4Fuel QualityYour engine is designed to provide optimum performance and fuel economy using
unleaded premium fuel with an octane rating of 98 RON (93 CLC or AKI).
Porsche therefore recommends the use of these fuels in your vehicle.
Porsche also recognizes that these fuels may not always be available. Be assured that your vehicle will operate
properly on unleaded premium fuels with octane numbers of at least 95 RON (90 CLC or AKI),
since the engine’s ”Electronic Oktane™ knock control“ will adapt the ignition timing, if necessary.Fuels containing alcohol and etherSome areas of the U.S. require oxygenated fuels during certain portions of the year.
Oxygenated fuels are fuels which contain alcohols (such as methanol 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 problems 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 MMTSome North American fuels contain an octane enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
If such fuels are used, your emission control system performance may be negatively affected.
The check engine warning lights on your instrument panel may turn on.
If this occurs, Porsche recommends you stop using fuels containing MMT.
7
Environmentally friendly vehiclesModern environmental technology ensures compli-
ance with all emission laws applicable worldwide.
These have the following advantages:
– Rapid operational readiness of the catalytic
converters ensures low emissions, even in
short-trip operation.
– Reliable operation and good emission control
over a long useful life.
fPlease refer to the chapter “FUEL ECONOMY”
on page 187.
Recycling – for a Porsche, this is virtually
an academic question More than two-thirds of all Porsches ever built are
still running.
Just in case recycling is ever necessary, we
take the following precautionary measures:
– Identification of all materials.
– Use of recyclable materials.
– Reusable components designed for simple
removal.
– These reasons result in a further increase in
the recycling rate which is currently 80 per
cent.
Emission control is built inInnovative engine technology combines high en-
gine performance and environmental compati-
bility.
The engine diagnosis system electronically moni-
tors the components and systems that affect ex-
haust gases.
This continuous monitoring and fault storage ena-
bles swift, reliable diagnosis and fault detection.
Any fault messages are indicated to the driver by
the ”Check Engine“ warning light and the on-board
computer.
fPlease refer to the chapter “WARNINGS ON
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-
BOARD COMPUTER” on page 105.
Controls, Instruments
13 Controls, Instruments
Before driving off ......................................... 14
Break in hints .............................................. 16
Keys ........................................................... 19
Security Wheel Bolts.................................... 19
Doors ......................................................... 21
Central Lockin ............................................. 22
Alarm System,
Passenger Compartment Monitorin ............... 26
Power Windows ........................................... 28
Inside mirror ................................................ 30
Door Mirrors................................................ 30
Rear Window Defogger,
Door Mirror Heating ..................................... 33
Seat Adjustment .......................................... 34
Seat Memory ............................................... 36
Heated Seats .............................................. 38
Rear Seat Backrests.................................... 39
Steering Wheel Adjustment ........................... 39
Multi-Functional Steering Wheel ..................... 40
Sun Visors................................................... 41
Safety Belts................................................. 42
Child Restraint Anchorages ........................... 45
Child Restraint Systems ............................... 46
LATCH System
Child seat bracket on the passenger’s seat .... 48
Key-operated airbag deactivation device ........ 49
Airbag Systems ........................................... 50
Rollover Protection System........................... 52
Parking Aids ................................................ 53
Retractable Rear Spoiler............................... 56
Clutch Pedal ................................................ 58
Parking Brake .............................................. 58Brakes ........................................................ 59
ABS Brake System
(Antilock Brake System)................................ 62
Sport Mode ................................................. 64
Porsche Stability Management (PSM)............. 65
Porsche Active Suspension
Management (PASM) .................................... 68
Interior Lights .............................................. 69
Operation, Instruments ................................. 70
Ignition/Starter Switch with anti-theft
Steering Lock .............................................. 72
Starting Procedures ..................................... 74
Stopping Engine .......................................... 75
Instrument Panel USA Models ....................... 76
Instrument Panel Canada Models................... 78
Engine oil temperature ................................. 80
Automatic Speed Control Indicator light ......... 80
Instrument Illumination.................................. 80
Trip Odometer ............................................. 81
Speedometer .............................................. 82
Changing over between
Miles / Kilometers........................................ 82
Tachometer................................................. 83
Turn Signal Indicator Light ............................ 83
High Beam .................................................. 83
Cooling System ........................................... 84
Tiptronic ..................................................... 85
Fuel ............................................................ 86
Clock .......................................................... 87
Outside temperature .................................... 87
Engine Oil Pressure ...................................... 88
Check Engine Warning Light.......................... 89On-Board Computer (BC).............................. 90
Emergency Flasher Switch .......................... 112
Light Switch .............................................. 113
Welcome Home Lighting............................. 113
Automatic Headlight Beam Adjustment......... 114
Turn Signal / Headlight Dimmer /
Parking light / Flasher Lever ....................... 114
Windshield Wiper / Washer Lever ................ 115
Automatic Speed Control ............................ 118
Automatic Air Conditioning System .............. 120
Central and Side Vents ............................... 123
Fresh-air Intake .......................................... 123
Ashtray ..................................................... 124
Cigarette Lighter ........................................ 125
Cupholder ................................................. 126
Storage in the Passenger Compartment ...... 128
Luggage Compartment Lid and
Engine Compartment Lid ............................ 130
Luggage Compartment............................... 132
Trunk Entrapment ....................................... 133
Fire Extinguisher ........................................ 135
HomeLink .................................................. 136
Porsche Communication
Management (PCM) .................................... 139
Car Telephone and Aftermarket Alarms........ 142
Controls, Instruments
43
An audio-visual warning system is interconnect-
ed with the driver’s safety belt.
