2009 PORSCHE BOXSTER brake

Shifting Gears
173
Drive-Off AssistantThe Drive-Off Assistant assists the driver when
moving off on hills.
The vehicle must have sufficient road contact.
The Drive-Off Assistant is available on gradients as
from around 5%.
Danger!
Risk of accident.
Assistance by the Drive-Off Assistant is not
guaranteed when moving off on a slippery
surface (e.g. on icy or loose surfaces). In this
case, the vehicle could slip.
The limits dictated by the laws of physics
cannot be overcome, even with the Drive-Off
Assistant. The responsi bility for moving off
on upward slopes is still the driver’s, despite
the Drive-Off Assistant.
f Always adjust your driving style to the driving
conditions and vehicle load, use the brake
pedal if necessary.
Risk of accident.
If the Drive-Off Assistant is not functioning,
the driver cannot be assisted when moving
off on hills.
f Hold the vehicle with the brake pedal. Driving off with the Drive-Off Assistant
(vehicles with manual transmission)
1. Hold the vehicle secure
ly on the slope with the
brake pedal.
The engine must be running.
2. Fully depress the clutch pedal.
3. Engage a gear corresponding to the direction of travel up the slope (1st gear or reverse
gear).
4. Fully release the parking brake.
5. While keeping the clutch pedal depressed, release the brake pedal.
The vehicle is held on the slope for a short time
in order to allow driving off directly after the
brake is released.
6. Move off as usual.
Note on operation
The Drive-Off Assistant is not active:
– If the clutch is not depressed.
– If the vehicle is not stationary.
– If the engine is not running.
– On gradients of less than 5%.
– If the pressure on the brake pedal is too low. Driving off with the Drive-Off Assistant
(vehicles with PDK transmission)
1. Hold the vehicle securely on the slope with the
brake pedal.
The engine must be running.
2. Select a gear corresponding to the direction of travel up the slope (selector lever position
Dor R).
3. Fully release the parking brake.
4. Release the brake pedal. The vehicle is held on the slope for a short time
in order to allow driving off directly after the
brake is released.
5. Move off as usual.
Note on operation
The Drive-Off Assistant is not active:
– In the event of shift to neutral.
– If the vehicle is not stationary.
– If the engine is not running.
– On gradients of less than 5%.
– If the pressure on the brake pedal is too low.

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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 se lector lever position D
and M as you wish while driving.
Note
f Take care not to operat e the shift buttons on
the steering wheel in advertently 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 offf Only select the desired position for driving off
( D, M or R ) when the engine is idling and the
brake pedal is depressed.
f Since the vehicle creeps when in gear, do not
release the brake until you want to move off.
f After 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.
f Please see the chapter “DRIVE-OFF ASSIS-
TANT” on Page 173.

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175
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 in
the instrument panel flashes and the warning
“Actuate brake” or “Selector lever not
engaged” appears on the on-board computer.
f Action required:
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. To 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
f 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.
Action 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:
Please see the chapter “REDUCED DRIVING
PROGRAM” on Page 180. 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 180.
f Have the fault repaired immediately at an
authorized Porsche dealer.

