
278
Maintenance and Car Care
Cleaning AlcantarafDo not use a leather care product to clean
Alcantara.
For regular care it is sufficient to clean the cover
with a soft brush. Heavy abrasion or rubbing when
cleaning causes a permanent change in the
surface.
Cleaning when lightly soiled
fWet a soft cloth with water or a neutral soap
solution and wipe off the dirt.
Cleaning when heavily soiled
fWet a soft cloth with lukewarm water or
thinned white spirit and dab the dirt from the
outside in.Cleaning safety beltsfUse mild detergent to clean soiled belts.
fWhen drying, avoid direct sunlight.
fOnly use suitable cleaning agents.
fDo not tint or bleach the belts.
The belt fabric could be weakened, thus affec-
ting safety.
Storing your PorscheIf you intend to store your Porsche for a prolonged
period, please consult your authorized Porsche
dealer. The staff will be glad to advise you on the
most suitable and necessary methods.
fClean your vehicle thoroughly inside and out-
side. Clean the engine compartment. The
under carriage and chassis components
should be free of dirt and salt deposits.
fFill up the fuel tank.
fChange the oil and oil filter, and run the engine
for several minutes.
fIncrease the tire pressure to 58 psi (4 bar). It
is not recommended to lift the vehicle, due to
the possibility of corrosion on shock absorber
piston shafts.The vehicle should be moved
slightly, approximately every four weeks, to
prevent flat spot on the tires.
Climate control
The air conditioning system should be in good
working condition and fully charged.
Windshield/Headlight washer
fCheck and correct antifreeze/cleaning solution
level as necessary.Electrical system
fRemove the battery from the vehicle and store
it in a cool dry place, not on a cement floor.
When the battery is disconnected, the alarm
system is deactivated.
fRecharge the battery every 3 months. If the
battery remains in the vehicle with the cables
connected, it is necessary to check, remove
and recharge the battery every 2-3 weeks.
Do not fast charge the battery.
fPlease see the chapter “CHARGE STATE” on
Page 320.
Vehicle interior
The interior must be dry, especially in the area of
the floor carpets. The use of drying agents (Silica-
Gel) is recommended in vehicles with leather inte-
rior and in areas with high humidity. The recom-
mended amount is 3 fabric bags of 1.1 lbs.
(500 grams) each placed on the floor carpets.
fWindows, doors, lids and roof must be closed.
The air vents should be opened.
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Minor Repairs
279 Minor Repairs
Exercise Extreme Caution
when Working on your Vehicle ..................... 280
Tires/Wheels ............................................. 281
Jack .......................................................... 291
Tool Kit ..................................................... 292
Compressor .............................................. 292
Spacers .................................................... 293
Wheel Bolts ............................................... 293
Changing Wheels........................................ 294
Flat Tire ..................................................... 295
Lifting the Vehicle
with a Lifting Platform or Garage lift ............. 298
Electrical System ....................................... 312
Battery ...................................................... 320
Replacing the remote control battery ........... 322
Emergency Starting with Jumper Cables ...... 323
Replacing Bulbs ......................................... 326
Headlights ................................................. 327
Tail light .................................................... 336
License Plate Lights................................... 338
Headlight Adjustment.................................. 339
Changing headlights
from left to right-hand traffic ....................... 340
Bulb Chart ................................................. 342
Towing ...................................................... 342
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280
Minor Repairs
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle
Danger!
Ignoring the following instructions may cau-
se serious personal injury or death.
fThe 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.
fO n l y w o r k o n y o u r v e h i c l e o u t d o o r s o r i n a w e l l
ventilated area.
fEnsure that there are no open flames in the
area of your vehicle at any time when fuel
fumes might be present. Be especially
cautious of such devices such as hot water
heaters which ignite a flame intermittently.
fBefore working on any part in the engine com-
partment, turn the engine off and let it cool
down sufficiently. Hot engine compartment
components can burn skin on contact.
fBe alert and cautious around engine at all
times while the engine is running.
If you have to work on the engine while it is run-
ning, always put the parking brake on and put
the gearshift lever in neutral or the Tiptronic
selector lever in position P or N.fIn particular, be very careful to ensure that
items of clothing (ties, shirt, sleeves etc.),
jewelry, long hair, hand or fingers cannot get
caught in the engine-compartment blower, fan,
belts or other moving parts.
The radiator and radiator fans are in the front
of the car.
The fans can start or continue running as a
function of temperature, even with the engine
switched off.
Carry out work in these areas only with the
engine off and exercise extreme caution.
fYour Porsche is equipped with an electronic
ignition system. 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.
fAlways support your car with safety stands if it
is necessary to work under the car. The jack
supplied with the car is not adequate for this
purpose.
