2005 PORSCHE BOXSTER service

2Dear Owner, we would like to thank you for your purchase of a
Porsche Sports car.
Judging by the car you have chosen, you are a mo-
torist of a special breed, and you are probably no
novice when it comes to automobiles.
Remember however, as with any vehicle, you
should take time to familiarize yourself with your
Porsche and its performance characteristics. Al-
ways drive within your own unique capabilities as
a driver and your level of experience with your
Porsche. Ensure that anyone else driving your
Porsche does the same. To prevent or minimize in-
jury, always use your safety belts. Never consume
alcohol or drugs before or during the operation of
your vehicle.
This Owner’s Manual contains a host of useful in-
formation. Please take the time to read this manu-
al before you drive your new Porsche. Become fa-
miliar with the operation of your Porsche car for
maximum safety and operating pleasure. The bet-
ter you know your Porsche, the more pleasure you
will experience driving your new car.
Always keep your Owner’s Manual in the car, and
give it to the new owner if you ever sell your
Porsche. A separate Maintenance Booklet explains how
you can keep your Porsche in top driving condition
by having it serviced regularly.
A separate Warranty and Customer Informa-
tion Booklet contains detailed information about
the warranties covering your Porsche.
For U.S. only:
If you believe that your vehicle has a fault which
could cause a crash, injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to
notifying Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
(Porsche Cars N.A.).
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open
an investigation, and if it finds that a safety pro-
blem exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a
recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA
cannot become involved in individual problems
between you and your dealer, or Porsche Cars
N.A..
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1(800)424-9393 (or
366-
0123 in Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NH-
TSA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washing-
ton, D.C. 20590. You can also obtain other infor-
mation about motor vehicle safety from the Hot-
line. Your car has thousands of parts and components
which have been designed and manufactured in
accordance with Porsche’s high standards of engi-
neering quality and safety.
Any alteration of the vehicle may negate or
interfere with those safety features built into
the vehicle. Modifications may be carried out
on your vehicle only if approved by Porsche.
Your Porsche is intended to be used in a safe man-
ner obeying the local laws and in the light of dri-
ving conditions faced by you, and in accordance
with the instructions provided in this Owner’s Ma-
nual.
Do not misuse your Porsche by ignoring
those laws and driving conditions, or by
ignoring the instructions in this manual.
Any alteration or misuse of the vehicle can
lead to accidents and severe or fatal person
al injuries.
The fitting of racing tires (e.g. slicks) for sporting
events is not approved by Porsche. Very high cor-
nering speeds can be achieved with racing tires.
However, the resulting transverse acceleration va-
lues would jeopardize the adequate supply of oil to
the engine.
Porsche therefore will not accept any warranty or
accept any liability for damage occurring as a re-
sult of non-compliance with this provision.

3
Regularly check your vehicle for signs of da-
mage.
Damaged or missing aerodynamic compon-
ents such as spoilers or underside panels af-
fect the driving behavior and therefore must
be replaced immediately.
Your car may have all or some of the components
described in this manual.
Should you have difficulty understanding any of
the explanations of features or equipment installed
in your vehicle, contact your authorized Porsche
dealer. He/She will be glad to assist you. Also
check with your dealer on other available options
or equipment.
Throughout this booklet, left is designated as the
driver’s side of the vehicle, and right as the pas-
senger’s side of the vehicle.
Text, illustrations and specifications in this manual
are based on the information available at the time
of printing.
It has always been Porsche’s policy to continuous-
ly improve its products. Porsche, therefore, reser-
ves the right to make changes in design and spe-
cification, and to make additions or improvements
in its product without incurring any obligation to in-
stall them on products previously manufactured.
We wish you many miles of safe and pleasurable
driving in your Porsche.
Important
For your own protection and longer service life of
your car, please follow all operating instructions
and special warnings. These special warnings use
the safety alert symbol, followed by the words
Danger, Warning and Caution. These special
warnings contain important messages regarding
your safety and/or the potential for damage to
your Porsche. Ignoring them could result in se-
rious mechanical failure or even physical injury.
fDo not alter your Porsche. Any alteration could
create dangerous conditions or defeat safety
engineering features built into your car.
fDo not misuse your Porsche. Use it safely, and
consistently with the law, according to the dri-
ving conditions, and the instructions in this ma-
nual.
Alteration or misuse of your Porsche could
cause accidents and severe or fatal personal
injuries.
Note to owners In Canada, this manual is also available in French.
To obtain a copy contact your dealer or write to: Note aux proprietaires Au Canada, ce manuel est également disponible
en francais. Pour en obtenir un exemplaire, adres-
sez-vous à votre concessionnaire ou écrivez à
l’adresse ci-dessous.
Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd.
Automobiles Porsche Canada, LTEE
5045 Orbitor Drive
Building #8, Suite 200
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada L4W 4Y4
Telephone number for customer assistance:
1-800-PORSCHE / Option 3

