
154
Instruments, On-Board Computer, Warnings 6. If the segments are filled in up to the top line,
the oil level has reached the maximum mark.
Under no circumstances add engine oil.7. If the bottom segment is filled in, the oil level
has reached the minimum mark.
Add engine oil immediately.
8. If the bottom segment flashes, the oil level has
dropped to below the minimum mark.
Add engine oil immediately.
The difference between the minimum and
maximum marks on the segment display is
approx. 1.3 quarts (1.25 litres).
One segment of the display corresponds to a
top-up quantity of approx. 0.42 quarts (0.4 litre).
fAdd engine oil if necessary.
Switch off ignition before adding engine oil.fPlease see the chapter “ENGINE OIL LEVEL”
on Page 208.
fNever add more engine oil than required
to reach the maximum mark.
Failure
A failure of the oil level display is indicated by a
warning message on the on-board computer.
“Check engine oil level” display
The on-board computer display “Check engine oil
level” is an additional measurement that takes
place in the background while driving.
The display depends on the distance travelled.
This display appears if the oil level has reached the
minimum mark or if the oil level is well above the
maximum mark.
This message must be acknowledged by
measuring the engine oil level manually using the
on-board computer.
fPlease see the chapter “INITIATING OIL LEVEL
MEASUREMENT” on Page 153.
If oil level measurement was initiated manually on
the on-board computer and no oil was added, the
message “Check engine oil level” is displayed
again when the vehicle is driven.

170
Shifting Gears
Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK)The Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) is a seven-
speed transmission with an “automatic” and a
“manual” selection mode.
In automatic selection mode (selector lever
position D), gear changing is automatic.
You can change temporarily from automatic to
manual mode using the shift buttons on the
steering wheel.
In manual selection mode (selector lever
position M), you change gear using the shift
buttons on the steering wheel or with the PDK
selector lever.
You can change between selector lever position D
and M as you wish while driving.
Note
fTake care not to operate the shift buttons on
the steering wheel inadvertently in either
automatic or manual mode, thereby triggering
undesired gear changes.
Changing the selector lever positionThe selector lever is locked when the ignition is
switched off.
When the ignition is switched on, the selector lever
can be moved from position P and N only when
the release button is pressed, and when the brake
pedal is pressed.
Release button
The release button (arrow) in the selector lever
prevents the gear from being changed unintention-
ally.
The release button must be pressed when shifting
to position R or P.
StartingThe engine can be started only if the brake
pedal is depressed and the selector lever is in
position P or N.Driving offfOnly select the desired position for driving off
(D, M or R) when the engine is idling and the
brake pedal is depressed.
fSince the vehicle creeps when in gear, do not
release the brake until you want to move off.
fAfter selecting a gear, do not accelerate until
you can feel that the gear is engaged.
Driving off on hills
The Drive-Off Assistant assists the driver when
moving off on hills. The vehicle is held on the slope
for a short time during the change from the brake
pedal to the accelerator in order to allow driving
off directly after the brake is released.
fPlease see the chapter “DRIVE-OFF ASSIS-
TANT” on Page 169.

Shifting Gears
171
Indicator for selector lever position and
engaged gearWhen the engine is running, the selector lever
position and engaged gear are indicated.
If the selector lever is between two positions
–Effects:
The corresponding selector lever position
flashes on the instrument cluster and the
warning “Apply brake“ or “Selector lever not
engaged” appears on the on-board computer.
fRemedy:
Operate the footbrake and engage the
selector lever properly.If the selector lever is inadvertently (due to a
defect or incorrect operation) moved out of P or
N into gear without pressing the brake, this gear
will start to “flash” and no power transmission is
built up.
fTo drive off, press the brake and move the
selector lever from P or N into the required
gear again.
Selector lever position R or D is flashing in
the instrument cluster
–Effects:
There is no power transmission.
The selector lever was engaged without
pressing the footbrake or only the restricted
driving programme is available when the
“Transmission emergency run” message is
displayed.
fAction required:
Press the footbrake and engage the required
selector lever position again by moving the
selector lever from P or N.
If reverse gear fails:
fPlease see the chapter “REDUCED DRIVING
PROGRAM” on Page 176.If there is a fault in the transmission:
– The warning “Transmission emergency run” in
white or red lettering or the warning “Transmis-
sion temperature too high” is displayed on the
on-board computer.
Please see the chapter “REDUCED DRIVING
PROGRAM” on Page 176.
fHave the fault repaired immediately at an
authorized Porsche dealer.

