2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER warning

Maintenance, Car Care
199
Fabric, upholstery, carpets and floor-
mats fUse only a vacuum cleaner or a medium stiff
brush.
fRemove stains and spots with Porsche stain
remover.
The Porsche range of accessories includes floor-
mats to protect the carpets in summer and winter.
Warning!
Risk of an accident.
fAlways check the movement of the pedals be-
fore driving and make sure that they are 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 - do not lay them loo-
sely in the vehicle.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you floor mats of the correct size with fasteners.
Alcantara Do 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 thin-
ned white spirit and dab the dirt from the out-
side 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.

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
205
Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B and C and they represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under con-
trolled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
Warning!
The traction grade assigned to this is based on
braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does
not include cornering (turned) traction, accelera-
tion, hydroplaning or peak traction characteris-
tics. Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and
C, representing the tire’s resistance to the genera-
tion of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperatures can cause the mate-
rial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel than the mini-
mum required by law.
Warning!
The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloa-
ded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loa-
ding, either separately or in combination, can cau-
se heat buildup and possible tire failure.

206
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Tire pressures
Warning!
Incorrect tire pressure causes increased tire
wear and adversely affects road handling.
fAlways use an accurate tire pressure gauge
when checking inflation pressures.
fDo not exceed the maximum tire pressure list-
ed on the tire sidewall.
Please observe the chapter “VEHICLE IDENTI-
FICATION NUMBER” on Page 258.
fCold tire inflation pressure means: all tires
must be cold, ambient temperature maximum
(68°F, (20°C)
, when adjusting the inflation pres-
sure.
Avoid sunlight striking the tires before measur-
ing cold pressures, since the pressures would
rise from temperature influence.
fValve caps protect the valve from dust and dirt,
and thus from leakage.
Always screw caps tightly down.
Replace missing caps immediately.
fUse only plastic valve caps.
fDo not use commercially available sealant or
tire inflating bottles. Only use Porsche approved tire sealant.The tire pressure must match the prescribed val-
ue.
You can find information on tire pressure:
– on Page 5 of this Owner’s Manual
– and in the left door aperture.
These values are for cold tires (68°F (20 °C)).
fCheck the tire pressure at least every
2 weeks. Always check when tires are cold.
When tires are warm, the tire pressure is
increased.
fNever let air out of hot tires.
This could cause the tire pressure to fall below
the prescribed value.
Insufficient tire filling pressure can cause tires to
overheat and thus be damaged – even invisibly.
Hidden tire damage is not eliminated by subse-
quently correcting the tire pressure.Overloading
Danger!
Risk of personal injury, loss of control and
damage to vehicle parts.
fDo not overload your vehicle. Be careful about
the roof load.
fIf loading the vehicle also correct the tire pres-
sure. Tire pressure for loaded vehicle can be
found on the tire pressure plate and in the
chapter technical data.
fNever exceed the specified axle load.
Overloading can shorten the service life of the
tires and car, as well as lead to dangerous ve-
hicle reactions and long braking distances.
Damage due to overloading is not covered by the vehicle warranty.
fPlease observe the chapter “LOADING INFOR-
MATION” on Page 216.
fPlease observe the chapter “TIRE PRESSURE
FOR COLD TIRES” on Page 264.

208
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Tire traction
Warning!
When driving on wet or slushy roads, a
wedge of water may build up between the
tires and the road. This phenomenon is
known as “hydroplane” and may cause par-
tial or complete loss of traction, vehicle
control or stopping ability.
fReduce speed on wet surface to prevent this. Tire life Tire life depends on various factors, i. e., road
surfaces, traffic and weather conditions, driving
habits, type of tires and tire care.
fInspect your tires for wear and damage before
driving off. If you notice uneven or substantial
wear, wheels might need alignment or tires
should be balanced or replaced.
Tire wear The original equipment tires on your Porsche have
built-in tire wear indicators. They are molded into
the bottom of the tread grooves and will appear as
approximately 1/2 in. (12 mm) bands when the
tire tread depth is down to 1/16 of an in.
(1.6 mm).
When the indicators appear in two or more adja-
cent grooves, it is time to replace the tires. We
recommend, however, that you do not let the tires
wear down to this extent.
Worn tires cannot grip the road surface properly
and are even less effective on wet roads.
In the United States, state laws may govern the
minimum tread depth permissible. Follow all such
laws.
Danger!
Driving on worn tires can result in loss of con-
trol of the vehicle and could cause serious
personal injuries or death.
fDo not drive with worn tires or tires showing
cuts or bruises as they may lead to sudden
deflation and loss of control which could cause
severe personal injury.
fSpecialized high performance tires on high
performance sports cars exhibit more wear
than those on a family sedan, or even a high
performance sedan.
Therefore, it is important to check your tire
pressure and condition at least every two weeks.
If you notice that tires are wearing unevenly, con-
sult your Porsche dealer.
Uneven wear may not always be due to improper
wheel alignment. It can be the result of individual
driving habits such as cornering at high speeds. If
the tire pressure is not checked and adjusted
regularly, abnormal tire wear can also occur.