9
Controls, Instruments 11 – 144
Shifting Gear 145 – 152
Mobile Roofs 153 – 166
Maintenance, Car Care 167 – 200
Practical Tips, Emergency Service 201 – 255
Vehicle Identification, Technical Data 258 – 271
Index 272 – 276

84
Controls, Instruments If the battery voltage drops abruptly, a warning
m e s s a g e w i l l b e d i s p l a y e d b y t h e o n - b o a rd c o m p u -
ter.
If the warning is displayed by the on-board
computer while the engine is running or while
driving:
fStop the car in a safe place and stop the
engine.
Possible causes
– Defect in the battery charging system.
– Broken drive belt. Warning!
Risk of an accident and risk of engine dam-
age.
A broken drive belt means there is no power
assistance to the steering (more effort is re-
quired to steer) and coolant pump function
will stop.
fDo not continue driving.
fHave the fault remedied at the nearest author-ized Porsche dealer. The warning light in the instrument panel comes
on when the ignition is first turned on and remains
on briefly as a bulb check. If the light does not
come on, have the bulb replaced promptly.
If the warning lights in the instrument panel and on-
board computer come on and remain on while
driving, it suggests:
– a potential engine control problem and the
need for system service or
– an improperly fastened tank cap or
– refuelling with engine running.
Although the vehicle is usually driveable and will
not require towing, see your dealer for service as
soon as possible.
Caution!
If the Check engine light in the instrument
panel is flashing, severe catalytic converter
damage and power loss will soon occur.
Prolonged driving with the Check engine light
on could cause damage to the emission con-
trol system. It also could affect fuel economy
and driveability.
fHave the fault remedied at the nearest author-ized Porsche dealer immediately.
Battery
Check Engine
Warning Light

Controls, Instruments
107
Acknowledging warning messagesWarning messages can be deleted from the on-board computer display.
fPush the on-board computer operating lever forward. You can recall erased warning messages in the “CHECK” menu.
System fault
Go to workshopSeveral systems may have failed. Adjust your
driving style. Reduce speed.
Have the fault remedied at an authorized
Porsche dealer.
Failure of fuel level indicator
WorkshopHave the fault remedied at an authorized
Porsche dealer.
Failure of outside
temperature indicatorHave the fault remedied at an authorized
Porsche dealer.
Service in km/days Service indicator
Bring the vehicle in for service no later than af-
ter the distance/time shown has elapsed.
However, it is the intervals in the “Guarantee
and Maintenance” booklet that are decisive.
Service now Service indicator
Have your vehicle serviced at an authorized
Porsche dealer.
Failure of convertible-top control Have the fault remedied at an authorized
Porsche dealer
Convertible top not in final positionFully open or close convertible top.
Convertible top is being opened Message goes out in final position.
Convertible top is closed Message goes out in final position.
Instrument
panelOn-board
computerText display on on-board
computerMeaning/measure

140
Controls, Instruments
Compact disc player
Caution!
To avoid damage to compact disc player and
discs.
fUse only compact discs labeled as shown, ha-
ving no dirt, damage or warpage.
fNever attempt to disassemble or oil any part
of the player unit.
Do not insert any object other than a disc into
the slot.
Remember there are no user-serviceable parts
inside the compact disc player.
fDo not allow the disc to sustain any finger-
prints, scrapes or stickers on the surfaces.
This may cause poor sound quality
Hold the disc only on the edge or center hole.
fWhen not in use, take the disc out of the player,
put the disc back into its case and store it
away from dust, heat, damp and direct sun-
light.
Leaving the disc on the dashboard in the sun
can damage the disc. fIf the disc gets dirty, clean the disc by wiping
the surfaces from the center to the outside in
a radial direction with a soft cloth.
Do not use a conventional record cleaner or
anti-static record preservative.
Disc cleaners are available in audio stores.

