, always set the parking brake, and
make sure the shift lever is in either Neutral
or Park.
Exercise extreme caution to prevent
neckties, jewelry or long hair from getting
caught in the fan blades, the drive belts, or
any other moving engine parts.
Your Porsche is equipped with a
transistorized ignition system with
breakerless distributor. When the ignition is
on, high voltage is present in all wires
connected with the ignition system; therefore
exercise extreme caution when working on
any part of the engine while the ignition is on
or the engine is running.
Always support your car with safety stands if it is necessary to work underneath the car.
The jack supplied with the car is not
adequate for this purpose.
When working underneath the car without
safety stands but with the wheels on the
ground, make sure the car is on level ground, that the wheels are blocked, and that the
engine cannot be started. REMOVE THE
IGNITION KEY.
Do not smoke or allow an open flame around the battery or gasoline. Keep a fire extinguisher in close reach.
Incomplete or improper servicing may cause
problems in the operation of the car. If in
doubt about any servicing, have it done by
your authorized Porsche dealer or any other
properly equipped and qualified workshop.
Improper maintenance during the warranty
period may affect your warranty coverage.
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Tool Kit and Car Jack
The tool kit and jack are stored in the luggage
compartment under the floor mat.
The car jack must be screwed open a little
before it can be removed from the holder.
The tool kit contains tools needed for minor
emergency roadside repairs, adjustments and
wheel changing.
Regulations in some countries require
additional tools. Details should be obtained
prior to leaving for a foreign country.
WARNING

Use the jack only for changing a tire. Never jack up other vehicles or other loads with it. Follow all warnings and instructions found in this manual for changing a tire. The jack must never be used as a support to work underneath the vehicle. If the jack is accidently dislodged, you or bystanders could be seriously injured. When working
under the vehicle, always use safety
stands specifically designed for this
purpose.



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If it fails to light up, the fuse is defective and
must be replaced. Replace black plastic
cover.
The central electrical system contains plug in
relays for various electrical switching
functions.
Defective relays should be tested and
replaced by an authorized Porsche dealer.
To prevent damage to the electrical system
we recommend having all work - including the
installation of electrical accessories -carried
out by your authorized Porsche dealer. . ,

Fuses and Relays
The individual circuits are protected by fuses
to prevent damage to electrical leads and
components due to short-circuits and
overload.
The fuse box with a black plastic cover is
located on the left side in the engine
compartment directly in front of pivot point for
left windshield washer arm.
The use of the fuses and relays is shown
in a list on the inside of the cover of the
fuses and relays.
Replacing a Fuse
Before replacing a fuse, turn off all
electrical components and the ignition;
remove the key. Replacing a fuse or relay with the
engine running or the ignition on could
cause electrical shock.

A blown fuse indicates an overload in the circuit. When a fuse is blown it is not sufficient
to merely replace it. The cause of the short
circuit or overload must be located. Fuses
should never be patched up with tin foil or
wire as this may cause serious damage
elsewhere in the electrical circuit.
Open snap-on latches and remove plastic
cover.
To find out whether a fuse is serviceable, pull
it out with the plastic pliers specifically
provided for this purpose. Insert the fuse at
the test point on relay (G 3). If the fuse is in
proper condition, the green indicator light will
come on.
Loudspeakers


When installing a radio or booster amplifier,
check that the output is compatible with the
capacity of the loudspeakers supplied with the vehicle.
Rated capacity in Watt (Sinus)
Front Rear
2x10 2x10
HiFi Audio Package 2 x 25 2 x 25
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Battery-12 Volt
The battery is located under the front hood in
the cowl area.
A replacement battery should always have the same rating as the original equipment battery.
Specifications are printed on the battery
housing.
Before work is done on the electrical
system, the battery must be disconnected
to prevent short circuiting. First
disconnect the negative ground wire and
then the positive cable. To reconnect
battery, reverse the procedure.
Disconnecting the battery while the engine is running will damage the alternator. This
also applies to cars equipped with a
battery main switch.
Never drive the car with a disconnected battery as this will damage the alternator. WARNING

Do not lay tools or other metal objects on the battery as they could cause a short
circuit across the battery terminals.
Do not expose the battery to an open flame or electric spark. Hydrogen gas
generated by the battery is explosive.
Do not let battery acid come in contact with skin, eyes, fabric or painted
surfaces.
If you get electrolyte, which is an acid, in your eyes or on skin, immediately rinse
with cold water several minutes and call a doctor. Spilled electrolyte must be rinsed off at once with a solution of water and baking
soda to neutralize the acid and prevent
damage to fabric and metal.
Checking the electrolyte fluid level
The electrolyte fluid level in your battery can
be checked by unscrewing and opening the
filler vent caps of each cell. The fluid level
should meet the indicator mark in each cell. If
necessary, top off with distilled water.
How often water must be added depends on
operating conditions and on the time of year.
Generally, the electrolyte level must be
checked more often in the summer than in the winter, and more often when driving long distances.
Only fill up to mark, otherwise the electrolyte will overflow when the battery is being charged and cause damage.
Battery care
Battery should be securely mounted
Terminals and connections should be kept
clean and properly tightened. Corrosion can
be prevented by coating terminals and
connections with petroleum jelly or silicone
spray
Vent caps must be securely tightened to
prevent spillage
Winter operation
During the winter months, battery capacity
tends to decrease as temperatures drop.
Additionally, more power is consumed while starting, and the headlights, heater, rear window defogger, etc., are used more
frequently. Curtail unnecessary power
consumption, particularly in city traffic or when travelling short distances only. Let your
Porsche dealer test the battery's capacity
before winter sets in. A well charged battery
will not only prevent starting problems but will
also live longer.
Battery charging
Automotive batteries lose their efficiency when not in use. The charge available in your
battery can be measured with a hydrometer.
We recommend that battery voltage be tested
by your Porsche dealer who has the
appropriate equipment. If the car is not driven
for prolonged periods, the battery


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