Shifting Gears
173
“Sport Plus” mode activated:
In “Sport Plus” mode, the PDK transmission
changes to a shift program designed for driving
on race circuits. 7th gear is not selected.
The gear-changing performance is enhanced
significantly again compared with “Sport” mode.
fPlease see the chapter “SPORT MODE” on
Page 64.
Driving with Launch Control
Driving with Launch Control allows you to achieve
maximum acceleration from a standing start. It is
intended to provide you with a unique enjoyment of
your vehicle under controlled circumstances and
is not intended to be used in any location where it
could be a nuisance to other persons.
Warning!
There is a risk of endangering other road
users if you use this Control in an improper
location or in a situation where other persons
might need to take evasive action due to the
rapid acceleration that this technology
permits.
fLaunch Control is designed to be used in a
controlled environment on closed circuit
driving courses where no vehicle cross traffic
or pedestrian traffic is present.
fUse Launch Control only if conditions permit it
to be applied in a safe manner. fDo not use Launch Control if there is a possibi-
lity it could endanger other persons. Such a
possibility exists if you cannot see that you
have a clear road with no possibility of cross
traffic in your intended direction of driving. Caution!
Stress on components increases dramatically
when starting with maximum acceleration in
comparison with normal driving off. Use of
Launch Control will inevitably reduce the life
of the engaged engine and transmission
components.
Preconditions:
– Launch Control should only be used when the
engine has reached operating temperature.
– “Sport Plus” mode must be switched on (light-
emitting diode in button is on and “SPORT
PLUS” is displayed on the on-board computer).
1. Press the brake with your left foot.
2. Quickly press down the accelerator fully
(kickdown activated) and hold.
The engine speed will flatten out at around
6500 rpm.
“Launch Control active” is displayed on the
on-board computer.3. Release the brake within a few seconds.
Remaining stationary for a long time with
“Launch Control active” can lead to overload-
ing of the transmission.
In order to protect the transmission, the engine
power is then reduced and the “Launch Control
active” process is cancelled.
Shifting gears on the steering wheel
With the shift buttons on the steering wheel, you
can change temporarily from automatic selection
mode D to manual mode M.
For example:
– Shifting down before bends and on entering
built-up areas.
– Shifting down on downward slopes
(engine braking).
– Shifting down for brief spurts of acceleration.
Manual selection mode remains engaged:
– for cornering (depending on the lateral acceler-
ation) and overrunning,
– when the vehicle is stationary (e.g. at a
junction).
The system leaves manual selection mode:
– automatically after approx. 8 seconds (unless
cornering or overrunning),
– after driving off.

Shifting Gears
175
Depending on driving speed and engine speed,
you can shift up or down at any time.
Gear changes which would exceed the upper or
lower engine speed limit are not executed by the
controller.
There is no automatic upshift at the upper engine
speed limit in selector lever position M. Upshift
suppression can be cancelled by kickdown opera-
tion. If, for example, the engine speed limit is
reached during overtaking and the automatic
upshift does not occur, the transmission in this
case shifts up as a result of kickdown operation.
fSelect an appropriately low gear on upward
and downward slopes.
This will ensure optimum use of engine power
and engine braking.
In order to shift up automatically at the upper
engine speed limit:
fDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle point (kickdown).Failure of the selector lever display on the
instrument cluster
The warning “Transmission emergency run” is
displayed in red on the on-board computer.
–Effect:
No selector lever position is displayed on the
instrument cluster.
Vehicle can be driven only until it comes to a
stop.
Remedy:
It is not possible to continue driving. Immedi-
ately stop the vehicle in a suitable place. Have
the vehicle towed to an authorized Porsche
dealer.
StoppingfFor a brief stop (e.g. at a traffic light), leave the
selector lever in drive position and hold the
vehicle with the brake pedal.
fDo not hold the car on a slope using the
accelerator. Use the brake pedal or the
handbrake instead.
fBefore leaving the vehicle, always apply the
handbrake and move the selector lever to
position P.ParkingfGo easy on the accelerator!
fWhen parking or manoeuvring in a small
space, control the speed by careful use of the
footbrake.Driving in winterIn wintry road conditions it is advisable to take
steep inclines in manual mode. This prevents gear
changes occurring that could cause wheelspin.Tow-starting, towingfPlease see the chapter “TOWING” on
Page 280.