For vehicles with air suspension with level
control and height adjustment:
Please see the chapter “RAISING VEHICLE
WITH THE JACK” on Page 192.fWhen working under the car without safety
stands but with the wheels on the ground,
make sure the car is on level ground, the
wheels are blocked, and that the engine can-
not be started.
Remove the ignition key.
fDo not smoke or allow an open flame around
the battery or fuel.
Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand.
fIncomplete 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.
Improper maintenance during the warranty
period may affect your Porsche warranty
coverage.
fSupplies of fluids, e.g. engine oil, brake fluid or
coolant, are hazardous to your health. Keep
these fluids out of children's reach and dispose
of them in accordance with the appropriate
regulations.
fSome countries require additional tools and
special spare parts to be carried in your vehi-
cle.
Please make enquiries before driving abroad.
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Minor Repairs
311
Closing spare wheel bracket
Warning!
Danger of injury and risk of accident if the
spare wheel bracket is operated improperly.
fOperate the spare wheel bracket only using
button B.
fIf the vehicle is tilted to the side, more effort
will be required to swing the spare wheel
bracket.
fMake sure that no persons or animals are
within the range of movement of the spare wheel bracket.
1. Check whether additional lock C is engaged. If
necessary, slide additional lock C to the right.
2. Swing spare wheel bracket closed with force.
3. Check lock and observe indication on the multi-
purpose display of the instrument panel.
The indicator light must go out when the spare
wheel bracket is locked.
Automatic locking
In the multi-purpose display of the instrument
panel, you can set different variants of locking and
unlocking the doors and the rear lid as well as the
check-back signal when locking and unlocking the
vehicle and save them on the respective remote
control.
fPlease see the chapter “SETTING REAR LID
LOCKING” on Page 144.
D- Towing lug cover (left)
E- Emergency release cableEmergency release for the spare wheel
bracketIf the battery is flat, the only way to open the spare
wheel bracket is by using the mechanical emer-
gency release.
Warning!
Danger of injury and risk of accident if the
spare wheel bracket is operated improperly.
fPerform emergency unlocking of the spare
wheel bracket only when the vehicle is on a level surface.
1. Remove cover of left towing lug D.
2. Pull emergency release cable E in the direction
of the arrow.
The spare wheel bracket is now unlocked and
can be operated.
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312
Minor Repairs
Electrical SystemIn order to avoid damage and faults in electrical or
electronic systems, electrical accessories should
be installed at your authorized Porsche dealer.
fUse only accessories authorized by Porsche.
Warning!
Risk of short circuit and fire, resulting in
serious personal injury or death.
Replacing fuses or relays with engine running
or the ignition on could cause electrical
shock.
fDisconnect the negative terminal on the
battery during all work on the electrical sys-tem.
RelaysRelays should be checked or changed only by an
authorized workshop.
SocketsThe assignment and number of sockets depend
on the respective vehicle equipment.
Electrical accessories can be connected to the
12 V sockets.Note on operation
The sockets and thus the connected electrical
accessories will function even if the ignition is
switched off or the ignition key is withdrawn.
If the engine is not running and the accessories
are switched on, the vehicle battery will be
discharged. Do not operate additional accesso-
ries for more than 5 minutes when engine is off.
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320
Minor Repairs
Battery
Danger!
Risk of short circuit and fire, resulting in
serious personal injury or death.
fObserve all warning notes on the battery.
fDisconnect the negative terminal on the
battery during all work on the electrical sys-
tem.
fDo not lay tools or other metal objects on the
battery as they could cause a short circuit
across the battery terminal.
Hydrogen gas generated by the battery
could cause an explosion, resulting in
serious personal injury or death.
fCharge battery in a well vetilated area.
fNever charge a frozen battery. It may explode
because of gas trapped in the ice. Allow a fro-
zen battery to thaw out first.
fDo not expose the battery to an open flame,
electrical spark or a lit cigarette.
Risk of explosion as a result of static charge,
resulting in serious personal injury or death.
fDo not wipe the battery with a dry cloth.
fBefore touching the battery, discharge any
static electricity by touching the vehicle.Risk of serious personal injury or death and
damage to the fabric, metal or paint.
fWear eye protection.
fDo not allow battery acid to come in contact
with your skin, eyes, fabric or painted sur-
faces.
fIf you get electrolyte, which is an acid, in your
eyes or on your skin, immediately rinse with
cold water for several minutes and call a
doctor.
fSpilled electrolyte must be rinsed off at once
with a solution of baking soda and water to
neutralize the acid.
Battery posts, terminals and related acces-
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and reproductive harm.
fAlways protect your skin by washing
thoroughly with soap and water.
The battery is located in the battery box under the
left front seat.
