200
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
D - Automatic selection mode (in the road
driving program)The functions of selector lever positions Dand M
differ in the on-road program, High Range, and in
the off-road program, Low Range.
fUse selector lever position D for “normal” driv-
ing.
The gears are shifted automatically according
to the accelerator position and speed.
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven and on
the resistance (e.g. uphill), the gear-changing
points are shifted towards higher or lower engine-
speed ranges. Movement of the accelerator,
driving speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration
and the road profile all have an influence on the
gear-changing characteristic.
When PSM is switched off, transmission gear
changes are done at higher engine speeds.
Unwanted upward shifts, e.g. before bends, are
prevented by swiftly releasing the accelerator ped-
al.
Depending on lateral acceleration, upward chang-
es on bends are not made until the engine-speed
limit is reached.
During braking, and depending on the amount of
deceleration, the Tiptronic changes down earlier.
For subsequent cornering, the right gear is en-
gaged when pressure is applied to the brakes be-
fore the bend.The bend is taken in the right gear, and when you
accelerate out of the bend you do not have to
change down.
Moving off
In 2nd gear, the vehicle moves off with the throttle
only slightly open. Move off in 1st gear with the
throttle open wider or when the engine is cold.
When PSM is switched off, the car generally
moves off in 1st gear.
Shifting gear on the steering wheel
By shifting gear with the rocker switches on the
steering wheel, you can temporarily change from
automatic selection mode D to manual selection
mode M.
Advantages
– Shifting down before bends and on entering
built-up areas.
– Shifting down on downward slopes (engine
braking).
– Shifting down for brief spurts of acceleration.
– Selecting 1st or 2nd gear for moving off.
The manual selection mode remains engaged:
– For cornering (depending on the lateral accel-
eration) and overrunning,
– When the vehicle is stationary (e.g. at a junc-
tion).The system leaves manual selection mode:
– automatically after around 8 seconds
(unless car is cornering, overrunning or
stationary),
– if you depress the accelerator to kickdown.
Temporary change-down
Precondition
– Speed is higher than approx. 33 mph
(54 km/h).
fDepress accelerator quickly.
The Tiptronic changes temporarily to the sport-
iest gear-changing map, i.e. to the highest pos-
sible gear-changing points. Correspondingly,
the transmission shifts down immediately by
one, two or three gears.
Ending the function
fRelease the accelerator markedly (by approx.
25%).
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
201
Kickdown
The kickdown function is active in selector lever
position D.
fFor optimum acceleration, e.g. when overtak-
ing, depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
full-throttle point (kickdown).
The transmission shifts down depending on the
speed of travel and engine speed.
Upward shifts occur at the highest possible engine
speeds.
These gear-changing speeds remain active until
the accelerator is released to approx. 80% of the
full-throttle position.D - Automatic selection mode (in the off-
road driving program)The functions of selector lever positions Dand M
differ in the on-road program, High Range, and in
the off-road program, Low Range.
fUse selector lever position D for “normal” driv-
ing.
The gears are shifted automatically according
to the accelerator position and speed.
The gears are shifted automatically according to
the accelerator position and speed. The gear-
changing points have been adjusted to achieve the
best possible vehicle control on difficult terrain.Depending on the route profile, the gear-changing
points are shifted towards higher or lower engine-
speed ranges. On steep downhill stretches, up-
ward shifts are prevented until medium engine
speeds are reached (at least 2,500 rpm).
When the car is overrunning, an automatic upshift
does not occur when the engine speed limit is
reached.
Moving off
The car moves off in 1st gear.
Shifting gear on the steering wheel
By shifting gear with the rocker switches on the
steering wheel, you can temporarily change from
automatic selection mode D to manual selection
mode M.
Advantages
– Shifting down on downward slopes (engine
braking).
– Shifting down for brief spurts of acceleration.
– Selecting 1st/2nd or 3rd gear for moving off.
