2006 PORSCHE BOXSTER catalytic converter

7
Environmentally friendly vehicles Modern environmental technology ensures compli-
ance with all emission laws applicable worldwide.
It has the following advantages:
– Rapid operational readiness of the catalytic
converters ensures low emissions, even in
short-trip operation.
– Reliable operation and good emission control
over a long useful life.
– Please observe the chapter “FUEL ECONOMY”
on Page 194.
Recycling – for a Porsche, this is virtually
an academic question More than two-thirds of all Porsches ever built are
still running.
Just in case recycling is ever necessary, we
take the following precautionary measures:
– Identification of all materials.
– Use of recyclable materials.
– Reusable components designed for simple
removal.
– These reasons result in a further increase in
the recycling rate which is currently 80 per
cent.
Emission control is built in Innovative engine technology combines high engi-
ne performance and environmental compatibility.
The engine diagnosis system electronically moni-
tors the components and systems that affect ex-
haust gases.
This continuous monitoring and fault storage en-
ables swift, reliable diagnosis and fault detection.
Any fault messages are indicated to the driver by
the “Check Engine” warning light and the on-board
computer.
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNINGS ON
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-
BOARD COMPUTER” on Page 116.

90
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

198
Maintenance, Car Care
Fuel Recommendations Your Porsche is equipped with catalytic conver-
ters and must use UNLEADED FUEL ONLY.
Your engine is designed to provide optimum per-
formance and fuel economy using unleaded premi-
um fuel with an octane rating of 98 RON
(93
CLC or AKI). Porsche therefore recom-
mends the use of these fuels in your vehicle.
Porsche also recognizes that these fuels may not
always be available. Be assured that your vehicle
will operate properly on unleaded premium fuels
with octane numbers of at least 95
RON
(90 CLC or AKI), since the engine’s ”Electronic
Oktane™ knock control“ will adapt the ignition ti-
ming, if necessary.
T h e u s e o f U N L E A D E D F U E L O N LY i s c r i t i c a l l y
important to the life of the catalytic conver-
ters. Deposits from leaded fuels will ruin the
converters and make it ineffective as an
emission control device.
Cars with catalytic converters have a smaller fuel
tank opening, and gas station pumps have smaller
nozzles. This will prevent accidental pumping of
leaded fuel into cars with catalytic converters. Unleaded fuels may not be available outside the
continental U.S. and Canada. Therefore, we re-
commend you do not take your car to areas or
countries where unleaded fuel may not be availab-
le.
Octane ratings Octane rating indicates a fuel’s ability to resist de-
tonation. Therefore, buying the correct octane gas
is important to prevent engine ”damage“.
The RON octane rating is based on the research
method. The CLC (U.S. Cost of Living Council oc-
tane rating) or AKI (antiknock index) octane rating
usually displayed on U.S. fuel pumps is calculated
as research octane number plus motor octane
number, divided by 2, that is written as:
The CLC or AKI octane rating is usually lower than
the RON rating:
For example: 95 RON equals 90 CLC or AKI.
Fuels containing alcohol and ether Some areas of the U.S. require oxygenated fuels
during certain portions of the year. Oxygenated fu-
els are fuels which contain alcohols (such as me-
thanol or ethanol) or ether (such as MTBE).
Under normal conditions, the amount of these
compounds in the fuel will not affect driveability.
You may use oxygenated fuels in your Porsche,
provided the octane requirements for your vehicle
are met. We recommend, however, to change to a
different fuel or station if any of the following pro-
blems occur with your vehicle:
– Deterioration of driveability and performance.
– Substantially reduced fuel economy.
– Vapor lock and non-start problems, especially
at high altitude or at high temperature.
– Engine malfunction or stalling. RON MON+
2 ---------------------------------------------------- o rRM+
2 ------------------------

200
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.

