Controls, Safety, Instruments
41
Rear SeatsThe rear seats are divided and can be folded
forward individually to make the loadspace bigger.
Caution!
Risk of damage to seat cushions and
backrest if both are not folded forward.
fAlways fold seat cushions and backrest forward.
Folding rear seats forwardIf the luggage safety net is installed, first set up
the left seat cushion in a vertical position and fold
the left rear seat backrest forward.On vehicles with automatically controlled
four-zone air conditioning:
fPress the safety button in the driver's door
armrest before folding the rear seats forward.
The rear control panel for the air conditioning
ceases to function.
This prevents unintentional adjustment of the
air conditioning.
The symbol in the switch lights up.
1. Remove the headrests of the backrest to be
folded forward.
Therefore:
Please observe the chapter “EXAMPLE: DRI-
VER’S SEAT” on Page 40.
2. Move front seats forward.
3. Pull seat cushion up at loop A.
4. Pull seat cushion forward (arrow B).
f f f
Safety button
Controls, Safety, Instruments
47
Belt tensionerDepending on the force of a collision, fastened
seat belts are automatically tightened in an acci-
dent.
The belt tensioners are triggered in:
– Front and rear impacts
– Side impacts (only belt tensioners of the front
seats are triggered)
Maintenance note
The belt tensioner system can be triggered only
once; the system must be replaced afterwards.
If there is a fault in the belt tensioner system, the
airbag warning light lights up.
Work may be performed on the belt tensioner
system only by an authorized Porsche dealer.
Smoke is released when the belt tensioners are
triggered.
This does not indicate a fire in the vehicle.An audio-visual warning system is interconnect-
ed with the driver’s safety belt.
Every time the ignition is turned on, the gong will
sound for about 6 seconds to remind driver and
passenger to buckle up.
In addition, the gong will sound if vehicle speed ex-
ceeds 6mph (10 km/h).
The safety belt warning lights in the instrument
panel and in the multi-purpose display will go off as
soon as the driver has buckled up.
Warning lights and warning
messages
Controls, Safety, Instruments
51
Danger!
To provide optimal occupant protection, air-
bags must inflate at very high speed. If you
are not wearing your safety belt or are too
close to the airbag when it is deployed, inflat-
ing airbags can result in serious personal in-
jury or death.
Improper handling of weight sensing can un-
intentionally impair switching the passen-
ger's airbag off and on.
fMake sure there are no people, animals or ob-
jects between the driver or passenger and the
area into which the airbag inflates.
fSit back as far from the dashboard or steering
wheel as is practical, while still maintaining full
vehicle control.
fAlways hold the steering wheel by the outer
rim. Never rest your hands on the airbag panel.
fAlways fasten seat belts because triggering
of the airbag system depends on the force and
angle of impact.
fDo not transport heavy objects on or in front of
the passenger seat. These could impair the
function of the airbag, the seat belts, and
weight sensing.
fDo not hang objects (e.g., jackets, coats, coat
hangers) over the backrest.fAlways keep the lid of the door storage com-
partment closed. Objects must not protrude
out of the door storage compartment.
fNo changes must be made to the wiring or
components of the airbag system.
fDo not add any additional coverings or stickers
to the steering wheel or in the area of the pas-
senger airbag and side airbags. Doing so may
adversely affect the functioning of the airbag
system or cause harm to the occupants if the
airbag system should deploy.
fDo not modify the seat coverings. Do not at-
tach additional cushions, protective coverings,
or pillows to the passenger's seat. Do not affix
things to the passenger's seat or cover it with
other materials. Do not cover the back of the
backrest. Do not make changes to the passen-
ger's seat and to the seat base frame.
fDo not undertake any wiring for electrical ac-
cessory equipment in the vicinity of the airbag
wiring harnesses. Doing so may disable the air-
bag system or cause inadvertent inflation.
fIf the warning light comes on, the airbag sys-
tem should be repaired immediately by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
fAlways keep feet in the footwell while driving.
Do not put feet on the dashboard or the seat
area. Do not lean against the inside of the door
or outside the window while the vehicle is mov-
ing.fUsing accessories not approved by Porsche
can cause the weight sensing to be impaired.
fDo not squeeze objects, such as the fire extin-
guisher, or first aid kit under the seat.
fOnly have seats removed and installed by an
authorized Porsche dealer so that weight sens-
ing components will not be damaged.
fGive your passenger all of the information in
this chapter.