The manual selection mode remains engaged:
– For overrunning
– Depending on lateral acceleration
– When the vehicle is stationary (e.g. at a junc-
tion).The system leaves manual selection mode:
– Automatically after around 8 seconds
(unless car is subject to high lateral accelera-
tion, is overrunning or stationary),
– if you depress the accelerator to kickdown.
Kickdown
The kickdown function is active in selector lever
position D.
fFor optimum acceleration, e.g. when overtak-
ing, depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
full-throttle point (kickdown).
The transmission shifts down depending on the
speed of travel and engine speed.
Upward shifts occur at the highest possible engine
speeds.
These gear-changing speeds remain active until
the accelerator is released to approx. 80% of the
full-throttle position.
Tip on driving
Unlike in the on-road driving program, an auto-
matic upshift is not performed in manual selection
modeM when the engine-speed limit is reached.
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
205
Selector lever emergency releaseIn the event of an electrical fault, the selector lever
lock in position P can be manually released (for
towing the vehicle, for example).
1. Raise center armrest.
2. Use the key for emergency operation of the
sliding/lifting roof to undo screws A.
Please observe the chapter “EMERGENCY
OPERATION OF SLIDING/LIFTING ROOF” on
Page 149.
3. Remove trim mounting B.4. Lift trim C at the rear and carefully pull it off.
5. Unplug plug connection D.6. Press foam aside.
7. Press locking lever E aside (to the left) using a
suitable object.
8. Move selector lever to position N.
9. Reassemble in reverse order.
Danger!
Risk of loss of control and personal injury.
fEnsure that the parking brake of the vehicle is set and that vehicle does not move on its own.
216
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Switching off PSMfPress button A.
PSM is switched off after a short delay.
With PSM switched off, the PSM warning light
in the instrument panel and the information
light in the button are lit.
During braking, the vehicle is stabilised even
when PSM is switched off.
One-sided spinning of the wheels is prevented,
even with PSM switched off.PSM should always be switched on during
“normal” driving.
H o w e v e r, i t c a n b e o f a d v a n t a g e t o s w i t c h o f f P S M
temporarily in exceptional situations:
– On a loose surface or in deep snow
– When “rocking the vehicle free”
– When using snow chains.
When the PSM is switched off the slip monitoring
function of the Tiptronic is also deactivated.
Information light
– The light indicates a control operation, includ-
ing when PSM is switched off (brake control in
the event of one-sided wheel spin).
Warning light
– The warning light in the instrument panel lights
up in combination with the indicator light in the
button for a lamp check when the ignition is
switched on.
– Together with the information light in the
button, the warning light indicates that PSM is
switched off.
– A fault is indicated by the warning light in the
instrument panel and an indication on the multi-
purpose display of the instrument panel. PSM
is out of order.
Please have the fault remedied at an autho-
rized Porsche dealer.Collapsible spare wheel
fNever switch the PSM off when driving with a
collapsible spare wheel.
To w i n g
fPlease observe the chapter “TOWING” on
Page 340.
Tip on driving
When PSM is switched off, wheel-specific brake in-
terventions and the traction control system (TCS)
are also inactive.
The automatic brake differential (ABD) remains on.
Switching on PSMfPress button A.
PSM is switched on after a short delay.
220
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Off-Road DrivingfPlease read this chapter carefully before dri-
ving off road with your Porsche.
The information provided will familiarise you with
the special advantages of your vehicle, allowing
you to arrive at your destination safely every time.
We recommend practicing on less rugged terrain.
Vehicles with SportDesign package
Warning!
Risk of damage. On vehicles with
SportDesign package, front, rear, and side
member trim are painted and pulled down
lower. Off-road driving can seriously damage
these trim parts.
fWhen driving off-road, make sure these parts
are not damaged.
fMake sure there is sufficient clearance
between obstacles and the underside of the
vehicle.
fAvoid driving through water.
fDo not use side member trim as a running board.Maintenance note
Please bear in mind that off-road driving subjects
all vehicle components to considerably more wear
than normal use, making professional inspection
and maintenance after each use a vital precondi-
tion for functioning and safety.
