Maintenance, Car Care
221
Automatic car washes
Optional add-on parts or parts which project
beyond the contours of the vehicle may be
damaged by design features (e.g. brushes) of au-
tomatic car washes.
The following parts are particularly
susceptible to damage:
– Convertible top (hot wax treatment cannot be
used, as the wax attacks the convertible top
material)
– Windshield wipers (always switch them off to
prevent them wiping unintentionally in intermit-
tent or sensor operation)
– External antennas (always unscrew)
– Roof Transport System (always remove com-
pletely)
–Rear spoiler
– Wheels (the wider the rim and the lower the tire
height, the greater the risk of damage)
– High-gloss wheels (to prevent these from get-
ting scratched, do not clean with the wheel-
cleaning brushes of the car wash).
fPlease consult the operator before using auto-
matic car washes.
fWash and dry by hand all points not reached by
a car wash, such as door and lid seams or
door sills. Note
Automatic car washes spray water at odd angles
and high pressures, which are not seen in normal
driving. Therefore, water can sometimes find its
way into the passengers compartment during or
shortly after the car wash.
Door lock fTo prevent the door lock from freezing during
the cold season, the lock cylinder should be
covered during a wash.
fShould the lock freeze, use an ordinary de-icer.
In many cases, a well warmed key can help.
Never use excessive force.
222
Maintenance, Car Care
Paint fNever rub a dusty car with a dry cloth since
dust particles are abrasive and could dull and
damage the surface finish.
The paintwork of your car is exposed to all types
of mechanical and chemical conditions, particular-
ly climatic ones such as bright sunlight, rain, frost
and snow. Ultraviolet light, rapid changes in tem-
perature, rain, snow, industrial dust and chemical
deposits constantly attack the paint which is only
able to withstand such exposure in the long term
if it is given regular care and attention.
fDo not apply silicone polishes to the windshield
or windows.
fDo not treat matt-painted components with
preservatives or polishes as this will spoil the
matte effect.
Preservation
The paint surface becomes dull over time due to
weathering. It is therefore necessary to preserve
the paint regularly.
This keeps the paint shiny and elastic. Dirt is pre-
vented from adhering to the paint surface and in-
dustrial dust is prevented from penetrating the
paint.
Provided it is washed and treated with preserva-
tive regularly, the brand new finish of your car will
be retained for years to come.
fApply paint preservative after the car wash and
polish it dry to obtain a bright finish. Polishing
Do not resort to using Porsche polish until it be-
comes evident that the normal preservatives no
longer produce the desired finish.
Spots and stains
fRemove tar stains, grease, oil spots and dead
insects as soon as possible with Insect Remov-
er. They can cause discoloration if allowed to
remain on the paintwork.
fWash the affected area immediately after treat-
ing it.
Minor paint damage
fHave minor paint damage, such as scratches,
scores or chips caused by flying stones, re-
paired immediately by your authorized
Porsche dealer before corrosion sets in.
However, if there are already traces of corrosion,
they must first be removed carefully and thorough-
ly. Coat the area with a rust-proofing primer and
finish off with a top coat. The paint code and color
number are found on the data bank in the Mainte-
nance booklet.
Engine compartment The engine compartment and the surface of the
engine are treated with a corrosion-inhibitor at the
factory.
If degreasing solvents are used to clean the en-
gine compartment or the engine is washed down,
the process almost invariably removes the corro-
sion-inhibiting coating. It is then absolutely neces-
sary to have a durable preservative applied to all
surfaces, body seams, joints and assemblies in
the engine compartment. This also applies when
corrosion-inhibitor parts are replaced.
Caution!
Risk of damage to the alternator.
fDo not point the cleaning jet directly at the al-ternator, or cover the alternator.
Effective corrosion-proofing is particularly impor-
tant during the cold weather season. If your car is
driven frequently in areas where salt has been
spread on the roads, the whole engine compart-
ment should be cleaned thoroughly after the win-
ter to prevent salt from causing any lasting dam-
age. A full under-body wash should also be per-
formed at the same time.
