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fPush rocker switch A forwards in stages until
engagement of the rear differential lock (trans-
verse lock) is indicated on the multi-purpose
display of the instrument panel and by the
illumination of the three light-emitting diodes B,
C and D.
The center and rear differential locks are
changed over to fully engaged state by the
automatic control system.
Note on operation
The rear differential lock can only be engaged
while the engine is running.
Hydraulically disengageable anti-roll barsThe front and rear anti-roll bars can be disengaged
to improve traction and comfort when driving off
road. This feature increases the wheel articulation.
Condition for disengaging the anti-roll bars
– Low Range is engaged.
Note
The anti-roll bars cannot be engaged if the wheel
articulation or lateral acceleration is too great.Disengaging
fPress button E.
Disengagement of the anti-roll bars is indicated
on the multi-purpose display of the instrument
panel and by illumination of light-emitting diode
F.
The light-emitting diode on the button flashes
several times during the disengagement
process.
The anti-roll bars are disengaged.
Note on operation
The anti-roll bars cannot be disengaged manually
at speeds above 25 mph (40 km/h).
Engaging
fPress button E.
Light-emitting diode F on the button flashes
several times during the engagement
process and then goes out.
The anti-roll bars are engaged.
Note on operation
The anti-roll bars are engaged automatically when
a speed of 30 mph (50 km/h) is exceeded or
when the lateral acceleration value is high.
Notes
Engagement of the anti-roll bars is audible.
At temperatures below –4°F (–20 °C), the anti-roll
bars take somewhat longer to engage.
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226
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems Indication of a fault by:
– Continuous illumination of the light-emitting
diode in the button
– Illumination of the warning light on the
instrument panel
– A message on the multi-purpose display of the
instrument panel
fAdapt your driving behavior to the changed
conditions.
Drive slowly to the nearest authorized Porsche
delaer and have the fault remedied.
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNING LIGHTS
AND WARNING MESSAGES” on Page 122.
Changing from off-road driving program
to on-road driving programfReduce speed to below 19 mph (30 km / h) or
stop vehicle.
fMove selector lever to position N.
fPull rocker switch A back in stages until light-
emitting diodes B, C and if necessary, D are
out.
The Low Range indicator light on the instru-
ment panel and light-emitting diode B beside
the rocker switch flash several times during
the shifting process.
High Range is active.
Danger!
Serious risk of injury or death. Risk of
accident due to uncontrolled vehicle
movement. The selector lever is blocked
during the shifting procedure. Shifting when
driving uphill can cause the vehicle to stand
still or even roll backwards, if the shifting
procedure has not yet been completed.
When driving downhill, the vehicle can accel-
erate unintentionally while shifting.
fIncreased brake readiness is required.
fPlease observe the chapter “POWER-TRANS-
MISSION AND RUNNING-GEAR CONTROL SYS-
TEMS” on Page 227.
Indicator light and warnings
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Power-Transmission and Running-Gear Control SystemsA complex interconnection of all control systems acting in power transmission and in the running gear has been realised in your Porsche.
All control systems have been linked with the aim of combining the best possible driving performance with maximum safety.
The following systems are involved:
System/designation Scope
PTM
Porsche Traction Management– Full-time all-wheel drive
– Electronically controlled center differential lock
– Automatic brake differential (ABD)
– Traction control system (TCS)
– Reduction gear/Low Range
PTM Plus
Porsche Traction ManagementIn addition to the PTM features, PTM Plus also includes:
– Electronically controlled rear differential lock
– Hydraulically disengageable anti-roll bars
PSM
Porsche Stability Management– Stability management system
– Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
– Traction control system (TCS)
– Automatic brake differential (ABD)
– Engine drag torque control (MSR)
Air suspension
with level control and height adjustment– Fully load bearing air spring struts with integral shock absorbers
– Air supply system with pressure accumulator
PAS M
Porsche Active Suspension Management– Shock absorber system with adaptive, continuous shock absorber control
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Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Porsche Traction Management (PTM)Porsche Traction Management is a full-time all-
wheel control system designed to influence the
longitudinal and lateral dynamics. It is closely
linked with the Porsche Stability Management
(PSM) system:
PTM ensures the best possible power distribution
to the four driven wheels at the front and rear ax-
les. The system realises this optimal traction by in-
tervening in the lock control function of the trans-
fer case and rear differential. PTM is active at all
times and, unlike the PSM, cannot be switched off.Advantages of PTM
– Obvious improvement in traction, driving stabil-
ity and steering ability of the car.
– Vehicle is more manageable when driven at its
performance limits.
– Improved straight-ahead tracking and stability.
– The aforementioned features allow for a sport-
ier setup of the running gear.
– The TCS and ABD provide even better traction
for all wheels.
Warning!
In spite of the advantages of PTM, it is still the driv-
er’s responsibility to adapt his/her driving style
and maneuvres in line with road and weather con-
ditions, as well as the traffic situation.
The increased safety that is provided should not in-
duce you to take greater risks with your safety.
The limits set by the physics of driving cannot be
overcome, even with PTM.
Risks of accident due to inappropriate speed
cannot be reduced by PTM.
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229
Full-time all-wheel drive
With the four-wheel drive, the drive power is varia-
bly distributed to the front and rear wheels.