Every time the ignition is turned on, the gong will
sound for about 6 seconds to remind driver and
passenger to buckle up.
In addition, the gong will sound if vehicle speed ex-
ceeds 6 mph/10 km/h.
The safety belt warning lights in the instrument
panel and on-board computer will go off as soon
as the driver has buckled up.
Inertia reel retractor The combination lap/shoulder belt with inertia reel
locking mechanism adjusts automatically to your
size and movements as long as the pull on the belt
is slow.
Rapid deceleration during hard braking or a colli-
sion locks the belt. The belt will also lock when you
drive up or down a steep hill or in a sharp curve,
otherwise, the shoulder belt will not inhibit your
upper body movement. fAssume a comfortable sitting position.
The shoulder belt should always rest on your
upper body. The shoulder belt should never be
worn behind your back or under your arm.
fTo fasten, grasp belt and pull the belt in a con-
tinuous slow motion across your chest and lap.
fInsert belt tongue into buckle on inboard side
of seat. Push down until it securely locks with
an audible click. Pull the belt to check.
fPull shoulder section to make sure belt fits
snugly across the pelvis.
fBelts should fit snugly across the pelvis and
chest. Make sure there is no slack in the belt.
fTo unfasten belt, push in release button
(arrow) on buckle. Belt tongue will spring out
of buckle.
fTo release a latched belt, lean back to take the
body pressure off the belt.
fTo store lap/shoulder belt, allow the belt to re-
tract as you guide the latch to its stowed posi-
tion.
fPlease observe the chapter “AUTOMATIC LO-
CKING RETRACTOR” on Page 44.
f f f
Safety Belt Warning System
Controls, Instruments
49
Key-operated airbag deactivation
deviceSwitching passenger’s airbag on and offfSwitch off the passenger airbag on the key
switch using the vehicle key.
A - Switch position ON – airbag is active
B - Switch position OFF – airbag is switched off
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death for
passenger if passenger airbag remains
switched off after the child restraint system
is removed.
fThe passenger airbag must be switched on
again once the child seat has been removed, in
order to provide protection to the adult occupants.
Warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF”If the airbag on the passenger’s side is switched
off:
– Warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” is
continuously lit when the ignition is switched on
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNINGS ON
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-
BOARD COMPUTER” on Page 105.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death from
the passenger’s airbag.
If the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” warning
light is not lit when the ignition is switched on
and the Airbag OFF switch is switched off,
this could indicate a fault in the system.
fDo not install a child restraint system on the
passenger’s seat.
fHave the fault remedied immediately. Please see your authorized Porsche dealer.
Note
The key switch and the warning light “PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF” are not installed at the factory.
They can be retrofitted at your authorized Porsche
dealer.
50
Controls, Instruments
Airbag SystemsThe airbags in combination with the safety belts
make up a safety system which offers the driver
and the passenger the greatest known protection
from injuries in case of an accident.
Even though your vehicle is equipped with airbags,
the safety belts are your primary protection
and must be worn at all times.
The airbags can only help protect you where the
impact is of sufficient severity and from a speci-
fied direction.
Therefore, all persons within the vehicle
must always wear safety belts (in many states,
state law requires the use of safety belts).
fPlease observe the chapter “SAFETY BELTS”
on Page 42.
The front airbags are located behind the padded
steering wheel panel on the driver’s side and on
the passenger’s side in the dashboard.
The side airbags are installed in the side of the
seat backrests.
The head airbags are installed in the door linings.
Function Depending on the force and angle of impact, the
corresponding airbags can be triggered.
The inflation process generates the amount of gas
required to fill the airbags at the necessary pres-
sure in fractions of a second. Because of the pos-
sibility of injuries from airbag deployment, airbags
are designed to deploy only when the occupants
would receive substantial additional injuries if the
airbags did not deploy.
