2009 PORSCHE BOXSTER Owners Manual

Boxster, Boxster S
Owner’s Manual
®

1
© Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
Porsche, the Porsche crest, Boxster, PCCB, PCM,
PDK, PSM and Tequipment are registered trade-
marks and the distinctive shapes of Porsche auto-
mobiles are trademarks of
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.
All rights reserved.
Printed in Germany
Orientation guides in the
Owner’s ManualThe orientation guides in the Owner’s Manual are
highlighted in yellow.
Overall Table of Contents
At the start of the Owner’s Manual you will find an
overview of the overall contents of the Owner’s
Manual.
Section Contents
There is a summary of topics with the corre-
sponding page numbers at the beginning of each
main chapter.
Index
There is a detailed, alphab etical index at the end
of this Owner’s Manual.
WKD 987 021 10
5/09

2Dear Owner, We would like to thank you for your purchase of a
Porsche Sports car.
Judging by the car you have chosen, you are a mo-
torist of a special breed, and you are probably no
novice when it comes to automobiles.
Remember however, as with any vehicle, you
should take time to familiarize yourself with your
Porsche and its performance characteristics. Al-
ways drive within your own unique capabilities as
a driver and your level of experience with your
Porsche. Ensure that anyone else driving your
Porsche does the same. To prevent or minimize in-
jury, always use your safety belts. Never consume
alcohol or drugs before or during the operation of
your vehicle.
This Owner’s Manual contains a host of useful in-
formation. Please take the time to read this manu-
al before you drive your new Porsche. Become fa-
miliar with the operation of your Porsche car for
maximum safety and operating pleasure. The bet-
ter you know your Porsche, the more pleasure you
will experience driving your new car.
Always keep your Owner’s Manual in the car, and
give it to the new owner if you ever sell your
Porsche. A separate Maintenance Booklet
explains how
you can keep your Porsche in top driving condition
by having it serviced regularly.
A separate Warranty and Customer Informa-
tion Booklet contains detailed information about
the warranties covering your Porsche.
For U.S. only:
If you believe that your vehicle has a fault which
could cause a crash, injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to noti-
fying Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche
Cars N.A.).
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open
an investigation, and if it finds that a safety prob-
lem exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a re-
call and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA can-
not become involved in individual problems be-
tween you and your dealer, or Porsche Cars N.A..
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle Safety
Hotline toll-free at 1-88 8-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-
424-9153); go to http://www.safercar.gov; or
write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from http://www.savercar.gov.
Your car has thousands of parts and components
which have been designed and manufactured in
accordance with Porsche’s high standards of
engineering quality and safety.
Warning!
Any alteration or misuse of the vehicle can
lead to accidents and severe or fatal
personal injuries.
Any alteration of the vehicle may negate or
interfere with those safety features built into
the vehicle. Modifications may be carried out
on your vehicle only if approved by Porsche.
Your Porsche is intended to be used in a safe
manner obeying the local laws and in the
light of driving conditions faced by you, and
in accordance with the instructions provided
in this Owner’s Manual.
f Do not misuse your Porsche by ignoring those
laws and driving conditions, or by ignoring the instructions in this manual. Caution!
The fitting of racing tires (e.g. slicks) for
sporting events is not approved by Porsche.
Very high cornering speeds can be achieved
with racing tires. However, the resulting
transverse acceleration values would jeopar-
dize the adequate supply of oil to the engine.
Porsche therefore will not accept any
warranty or accept any liability for damage
occurring as a result of non-compliance with
this provision.
f Do not fit racing tires (e .g. slicks) for sporting events on your vehicle.