Maintenance, Car Care
223
Windows The road dust which settles on the windshield and
windows contains particles of tire rubber and oil
residue. The interior trim and upholstery release
particles, particularly in strong sunlight, which col-
lect on the insides of the windows. These deposits
are augmented by impurities in the air which en-
ters the car through the fresh air vents.
fClean all windows regularly, inside and outside,
with Porsche window cleaner.
fIf you use a chamois leather for the windows,
do not use it for paintwork as it will otherwise
pick up a certain amount of preservative or
polish and could smear the windows and thus
impair vision.
fRemove dead insects with Porsche insect re-
mover.
Note
Door windows feature a water-repellent (hydro-
phobic) coating which prevents soiling of the
windows.
This coating is subject to natural wear and can be
renewed.
fConsult an authorized Porsche dealer.
Wiper blades Wiper blades that are in perfect condition are vital
for a clear view.
fReplace the wiper blades twice per year (be-
fore and after the cold season) or whenever
wiper performance deteriorates.
fPeriodically clean the wiper blades with
Porsche window cleaner, especially after the
vehicle has been washed in a car wash.
If they are very dirty (e.g. with insect remains),
they can be cleaned with a sponge or cloth. Undercoating As it is not possible to exclude the risk of damage
to this protective coating in day to day driving, it
is advisable to have the underside of the car in-
spected at certain intervals – preferably before
the start of winter and again in spring – and the un-
dercoating restored as necessary.
Your authorized Porsche dealer is familiar with the
bodyseal treatment procedures and has the nec-
essary equipment for applying factory approved
materials. We recommend that you entrust them
with such work and inspections.
Unlike conventional spray oils, undercoating and
rust-proofing compounds based on bitumen or
wax do not attack the sound-proofing materials ap-
plied at the factory.
Warning!
Danger of fire and serious personal injuries.
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.
fBefore applying fresh underseal, carefully re-
move any deposits or dirt and grease. Once it
has dried, the new undercoating compound
forms a tough protective coating which pro-
vides efficient rust-proofing of the floor panels
and components.
fAlways apply a fresh coating of suitable pre-
servative to unprotected areas after cleaning
the underside of the body, the transmission,
the engine or carrying out repairs to under-
body, engine or transmission components.
Effective rust-proofing is particularly important
during the cold weather season. If your car is driv-
en frequently in areas where salt has been spread
on the roads, the whole engine compartment
should be cleaned thoroughly after the winter to
prevent salt from causing any lasting damage. A
full under-body wash should also be performed at
the same time.
224
Maintenance, Car Care
Light alloy wheels fPlease observe the chapter “WASHING” on
Page 219.
Warning!
Danger of accident if cleaning agents (e.g.
wheel cleaning agents) come into contact
with the brake discs. The resulting film on the
brake discs can impair braking perform-
ance.
fMake sure that no cleaning agent comes into
contact with the brake discs.
fIf cleaning agent has come into contact with
the brake discs, thoroughly clean the brake
discs with a strong jet of water.
fPaying attention to any road users behind you,
dry the brake discs by applying the brakes at short intervals.Pitting may occur if metallic particles which cause
contact corrosion (e.g. brass or copper in brake
dust) are allowed to remain on the aluminum for
too long.
fIf possible, wash the wheels with a sponge or
wash brush about every two weeks. In areas
where salt is spread on winter roads or there is
a lot of airborne industrial dust, it is best to
clean the wheels weekly.
The Porsche Light Alloy Wheel Cleaner
(ph-value 9.5) can be used for this pur-
pose.
If the ph-value of the detergent is incor-
rect, the protective coating on the wheels
will be destroyed.