Mobile Roofs
179
B - Closing the lifting/sliding rooffPress front of rocker switch B until lifting/slid-
ing roof reaches the desired position.C - Lifting the lifting/sliding rooffPress center of rocker switch C until lifting/
sliding roof reaches the desired position.
One-touch operation
fTouch the rocker switch C in the center.
Lifting/sliding roof opens to its end position.
Touch button again to stop in any position.B - Lowering the lifting/sliding rooffPress front of rocker switch B until lifting/slid-
ing roof reaches the desired position.
Emergency operation
Warning!
Risk of serious personal injury and damage
to the lifting/sliding roof during emergency
operation.
fDo not operate the lifting/sliding roof with the
rocker switch during and after emergency operation.
Before using emergency operation, please check
whether defective fuses are the cause of the mal-
function.
fPlease see the chapter “ELECTRICAL SYS-
TEM” on Page 257.
Closing the sliding roof
1. Carefully unclip both covers A with a screwdriv-
er.
If the car is equipped with HomeLink, the
HomeLink buttons must be carefully unclipped
instead of the covers.
2. Unscrew the two screws B.

Mobile Roofs
181
Convertible Top Brief operating instructions can be found on the
back side of the driver’s sun visor.
fPlease see the chapter “CAR CARE INSTRUC-
TIONS” on Page 224.
Warning!
When opening or closing the convertible top,
serious personal injury may occur if a per-
son’s body parts are near or in the way of the
convertible top mechanism’s moving parts.
fMake absolutely sure that nobody can be in-
jured by the convertible-top mechanism or the convertible-top compartment lid.
Do not operate convertible top:
– At temperatures below 32 °F (0 °C).
– When one side of the car is on a curb, a hoist
or a jack.
– When items of luggage or other objects hinder
the convertible top movement.
– With the rollbars extended.fAvoid frequent operation of the convertible top
with the engine off; the vehicle battery would
be unintentionally discharged rapidly.
fDrive only with the convertible top fully open or
closed (end positions).
fWhen opening or closing the convertible top,
ensure there is sufficient clearance above the
convertible top (e.g. in the garage).
fTo prevent damp stains and abrasions, only
open the convertible top in a dry, clean state.
fPark your car in the shade whenever possible,
as the fabric, rubber material and color can be
harmed by long exposure to sunlight.
fThe convertible top may only be actuated dur-
ing driving on even surfaces.
fThe convertible top must not be used with
strong counter wind (over approx. 50 mph/
80 km/h).
Door windows and side windows The side windows are lowered automatically when
the convertible top is opened. The door windows
close automatically if convertible top operation is
not interrupted when the convertible top reaches
its final position.
When the door windows are closed, the rear side
windows can also be closed.
When opening the door windows, the rear win-
dows open automatically.
The side windows are lowered automatically when
the convertible top is closed. All windows close
automatically if convertible top operation is not in-
terrupted when the convertible top reaches its fi-
nal position.

Mobile Roofs
183
If the convertible top does not lock in the
windshield frame
fOpen convertible top again, start the engine
and close the convertible top again using the
switch.
Assist with the closing process by grasping the
convertible top at the handhold and pulling it
toward the windshield frame (arrow).
fPlease see the chapter “WARNINGS ON THE
INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-BOARD
COMPUTER” on Page 158.
Messages in on-board computerIf the engine compartment lid is open when acti-
vating the convertible top, a message appears in
the on-board computer. The convertible top can-
not be opened.
fClose engine compartment lid.
fPlease see the chapter “WARNINGS ON THE
INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-BOARD
COMPUTER” on Page 158.
Emergency operation
of the convertible top fBefore performing emergency operation,
please check:
Was the ignition switched on and was the en-
gine compartment lid closed during operation
of the convertible top with the switch?
Are electrical fuses defective?
Please see the chapter “ELECTRICAL SYS-
TEM” on Page 257.
Warning!
There is danger of injury and damage during
emergency operation.
There is danger of crushing or trapping body
parts at all movable convertible top parts
which could cause serious personal injury.
fTake great care when performing emergency
operation.
fDo not operate the convertible top during and after emergency operation.
Before emergency operation
fRemove the ignition key so that the convertible
top is not operated unintentionally.
fTake screwdriver out of the tool kit.
fFold the rear seat backrests forward.
Rear lid
Convertible top status