238
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Uphill driving
Danger!
Danger of serious personal injury or death
and risk of damage if the vehicle should
overturn.
fDo not turn around when driving uphill.
fIf it is not possible to climb a gradient, the car
must be backed down in reverse gear.
fDo not drive over embankments or slopes at
steep diagonal angles.
fIf the vehicle starts to tilt, immediately steer in
the direction of the tilt (line of slope).
fWhen driving uphill, never let the vehicle roll
backward when in idle or not in gear.
Exclusive use of the footbrake is too risky in such situations.Note on operation
fActivate Low Range before taking extreme up-
ward or downward gradients.
Tips on driving
fDo not perform manual gear changes when
driving, and try to avoid stopping.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
Traction on uphill slopesNote on operation
fActivate Low Range and engage differential
locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
fWhen driving uphill, go easy on the accelerator
and make sure that wheels have sufficient trac-
tion (don't spin).
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDrive slowly.
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
239
Driving downhill
Danger!
There is a danger of serious personal injury
or death and risk of damage if the vehicle
should overturn.
fDo not drive over embankments or slopes at
steep diagonal angles.
fDrive downhill slowly, with the wheels pointing
straight ahead.
fIf the vehicle starts to tilt, immediately steer in
the direction of the tilt (line of slope).
fWhen driving downhill, never let the vehicle roll
when in idle.
fUse engine braking effect.
If the engine braking effect is not adequate, gently apply the foot brake.Note on operation
fActivate Low Range. The off-road ABS is
switched on automatically.
Tips on driving
The same general principle as for uphill driving ap-
plies to downhill driving.
fDo not perform manual gear changes when
driving, and try to avoid stopping.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
A special circuit in the off-road ABS permits con-
trolled brief lock-up of the front wheels so that they
can dig into the loose surface more effectively.
Locked wheels slip and can no longer be steered.
fWhen driving down steep hills on unpaved sur-
faces, brake carefully so that vehicle does not
start to slide.
240
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Water crossingfPlease observe the chapter “GROUND CLEA-
RANCE” on Page 375.
Danger!
Danger of drowning if water enters the vehi-
cle. Risk of damage to the engine and acces-
sories if water penetrates.
fBefore driving through water, check the water
depth A, water speed and the condition of the
surface beneath it.
The water must not be deeper than 20 in.
(50 cm). The water must not be deeper than
22 in. (55.5 cm) for vehicles with level control
and height adjustment.
fCheck the door sills and rubber seals before
starting to drive.
fDo not drive through deep or rapidly flowing
water.
Deep or rapidly flowing water, e.g. mountain
streams, can cause the car to deviate from the
intended path.
fAvoid a "bow wave" by driving at an appropriate
speed.
fNever open the doors when driving through wa-
ter.Soiling can impair the braking action.
fCheck and clean the brakes if they have been
soiled.
Danger of steering assistance failing during
a long journey in the water if the drive belt
slips.
fIf the steering assistance fails, more effort will
be required to steer.
Danger of damaging electrical systems
fAvoid driving through salt water.
Notes on operation
fActivate Low Range.
fSwitch the air conditioner off.
fSwitch the headlights off.
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
241
Tips on driving
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDo not perform manual gear changes when
driving, and try to avoid stopping.
Moving off in the water can be difficult due to
the high resistance and the loose surface in-
volved.
fStart the water crossing at a shallow place at
walking speed.
fAfter checking the body of water, take the
shortest path through it.
fNever drive into the water at high speed. The
resulting “bow wave” could damage the engine
and its accessories.
fAdjust your driving style to the unfamiliar sur-
roundings.
fCross the body of water slowly and at a con-
stant speed.
fNever turn around when crossing a body of wa-
ter.
fIf it is not possible to cross the body of water,
the car must be backed out of it in reverse
gear.
The servo pump and alternator can fail if the car is
driven through water for an extended period.
fIf the servo pump fails, substantially more
force will have to be exerted in order to steer. Maintenance note
The car requires a special check after the water
crossing.
fRemove mud from the tire tread.
fBriefly apply the brakes in order to dry them af-
ter driving through the water.
ObstaclesfPlease observe the chapter “GROUND CLEA-
RANCE” on Page 375.
Note on operation
fActivate Low Range and engage differential
locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
fJust before reaching the obstacle, ease off the
accelerator slightly and use the car's momen-
tum to cross the obstacle. This will prevent the
car from jumping over the hump and landing on
the following downward slope at an excessive
speed.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
242
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
Crossing obstacles
Caution!
Risk of damage to the underbody and chas-
sis components if obstacles are traversed
improperly.
fAlways bear in mind the ground clearance of
your vehicle.
fSlowly drive over the middle of tree trunks,
boulders or other obstacles with one of the
front wheels.
fCross the obstacle with the rear wheel in the same way.
Note on operation
fActivate Low Range and engage differential
locks if necessary.Tips on driving
fHave your passenger direct you if necessary.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDrive slowly.