Airbags protect the face and upper body, while
simultaneously damping the motion of the driver
and passenger in the impact direction in the event
of a frontal impact or side impact.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module. This module will record the
use of the safety belt restraint system by the driv-
er and front passenger when the side airbags and
head airbags are inflated.
Danger!
To provide optimal occupant protection, air-
bags must inflate at very high speed.
If you are not wearing your safety belt or are
too close to the airbag when its deployed, in-
flating airbags can result in serious personal
injury or death.
fMake sure there are no people, animals or ob-
jects between the driver or passenger and the
area into which the airbag inflates.
fS i t b a c k a s f a r f ro m t h e d a s h b o a rd o r s t e e r i n g
wheel as is practical, while still maintaining full
vehicle control.
fDo not lean against the inside of the doors.
fAlways leave feet in the footwell when driving.
Do not put feet on the dashboard or the seat
cushion.
fAlways hold the steering wheel by the outer
rim.
Never rest your hands on the airbag panel.
fNever transport heavy or sharp objects on or
in front of the passenger seat.
fAlways keep the lid of the door storage com-
partment closed. Objects must not protrude
out of the door storage compartment.
fGive your passenger all of the information in
this chapter.
fNo changes must be made to the wiring or
components of the airbag system.
Controls, Instruments
51
fDo not add any additional coverings or stickers
to the steering wheel or in the area of the pas-
senger airbag, side airbags and head airbags.
Doing so may adversely affect the functioning
of the airbag system or cause harm to the oc-
cupants if the airbag system should deploy.
fDo not undertake any wiring for electrical ac-
cessory equipment in the vicinity of the airbag
wiring harnesses. Doing so may disable the
airbag system or cause inflation.
fIf the warning light comes on, the airbag sys-
tem should be repaired immediately by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
Note
Airbag components (e.g. steering wheel, door
trim, seats) may be disassembled only by an au-
thorized Porsche dealer.
When disposing of a used airbag unit, our safety
instructions must be followed. These instructions
can be obtained at any authorized Porsche dealer. Faults are indicated by a warning light in the instru-
ment panel and a message on the on-board com-
puter.
fIn the following cases you should immedi-
ately consult an authorized Porsche deal-
er in order to assure the airbag system is
functioning properly:
– If the warning light does not light up when the
ignition is switched on or
– If the warning light does not go out once the
engine is running or
– If the warning light appears while driving.
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNINGS ON
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-
BOARD COMPUTER” on Page 105.
Warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF”fPlease observe the chapter “KEY-OPERATED
AIRBAG DEACTIVATION DEVICE” on Page 49.
Airbag maintenanceIn order to ensure long-term functioning, the air-
bag system must be inspected by an authorized
Porsche dealer at the intervals recommended in
your Maintenance booklet.
Important information
If you sell your Porsche, notify the purchaser that
the vehicle is equipped with airbags, and refer
them to the chapter, “Airbag Systems”, in the own-
er’s manual (safety and disposal rules).
Further information on the airbag system can be
found on labels on the sun visors, as well as on all
airbag components.
fFor special recommendations on the use of
child restraints:
Please observe the chapter “CHILD RES-
TRAINT SYSTEMS” on Page 46.
Warning light and warning
message
58
Controls, Instruments
Clutch Pedal The clutch pedal must be depressed fully
before the starter will engage.
Warning!
Risk of an accident.
fAlways check the movement of the clutch ped-
al before driving and make sure that it is not
obstructed by a floor mat or any other object.
fSecure the floor mat to prevent it from sliding
into positions that could interfere with the safe
operation of your vehicle.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you
nonskid floor mats of the correct size.
To avoid damage to the clutch and transmis-
sion:
fAlways depress the clutch pedal fully when
changing gears.
fDo not hold the car on a steep grade with the clutch pedal partially depressed.
Should the free travel of the clutch pedal suddenly
become larger, it could mean a malfunction of the
clutch.
fSee your Porsche dealer for correction.
Parking Brake Parking brake force is mechanically transferred to
the rear wheels by means of cables.
fUse the parking brake only after the vehicle
has come to a full stop.
Setting the parking brake fPull the lever all the way up (arrow).
With the ignition on, the parking brake warning
lights in the instrument panel and on-board
computer will come on if the lever is even
slightly raised. A firm pull upward is required to
properly engage the parking brake.
If the brake is not fully set, the vehicle may roll
without control.
fMove the selector lever to “P” (Tiptronic) or
move the gearshift lever to reverse or first
gear (Manual transmission).
fBefore exiting the vehicle, make sure that the
parking brake is fully set and the vehicle is not
moving at all.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death. A
partially engaged parking brake may allow
the vehicle to roll, causing serious personal
injury or death to any person in its path.
fEngage the parking brake fully.Releasing the parking brakefPull the lever slightly up as you depress the re-
lease button, and then push the lever all the
way down.