2009 PORSCHE CAYMAN warning lights

Operation, Safety
47
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lampNote on operation
Although not desired, it can occur in the case of
heavier children that the passenger’s airbag
remains active or, in the case of very light adults
or young persons, that the passenger airbag is
deactivated.The condition of the passenger’s front airbag is
shown by the indicator lamp.
If in doubt:
f
Please see the chapter “PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR LAMP DOES NOT LIGHT UP”
on Page 47.
f Please see the chapter “KEY-OPERATED AIR-
BAG DEACTIVATION DEVICE” on Page 49.
f Please see the chapter “CHILD RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS” on Page 50.
f Please see the chapter “LATCH SYSTEM
CHILD SEAT BRACKET ON THE PASSENGER’S
SEAT” on Page 53.
Note
f After inserting the ignition key, the PASSEN-
GER AIRBAG OFF warning light lights up for a
few seconds as a bulb check.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up
– The passenger's airbag is switched off. PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up
– The passenger's airbag is active and ready for
operation.
– If the passenger's seat is not occupied, the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will
also not light up, even though the passenger's
airbag is switched off.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death due
to the passenger airbag triggering unintenti-
onally.
When the ignition key is inserted and the up
to one-year old child is seated in the child re-
straint system on the passenger’s seat, the
indicator lamp ”PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF“
must be on.
If the ”PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF “ indicator
lamp does not light up , it could indicate a
fault in the system.
In this case:
f On vehicles with key-operated airbag deactiva-
tion device: Switch to position OFF.
f On vehicles without key-operated airbag deac-
tivation device: Do not drive.
f Have the fault remedied at your nearest autho-rized Porsche dealer.

Operation, Safety
55
Sports Exhaust SystemSwitching on and offThe sports exhaust system can be switched on
and off when the ignition is switched on using the
button.
When the sports exhaust system is switched on,
the light-emitting diode in the button lights up.
Parking Brake Parking brake force is mechanically transferred to
the rear wheels by means of cables.
f Use the parking brake only after the vehicle
has come to a full stop.
Setting the parking brake f Pull the lever all the way up (arrow ).
With the ignition on, the parking brake warning
lights in the instrume nt panel and on-board
computer will come on if the lever is even
slightly raised. A firm pull upward is required to
properly engage the parking brake.
If the brake is not fully set, the vehicle may roll
without control.
f Move the selector lever to “P” (PDK) or move
the gearshift lever to reverse or first gear
(Manual transmission).
f Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that the
parking brake is fully se t and the vehicle is not
moving at all.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death. A
partially engaged parking brake may allow
the vehicle to roll, ca using serious personal
injury or death to any person in its path.
f Engage the parking brake fully.Releasing the parking brakefPull the lever slightly up as you depress the re-
lease button, and then push the lever all the
way down.

56
Operation, Safety
The warning lights in the
instrument panel and on-
board computer will go out after the parking brake
is fully released.
The warning lights are not an indicator that the
parking brake is fully set; it is only intended to be
a warning to release the parking brake before
driving the car. Caution!
A partially engaged brake will overheat the
rear brakes, reduce their effectiveness and
cause excessive wear.
f Release the parking brake fully.
f When parking your car, always set the parking
brake by pulling all the way up on the lever.
f Move the selector lever to “P” (PDK) or move
the gearshift lever to reverse or first gear
(Manual transmission).
f On hills also turn the front wheels towards the
curb.
Brakes fMake it a habit to chec k the operation of your
brakes before driving.
Keep in mind that the braking distance increases
very rapidly as the speed increases. At 60 mph or
100 km/h, for example, it is not twice but four
times longer than 30 mph or 50 km/h. Tire trac-
tion is also less effective when the roads are wet
or slippery.
f Therefore, always maintain a safe distance
from the car in front of you.
Vehicles without Porsche Ceramic Compos-
ite Brake (PCCB)
Even though the brake discs consist of alloyed
grey cast iron, they will unavoidably start to cor-
rode if your car is parked for an extended period.
The brakes will tend to “rub” as a result.
The nature, extent and effects of corrosion de-
pend on the amount of time the vehicle was
parked, whether granular or liquid road salt was
spread and whether grease-dissolving agents
were used in car washes.
To prevent corrosion of the brake discs, ”brake
them dry“ before parking the car.
If the braking comfort is noticeably impaired, we
recommend having the brake system checked by
experts at an authorized Porsche dealer.
Brake system function Your Porsche is equipped with a power assisted
hydraulic dual circuit brake system with disc
brakes at the front and rear.
Both circuits function independently. One brake
circuit operates the front and the other operates
the rear.
If one brake circuit has failed, the other will still op-
erate. However, you will notice an increased pedal
travel when you apply the brakes.
Failure of one brake circuit will cause the stopping
distance to increase.
Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
In the unlikely event of hydraulic failure of
one brake circuit:
f Push the brake pedal down firmly and hold it in
that position.
A mechanical linkage activates the second cir-
cuit, and you will be able to bring the vehicle to
a stop.
f After bringing your vehicle to a complete stop,
avoid driving the vehicle and instead have it
towed to the nearest authorized Porsche deal-er for repair.
Parking brake warning light USA
Parking brake warning light
Canada