Maintenance, Car Care
201
How Emission Control Works When an automobile engine is running, it uses en-
ergy generated through the combustion of a mix-
ture of air and fuel. Depending on whether a car is
driven fast or slowly or whether the engine is cold
or hot, some of the fuel (hydrocarbons) may not
be burned completely, but may be discharged into
the engine crankcase or exhaust system. Addito-
nal hydrocarbons may enter the atmosphere th-
rough evaporation of fuel from the fuel tank. These
hydrocarbons (HC), when released into the air,
contribute to undesirable pollution.
In addition, carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of
nitrogen (NOx) contribute to engine emissions.
They, too, are formed during the combustion pro-
cess and discharged into the exhaust system.
To reduce these pollutants, your Porsche is equip-
ped with a precisely calibrated fuel injection sys-
tem to assure a finely balanced air/fuel mixture un-
der all operating conditions.
Oxygen sensor The oxygen sensor, installed in the exhaust pipe
continuously senses the oxygen content of the ex-
haust and signals the information to an electronic
control unit. The control unit corrects the air/fuel
ratio, so the engine always receives an accurately
metered air/fuel mixture. Crankcase ventilation Through crankcase ventilation, undesirable emis-
sions from the engine crankcase are not permit-
ted to reach the outside atmosphere. These emis-
sions are recirculated from the crankcase to the
air intake system. From here the emissions mix
with the intake air and are later burned in the engi-
ne. Catalytic converters The catalytic converters are efficient ”clean-up“
devices built into the exhaust system of the vehic-
le. The catalytic converters burn the undesirable
pollutants in the exhaust gas before it is released
into the atmosphere.
The exclusive use of unleaded fuel is critical-
ly important for the life of the catalytic con-
verters. Therefore, only unleaded fuel must
be used. The catalytic converters will be damaged by:
– push or tow starting the vehicle,
– misfiring of the engine,
– turning off the ignition while the vehicle is mo-
ving or
– driving until the fuel tank is completely empty,
– by other unusual operating conditions.
fDo not continue to operate your vehicle under
these conditions, since raw fuel might reach
the catalytic converters. This could result in
overheating of the converters. Federal law pro-
hibits use of leaded fuel in this car.

Maintenance, Car Care
215
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 deposits or dirt and grease. Once it has
dried, the new undercoating compound forms
a tough protective coating which provides effi-
cient rust-proofing of the floor panels and com-
ponents.
fAlways apply a fresh coating of suitable preser-
vative 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 du-
ring the cold weather season. If your car is driven
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.
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 pro-
duct.
In order to prevent damage to the anti-fric-
tion coating, the inner door seals, the con-
vertible top seals and hardtop seals must not
be treated with care products. Stainless steel exhaust tailpipesStainless steel exhaust tailpipes can discolour due
to soiling, strong heat, and combustion residues.
The original polish can be achieved again using
commercially available metal polishing paste or
metal polish.
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.
Gently wipe the surface without applying too
much pressure.
The Porsche inside window cleaner is also sui-
table for cleaning plastic surfaces. Follow the
cleaning instructions on the container.
Never use other chemical cleaners or
solvents.
fRinse cleaned surfaces with clear water.

292
Index
IndexAABS (antilock brake system) .......................... 61
Advanced Airbag........................................... 46
Air conditioning ...................................130
, 133
Air distribution ....................................130, 133
Air filter ...................................................... 208
Airbag .......................................................... 44
Function ............................................... 46
Warning light ........................................ 49
Air-conditioning compressor ................132, 135
Alarm system ............................................. 157
Alcantara ................................................... 217
Antenna .............................................157, 212
Antilock brake system................................... 61
Warning light ........................................ 62
Ashtray ...................................................... 138
Assembly aids for wheel changes................. 242
Assistant ...................................................... 70
Audio operation .......................................... 155
Auto-button air conditioning ......................... 133
Automatic
Anti-glare mirrors .................................. 30
Car washes ........................................ 210
Door locking ......................................... 24
Headlight beam adjustment.................. 125
Speed control ....................................... 82
Automatic air conditioning system ................ 133
Average consumption............................93, 114
Average speed .....................................93, 114
BBackrest
Adjustment ........................................... 34
Release ................................................ 34
Battery....................................................... 249
Care .................................................. 250
Charge state....................................... 250
Putting vehicle into operation ............... 252
Remote control ................................... 255
Removing ........................................... 253
Warning light......................................... 90
Winter driving...................................... 251
Before driving off ....................................12
, 13
Blower adjustment..............................130, 133
Brake light..........................................269, 270
Brakes
Brake pad warning light ......................... 91
Fluid ...........................................192, 286
Fluid warning light.......................109, 192
Pads ..............................................14, 60
Test stand ............................................ 66
Break in hints................................................ 14
Bulbs
Chart ................................................. 259
Replacing ........................................... 259
CCabriolet .................................................... 170
Canholder .................................................. 144
Capacities, overview ................................... 286Car care ..................................................... 184
Car telephone ............................................. 157
Car washes ................................................ 210
Catalytic converters ....................................201
Cautions............................................ 184
, 220
Central locking....................................... 19, 21
Emergency operation ..................... 19, 22
Central vents .............................................. 136
Central warning light..................................... 91
Changing wheels ......................................... 242
Check engine
Warning light......................................... 90
Checking pressure ...................................... 241
Child restraint systems .................................. 51
Chime ........................................................ 124
CHRONO stopwatch ......................................98
Circulating-air button .......................... 130, 133
Clock .................................................. 89, 114
Clutch ........................................................ 162
Clutch pedal ................................................. 56
Combination filter ........................................208
Comfort seat ................................................ 34
Coming Home mode ................................... 124
Compact disc
holder ................................................ 143
Player ................................................ 156
Storage .............................................. 152
Convertible top ........................................... 170
Care................................................... 211
Coolant ....................................... 86
, 186
, 286
Level .................................................. 186
Temperature gauge............................... 86