
222
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
DisplayIndicator for selector lever position and
engaged gearWhen the engine is running, the selector lever po-
sition and engaged gear are indicated.If there is a fault in the transmission:
–An X appears instead of the current gear indi-
cation on the multi-purpose display of the in-
strument panel.
The transmission no longer shifts.
fTo remedy the fault, immediately consult an au-
thorized Porsche dealer.
Selector Lever PositionsP – Parking lockIn selector lever position P, the driven wheels are
mechanically locked.
fEngage parking lock only when vehicle is
stationary.
fEngage parking lock after applying the park-
ing brake and release it before releasing the
parking brake.
fAlways apply the parking brake before leaving
the vehicle.
The ignition key can be withdrawn only in selector
lever position P.R – ReversefSelect reverse only if car is stationary and the
brake is applied.N – NeutralSelector lever position N must be selected for
towing or in car washes, for example.
fSelect the desired position for moving off
(D, M or R) only when the engine is idling and
when depressing the brake pedal.

Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
223
D - Automatic selection mode (in the road
driving program)The functions of selector lever positions D and 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 corners, are
prevented by swiftly releasing the accelerator ped-
al.
Depending on lateral acceleration, upward chang-
es on corners 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 corner.The corner is taken in the right gear, and when you
accelerate out of the corner 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 corners 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%).
f f f

224
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems 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 D and 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 automat-
ic upshift is not performed in manual selection
mode M when the engine-speed limit is reached.

228
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
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 171.
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.

230
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems If the Low Range indicator light beside the rocker
switch flashes when you attempt to operate rock-
er switch, the conditions for a shift have not been
met:
Vehicles with manual transmission
– Vehicle is not stationary.
– Brake is not pressed.
– Gear-shift lever is not in neutral.
Vehicles with Tiptronic S
– Vehicle has exceeded or gone below the limit
speed.
– Selector lever is not in position N.
A-Rocker switch
B- Low Range is engagedChanging from on-road driving program
to off-road driving programVehicles with manual transmission
fStop the vehicle.
fApply the brake.
fPut the gearshift lever in neutral.fPush rocker switch A forward until activation of
the off-road driving program is indicated on the
multi-purpose display of the instrument panel
and by illumination of light-emitting diodeB.
The Low Range indicator lights in the instru-
ment panel and beside the rocker switch flash
several times during the shifting process.
Low Range is now engaged.
Caution!
Risk of engine damage (overrevving). In the
Low Range program, the gear-changing
points are shifted towards lower engine-
speed ranges.
fShift early to prevent overrevving the engine.
Tip on driving
When Low Range is active, the power
transmission and running-gear control systems
are automatically adapted to the requirements for
off-road driving.
Low Range indicator light

240
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Switching off PSMfPress PSM OFF button A.
PSM is switched off after a short delay.
The light-emitting diode in the button lights up.
When the PSM is switched off, the multifunc-
tional PSM light on the instrument panel is lit
and a message appears in the multi-purpose
display of the instrument panel.
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.
Vehicles with Tiptronic: When the PSM is
switched off the slip monitoring function is also de-
activated.
– The multifunctional light on the instrument
panel lights up for a lamp check when the
ignition is switched on.
– The light indicates a control operation,
including when PSM is switched off (brake
control in the event of one-sided wheel spin).
– Faults are displayed by the light in conjunction
with the multi-purpose display of the instru-
ment panel.
PSM is out of order.
Consult your authorized 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 374.
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 PSM back onfPress PSM OFF button A.
PSM is switched on after a short delay.
Multifunctional PSM light

Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
245
Off-Road DrivingPlease read this chapter carefully before driving
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
Caution!
Risk of damage. On vehicles with Sport-
Design 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 390.
fActivate Low Range.
fStow or fasten luggage and loads securely.
Please observe the chapter “LOADING INFOR-
MATION” on Page 213.
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.

Maintenance, Car Care
271
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 author-ized Porsche dealer.The flow noise heard at full steering lock is design-
related and does not indicate a de fe ct in the ste er-
ing system.
Checking hydraulic fluidfUse only hydraulic fluid authorized by
Porsche.
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 author-
ized Porsche dealer.
Further important information concerning “mainte-
nance” can be found in a separate chapter.
fPlease observe the chapter “EXERCISE
EXTREME CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR
VEHICLE” on Page 260.