3
Regularly check your vehicle for signs of
damage.
Damaged or missing aerodynamic compo-
nents such as spoilers or underside panels
affect the driving behavior and therefore
must be replaced immediately.
Your car may have all or some of the components
described in this manual.
Should you have difficulty understanding any of
the explanations of features or equipment installed
in your vehicle, contact your authorized Porsche
dealer. He/She will be glad to assist you. Also
check with your dealer on other available options
or equipment.
Throughout this booklet, left is designated as the
driver’s side of the vehicle, and right as the pas-
senger’s side of the vehicle.
Text, illustrations and specifications in this manual
are based on the informatio n available at the time
of printing.
It has always been Porsche’s policy to continuous-
ly improve its products. Porsche, therefore, re-
serves the right to make changes in design and
specification, and to make additions or improve-
ments in its product without incurring any obliga-
tion to install them on products previously manu-
factured.
We wish you many miles of safe and pleasurable
driving in your Porsche.
Warning!
For your own protection and longer service life of
your car, please follow all operating instructions
and special warnings. These special warnings use
the safety alert symbol, followed by the words
Danger, Warning and Caution . These special
warnings contain important messages regarding
your safety and/or the potential for damage to
your Porsche. Ignoring them could result in seri-
ous mechanical failure, serious personal injury or
death.
f Do not alter your Porsche. Any alteration could
create dangerous conditions or defeat safety
engineering features built into your car.
f Do not misuse your Porsche. Use it safely, and
consistently with the law, according to the driv-
ing conditions, and the instructions in this man-
ual.
Alteration or misuse of your Porsche could
cause accidents and serious personal injury
or death.
Note to owners In Canada, this manual is also available in French.
To obtain a copy contact your dealer or write to: Note aux proprietaires Au Canada on peut se procurer un exemplaire de
ce Manuel en français auprès du concessionaire
ou du:
Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd.
Automobiles Porsche Canada, LTEE
5925 Airport Road
Suite 420
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada L4V 1W1
Telephone number for customer assistance:
1-800-PORSCHE / Option 3

4Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake
(PCCB)fPlease see the chapter “BRAKES” on Page 56.
The high-performance brake system is designed
for optimal braking effect at all speeds and
temperatures.
Certain speeds, braking forces and ambient
conditions (such as temperature and humidity)
therefore might cause brake noises.
Wear on the different components and braking
system, such as brake pads and brake discs,
depends to a great extent on the individual driving
style and the conditions of use and therefore
cannot be expressed in actual miles on the road.
The values communicated by Porsche are based
on normal operation adapted to traffic. Wear
increases considerably when the vehicle is driven
on race tracks or through an aggressive driving
style.
f Please consult an authorized Porsche dealer
about the current guidelines in effect before
such use of your vehicle.
Setting and operating vehicle
components when driving
Warning!
There is a danger of acci dent if you set or op-
erate the on-board comp uter, radio, naviga-
tion system, telephone or other equipment
when driving.
This could distract you from the traffic and
cause you to lose control of the vehicle re-
sulting in serious personal injury or death.
f Operate the components while driving only if
the traffic situation allows you to do so safely.
f Carry out any complicated operating or setting procedures only with the vehicle stationary.
Portable Fuel Containers
Danger!
Portable fuel containers may leak, whether
they are full or partially empty. Fuel leaking
from a portable container carried in your ve-
hicle could, in case of an accident, cause a
fire or explosion, resulting in serious person-
al injury or death.
f Never carry additional fuel in portable contain-ers in your vehicle.
Ground Clearance
Caution!
Risk of damage. The vehicle may touch the
ground as a result of reduced ground clear-
ance.
f Drive carefully and slowly on steep slopes (e.g.
parking lots, curbs, uneven roads, lifting plat-
forms etc.).
fAvoid steep ramps.

5
Engine Exhaust
Danger!
Engine exhaust is dangerous if inhaled.
Engine exhaust fumes have many compo-
nents which you can smell. They also contain
carbon monoxide (CO), which is a colorless
and odorless gas.
Carbon monoxide can cause unconscious-
ness and even death if inhaled.
f Never start or let the engine run in an en-
closed, unventilated area.
It is not recommended to sit in your car for pro-
longed periods with the engine on and the car not moving.
California Proposition 65 Warning Warning!
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and cer-
tain vehicle components contain or emit chemi-
cals known to the State of California to cause can-
cer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
In addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproduc-
tive harm.
Hot Exhaust Pipes
Warning!
Risk of burn injury wh en standing near or
coming into contact with the exhaust pipe.
The exhaust pipe is hot when the vehicle is running
and remains hot for some time after the vehicle is
turned off.
f To prevent injury, make a point of noting where
your vehicle’s exhaust pipe is, avoid placing
your legs near the exhaust pipe, and closely
supervise children around the vehicle when the
exhaust pipe could be hot. A hot exhaust pipe can cause serious burns.

