2009 PORSCHE BOXSTER ECO mode

Maintenance, Car Care
215
Convertible top
fNever remove snow and ice using a sharp
edged object.
Incorrect care and treatment can damage the con-
vertible top and cause leaks. Any repair work can
be done by your authorized Porsche dealer.
Important note
No folding top is 100% leak proof.
Due to the constant changi ng of loads and strains
to which a car is subject to when driving on roads,
minor wind noise and seepage at joints between
the top, body and doors on convertible tops can-
not be completely sealed in certain areas. There-
fore small leaks are considered normal for these
models. In addition, your convertible top should
not be washed in a car wash. The top may experi-
ence damage by the brushes or may experience
leaks due to the high pressure water streams di-
rected in areas which wo uld not encounter water
in normal driving conditions.
Cleaning
Caution!
Risk of damage due to the cleaning jet of the
high-pressure cleaning equipment or hot wax
treatment.
f Do not clean the convertible top with high-
pressure cleaning equipment.
fDo not use the hot wax treatment. Do not wash the convertibl
e top each time the car
is washed.
It is usually sufficient to spray or wash it with clean
water.
f Brush dust off the convertible top in the direc-
tion of the weave using a soft brush.
f Only if there is heavy dirt, wet the convertible
top with lukewarm water and the Porsche
Wash-Shampoo & convertible-top cleaner, us-
ing a sponge or soft brush, and rub gently.
Rinse Wash-Shampoo & convertible-top clean-
er thoroughly off the convertible top with clean
water.
f After washing it, treat the convertible-top cover
at least once a year with the special Porsche
convertible-top care product.
Do not allow the convertible-top care product
to come into contact with paint or windows. If
it does, remove immediately.
f If there is leakage in the convertible-top cover
or at its seams or folds, the special Porsche
convertible-top care product can be used.
f Please note the information on the container.
f Remove bird droppings immediately since the
acid in them will make the rubber swell and the
convertible top will become leaky.
f Open convertible top only when it is completely
dry, otherwise damp stains and scrub marks
may occur which cannot be removed. f
Try to remove spots from the convertible-top
cover by rubbing carefu lly with a soft rubber
sponge.
Door lock f To prevent the door lock from freezing during
the cold season, the lock cylinder should be
covered during a wash.
f Should the lock freeze, use an ordinary de-icer.
In many cases, a well warmed key can help.
Never use excessive force.PaintTo protect the paint on yo ur vehicle in the best
possible way against mechanical and chemical
damage, you should
– preserve it regularly,
– polish it if necessary,
– remove spots and stains, and
– repair damaged paintwork.
f Do not apply care products containing silicone
to the convertible top and windows.
General information
f Never rub a dusty vehicle with a dry cloth,
because the grains of dirt will damage the
paintwork.

228
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death.
Driving the vehicle with low tire pressure
increases risk of a tire failure and resulting
loss of control. Furthermore, low tire pres-
sure increases rate of wear of the affected
tires.
f Check tires – including sidewalls – regularly for
foreign bodies, nicks, cuts, cracks and bulges.
f After driving off road, examine tires for signs
of damage such as cuts, tears, bulges or for-
eign objects stuck in the tread. Replace a dam-
aged tire if necessary.
f Cross curb edges slowly and at right angles if
possible.
Avoid driving over steep or sharp curbs.
f In cases of doubt, have the wheel (particularly
the inner side) checked by an authorized Porsche dealer.
Tire replacements If in doubt, contact your Porsche dealer.
Use only tire makes and types approved by
Porsche.
If you do not use a Porsche recommended
replacement tire, make sure that you
purchase your new tires from a reputable tire
dealer and that the dealer complies with all
manufacturers warnings for those tires.
Only tires with the same make and with the
same specification code (e.g. “N0”, “N1”...)
can be mounted.
Before mounting new tires, check with your
Porsche dealer about the current release
status.
Use tires with “ZR” quality standards. There
are currently no standards concerning tire
strength at speeds above 150 mph (240 km/h).
Tires should be replaced no less than on one axle
at the time.
Only tires of the same make and type must be
used. Mixed tires are not permissible.
Initially, new tires do not have their full traction.
You should therefore drive at moderate speeds
during the first 60 - 120 miles (100 - 200 km). If new tires are installed only on one axle, a notice-
able change in handling occurs due to the different
tread depth of the other tires.
This happens especially if only rear tires are re-
placed. However, this condition disappears as the
new tires are broken in.
f
Please adjust your driving style accordingly.
Installation of new tires sh ould only be done by a
qualified tire technician.
Valves
Rubber valve stems must be replaced every time
a tire is replaced.
For metal valves, the installation and replacement
instructions must be observed.
f Use only genuine Porsche metal valves.
f Protect the valve inserts against soiling with
valve caps.
Soiled valve inserts can cause a gradual loss
of air.
f Use only plastic valve caps.