Power distribution and wheel speed compensation
between the front and rear axles is realised with a
transfer box.
Distribution of the drive power depends on the
wheel speed difference between the two axles.
The transfer box always controls power distribu-
tion in such a way that optimal propulsion is
achieved, even on an unfavorable road surface.
Full-time four-wheel drive ensures optimal handling
and great stability.
Warning!
In spite of the advantages of four-wheel drive, it is
still the driver’s responsibility to adapt his driving
style and maneuvers in line with road and weather
conditions, as well as the traffic situation.
The increased safety that is provided should not in-
duce you to take greater risks with your safety.
The limits set by the physics of driving cannot be
overcome, even with four-wheel drive.
Risks of accident due to inappropriate speed can-
not be reduced by four-wheel drive.Automatic brake differential (ABD)
The ABD system controls the front and rear axles
separately. If one wheel of an axle starts to spin,
it is braked so that the other wheel on the same
axle can be driven.
The ABD recognises different driving states, and it
features control strategies adapted to these
states. In situations in which little propulsive power
is required, such as when the car moves off on a
level gravel surface, traction control already be-
comes active at low engine speeds. If great
propulsive power is required, e.g. when moving off
on an uphill slope or for rapid acceleration, the
ABD is adapted accordingly.
A special off-road program is used in Low Range
mode.Traction control system (TCS)
The traction control system prevents the wheels
from spinning by adjusting the engine power,
thereby ensuring good lane-holding ability and a
stable driving behavior.
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Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Porsche Stability Management (PSM)PSM is an active control system for stabilisation of
the vehicle during extreme driving maneuvres. It
operates together with the Porsche Traction
Management (PTM) system.
PSM makes use of both the ABD and TCS sys-
tems, as well as the known functions of the anti-
lock brake system (ABS) and engine drag torque
control system (MSR).
Warning!
In spite of the advantages of PSM, it is still the driv-
er’s responsibility to adapt his driving style and
maneuvres in line with road and weather condi-
tions, as well as the traffic situation.
The increased safety that is provided should not in-
duce you to take greater risks with your safety.
The limits set by the physics of driving cannot be
overcome, even with PSM.
Risks of accident due to inappropriate speed
cannot be reduced by PSM.Advantages of PSM
– Best possible traction and lane-holding ability
in all driving situations – even on road surfaces
with varying friction.
– The system compensates for undesired vehi-
cle reactions (load-alteration effect) when the
driver releases the accelerator pedal or brakes
on corners. This compensation functions up to
the maximum lateral acceleration.
– PSM actively stabilises the vehicle in the event
of under and oversteering during dynamic
driving maneuvres (e.g. rapid steering move-
ments, during lane changes or on alternating
corners).
– Improved braking stability on corners and on
different or varying road surfaces.Readiness for operation
PSM is switched on automatically every time you
start the engine.
Function
Sensors at the wheels, brakes, steering system
and engine continuously measure:
–Driving speed
– Direction of travel
– Lateral acceleration
– Longitudinal acceleration
– Rate of turn about the vertical axis
PSM uses these values to determine the direction
of travel desired by the driver.
PSM intervenes and corrects the course if the ac-
tual direction of motion deviates from the desired
course (steering-wheel position):
It brakes individual wheels as needed. If neces-
sary, PSM additionally influences the engine power
or the gear-changing characteristic of the Tiptron-
ic in order to stabilise the vehicle.
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The events below inform the driver of PSM control
operations and warn him to adapt his driving style
to the road conditions:
– The information light in the instrument panel
lights up.
– Hydraulic noises can be heard.
– The vehicle decelerates and steering-wheel
forces are altered as the PSM controls the
brakes.
– Reduced engine power.
– The brake pedal pulsates and its position is
changed during braking.
However, it is possible at any time to achieve
full vehicle deceleration by increasing the foot
pressure slightly.
Examples of PSM control operations
–Vehicle understeers:
If the front wheels of the vehicle drift on a cor-
ner, engine power is reduced and the rear
wheel on the inside of the corner is braked if
necessary.
–Vehicle oversteers:
If the rear of the vehicle swings out on a cor-
ner, the front wheel on the outside of the cor-
ner is braked.Combined use of PSM and PTM/PTM Plus
In order to ensure optimal stabilisation of the
vehicle, the center differential lock (PTM) and
possibly the rear differential lock (PTM Plus) are
also opened when PSM interventions occur.
Tip on driving
When PSM is switched off, wheel-specific brake
interventions and the traction control system
(TCS) are also inactive.
The automatic brake differential (ABD) remains on.Off-road PSM
(PSM in Low Range program)
When Low Range is active, an off-road PSM
specially matched to off-road driving is activated
to enhance traction.
At a speed below 22 mph (35 km/h), the terrain
PSM intervenes later if the vehicle should unders-
teer and thereby improves steerability in Low
Range.
If the brakes are highly stressed, the automatic
brake differential (ABD) switches itself off to
protect the brakes. It remains deactivated until the
brake system has cooled sufficiently.
Engine drag torque control
In conditions of excessive slip, the engine drag
torque control system prevents all driven wheels
from locking up when the car is overrunning. This
is also the case for downshifts on a slippery road.
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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.
When the PSM is switched off the slip monitoring
function of the Tiptronic is also deactivated.
– 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 360.
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