2009 PORSCHE BOXSTER Owners Manual

Table of Contents
7
Trip Odometer ........................................... 121
Speedometer ................ ............................ 122
Changing over between Miles / Kilometers .. 122
Tachometer ............... ................................ 123
Turn Signal Indicator Light .......................... 123
High Beam Indicator Li ght ........................... 123
Gear Shift Indicator
(in vehicles with manual transmission) .......... 123
Cooling System ......... ................................ 124
Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) ................... 125
Fuel .......................... ................................ 126
Clock ............................ ............................ 127
Outside Temperature ................................. 127
Check Engine (Emission Control) ................. 129
On-Board Computer (B C) ............................ 130
Warnings on the instrument panel and the on-
board computer ............. ............................ 162Shifting Gears.................................. 171Manual Transmission, Cl utch ....................... 172
Drive-Off Assistant ..... ................................ 173
Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) ................... 174Mobile Roofs ................................... 181Convertible Top ......... ................................ 182
Windstop ................... ................................ 189
Hardtop ........................ ............................ 190Maintenance, Car Care .................... 195Exercise Extreme Caution when Working
on your Vehicle .......................................... 196
Coolant Level ............ ................................ 197
Engine Oil ................. ................................ 199 Engine Oil Level ..
......................................199
Engine Oil Recommendat ion ........................200
Brake Fluid Level ...... ..................................202
Fuel Economy .......... ..................................204
Operating your Porsche in other Countries ...204
Fuel Recommendation s ..............................206
Portable Fuel Containers ............................207
Fuel Evaporation Control ............................207
Emission Control Syst em ............................208
How Emission Control Works ......................209
Washer Fluid ............ ..................................210
Power Steering ........ ..................................211
Air Filter .................. ..................................211
Combination Filter .... ..................................211
Fluids/Oils for Manual Transmission
and Porsche Doppelkuppl ung (PDK) .............211
Wiper Blades .......... ..................................212
Car Care Instructions ................................213
Practical Tips, Emergency Service .... 221Exercise Extreme Caution when Working
on your Vehicle ............................ .............222
Tires/Wheels ............... ............................. 223
Loading Information ...................... .............234
Wheel Bolts ................................. .............236
Changing a wheel .......................... .............237
Flat Tire........................ ............................. 239
Lifting the Vehicle with a Lifting Platform
or Garage Lift ...... ......................................242
Spacers ...................... ..............................243
Electrical System ......................................245
Battery ................... ..................................249
Replacing the remote-control battery ..........254
Emergency Starting with Jumper Cables ......255 Bulb chart ..............
................................... 257
Lights, Replacing Bulb s ............................. 257
Headlights ............. ................................... 258
Number Plate Light . ................................... 266
Changing Light-Emitting Diodes and Long-Life
Bulbs ......................... .............................. 266
Adjusting Headlights .................................. 267
Towing ....................... .............................. 269
Vehicle Identification,
Technical Data ......... ....................... 273Vehicle Identification .................................. 274
Technical Data ....... ................................... 276
Tire Pressure for Cold Tires ....................... 277
Tires, Rims, Tracks .................................. 278
Driving Performance* ................. .............. 280
Capacities ............. ................................... 281
Weights ..................... .............................. 282
Dimensions ........... ................................... 282
Diagrams ................... .............................. 283

