2005 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA check engine

Maintenance, Car Care
181
Engine Oil Engine oil consumption
It is normal for your engine to consume oil.
The rate of oil consumption depends on the quality
and viscosity of oil, the speed at which the engine
is operated, the climate, road conditions as well
as the amount of dilution and oxidation of the
lubricant.
If the vehicle is used for repeated short trips, and
consumes a normal amount of oil, the engine oil
measurement may not show any drop in the oil
level at all, even after 600 miles (1,000 km) or
more. This is because the oil is gradually becom-
ing diluted with fuel or moisture, making it appear
that the oil level has not changed.
The diluting ingredients evaporate out when the
vehicle is driven at high speeds, as on an express-
way, making it then appear that oil is excessively
consumed after driving at high speeds.
If the conditions you drive your vehicle in are
dusty, humid, or hot, the frequency of the oil
change intervals should be greater. If the vehicle is driven at a high rate of speed,
climatic conditions are warm, and the load is high,
the oil should be checked more frequently, as
driving conditions will determine the rate of oil
consumption.
– The engine in your vehicle depends on oil to
lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
Therefore, the engine oil should be checked
regularly and kept at the required level.
– Make it a habit to have the engine oil level
checked at every fuel filling.
– The oil pressure warning light is not an oil level
indicator.
The oil pressure warning light indicates serious
engine damage may be occuring when lit, if en-
gine rpm is above idle speed.
Engine Oil Level fPlease observe the chapter “EXERCISE EXTRE-
ME CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR VE-
HICLE” on Page 178.
fRegularly check the oil level using the on-board
computer after the vehicle is refuelled.
Please observe the chapter “OIL DISPLAY AND
MEASUREMENT OF THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL”
on Page 101.
The difference between the minimum and maxi-
mum marks on the segment display is approx.
1.2 liters.
Each segment of the display corresponds to ap-
prox. 0.4 liter.
f f f

184
Maintenance, Car Care
Oil change The engine oil has to be changed at the intervals
listed in your Maintenance Schedule.
fPlease observe the chapter “CAPACITIES” on
Page 268.
We recommend that you have the engine oil
changed at your Porsche dealer, who has the re-
quired oils and the necessary filling equipment.
If you suspect an oil leak in the engine have your
dealer check it out immediately.
All current engine oils are compatible with each
other, i. e. when making an oil change it is not nec-
essary to flush the engine if you wish to use a dif-
ferent brand or grade of oil.
Since, however, each brand of oil has a special
composition, you should, if possible, use the
same oil brand if it becomes necessary to top up
between oil changes.
Porsche engines have long intervals between oil
changes. You can make best use of these long oil
change intervals by using multigrade oils since
these are largely independent of seasonal fluctua-
tions in temperature. If your vehicle is used frequently in stop-and-go
traffic in cold weather, the engine will not always
be properly warmed up.
Condensation from products of combustion may
accumulate in the oil. In this case, it is advisable
to change the oil more frequently so that your en-
gine once again has 100% efficient engine oil.
Engine oil performance class Engine oil is not only a lubricant, but also serves
to keep the engine clean, to neutralize the dirt
which penetrates into the engine through combus-
tion and to protect the engine against corrosion.
To perform these functions, the oil is provided with
additives which have been specially developed for
these functions.
The efficiency of an oil is expressed, for example,
by the API, ILSAC or ACEA classifications.
Viscosity Like all liquids, engine oil is viscous when cold,
and thin-bodied when warm. The viscosity of an oil
is expressed by its SAE class. For cold viscosity
(measured at temperatures below 32°
F/0°
C) the
SAE class is given as a number and the letter “W”
(as in winter), for hot viscosity (measured at
212°
F/100°
C) the SAE class is given only as a
number.
The viscosity of an oil is, therefore, always the
same if it has the same number of an SAE class.
Oils with two viscosities are called multigrade oils;
oils with only one viscosity are termed single-
grade oils.
Single-grade oils can not be used in your engine.
The viscosity of the engine oil for your Porsche
has to be chosen according to the ambient tem-
perature given in the engine oil recommendation
table.

188
Maintenance, Car Care
Fuel
Warning!
Fuel is highly flammable and harmful to
health.
fFire, open flame and smoking are prohibited
when handling fuel.
fAvoid contact with skin or clothing.
fDo not inhale fuel vapors.
To prevent damage to the emission control
system and engine:
fNever drive the tank completely out of fuel.
fAvoid high cornering speeds after the warning lights have come on.
fPlease observe the chapter “EMISSION CONT-
ROL SYSTEM” on Page 191.
Please observe the chapter “FUEL ECONOMY”
on Page 187.
Please observe the chapter “LEVEL GAUGE”
on Page 86.
Check engine warning light
If the warning lights in the instrument panel and on-
board computer come on and remain on while
driving, it suggests:
– an improperly fastened tank cap or
– refuelling with engine running.
Opening the filler flap The filler opening is under the filler flap in the front
right fender.
fWith the vehicle unlocked, press on the front
part of the filler flap (arrow) to open the flap.
The filler flap is centrally locked along with the oth-
er locks. If there is a defect in the automatic unlocking
system:
fOpen the passenger door.
fPull the ring in the right-hand door aperture
(arrow).