Maintenance, Car Care
177
Fuel Economy Fuel economy will vary depending on where,
when and how you drive, optional equipment
installed, and the general condition of your
car.
A car tuned to specifications and correctly
maintained, will help you to achieve optimal
fuel economy.
fHave your vehicle tuned to specifications.
Air cleaner should be dirt free to allow proper
engine “breathing”.
Battery should be fully charged.
Wheels should be properly aligned.
Tires should be inflated at correct pressure.
fAlways monitor your fuel consumption.
fDrive smoothly, avoid abrupt changes in speed
as much as possible.
fAvoid jack rabbit starts and sudden stops.
fDo not drive longer than necessary in the lower
gears. Shifting into a higher gear early without
lugging the engine will help save fuel.
fProlonged “warm up” idling wastes gas. Start
the vehicle just before you are ready to drive.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
fSwitch off the engine if stationary for longer
periods (traffic lights, jams, level crossings). fAny additional weight carried in the vehicle re-
duces fuel economy. Always keep cargo to a
minimum and remove all unnecessary items.
fOrganize your trips to take in several errands
in one trip.
fAll electrical accessories contribute to increa-
sed fuel consumption.
fOnly switch on the air conditioning when neces-
sary.
The EPA estimated m.p.g. is to be used for
comparison purposes, actual mileage may
be different from the estimated m.p.g., de-
pending on your driving speed, weather con-
ditions and trip length. Your actual highway
mileage will probably be less than the esti-
mated m.p.g.
fPlease observe all local and national speed li-
mits.
Operating Your Porsche in other
Countries Government regulations in the United States and
Canada require that automobiles meet specific
emission regulations and safety standards. There-
fore, cars built for the U.S. and Canada differ from
vehicles sold in other countries.
If you plan to take your Porsche outside the conti-
nental limits of the United States or Canada, there
is the possibility that
– unleaded fuel may not be available;
– unleaded fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Excessive engine knock and se-
rious damage to both engine and catalytic con-
verters could result;
– service may be inadequate due to lack of pro-
per service facilities, tools or diagnostic equip-
ment;
– replacement parts may not be available or very
difficult to get.
Porsche cannot be responsible for the me-
chanical damage that could result because
of inadequate fuel, service or parts availabi-
lity.
If you purchased your Porsche abroad and want to
bring it back home, be sure to find out about ship-
ping and forwarding requirements, as well as cur-
rent import and customs regulations.

182
Maintenance, Car Care
Emission Control System In the interest of clean air Pollution of our environment has become a pro-
blem that is of increasing concern to all of us. We
urge you to join us in our efforts for cleaner air in
controlling the pollutants emitted from the auto-
mobile.
Porsche has developed an emission control sys-
tem that controls or reduces those parts of the
emission that can be harmful to our environment.
Your Porsche is equipped with such a system.
Porsche warrants the Emission Control System in
your new car under the terms and conditions set
forth in the Warranty Booklet.
You, as the owner of the vehicle, have the
responsibility to provide regular maintenance ser-
vice for the vehicle and to keep a record of all
maintenance work performed. To facilitate record
keeping, have the service performed by authori-
zed Porsche dealers. They have Porsche trained
technicians and special tools to provide fast and
efficient service.
To assure efficient operation of the
Emission Control System fHave your vehicle maintained properly and in
accordance with the recommendations descri-
bed in your Maintenance Booklet.
Lack of proper maintenance, as well as impro-
per use of the vehicle, will impair the function
of the emission control system and could lead
to damage.
fDo not alter or remove any component of the
emission control system.
fDo not alter or remove any device, such as
heat shields, switches, ignition wires, valves,
etc., which are designed to protect your vehic-
le’s emission control system.
In addition to serious engine damage, this can
result in a fire if excess raw fuel reaches the ex-
haust system.
fDo not continue to operate your vehicle if you
detect engine misfire or other unusual opera-
ting conditions.
Parking
Warning!
Danger of fire.
fDo 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.
fIf your car catches on fire for any reason, call
the fire department.
Do not endanger your life by attempting to put out the fire.
Undercoating
Danger!
Danger of fire and serious personal injuries
or death.
fDo not apply additional undercoating or rust-
proofing on or near the exhaust manifold, ex-
haust pipes, catalytic converters or heat
shields. During driving the substance used for undercoating could overheat and ignite.