Shifting Gear, Traction Systems
243
Driving on sandNote on operation
fActivate Low Range and engage differential
locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
Loose sand is an especially tricky surface for off-
road driving.
You can often become stuck in sand within
minutes if you do not drive correctly in such
situations.
fDrive at brisk pace and do not stop under any
circumstances. This will reduce the chance of
the car becoming bogged down.
fFollow existing tracks – provided that they
have not been covered by blown sand, are not
too deep and the car's ground clearance is
sufficient.
Please observe the chapter “GROUND CLEA-
RANCE” on Page 375.
fAvoid high engine speeds (may. 2,500 rpm).When driving on slopes with soft sand:
fUse the manual select mode M in addition to
the Low Range program.
If your vehicle becomes stuck nevertheless:
fDo not spin the wheels. Instead, use branches,
mats or similar items to provide adequate trac-
tion so that you can drive out of the critical ar-
ea.
Track rutsOther vehicles leave ruts in many off-road courses
or gravel roads.
fPlease observe the chapter “GROUND CLEA-
RANCE” on Page 375.
Caution!
Risk of damage to the vehicle floor when
driving through ruts that are too deep.
fAlways bear in mind the car's ground clear-
ance.
fDo not drive over ruts that are too deep.
Note on operation
fActivate Low Range and engage differential
locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
fIn cases of doubt, drive with one wheel on the
strip of grass between the ruts.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDrive slowly.
Maintenance, Car Care
249 Maintenance, Car Care
Exercise Extreme Caution when Working on your
Vehicle ...................................................... 250
Engine Oil Level ......................................... 252
Engine Oil Recommendation ........................ 254
Coolant Level ............................................. 256
Brake-Fluid Level ........................................ 258
Washer Fluid .............................................. 259
Power Steering .......................................... 260
Air Cleaner ................................................ 261
Particle Filter ............................................. 261
Automatic Transmission Fluid ...................... 261
Wiper Blades ............................................. 262
Fuel Economy ............................................ 265
Operating Your Porsche in other Countries ... 265
Fuel........................................................... 266
Fuel Recommendations............................... 269
Portable Fuel Containers ............................. 270
Fuel Evaporation Control ............................. 270
Emission Control System ............................ 271
Car Care Instructions.................................. 273
250
Maintenance, Car Care
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle
Danger!
Ignoring the following instructions may
cause serious personal injury or death.
fThe engine compartment of any motor vehicle
is a potentially hazardous area. If you are not
fully familiar with proper repair procedures, do
not attempt the adjustments described on the
following pages.
This caution applies to the entire vehicle.
fO n l y w o r k o n y o u r v e h i c l e o u t d o o r s o r i n a w e l l
ventilated area.
fEnsure that there are no open flames in the
area of your vehicle at any time when fuel
fumes might be present. Be especially cau-
tious of such devices such as hot water heat-
ers which ignite a flame intermittently.
fBefore working on any part in the engine com-
partment, turn the engine off and let it cool
down sufficiently. Hot engine compartment
components can burn skin on contact.
fBe alert and cautious around engine at all
times while the engine is running.
If work has to be performed with the engine
running, always set the parking brake, and
make sure the selector lever is in position “P“
or “N“.fIn particular, be very careful to ensure that
items of clothing (ties, shirt, sleeves etc.), jew-
elry, long hair, hand or fingers cannot get
caught in the fan, belts or other moving parts.
The radiator and radiator fans are in the front
of the car.
The fans can start or continue running as a
function of temperature, even with the engine
switched off.
Carry out work in these areas only with the en-
gine off and exercise extreme caution.
fYour Porsche is equipped with an electronic ig-
nition system. When the ignition is on, high volt-
age is present in all wires connected with the
ignition system; therefore, exercise extreme
caution when working on any part of the engine
while the ignition is on or the engine is running.
fAlways support your car with safety stands if it
is necessary to work under the car. The jack
supplied with the car is not adequate for this
purpose. For vehicles with air suspension with
level control and height adjustment switch off
level control. Therefore:
Please observe the chapter “LIFTING THE VE-
HICLE WITH A JACK” on Page 307.
fWhen working under the car without safety
stands but with the wheels on the ground,
make sure the car is on level ground, the
wheels are blocked, and that the engine can-
not be started.
Withdraw ignition keys (switch ignition off in ve-
hicles that have Porsche Entry & Drive).fDo not smoke or allow an open flame around
the battery or fuel.
Keep a fire extinguisher in close reach.
fIncomplete or improper servicing may cause
problems in the operation of the car. If in doubt
about any servicing, have it done by your au-
thorized Porsche dealer.
Improper maintenance during the warranty pe-
riod may affect your Porsche warranty cover-
age.
fSupplies of fluids, e.g. engine oil, washer fluid,
brake fluid or coolant, are hazardous to your
health.
Keep these fluids out of children's reach and
dispose of them in accordance with the appro-
priate regulations.
fSome countries require additional tools and
special spare parts to be carried.
Please make enquiries before driving abroad.
Power measurementsPower measurements on dynamometers are not
approved by Porsche.