Polishes which dissolve oxides, such as those
frequently used for other metals, or abrasive
tools or agents are unsuitable because they
break down the oxide film of the protective
coating and will cause discoloration of the
wheel.
fEvery three months, after cleaning, coat the
wheels with a car wax or non-corrosive grease
(vaseline).
Using a clean cloth thoroughly rub the grease
into the surface.
Door, roof, lid and window seals fWash dirt (e.g. abrasion, dust, road salts) from
all seals regularly using warm soapy water. Do
not use any chemical cleaning agents or sol-
vents.
When there is a frost hazard, the outer door seals
and the front and rear lid seals can be protected
against freezing into place by a suitable care prod-
uct.
In order to prevent damage to the anti-
friction coating, the inner door seals, the
convertible top seals and hardtop seals must
not be treated with care products. Headlights, lights, interior and exterior
plastic parts fUse only clean water and a little dishwashing
detergent to clean light lenses, plastic head-
light lenses, plastic parts and surfaces.
Do not clean when dry.
Use a soft sponge or a soft, lint-free cloth. Gen-
tly wipe the surface without applying too much
pressure.
The Porsche inside window cleaner is also suit-
able for cleaning plastic surfaces. Follow the
cleaning instructions on the container.
Never use other chemical cleaners or
solvents.
fRinse cleaned surfaces with clear water.
232
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 “TIRE PRESSURE
PLATE” on Page 285.
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.Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should
be checked every 2 weeks when cold (68°F/20°C)
and inflated to the inflation pressure recommend-
ed in this Owner's Manual or on the tire-pressure
plate.
If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated in this Owner's Manual or on the tire-
pressure plate, you should determine the proper
tire inflation pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring (TPC)
that illuminates a low tire pressure message when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-in-
flated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
message illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly un-
der-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduc-
es fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPC is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s re-
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even
if under-inflation has not reached the level to trig-
ger illumination of the TPC low tire pressure mes-
sage.
fOn vehicles with tire pressure monitoring:
Please observe the chapter “TPC TIRE
PRESSURE MONITORING” on Page 109.
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 242.
fPlease observe the chapter “TIRE PRESSURES
FOR COLD TIRES” on Page 290.
292
Technical Data
Weights Coupé911 Carrera Manual transmission Tiptronic S
Empty weight (depending on equipment)1395 kg to 1495 kg 1435 kg to 1535 kg
3075 lbs. to 3296 lbs. 3164 lbs. to 3384 lbs.
Maximum gross weight 3990 lbs./1810 kg 4090 lbs./1855 kg
Maximum axle load, front* 1709 lbs./775 kg 1709 lbs./775 kg
Maximum axle load, rear* 2601 lbs./1180 kg 2601 lbs./1180 kg
Maximum useful load, Roof Transport System** 165 lbs./75 kg 165 lbs./75 kg
911 Carrera S Manual transmission Tiptronic S
Empty weight (depending on equipment)1420 kg to 1510 kg 1460 kg to 1550 kg
3131 lbs. to 3329 lbs. 3219 lbs. to 3417 lbs.
Maximum gross weight 4012 lbs./1820 kg 4112 lbs./1865 kg
Maximum axle load, front* 1709 lbs./775 kg 1709 lbs./775 kg
Maximum axle load, rear* 2601 lbs./1180 kg 2601 lbs./1180 kg
Maximum useful load, Roof Transport System** 165 lbs./75 kg 165 lbs./75 kg
* The maximum gross weight must not be exceeded.
Note: If additional accessories are installed, the useful load will be correspondingly less.
** Use only Original Porsche Roof Transport System.
Technical Data
293
Weights Coupé911 Carrera 4 Manual transmission Tiptronic S
Empty weight (depending on equipment) 1450 kg to 1550 kg 1490 kg to 1590 kg
3197 lbs. to 3417 lbs.3285 lbs. to 3505 lbs.