Charge stateA well charged battery will not only prevent
starting problems but will also last longer.
In order to avoid unintended battery
discharge
fSwitch off unnecessary electrical loads in city
traffic, on short trips or in a line of traffic.
fAlways remove the ignition key from the igni-
tion switch when leaving the vehicle or
switch ignition off in vehicles with Porsche
Entry & Drive.
fAvoid using the Porsche Communication
Management system and the audio system
when the engine is not running.
Maintenance Note
In the cold season, in particular, or if you mainly
drive only short distances, it may become neces-
sary to recharge the battery from time to time.
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Minor Repairs
321
Battery carefEnsure that battery is securely mounted.
fKeep terminals and connections clean and
properly tightened. Corrosion can be preven-
ted by coating the terminals and connections
with petroleum jelly or silicone spray.
fEnsure that vent caps are securely tightened to
prevent spillage.
Checking the electrolyte fluid level
(only on low-maintenance batteries)
Generally, the electrolyte level must be checked
more often in summer than in the winter, and more
often when driving long distances.
fWhen adding water, use only clean containers.
In no case may alcohol (e.g. window cleaner
residues) be permitted to enter the battery.
fUnscrew and open the filler vent caps of each
cell.
With the car on a level surface, the fluid level
should meet the indicator mark in each cell.
fIf necessary, top up with distilled water. Do not
use acid. Only fill up to the mark, otherwise the
electrolyte will overflow when the battery is
being charged and cause damage.
Winter operationDuring 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.
Let your Porsche dealer test the battery's capaci-
ty before winter sets in.Vehicle storageIf the car stands for long periods in the garage or
workshop, the doors and lids should be closed.
fRemove the ignition key and, if necessary, dis-
connect the battery.
Notes on operation
fWhen the battery is disconnected, the alarm
system ceases to function.
If the vehicle was locked before the battery
was disconnected, the alarm will be triggered
when the battery is reconnected.
To deactivate the alarm system:
fLock the vehicle and unlock it again.
Alarm system, central locking
The status of the central locking and alarm system
is not changed by disconnecting the battery.Maintenance Notes
Even if you put your vehicle out of operation, the
battery still discharges.
The battery will discharge more quickly if your ve-
hicle is not driven on a daily basis over a distance
of several miles. The more often you drive your ve-
hicle, and the longer the distance driven on each
trip, the more opportunity the vehicle‘s charging
system will have to recharge the batteries.
fTo preserve its efficiency, charge the battery
about every 6 weeks.
fCheck the battery acid level and top off with
distilled water if necessary.
fStore a battery that has been removed in a
dark, cool place, but not subject to freezing.
Replacing the batteryThe service life of the battery is subject to normal
wear; it depends greatly on care, climatic conditi-
ons, and driving conditions (distances, loads).
fOnly use an original Porsche battery, with the
correct part number, as a replacement. Only
this battery meets the specific requirements of
the vehicle.
fPlease observe the disposal instructions for
batteries.
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322
Minor Repairs
Putting vehicle into operationAfter the battery is connected or after a
completely discharged batterie is charged, the
PSM warning light lights up on the instrument
panel and a message appears on the multi-
purpose display of the instrument panel to indicate
a fault.
This fault can be remedied with a few simple
steps:
1. Start the engine.
To do this, turn the ignition key or the control
unit (on vehicles that have Porsche Entry &
Drive) to ignition lock position 2 twice.
2. Perform a few steering movements and drive
a short distance in a straight line until the PSM
warning light goes out and the message is
erased from the memory of the multi-purpose
display of the instrument panel.
3. If the warnings does not go out, then:
Drive carefully to the nearest authorized
Porsche dealer.
Have the fault remedied by an authorized
Porsche dealer.
4. After the warnings disappear:
Stop the vehicle in a suitable place.
5. Perform adaptation of the power windows:
Please see the chapter “STORING FINAL POSI-
TION OF THE DOOR WINDOWS” on Page 90.6. On vehicles with tire pressure monitoring:
Please see the chapter “SETTING THE TIRE
TYPE AND SIZE” on Page 134.
7. On vehicles with Panorama roof system:
Please see the chapter “SAVE FINAL POSITION
OF THE PANORAMA ROOF SYSTEM” on
Page 99.
Replacing the remote control
batteryNote
fPlease dispose of batteries in compliance with
any and all government regulations.Car keyIf the battery in the remote control becomes too
weak, a warning will appear on the multi-purpose
display in the instrument panel. The battery should
be changed in this case.Changing the battery
1. Carefully pry out the lid on the back of the key
housing with a small screwdriver.
2. Replace battery (observe polarity).
A replacement battery is available from your
authorized Porsche dealer.
3. Replace cover and press together firmly.
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