Note
Airbag components (e.g. steering wheel, seats)
may be disassembled only by an authorized
Porsche dealer.
When disposing of a used airbag unit, our safety
instructions must be followed. These instructions
can be obtained at any authorized Porsche dealer.
52
Controls, Safety, Instruments
Function of the airbag systemThe front airbags are triggered during a frontal col-
lision of sufficient force and direction.
In the event of a side impact of corresponding
force, the side airbag on the impact side is
triggered.
The inflation process generates the amount of gas
required to fill the airbags at the necessary pres-
sure in fractions of a second.
Airbags help to protect the head and upper body,
while simultaneously damping the motion of the
driver and passenger in the impact direction in the
event of a frontal impact or side impact.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module. This module will record the
use of the seat belt restraint system by the driver
and front passenger when the airbags and/or belt
tentioner are triggered.
Precondition for activating the restraint systems:
– Ignition is switched on.-Advanced Airbag
Your vehicle is equipped with weight sensing for
the passenger's seat in accordance with U.S. Fed-
eral/Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
208.
Depending on the weight acting on the passen-
ger's seat, the passenger's airbag will automati-
cally be switched on and off.
Depending on the angle and force of impact, the
passenger's airbag which is switched-on will be
triggered during a collision.
Precondition for switching the passenger's airbag
on and off, depending on weight:
– Ignition is switched on.Seat adjustment for the passenger's seat
If the seat is in an extreme position (e.g., the back-
rest is in contact with the rear seat bench), the
backrest can warp. Warping of the backrest can
lead to malfunctions.
fCorrect the seat adjustment.
The seat is not jammed and is self-supporting.
The backrest is in the upright position.
fDo not transport a load and objects in the rear
footwell or under the passenger's seat.
If the load or objects are under the seat, they
can cause malfunctions.
If the weight on the passenger's seat is reduced
significantly, e.g., by supporting weight on the
armrest, the passenger's airbag can be switched
off.
fSelect an upright seat position, and do not sup-
port weight on the armrests or lean out of the
window.
Always keep feet in the footwell while driving.
Do not put feet on the dashboard or the seat
area. Do not lean against the inside of the door
or outside the window while the vehicle is mov-
ing.
If the passenger's seat is warped significantly, a
message is displayed in the multi-purpose display
in the instrument panel:
fCorrect the seat adjustment.
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNING LIGHTS
AND WARNING MESSAGES” on Page 122.
Controls, Safety, Instruments
53
Automatic deactivation of the passenger
airbags
Danger!
The use of a child restraint system in the
front passenger seat can result in serious
personal injury or death to the child from an
airbag deployment.
To reduce risk of injury from an inflating air-
bag in an accident, Porsche strongly recom-
mends:
fUnder all normal circumstances, the child seat
must be placed in the rear.
Do not use a child restraint system in the front passenger seat.
Before transporting a child on the passenger seat:
fPlease observe the chapter “CHILD RES-
TRAINT SYSTEMS” on Page 55.
– When an up to one-year old child is seated
in the child restraint system, the front airbag is
automatically deactivated on the passenger
side.
– When an adult is seated in the front seat the
front airbag remains active on the passenger‘s
side.
A- PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lampNote on operation
Although not desired, it can occur in the case of
heavier children that the passenger airbags re-
main active or, in the case of very light adults or
young persons, that the passenger airbag is deac-
tivated.
The condition of the passenger airbag system is
shown by the indicator lamp A in the central con-
sole.
fIf in doubt, fasten the child restraint system on
the rear bench or transport the passenger on
the rear bench.Note
fAfter switching on the ignition, the PASSEN-
GER AIRBAG OFF warning light lights up for a
few seconds as a check.
If there is a change in status in the PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp, a message is dis-
played in the multi-purpose display in the instru-
ment panel:
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNING LIGHTS
AND WARNING MESSAGES” on Page 122.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up
– The passenger's airbag is switched off.
54
Controls, Safety, Instruments PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up
– The passenger's airbag is active and ready for
operation.
– If the passenger's seat is not occupied, the
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will
also not light up, even though the passenger's
airbag is switched off. Danger!