Grains of sand, dirt particles and other abrasive
materials entering the brakes can cause exces-
sive wear or unpredictable braking action.
Rules for off-road drivingfEnsure vehicle is equipped with approved all-
terrain tires.
fPlease observe the chapter “GROUND CLEA-
RANCE” on Page 355.
fActivate Low Range.
fStow or fasten luggage and loads securely.
Please observe the chapter “LOADING INFOR-
MATION” on Page 191.
fIf unknown terrain is obscured from view, ex-
amine it on foot first and traverse it with ex-
treme caution.
This way, obstacles are easier to recognise
and damage to the vehicle is avoided.fAlways drive with the engine running.
Steering assistance is provided only with the
engine running.
fDrive slowly and uniformly.
fAlways make sure that the wheels touch the
ground.
fBefore driving through water, check the water
depth, the condition of the surface beneath it
and the speed of the water.
fLook out for obstacles such as boulders,
holes, tree stumps or ruts.
fAlways keep the sliding/lifting roof or
Panorama roof system and the side windows
closed while driving.
fDo not depart from marked routes or paths.
fRespect nature.
Always obey off-limits signs.
244
Maintenance, Car Care
Power Steering
Warning!
Risk of accident. When the engine is station-
ary (e.g. when on tow) or the hydraulic sys-
tem fails, there is no assistance for steering.
Therefore, substantially more force will have
to be exerted.
fExercise great care when on tow.
fHave the fault remedied at your nearest autho-rized Porsche dealer.The flow noise heard at full steering lock is design-
related and does not indicate a defect in the steer-
ing system.
Checking hydraulic fluidfPlease observe the chapter “EXERCISE
EXTREME CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR
VEHICLE” on Page 234.
fOnly use genuine Porsche hydraulic fluid or a
hydraulic fluid of similar quality which has been
approved according the Porsche specifica-
tions and product requirements.
fCheck the fluid level with the engine stopped
and cold (engine temperature approx. 68° F or
20°C).
1. Remove cover A.
2. Open the reservoir cap.
3. The fluid level should lie between the MIN and
MAX marks on the dipstick.
Add hydraulic fluid if necessary.
4. Close cap carefully.
5. Put on cover A.
6. Close engine compartment lid.
fIf the fluid level drops significantly, please have
the cause remedied immediately by an autho-
rized Porsche dealer.
Maintenance, Car Care
245
Air CleanerfPlease observe the chapter “EXERCISE
EXTREME CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR
VEHICLE” on Page 234.
Regular replacement of the filter element is part of
servicing.
fIn dusty conditions, clean the filter element
more frequently and replace if necessary.
Particle FilterThe fresh air passing through the particle filter into
the passenger compartment is virtually free of
dust and pollen.
fIf the outside air is polluted by exhaust fumes,
press the circulating-air button.
A dirty filter can be the cause of reduced air
throughput.
fHave filter replaced by your authorized
Porsche dealer.
Regular replacement of the filter is part of servic-
ing.
Automatic Transmission Fluid The torque converter and the transmission are lu-
bricated with Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF).
fPlease observe the chapter “CAPACITIES” on
Page 351.
Do not tow the car or run the engine without ATF
in the transmission. The automatic transmission
may be damaged by even a tiny speck of dirt, only
a clean funnel or spout must be used when adding
AT F.
The ATF and transmission oil has to be checked
and changed at the intervals listed in your Mainte-
nance Schedule.
We recommend that you have the ATF and trans-
mission oil changed at your Porsche dealer, who
has the required lubricants and the necessary fill-
ing equipment.
If you suspect an oil leak in the transmission, have
your authorized Porsche dealer check it out imme-
diately.
Maintenance, Car Care
247
6. Unclip cap A7. Pull off wiper blade toward the windscreen (ar-
row).
8. Push on the new wiper blade.Note on operation
fMake sure that the wiper blade is pushed onto
the wiper arm up to the stop.
9. Fit cap A again.
10.Fold wiper blade back to its original position.
11.Carefully fold wiper arm back on to the wind-
screen.