8
Before driving off...
Dear Porsche Owner A lot has gone into the manufacture of your
Porsche, including advanced engineering, rigid
quality control and demanding inspections.
These engineering and safety features will be
enhanced by you... the safe driver... – who knows his/her car and all controls,
– who maintains the vehicle properly,
– who uses driving skills wisely and always drives within her/his own capabilities and the
level of familiarity with the vehicle.
You will find helpful hints in this manual on how to
perform most of the checks listed on the following
pages.
If in doubt, have these checks performed by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
Before driving off... Check the following items first f Turn the engine off before you attempt any
checks or repairs on the vehicle.
f Be sure the tires are inflated correctly.
Check tires for damage and tire wear.
f See that wheel bolts are properly tightened
and not loose or missing.
f Check engine oil level, add if necessary.
Make it a habit to have engine oil checked with
every fuel filling.
f Check all fluid levels such as windshield
washer and brake fluid levels.
f Be sure the vehicle battery is well charged and
cranks the engine properly.
f Check all doors and lids for proper operation
and latch them properly.
f Check, and if necessary replace worn or
cracked wiper blades.
f See that all windows are clear and unob-
structed.
f Check air intake slots and area between lug-
gage compartment lid and windshield. Ensure
that these areas are free of snow and ice, so
the heater and the windshield wipers work
properly. f
If a child will be riding in the vehicle, check
child seat/child seat restraint system to ensure
that restraints are properly adjusted.
f Child restraint systems will not fit into the
Sports bucket seat.
Do not install a child restraint system in the
Sports bucket seat.
The Sports bucket seat cannot be equipped
with the LATCH system and thus the airbag
system cannot be manually deactivated.
f Check all exterior and interior lights for opera-
tion and that the lenses are clean.
f Check the headlights for proper aim, and if
necessary, have them adjusted.
f Check under the vehicle for leaks.
f Be sure all luggage is stowed securely.
Emergency equipment It is good practice to carry emergency equipment
in your vehicle.
Some of the items you should have are:
window scraper, snow brush, container or bag of
sand or salt, emergency light, small shovel, first-
aid kit, etc.

Before driving off...
9
In the driver’s seat... fCheck operation of the horn.
f Position seat for easy reach of foot pedals and
controls.
To reduce the possibility of injury from the
airbag deployment, you should always sit back
as far from the steering wheel as is practical,
while still maintaining full vehicle control.
f Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
f Buckle your safety belts.
f Check operation of the foot and parking brake.
f Check all warning and indicator lights with
ignition on and engine not running.
f Start engine and check all warning displays for
warning symbols.
f Never leave an idling car unattended.
f Lock doors from inside, especially with chil-
dren in the car to prevent inadvertent opening
of doors from inside or outside.
Drive with doors locked.
On the road... fNever drive after you have consumed alcohol
or drugs.
f Always have your safety belt fastened.
f Always drive defensively.
Expect the unexpected.
f Use signals to indicate turns and lane changes.
f Turn on headlights at dusk or when the driving
conditions warrant it.
f Always keep a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, depending on traffic, road and
weather conditions.
f Reduce speed at night and during inclement
weather.
Driving in wet weather requires caution and re-
duced speeds, particularly on roads with
standing water, as the handling characteristics
of the vehicle may be impaired due to hydro-
planing of the tires.
f Always observe speed limits and obey road
signs and traffic laws.
f When tired, get well off the road, stop and take
a rest. Turn the engine off. Do not sit in the ve-
hicle with engine idling.
Please see the chapter “ENGINE EXHAUST” on
Page 5. f
When parked, always set the parking brake.
Move the PDK selector le ver to ”P“ or the gear-
shift lever to reverse or first gear.
On hills also turn the front wheels toward the
curb.
f When emergency repairs become necessary,
move the vehicle well off the road. Turn on the
emergency flasher and use other warning de-
vices to alert other motorists. Do not park or
operate the vehicle in areas where the hot ex-
haust system may come in contact with dry
grass, brush, fuel spill or other flammable ma-
terial.
f Make it a habit to have the engine oil checked
with every refueling.