Risk of serious or mortal injury due to the
passenger airbag triggering unintentionally.
When the ignition is on and the up to one-
year old child is seated in the child restraint
system on the passenger seat the indicator
lamp „PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF“ must be on.
If the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” indicator
lamp does not light up, it could indicate a
fault in the system.
In this case:
fFasten the child restraint system on the rear
bench immediately.
fHave the fault remedied at your nearest author-ized Porsche dealer.Faults are indicated by a warning light on the ta-
chometer and a message on the instrument
panel’s multi-purpose display.
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNING LIGHTS
AND WARNING MESSAGES” on Page 122.
fIn the following cases you should immedi-
ately consult an authorized Porsche
dealer in order to assure the airbag sys-
tem is functioning properly:
– If the warning light does not light up when the
ignition is switched on or
– If the warning light does not go out once the
engine is running or
– If the warning light appears while driving.
Airbag maintenanceIn order to ensure long-term functioning, the air-
bag system must be inspected by an authorized
Porsche dealer at the intervals recommended in
your Maintenance Booklet.
Important information
If you sell your Porsche, notify the purchaser that
the vehicle is equipped with airbags, and refer
them to the chapter, “Airbag Systems“, in the
owner's manual (safety and disposal rules).
Further information on the airbag system can be
found on stickers attached to the sun visors, as
well as on all airbag components.
For special recommendations on the use of child
restraints:
fPlease observe the chapter “CHILD RES-
TRAINT SYSTEMS” on Page 55.
Warning lights and warning
messages
56
Controls, Safety, Instruments
Using child restraint systems in the front
passenger seat
Danger!
The use of a child restraint system in the
front passenger seat can result in serious
personal injury or death to the child from an
airbag deployment.
To reduce risk of injury from an inflating air-
bag in an accident, Porsche strongly recom-
mends:
fUnder all normal circumstances, the child seat
must be placed in the rear.
Do not use a child restraint system in the front passenger seat.However, there may be serious situations where it
might be necessary to place a child in the front
seat so that he/she can be kept under direct ob-
servation to prevent an immediate risk to the child
(for example, while driving to the doctor or hospi-
tal). The following instructions are provided to you
solely for that purpose.
fSeek appropriate advice from your authorized
Porsche dealer about the possible installation
of a Porsche child restraint system.
fIf a child restraint system must be fastened to
the passenger's seat, adjust the passenger's
seat as far away from the airbag as possible.
fIf emergency or other serious conditions re-
quire a child to be placed in the front seat, ex-
ercise extreme caution and defensive driving
of your vehicle. You must recognize that any
substantial frontal impact could result in the
deployment of the passenger airbag, which
could lead to serious injury or death of the
child.Child restraint system for up to one-year old
children
If the child restraint system must be fastened to
the passenger's seat in exceptional cases:
– make sure that the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
indicator lamp lights up.
– adjust the passenger's seat as far away from
the airbag as possible
Danger!
Risk of serious or personal injury or death
due to the passenger airbag triggering unin-
tentionally.
When the ignition is on and the up to one-
year old child is seated in the child restraint
system on the passenger seat the indicator
lamp „PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF“ must be on.
If the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” indicator
lamp does not light up, it could indicate a
fault in the system.
In this case:
fFasten the child restraint system on the rear
bench immediately.
fHave the fault remedied at your nearest author-ized Porsche dealer.
Controls, Safety, Instruments
57
Child restraint system for children older than
one year
Your vehicle is equipped with weight sensing for
the passenger's seat in accordance with U.S. Fed-
eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. Depend-
ing on the weight acting on the passenger's seat,
the passenger's airbag will automatically be
switched on or off.
fIn case of doubt, fasten the child restraint sys-
tem on the rear bench.Small adult passengers
fMake sure that the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
indicator lamp does not light up.
Danger!
Risk of serious or mortal injury due to the
passenger airbag not triggering.
When the ignition is on and the small adult
passenger is seated on the passenger seat,
the indicator lamp “PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF” must be off.
If the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” indicator
lamp lights up, it could indicate a fault in the
system.
In this case:
fCarry the passenger on the rear bench.
fHave the fault remedied at your nearest author-ized Porsche dealer.