Maximum gross weight 4112 lbs./1865 kg 4211 lbs./1910 kg
Maximum axle load, front* 1819 lbs./825 kg 1819 lbs./825 kg
Maximum axle load, rear* 2690 lbs./1220 kg 2690 lbs./1220 kg
Maximum useful load, Roof Transport System** 165 lbs./75 kg 165 lbs./75 kg
911 Carrera 4S Manual transmission Tiptronic S
Empty weight (depending on equipment) 1475 kg to 1565 kg 1515 kg to 1605 kg
3252 lbs. to 3450 lbs.3340 lbs. to 3538 lbs.
Maximum gross weight 4134 lbs./1875 kg 4233 lbs./1920 kg
Maximum axle load, front* 1819 lbs./825 kg 1819 lbs./825 kg
Maximum axle load, rear* 2690 lbs./1220 kg 2690 lbs./1220 kg
Maximum useful load, Roof Transport System** 165 lbs./75 kg 165 lbs./75 kg
* The maximum gross weight must not be exceeded.
Note: If additional accessories are installed, the useful load will be correspondingly less.
** Use only Original Porsche Roof Transport System.
Index
305
Compact disc
Player and Changer ............................. 160
Storage.............................................. 147
Compartment monitoring............................... 26
Compressor ............................................... 151
Convertible top ........................................... 176
Care .................................................. 220
Coolant ................................................92
, 199
Level.................................................. 199
Temperature gauge.............................. 92
Warning light ........................................ 92
Cooling system .....................................92, 199
Cruise control .............................. 96
, 136
, 137
Cupholder .................................................. 144
DDashboard ................................................... 78
Data bank .................................................. 284
Defrosting windows ...............................33
, 139
Diagnostic socket .................................17, 256
Diagrams ................................................... 299
Dimensions ................................................ 298
Door ............................................................ 21
Guard lights ........................................ 277
Handles................................................ 21
Locks...........................................21, 221
Mirror .................................................. 32
Mirror heating ....................................... 33
Windows ....................... 21
, 28, 176
, 223
Driving hints ................................................. 14
Driving in winter .......................................... 170
Driving performance...........................296, 297
Drop-center rim .......................................... 241
DVD Navigation...................................150, 158DVD navigation ...........................................151
Dynamometer testing....................................61
EElectrical system.........................................254
Emergency flasher ......................................130
Emergency operation
Central locking ......................................23
Lids ...................................................257
Sliding roof .........................................174
Tank flap ............................................208
Emergency service......................................228
Emergency starting
with jumper cables............................. 264
, 265
Emission control system ........... 7
, 97, 211
, 212
Engine
Checking the oil level ...........................118
Exhaust ..................................................9
Number ..............................................285
Oil consumption........................... 16, 201
Oil level ..............................................201
Oil level indicator.................................118
Oil pressure ..........................................96
Oil temperature .....................................88
Oils ........................................... 201, 291
Speeds ............................... 16
, 296
, 297
Starting ................................................82
Stopping ..............................................83
Engine compartment
Blower .......................................... 83, 92
Lid ............................................ 148, 149
Lid warning light ..................................148
Light ..................................................277
Environment ...................................................6
FFilling pressure, tire................................ 5
, 290
Fire extinguisher......................................... 154
Floor mats ................................................. 225
Fluids and fuels .......................................... 291
Fog lights .................................................. 131
Footbrake .................................................... 66
Footwell lights ............................................ 277
Four-wheel drive ..................................... 61, 62
Fresh air intake .......................................... 141
Front lid ..................................................... 149
Fuel................................................. 4
, 94, 208
Containers ..................................... 8, 210
Economy ........................................... 207
Evaporation control ............................ 213
Level gauge ......................................... 94
Level warning light................................ 94
Recommendation ....................... 209, 210
Tank.................................................. 209
Function keys ............................................... 40
Fuses ........................................................ 256
GGarage door opener................................... 155
Garage lift ................................................. 244
Glove compartment .................................... 147
Gong ..................................... 18
, 81, 100
, 131
Ground clearance ........................................... 9