6
Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPorsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) ...... 4
Setting and operating vehicle components
when driving .................................................. 4
Portable Fuel Contain ers ................................ 4
Ground Clearance ...... .................................... 4
Engine Exhaust .......... .................................... 5Before driving off................................. 8Before driving off... ........................................ 8
Break in hints for the first
2,000 miles/3,000 kilo meters ...................... 10Operation, Safety ............................... 13Keys ........................ .................................. 15
Security Wheel Bolts .................................... 15
Doors ................................................ ......... 18
Central Locking in Cars without Alarm System 19
Central Locking in Cars with Alarm System ... 21
Alarm System,
Passenger Compartment Monitoring ............. 25
Power Windows ............. .............................. 27
Mirrors ...................... .................................. 29
Rear Window Defogger, Door Mirror Heating .. 31
Seat Adjustment and Head Restraints ............ 32
Seat Memory ............. .................................. 35
Heated Seats ............ .................................. 37
Seat Ventilation ...... ...................................... 38
Steering Wheel Adjust ment ........................... 38
Steering Wheel Heatin g ................................ 39
Multi-Functional Steering Wheel ..................... 40 Sun Visors ...............
....................................41
Safety Belts ............. ....................................42
Airbag Systems ....... ....................................44
Child Restraint System s ................................50
LATCH System
Child seat bracket on the passenger’s seat ....54
Sports Exhaust System ................................55
Parking Brake .......... ....................................55
Brakes ................... ....................................56
ABS Brake System (Antilock Brake System) ...59
Clutch Pedal ................ ................................60
Sport Mode ................. ................................61
Porsche Stability Manage ment (PSM) .............63
Porsche Active Suspension Management
(PASM) ........................ ................................66
Retractable Spoiler .. ................................... 67
Fixed rear spoiler . ........................................68
Interior lights ................................ ...............69
Parking Aids ........... ....................................70
Ignition/Starter Switch with
anti-theft Steering Lo ck .................................72
Starting Procedures .....................................75
Stopping Engine .. ........................................76
Emergency Flasher Swit ch ............................77
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Bi-Xenon Headlig hts ...............................78
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Halogen Headlights ...............................80
Turn Signal / Headlight Dimmer /Parking light /
Flasher Lever ........... ....................................81
Windshield Wiper/ Washer Lever ...................82
Automatic Speed Contro l ..............................

84Cupholder ...................
................................ 86
Ashtray ....................... ................................ 87
Cigarette Lighter .... ..................................... 88
Storage in the Passenger Compartment ........ 89
Luggage Storage on Engine Compartment Lid 91
Luggage Compartment Li ds ......................... 92
Luggage Compartment ................................ 94
Rear luggage compartm ent .......................... 94
Trunk Entrapment .. ..................................... 95
Porsche Communication Management (PCM) . 97
Car Telephone and Aftermarket Alarms ........ 99
iPod, USB and AUX . ................................... 100
Fire Extinguisher .... ................................... 101
HomeLink ................... .............................. 102
Automatic Air Conditioning System,
Heated Rear Window/
Door Mirror Heating. ........................ 105Air Conditioning ...... ................................... 106
Automatic Air Conditioning System ............. 109
Central and Side Vents ............................. 112
Fresh-air Intake . ....................................... 112
Heated Rear Window/Door Mirror Heating ... 113Instruments, On-Board Computer,
Warnings ........................................ 115Instrument Panel USA Models ..................... 116
Instrument Panel Canada Models ................ 118
Automatic Speed Control Indicator light ...... 120
Instrument Illumination ............................... 120