210
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Tire replacements If in doubt, contact your Porsche dealer.
Use only tire makes and types approved by
Porsche.
If you do not use a Porsche recommended
replacement tire, make sure that you
purchase your new tires from a reputable tire
dealer and that the dealer complies with all
manufacturers warnings for those tires.
Only tires with the same make and with the
same specification code (e.g. “N0”, “N1”...)
can be mounted.
Before mounting new tires, check with your
Porsche dealer about the current release
status.
Use tires with “ZR” quality standards. There
are currently no standards concerning tire
strength at speeds above 150 mph (240 km/h).
Tires should be replaced no less than on one axle
at the time.
Only tires of the same make and type must be
used. Mixed tires are not permissible.
Initially, new tires do not have their full traction.
You should therefore drive at moderate speeds
during the first 60 - 120 miles (100 - 200 km). If new tires are installed only on one axle, a notice-
able change in handling occurs due to the different
tread depth of the other tires.
This happens especially if only rear tires are re-
placed. However, this condition disappears as the
new tires are broken in.
fPlease adjust your driving style accordingly.
Installation of new tires should only be done by a
qualified tire technician.
Valves
Rubber valve stems must be replaced every time
a tire is replaced.
For metal valves, the installation and replacement
instructions must be observed.
fUse only genuine Porsche metal valves.
fProtect the valve inserts against soiling with
valve caps.
Soiled valve inserts can cause a gradual loss
of air.
fUse only plastic valve caps.
Parking at the curb
Warning!
Hard impacts against curbs (or traffic
islands) are dangerous and may cause hid-
den tire damage which is not noticeable until
later. Such damage can result in accidents at
high speeds causing severe personal injury.
Depending on the force of impact, the edge
of the rim can also be damaged.
fIf you are in doubt, have the wheel checked by
an expert, particularly if you suspect damage
on the inside.
fIf you must drive over a curb or other obstacle,
drive slowly and at an obtuse angle. Exercise care when parking along curbs.

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
211
Wheel alignment, wheel balancing As a precaution, have wheels with summer tires
balanced in the spring, and those with mud and
snow tires before winter.
Unbalanced wheels may affect car handling and
tire life.
Only the specified weights may be used for wheel
balancing.
Self-adhesive weights must not come into contact
with cleaning agents, since they could drop off.
Uneven tread wear indicates wheel imbalance. In
this event, the vehicle should be checked at an au-
thorized Porsche dealer.
Warning!
If, during a journey, uneven running or vibra-
tions occur that could be caused by damage
to tires or the car, the speed must be re-
duced immediately, but without braking
sharply.
If you continue your trip without having the
cause of the fault remedied, you might lose
control of your vehicle which could cause se-
vere personal injury.
fStop the vehicle and check the tires.
fIf no cause for the fault can be found, drive
carefully to the nearest authorized Porsche dealer.
Removing and storing tires fAfter changing, adjust tire pressure and torque
wheel bolts diagonally to 94 ftlb (130 Nm).
Tires must always remain on the same side of
the vehicle.
When wheels are removed, the direction of
rotation and position of each wheel should be
marked.
Example
FR (front right), FL, RR and RL.
Wheels must always be fitted in accordance with
their marking.
The preception that tire durability and perform-
ance are immune to the effects of storage and
age is unfounded.
Chemical additives, which make the rubber elas-
tic, lose their effectiveness in the course of time
and the rubber becomes brittle and cracks.
Therefore, the tires should be inspected from
time to time. Note
Under no circumstances should tires older than 6
years be used on your Porsche.
The age of the tire can be obtained from the “DOT”
code number. If, for example, the last four num-
bers read 1204, then the tire was produced in the
12th week of 2004.
fStore tires in a cool and dry place.

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
219
Flat Tire
Warning!
Failure to follow these instructions may result
in serious personal injuries to you or to by-
standers.
fIf you have a flat tire, move a safe distance off
the road. Turn the emergency flasher on and
use other warning devices to alert other
motorists. Set the parking brake.
fDo not park your vehicle where it may contact
dry grass, brush or other flammable materials.
The hot parts of the exaust system could set
such materials on fire, thereby causing both
property damage and severe or fatal physical injury.
A tire sealant and compressor with pressure
tester are located in the toolbox in the luggage
compartment.
fPlease observe the safety and operating in-
structions on the special sealant bottle with a
special Porsche part number and on the com-
pressor – these are essential.Important note
Sealing the tire with the tire repair kit is only
an emergency repair. Even with the tire air-
tight, it may be used only for short journeys
in an emergency.
The maximum permitted speed is 50 mph
(80 km/h).
fDo not use commercially available sealant or
tire inflating bottles.
Use only the tire sealant located in the tool box
in the luggage compartment.
Warning!
Risk of accident.
fHave tires replaced by a specialist workshop
as soon as possible.
fAvoid hard acceleration and high cornering speeds.

220
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
A- Filler bottle
B- Filler hoseTire sealantThe tire sealant can be used to seal small cuts,
especially in the tire tread.
Sealing the tire with the tire sealant is only an
emergency repair, so you can drive to the next
workshop. Even with the tire air-tight, it may be
used only for short journeys in an emergency.The tire sealant and a compressor with pressure
tester can be found in the tool box in the luggage
compartment.
The tire sealant comprises:
– A filler bottle
– A filler hose
– A valve turner and
– A spare valve insert.
Danger!
Risk of accident.
fUse the tire sealant only in the case of cuts or
punctures no larger than 0.15 in. (4 mm).
fNever use the tire sealant if the rim is dam-aged.
Warning!
The sealant is highly flammable and harmful
to health.
fFire, naked flame and smoking are prohibited
when handling tire sealant.
fAvoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing.
fKeep tire sealant away from children.
fDo not inhale vapors.
In case of contact with the sealant:
fIf sealant gets on the skin or in the eyes,
thoroughly rinse the affected part of the body
off without delay.
fChange soiled clothing immediately.
fVisit a doctor immediately in the event of an
allergic reaction.
fIf sealant was swallowed, thoroughly rinse out
the mouth without delay and drink plenty of
water.
Do not induce vomiting.
See a doctor immediately.