190
Maintenance, Car Care Unleaded fuels may not be available outside the
continental U.S. and Canada. Therefore, we rec-
ommend you do not take your car to areas or
countries where unleaded fuel may not be availa-
ble.
Octane ratings Octane rating indicates a fuel’s ability to resist det-
onation. Therefore, buying the correct octane gas
is important to prevent engine “damage”.
The RON octane rating is based on the research
method. The CLC (U.S. Cost of Living Council oc-
tane rating) or AKI (antiknock index) octane rating
usually displayed on U.S. fuel pumps is calculated
as research octane number plus motor octane
number, divided by 2, that is written as:
The CLC or AKI octane rating is usually lower than
the RON rating:
For example: 95 RON equals 90 CLC or AKI
Fuels containing alcohol and ether Some areas of the U.S. require oxygenated fuels
during certain portions of the year. Oxygenated fu-
els are fuels which contain alcohols (such as meth-
anol or ethanol) or ether (such as MTBE).
Under normal conditions, the amount of these
compounds in the fuel will not affect driveability.
You may use oxygenated fuels in your Porsche,
provided the octane requirements for your vehicle
are met. We recommend, however, to change to a
different fuel or station if any of the following prob-
lems occur with your vehicle:
– Deterioration of driveability and performance.
– Substantially reduced fuel economy.
– Vapor lock and non-start problems, especially
at high altitude or at high temperature.
– Engine malfunction or stalling.
Fuels containing MMT Some North American fuels contain an octane en-
hancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
If such fuels are used, your emission control sys-
tem performance may be negatively affected.
The check engine warning light on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this occurs, Porsche recommends you stop us-
ing fuels containing MMT.Portable Fuel Containers
Danger!
Portable fuel containers, full or partially
empty, may leak causing an explosion, or re-
sult in fire in case of an accident.
fNever carry additional fuel in portable contain-ers in your vehicle. RON+MON
2R+M
2 or

194
Maintenance, Car Care
Power Steering Power steering is assisted by hydraulic auxiliary
forces.
The hydraulic fluid reservoir is located in the en-
gine compartment.
Note
The flow noise heard at full steering lock is design-
related and does not indicate a defect in the steer-
ing system.
Warning!
Risk of accident.
When the engine is stopped (e.g. when being
towed) or the hydraulic system fails, there is
no assistance for steering.
Therefore, substantially more force will have
to be exerted in order to steer.
fExercise great care when being towed.
fHave the fault remedied at your nearest author-ized Porsche dealer.
Checking hydraulic fluid fPlease observe the chapter “EXERCISE EXTRE-
ME CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR VE-
HICLE” on Page 178.
fOnly use hydraulic fluid authorized by Porsche.
Specification:
Please observe the chapter “CAPACITIES” on
Page 268.
Check the fluid level with the engine stopped and
cold (approximately 68°F/20°C).
1. Open the engine compartment lid.
2. Open the reservoir cap.
3. Wipe measuring rod.
Close cap and reopen. The fluid level should lie
in the area below the “Cold” marking.
Add hydraulic fluid if necessary.
4. Close cap carefully.
Close engine compartment lid.
Noticeable loss of fluid indicates leakage in the
system.
The cause should be remedied immediately at an
authorized Porsche dealer.

Maintenance, Car Care
195
Air Filter A dirty air filter not only reduces engine perform-
ance, but can lead to premature engine wear.
Regular filter replacement is part of the routine
maintenance service.
fIn dusty conditions, check the filter element
more frequently and replace if necessary.Combination Filter The fresh air passing through the combination fil-
ter into the passenger compartment is virtually
free of dust, pollen, and unpleasant odors.
fIf the outside air is polluted by exhaust fumes,
press the circulating-air button.
A dirty filter can be the cause of reduced air flow:
fHave filter replaced by your authorized
Porsche dealer.
Regular filter replacement is part of the routine
maintenance service.
Manual Transmission Oil The transmission oil has to be checked and
changed at the intervals listed in your Maintenance
Schedule.
fPlease observe the chapter “CAPACITIES” on
Page 268.
We recommend that you have the transmission oil
changed at your Porsche dealer, who has the re-
quired lubricants and the necessary filling equip-
ment.
If you suspect an oil leak in the transmission, have
your authorized Porsche dealer check it out imme-
diately.
Automatic Transmission Fluid The torque converter and the transmission are lu-
bricated with Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF).
The final drive requires transmission oil. See “Ca-
pacities”.
Do not tow the car or run the engine without ATF
in the transmission. The automatic transmission
may be damaged by even a tiny speck of dirt, only
a clean funnel or spout must be used when adding
AT F.
The ATF and transmission oil has to be checked
and changed at the intervals listed in your Mainte-
nance Schedule.
We recommend that you have the ATF and trans-
mission oil changed at your Porsche dealer, who
has the required lubricants and the necessary fill-
ing equipment.
If you suspect an oil leak in the transmission, have
your authorized Porsche dealer check it out imme-
diately.

206
Maintenance, Car Care
Alcantara fDo not use a leather care product to clean
Alcantara.
For regular care it is sufficient to clean the cover
with a soft brush.
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. Safety belts If it becomes necessary to clean the belts, you
can use any mild washing agent.
Allow the belts to dry prior to retracting, but avoid
direct sunlight.
fOnly use suitable cleaners.
If unsuitable cleaners are used or any attempt
is made to dye or bleach the belts, the web-
bing may be weakened and thus constitute a
safety risk.
Storing your Porsche If 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, approxi-
mately 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 observe the chapter “BATTERY” on
Page 236.
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.
Windows, doors and lids must be closed. The air
vents should be opened.

254
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Tail LightChanging bulb1. Open the engine compartment lid.
2. Completely unscrew fastening screw A.
3. Pull tail light out towards the back.
A- Reversing light
B-Turn signal
C- Tail light/brake light
D- Tail light/reflector
E- Rear fog light/side marker light4. Turn the bulb holder in the tail light housing
counter-clockwise and pull it out.
5. Turn the defective bulb counter-clockwise
(bayonet lock) and replace it.
6. Insert the bulb holder and turn it clockwise.7. Insert tail light into the side section.
Ensure that the retaining lug has been inserted
into the mounting guide properly.
8. Tighten fastening screw A on the tail light.
9. Check operation of the light.