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Shifting Gears
Selector lever positionsP – Parking lockfEngage parking lock only when vehicle is
stationary.
If selector-lever position P is flashing in the
instrument cluster, the parking brake is not
engaged. The vehicle can roll away.
Engage selector-lever position P again by
moving the selector lever out of R.
f Engage parking lock after applying the
handbrake and release it before releasing the
handbrake.
The ignition key can be withdrawn only in
selector lever position P.R – Reverse gearf Select only if car is stationary and the brake is
applied.N – NeutralSelector lever position N must be selected for
towing or in car washes, for example.
f Only select the desired position for driving off
(D, M or R) when the engine is idling and the
brake pedal is depressed.
D - Automatic selection modeSelect position D for “normal” driving. The gears
are shifted automatically according to the acceler-
ator position and speed.
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven
(economical, comfortable or sporty driving style)
and on the resistance (e.g. uphill), the gear-
changing points are shifted towards higher or
lower engine-speed ranges.
The accelerator position, driving speed, engine
speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration and
the road profile all have an influence on the gear-
changing characteristic.
Unwanted upward shifts, e.g. before bends, are
prevented by swiftly releasing the accelerator
pedal.
Depending on lateral acceleration, upward
changes on bends are not made until the engine-
speed limit is reached.
Under braking, and depending on the amount of
deceleration, the PDK transmission changes down
earlier.
For subsequent cornering, the right gear is
engaged when pressure is applied to the brakes
before the bend. The bend is taken in the right
gear, and when you accelera te out of the bend you
do not have to change down. With a sporty driving style, downshifts are already
initiated when the brake pedal is touched lightly.
This further enhances
a dynamic driving style.
The PDK transmission temporarily changes to the
sportiest gear-changing map, i.e. to the highest
possible gear-changing poin ts, if the accelerator
pedal is pressed quickly. The transmission accord-
ingly shifts down immediately by one or two gears
(temporary change-down).
The transmission no longer selects 7th gear at
high driving speeds.
Sport mode
(“Sport” and “Sport Plus” modes)
“Sport” mode activated:
The PDK transmission switches to a sporty gear-
changing map and shortens the gear shifting
times.
A sporty driving style is recognised more quickly
and the gear-changing speeds are adapted to
driving performance.
Deceleration downshifts are commenced earlier.
Downshifts are already carried out in the case of
slight decelerations, even at higher engine
speeds.

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177
“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 61.
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 evas ive action due to the
rapid acceleration that this technology
permits.
f Launch 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.
f Use Launch Control only if conditions permit it
to be applied in a safe manner. f
Do 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 an d 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 fr om 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.

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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.
f Select 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 au tomatically at the upper
engine speed limit:
f Depress 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.
Please see the chapter “TOWING” on
Page 269.
Stoppingf For a brief stop (e.g. at a traffic light), leave the
selector lever in drive position and hold the
vehicle with the brake pedal.
f Do not hold the car on a slope using the
accelerator. Use the brake pedal or the
handbrake instead.
f Before leaving the vehicle, always apply the
handbrake and move the selector lever to
position P.Parkingf Go easy on the accelerator!
f When 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 mo de. This prevents gear
changes occurring that could cause wheelspin.Tow-starting, towingf Please see the chapter “TOWING” on
Page 269.

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Shifting Gears
Reduced driving programIf there is a fault in the transmission
– Depending on priority, the warning “Transmis-sion emergency run” in white or red lettering or
the warning “Transmission temperature too
high” is displayed on the on-board computer.
Warning “Transmission emergency run” white
– Effects: Restricted gearshift comfort,
Reverse gear may not function.
Remedy:
Have the fault repaired immediately at an
authorized Porsche dealer. Warning “Transmission emergency run”
red
– Effect: 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.
Warning “Transmission temperature too high”
–Effects: “Warning jerks” can be felt when driving off and
the engine power may be restricted.
Remedy:
Do not hold the vehicle with the accelerator on
a hill, for example. Hold the vehicle with the
brake. Reduce engine load. If possible, stop
the vehicle in a suitable place. Allow the engine
to run in selector lever position P or N until the
warning disappears.

Mobile Roofs
185
Locking the convertible topfSwivel latching lever B to the front until it is felt
to engage.
The locking hook C must engage in the
receptacle on the windshield frame.
Note
If the convertible top has been opened for a longer
period, it could be necessary to assist the locking
hook C engage.
f With the vehicle stationary, press and hold the
button for convertible top operation and pull
the convertible top to the windshield using the
handle recess D.
Emergency operation fBefore performing emergency operation,
please check:
Was the ignition switched on and the hand-
brake applied?
Are the electrical fuses defective?
Please see the chapter “ELECTRICAL SYS-
TEM” on Page 245.
Warning!
There is a danger of in jury and risk of dama-
ge during emergency operation.
There is a danger of crushing or pinching
body parts at all moveable convertible top
parts which could cause serious personal
injury.
f Take great care when performing emergency
operation.
f Do not operate the convertible top during and
after emergency operation.
f Lever off joint rods only with the greatest care.
f If the convertible top is not in the rearward final
position, the convertible-top compartment lid
or the convertible top could fall down when the
joint rods are levered off.
For this reason, hold convertible top or conver-
tible-top compartment lid firmly before levering
off the second joint rod.
f During emergency operation, ensure that the paint is not damaged.