10
Before driving off...
Break in hints for the first
2,000 miles/3,000 kilometers The following tips will be helpful in obtaining opti-
mum performance from your new Porsche.
Despite the most modern, high-precision manufac-
turing methods, the moving parts must still wear
in with each other. This we aring-in occurs mainly in
the first 2,000 miles/3,000 kilometers.Therefore: f Preferably take longer trips.
f Avoid frequent cold starts with short-distance
driving whenever possible.
f Avoid full throttle starts and abrupt stops.
f Do not exceed maximum engine speed of
4,200 rpm (revolutions per minute).
f Do not run a cold engine at high rpm either in
Neutral or in gear.
f Do not let the engine labor, especially when
driving uphill. Shift to the next lower gear in
time (use the most favorable rpm range).
f Never lug the engine in high gear at low
speeds. This rule applies at all times, not just
during the break-in period. f
Do not participate in motor racing events,
sports driving schools, etc. during the first
2,000 miles/3,000 kilometers.
There may be a slight stiffness in the steering,
gear-shifting or other controls during the break-in
period which will gradually disappear.
Break in brake pads and brake discsNew brake pads and discs ha ve to be “broken in”,
and therefore only attain optimal friction when the
car has covered several hundred miles or km.
The slightly reduced braking ability must be com-
pensated for by pressing the brake pedal harder.
This also applies whenev er the brake pads and
brake discs are replaced. New tires New tires do not have maximum traction. They
tend to be slippery.
f Break in new tires by driving at moderate
speeds during the first 60 to 120 miles/100 to
200 km. Longer braking distances must be an-
ticipated.
Engine oil and fuel consumption During the break-in peri od oil and fuel consump-
tion may be higher than normal.
As always, the rate of oil consumption depends on
the quality and viscosity of oil, the speed at which
the engine is operated, the climate and road con-
ditions, as well as the amount of dilution and oxi-
dation of the lubricant.
f Make a habit of checking engine oil with every
refueling, add if necessary.

Before driving off...
11
1 Inner door handle, Page 18
2 Power windows, Page 27
3 Door mirror control, Page 29
4 Hands-free microphone
5 Seat memory, Page 35
6 Diagnostic socket (OBD)
7 Front and rear lid release, Page 92
8 Steering-wheel adjustment, Page 38
9 Seat adjustment, Page 32

12
Before driving off...1 Light switch, Page 78, 80
2 Ignition/starter switch, Page 72
3 Turn signal/headlight dimmer,
flasher lever, Page 81
4 Lever for on-board computer, Page 130
5Horn
6 Lever for automatic speed control, Page 84
7 Wiper/washer lever, Page 82
8 Stopwatch, Page 140
9 Interior temperature sensor
10 Emergency flasher switch, Page 77
11 Central locking button, Page 20, 23
12 Cupholder, Page 86
13 Seat heating/ventilation left/right, Page 37, 38
14 Operating panel for air conditioning, Page 106
15 Sport/Sport Plus program, Page 61 Retactable spoiler, Page 67
Porsche Active Suspension Management
(PASM), Page 66
Porsche Stability Management
(PSM), Page 63
Sports exhaust system, Page 55
16 Operating panel for Porsche Communication Management (PCM), see separate operating
instructions

Operation, Safety
13
Operation, Safety
Keys ........................
.................................. 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 Mana gement (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 Headlights ............................... 78
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Halogen Headlights ............................... 80
Turn Signal / Headlight Dimmer /Parking light /
Flasher Lever ........... .................................... 81
Windshield Wiper/ Wash er Lever ................... 82
Automatic Speed Control .............................. 84
Cupholder ................... ................................
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

14
Operation, Safety
Never invite car theft! An unlocked car with the key in the ignition lock
invites car theft.
A steering wheel lock and a gong alarm are
standard equipment in your Porsche.
The gong alarm will sound if you open the driver’s
door while the key is still in the ignition lock. It is
your reminder to pull the key out of the ignition
lock and to lock the doors.
Warning!
Any uncontrolled movement of the vehicle
may result in property damage, serious per-
sonal injury or death.
Never leave your vehicle unattended with the
key in the ignition lock, especially if children
and/or pets are left unattended in the vehi-
cle. They can operate power windows and
other controls. If the engine is left running,
they may accidentally engage the shift lever.
Serious personal injury or death could result
from loss of control of the vehicle.
f Always remove the ignition key.
f Always set the parking brake.
fLock the doors with the remote control.
Warning!
Risk of a serious accident.
The steering column will lock when you re-
move the key while you are driving or as the
car is rolling to a stop. You will not be able to
steer the car.
Serious personal injury or death could result
from loss of control of the vehicle.
f Never remove the key from the steering lock while you are driving. To protect your vehicle and your possessions
from theft, you should always proceed as
follows when leaving your vehicle:
f
Close windows.
f Close convertible top (with the convertible top
open, the passenger compartment monitoring
system is always switched off)
f Remove ignition key.
f Engage steering lock.
f Lock glove compartment.
f Remove valuables (e.g. car documents, cell
phones, house keys) from the car.
f Lock doors.