Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
267 Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle.............................. 268
Notes on Minor Repairs .............................. 269
Tires/Wheels ............................................. 269
Jack .......................................................... 283
Tool Kit ..................................................... 283
Lifting the Vehicle with a Lifting Platform
or Garage lift ............................................. 284
Compressor .............................................. 285
Wheel Bolts ............................................... 285
Changing Wheels........................................ 286
Flat Tire ..................................................... 287
Electrical System ....................................... 302
Battery ...................................................... 312
Emergency Starting with Jumper Cables ...... 323
Replacing the remote control battery ........... 326
Bulb Chart ................................................. 327
Replacing Bulbs ......................................... 328
Headlights ................................................. 329
Tail Light ................................................... 335
License Plate Lights ................................... 337
Headlight Adjustment.................................. 338
Changing Headlights from Left to
Right-Hand Traffic ....................................... 339
Towing ...................................................... 340
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.
272
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
Tire pressures
Danger!
Risk of accident.
Risk of serious personal injury or death.
Driving the vehicle with low tire pressure
increases risk of a tire failure and resulting
loss of control. Furthermore, low tire pres-
sure increases rate of wear of the affected
tires and cause damage. Always use an
accurate tire pressure gauge when checking
inflation pressures.
fDo not exceed the maximum tire pressure
listed on the tire sidewall. (Also refer to “Tech-
nical data“).
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
measuring 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 immedi-
ately.
fFor safety reasons, don't use tire inflating bot-tles.The tire pressure must match the prescribed
value.
You can find information on the tire pressure:
– In the front left door aperture.
– Please observe the chapter “TIRE
PRESSURES, COLD” on Page 350.
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.
fOn vehicles with tire pressure monitoring
system:
Please observe the chapter “TIRE PRESSURE”
on Page 85.
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 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 vehi-
cle 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 191.
fPlease observe the chapter “TIRE PRESSU-
RES, COLD” on Page 350.
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
273
Example of a tire pressure plate ATire Pressure plateDepending on when your vehicle was manufac-
tured, the tire pressure plate on the driver's door
will contain different data.
Information on the tire pressure plate A
A Seating capacity
Maximum number of vehicle occupants, includ-
ing the driver.B Vehicle load limit
Is the maximum total weight limit specified of
the load (passengers and cargo) for the vehi-
cle. This is the maximum weight of passengers
and cargo that can be loaded into the vehicle.
If a trailer is being towed, the trailer tongue
weight must be included as part of the cargo
load.Please observe the chapter “LOADING
INFORMATION” on Page 191.
C Original tire size
Size of tires mounted at the factory.
D Recommended cold tire inflation pressure
These values are for cold tires (68°F/20 °C).
E Approved tire sizes
F Size and tire pressure for the collapsible spare
wheel
Example of a tire pressure plate BInformation on the tire pressure plate B
A Approved tire size
B Permissible tire pressure for the front axle
C Tire pressure for fully loaded or partially
loaded vehicle
D Permissible tire pressure for the rear axle
E Size and tire pressure for the collapsible spare
wheel
274
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
275
Tire carefAvoid damaging tires and wheel rims.
fIf you must drive over a curb or other obstacle,
drive slowly and at an obtuse angle.
fCheck tires for uneven wear and damage be-
fore driving off.
fRemove imbedded material.
fReplace worn or damaged tires immediately.
fKeep oil, fuel, brake fluid, etc. away from tires.
fReplace missing valve stem caps.
fKeep tires inflated correctly.
fWash tires when washing the vehicle. Also
clean inner side of wheels.
fDo not use abrasive cleaners when washing
the wheels.
fCheck wheel rims for corrosion.
fRemove road salt, if driving in winter.
Tire damage, puncturefPlease observe the chapter “HIGH-PRESSURE
CLEANING UNITS” on Page 257.
Danger!
Risk of accident due to hidden tire damage.
Tires may burst, especially at high speeds
causing loss of control of the vehicle, which
may result in severe personal injury or death.
fCheck tires – including sidewalls – regularly for
foreign bodies, nicks, cuts, cracks and bulges.
fAfter driving off road, examine tires for signs
of damage such as cuts, tears, bulges or for-
eign objects stuck in the tread. Replace a dam-
aged tire if necessary.
fCross curb edges slowly and at right angles if
possible.
Avoid driving over steep or sharp curbs.
fIn cases of doubt, have the wheel (particularly
the inner side) checked by an authorized Por-sche dealer.In case of tire damage, where it is uncertain whe-
ther there is a break in the ply with all its conse-
quences or tire damage caused by thermal or me-
chanical overloading due to loss of pressure or
any other prior damage, we recommend that the
tire be replaced for safety reasons.
If one faulty tire is replaced it should be noted that
the difference in tread depth on one axle must not
exceed 30%. Handling inconsistencies may result.
fPerform a visual inspection if necessary.
278
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
Removing and storing tiresfAfter changing, adjust tire pressure and torque
wheel bolts diagonally.
Please observe the chapter “CHANGING
WHEELS” on Page 286.
Tires must always remain on the same side of
the vehicle.
When wheels are removed, the direction of rota-
tion 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 perception that tire durability and perfor-
mance are not affected by storage and age is un-
founded.
Chemical additives, which make the rubber elas-
tic, lose their effectiveness over the course of
time and the rubber becomes brittle and cracks.
Therefore, the tires, especially the spare tire,
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 three num-
bers read 1202, then the tire was produced in the
12th week of 2002.
fStore tires in a cool and dry place.
fRotate periodically to avoid flat spots.
Practical Tips, Minor Repairs
281
Example of InscriptionInscription on radial tireATire size
Example: P 255/55R18 109 Y
–P - The tire is designed for Passenger vehicle.
There is not on every tire this information.
–255 - Indication of tire width in mm
–55- Indication of tire height to tire width ratio
in percent
–R- Belt type code letter for radial
–18 - Indication of rim diameter in inches–109 - Load capacity coefficient
–Y - Speed code letter
B TIN (Tire Identification Number)
Example: DOT xx xx xxx xxxx
–DOT
The DOT symbol indicates that the tires com-
ply with the requirements of the US Depart-
ment of Transportation and provides informa-
tion about:
– first two-digit code means manufacture’s iden-
tification mark.
– second two-digit code means tire size.
– third three-digit code means tire type code.
– fourth four-digit code means Date of manufac-
ture.
If, for example, the last four numbers read
1204, the tire was produced in the 12th week
of 2004.
C Tire ply composition and material
The number of layers in the tread and sidewalls
and their material composition.
D Maximum permissible inflation pressure
The maximum permissible cold inflation pressure
to which a tire can be inflated.
fDo not exceed the permissible inflation pres-
sure.
E Maximum Load rating
The maximum load in kilograms and pounds can
be carried by the tire. If you replace tires always
use a tire that has the same maximum load rating
as the factory installed tire.
F Term of tubeless or tube tire
Identification for tubeless tires.
GRadial
The identification indicates if the tire has radial
structure.