Maintenance, Car Care
263
Leather careCharacteristics and special features
The natural surface markings of leather, e.g.
creases, healed scars, insect sting marks, struc-
tural differences and slight variations in shade and
grain add to the attractiveness of the natural leath-
er product.
A special mention must be made here of natural
leather. For natural leather, carefully selected
hides of the highest quality are used. It is not
covered completely with dye on production. “Na-
ture’s signature” is therefore easily recogniz-
able.This fine material is distinguished by an out-
standing seating comfort, special suppleness and
a typical patina.Leather care and treatment
fClean all types of leather regularly to remove
fine dust using a soft, damp, white woollen
cloth or a commercially available microfibre
cloth.
fRemove heavy contamination with Porsche
leather cleaner.
Please always follow the instructions for use
given on the containers.
Caustic cleaners and hard cleaning objects
must not be used.
Perforated leather must under no circum-
stances get wet on its reverse side.
Once cleaned, leather (particularly the heavily
stressed leather seats) must be treated only with
Porsche leather care liquid.
Carpets and matsfUse 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 ob-
structed 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 lie them
loosely in the vehicle.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you
floor mats of correct size including a securing possibility.
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
271
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 performance.
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 gener-
ation 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 estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded.Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading, either separately
or in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
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Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
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 con-
trol or stopping ability.
fReduce speed on wet surfaces to prevent this.Tire lifeTire life depends on various factors, i.e., road sur-
faces, traffic and weather conditions, driving hab-
its, 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 wearThe 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 de-
flation and loss of control which could cause
severe personal injury.
fSpecialized high performance tires on high
performance sport utility vehicles 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.
fIf you notice that tires are wearing unevenly,
consult 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 reg-
ularly, abnormal tire wear can also occur.
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
277
Parking at the curb
Warning!
Hard impacts against curbs (or traffic is-
lands) are dangerous and may cause hidden
tire damage which is not noticeable until lat-
er. 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.
Maintenance note
Tire repairs are not permissible under any circum-
stances.
Wheel alignment, wheel balancingAs 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.
Danger!
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 hav-
ing the cause of the fault remedied, you
might lose control of your vehicle which
could cause severe 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.
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
283
JackThe jack is located in tool box A under the load-
space floor.
fPlease observe the chapter “OPENING LOADS-
PACE FLOOR” on Page 182.
Warning!
The jack must be used only to raise the car
for wheel changing.
The jack must never be used as a support to
work underneath the vehicle. If the jack is ac-
cidentally dislodged, you or bystanders could
suffer severe personal injury.
fNever jack up other vehicle or other loads with
the jack.
fAlways place the car on stable supports if you
have to work under the car.
When working under the vehicle, always use
safety stands specifically designed for this pur-pose.
Tool KitTool box A and compressor B with pressure tester
on non-air suspension vehicles are located under
the cargo area.
Notes on operation
The screwdriver is located in the handle of the
wheel bolt wrench.
286
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
Changing Wheels
Warning!
Failure to follow these instructions may result
in serious personal injuries to you or to by-
standers.
Before changing the wheel
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 motor-
ists.
fDo not park your vehicle where it may contact
dry grass, brush or other flammable materials.
The hot parts of the exhaust system could set
such materials on fire, thereby causing both
property damage and severe or fatal physical
injury.
fPassengers must not be in the vehicle when it
is jacked up.
fBefore you change a wheel, be sure the ground
is level and firm. If necessary, use a board un-
der the jack to ensure that the jack does not
sink into the ground.
fSet the parking brake and block the wheels op-
posite the flat tire on the other side of the vehi-
cle.While operating the jack
fThe jack is only to be used for changing a
wheel. Do not use it as a support to work under
the car.
fThe car must be jacked up only at the illustrat-
ed jacking points.Lifting at any other place
may damage the vehicle or may result in per-
sonal injury. Never jack the car up by the body
or the bumpers.
fFor safety reasons do not use tire inflating bot-
tles. Do not use commercially available sealant
bottles.Use only the tire inflating bottle locat-
ed in the luggage compartment.
Sequence of operation
Warning!
The jack must be used only to raise the car
for wheel changing.The jack must never be
used as a support to work underneath the ve-
hicle. If the jack is accidentally dislodged,
you or bystanders could suffer severe per-
sonal injury.
fNever jack up other vehicles or other loads
with the jack.
fAlways place the car on stable supports if you
have to work under it. When working under the
vehicle, always use safety stands specifically designed for this purpose.
fPlease use a suitable knee rest to protect your
clothing against soiling.
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
287
Flat Tire1. Stop the vehicle as far away from the driving
lane as possible.
The car must be parked on a firm and flat
surface offering adequate grip.
2. Switch on the emergency flashers.
3. Fully apply the parking brake.
4. Move the selector lever to position P.
5. Straighten the front wheels.
6. Withdraw the ignition key to lock the steering
and prevent the engine from being started.
7. Have any passengers leave the vehicle.
8. Set up a warning triangle at a suitable
distance.
A- Folding wedgesSecuring the vehicle against rollingFor this purpose, use the two folding wedges A
fastened on the tool box.
1. Unfold the wedges.
2. Engage the wedges.3. Place one wedge directly in front of and anoth-
er directly behind the diagonally opposite
wheel.
288
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
A- Filler bottle
B- Filler hoseTire sealantThe tire sealant can be used to seal small cuts, es-
pecially 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.
On vehicles without level control, the tire sealant
and a compressor with pressure tester can be
found under the cargo floor in the luggage com-
partment.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 vapours.
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 al-
lergic reaction.
fIf sealant was swallowed, thoroughly rinse out
the mouth without delay and drink plenty of wa-
ter.
Do not induce vomiting.
See a doctor immediately.