230
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Note
Under no circumstances sh
ould tires older than 6
years be used on your Porsche.
The age of the tire can be obtained from the “DOT”
code number. If, for example, the last four num-
bers read 1208, then the ti re was produced in the
12th week of 2008.
f Store tires in a cool and dry place.
Snow tires For a better grip on snow and ice, use radial M+S
tires with studs.
Check with your local Motor Vehicle Bureau for
possible restrictions.
Danger!
Risk of loss of control and damage to the
vehicle as well as seri ous personal injury or
death.
The standard tires prof ile and rubber mixture
are optimized for wet and dry driving condi-
tions, and may not prove favorable for snow
conditions.
f Therefore install M+S tires before driving in such conditions. Before mounting snow tires, consult with
your Porsche dealer. He has the technical
information necessary to advise you on
wheel and tire compatibility.
Snow tires should have the same load capacity as
original equipment tires and should be mounted on
all four wheels.
Snow tires with studs should be run at moderate
speeds when new in order to give the studs time
to settle.
Danger!
Tires with badly worn treads and studs are
very dangerous and could cause accidents
resulting in serious personal injuries or
death.
f Make sure they are replaced immediately.
f Do not drive a vehicle equipped with snow tires
at prolonged high speed.
Snow tires do not have the same degree of
traction on dry, wet or snowfree roads as a
normal tire.
Furthermore, snow tires wear rapidly under
these conditions.
Comply with all state and local laws
governing snow tire and tread depth
requirements.
Danger!
Risk of accident and se rious personal injury
or death due to excessive speed.
f Always check the maximum speed rating on
the tire sidewall on any tire on the vehicle.
f Never exceed the maximum speed rating of the tires.
f Fit winter tires to both axles well before the
cold season begins.
Your authorized Porsche dealer will be pleased
to advise you.
Maintenance note
We recommend fitting snow tires on the vehicle at
temperatures below 45 °F (7 °C) since the driving
performance of summer tires is reduced at low
temperatures. Summer tires may be permanently
damaged at extremely low temperatures.
Winter tires lose their traction capability when their
tread depth falls below 5/32 in. (4 mm).

246
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Alarm system, central lockingThe status of the central locking and alarm system
is not changed by disconnecting the battery.
When the battery is di sconnected, the alarm
system ceases to function.Central locking overload protectionIf the central locking sy stem is operated more
than ten times within a minut e, further operation is
blocked for 30 seconds.
Load switch-off after 2 hours or 7 daysIf the ignition key is removed, loads which are
switched on or are in standby mode (such as the
luggage compartment light and interior light) are
automatically switched off after approx. 2hours.
The Radio/PCM is automatically switched off after
approx. 10 minutes.
If the vehicle is not started or unlocked with the
remote control within 7days , the remote control
standby function is switched off (to save the
vehicle battery).
1. In this case, unlock the driver’s door with the key at the door lock.
Leave the door closed in order to prevent the
alarm system from being triggered.
2. Press button 1 on the remote control.
The remote control is now activated again.

Index
287
Speeds ................................................ 10
Starting .................. .............................. 75
Stopping .............................................. 76
Engine compartment Blower ....................... .................. 76, 124
Blower fan .............. ............................ 124
Care .................................................. 216
Lid ....................................................... 93
Lid warning light...... .............................. 92
Engine oil Change .............................................. 201
Consumption ............................... ......... 10
Performance class .. ............................ 201
Recommendation ........ ........................ 200
Topping off............. ............................ 200
Viscosity ................ ............................ 201
Exhaust
Pipes ......................... ............................ 5
System ................................................ 55
Tailpipes, stainless st eel ...................... 217
External antenna ......... ................................ 100
FFiller flap .................................................... 205
Fire extinguisher ......................................... 101
Flat tire ...................... ................................ 239
Floor mats.................. ................................ 219
Fluids ......................................................... 211
FM reception ................................... ............. 97
Fog light ............................................. ......... 80
Fog light, rear................. ........................ 78, 80
Fog lights Changing bulb......... ............................ 264
Footbrake ........................................... ......... 56Footwell lights...........
....................................69
Fresh air intake ......... ..................................112
Front lid ....................... ..........................92, 93
Fuel ..................... ..............................126, 205
Containers ................ ......................4, 207
Economy .................. ..........................204
Evaporation control .............................207
Fuels containing etha nol.......................207
Level gage ............... ..........................126
Level warning light ..............................126
Recommendation ........................206, 207
Recommendations .... ..........................206
Tank ..................................................206
Function keys ........... ....................................40
Fuses, replacing ....... ..................................247
GGarage
Door ....................................................76
Door opener .......................................102
Lift ............... ......................... .............242
Gear display ................. ......................116, 118
Gear shift indicator ......................................123
Glove compartment... ....................................90
Gong.................... ..............14, 73, 78, 80, 133
Ground clearance...... ......................................4HHandbrake.................... ................................55
Hardtop........................ ..............................190
Head restraints ......... ....................................32
Headlights .................... ..............................258
Adjusting .................. ..................267, 268 Beam adjustment .
................................ 79
Changing bulbs .......................... 259, 261
Cleaning system ....... ............ 82, 210, 281
Flasher ................................................ 81
Removing ................ .......................... 258
Heated rear window ..... ................ 31, 193, 194
Heated rear window/Door mirror heating ..... 113
Heater ......................... .............................. 109
Heating ........................................... .......... 106
High beam Indicator light ....... .............................. 123
Lever....................... ...................... 78, 80
High beam, additional Changing bulb ...... .............................. 261
High-pressure cleaning units........................ 213
Home mode..................... ...................... 79, 80
HomeLink .................... .............................. 102
Hoods ............................. ................ 92, 93, 95
Horn ........................................... .......... 12, 21
Hot exhaust pipes ... ....................................... 5
IIgnition key ............. ..................................... 72
Emergency operation ........................... 74
Ignition lock ............ ..................................... 72
Withdrawing ignition key,
PDK transmission ..................... .......... 176
Immobilizer ...................................... ............ 15
Indicator lights ................. .................. 116, 118
INFO Warning message s ............................. 136
Instrument Illumination........... .............................. 120
Lights ...................... ...................... 78, 80
Panel ........................... ...... 116, 118, 162