Operation, Safety
57
Brake system warning light
You can check the functionality of the brake
system warning light by switching the ignition to
the "On" position and verifying that the warning
light illuminates.
If the warning lights in the instrument panel and on-
board computer go on while driving, the brake flu-
id level may be too low, or (if the brake pedal travel
has increased) one of the two brake circuits may
have failed.
A greater braking pressure will be required, stop-
ping distances will be longer and the braking be-
havior will change, particularly in curves.
With correctly adjusted brakes, and a correctly
working brake system, the pedal travel to the
point of brake actuation should be 1-3/16 in. to
1-9/16 in. or 30 to 40 mm.
Whenever the brake pedal travel exceeds this dis-
tance, have the brake system checked.
Brake pedal
Warning!
Risk of an accident, re sulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
Any obstruction of the brake pedal could
increase the stopping distance.
f Always check the movement of the brake pedal
before driving and make sure that it is not ob-
structed by a floor ma t or any other object.
f Secure the floor mat to prevent it from sliding
into positions that could interfere with the safe
operation of your vehicle.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you nonskid floor mats of the correct size.
Note
In case one of the two brake circuits fails, in-
creased pedal travel is required to bring your
vehicle to a full stop.
Warning!
To avoid overheating and premature wear of
the brakes:
f Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift the tran smission into a lower
gear or driving position to control speed.
f Do not “ride the brakes” by resting your foot on
the pedal when not intending to apply brake
pressure.
f Do not hold the pedal down too long or too
often.
This could cause the brakes to get hot and not function properly.
f Please see the chapter “DRIVE-OFF ASSIS-
TANT” on Page 177.
Brake warning light USA
Brake warning light Canada

58
Operation, Safety
Brake booster The brake booster assists braking only when
the engine is running.
When the car is moving while the engine is not run-
ning, or if the brake boos ter is defective, more
pressure on the brake pedal is required to bring
the car to a stop.
If this happens, ABS and PSM will also not oper-
ate.
Moisture or road salt on brakes affects braking.
Brakes will dry after a fe w cautious brake applica-
tions.
Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
Driving through water may reduce the trac-
tion.
Moisture on brakes from road water, car
wash, or coating of road salt may affect
braking efficiency.
f Cautiously apply brakes to test brakes after ex-posure to road water, etc.
Brake wear Your car has excellent brakes, but they are still
subject to wear. The rate at which they wear de-
pends on how the brakes are used.
f Have the brake system inspected at the
intervals recommended in your Maintenance
Booklet.
Brake system warning light
You can check the functionality of the brake
system warning light by switching the ignition to
the "On" position and verifying that the warning
light illuminates.
If the warning lights in the instrument panel and on-
board computer stay on when the engine is run-
ning or come on while driv ing, the brake pads are
worn excessively.
f Do not continue to operate the vehicle.
Have your authorized Porsche dealer inspect
or replace the brake pads.
Brake pads and brake discsWear on the brake pads and brake discs depends
to a great extent on the driving style and the con-
ditions of use and therefore cannot be expressed
in actual miles on the road.
The high-performance brake system is designed
for optimal braking effect at all speeds and tem-
peratures.
Certain speeds, braking forces and ambient
conditions (such as temperature and humidity)
therefore might cause “brake noises”.
New brake pads or linings
New brake pads and brake discs have to be “bro-
ken 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 whenever the brake pads and
brake discs are replaced.
Warning light USA
Warning light Canada

60
Operation, Safety
When the ignition is switched on the ABS warning
light will light up while the system is electronically
interrogated and goes o
ut when the engine is
started if the check is not yet complete.
If the ABS warning lamp fails to go out, this indi-
cates that ABS has been deactivated due to a
fault. If the warning lights in the instrument panel
and on-board computer light up while you are driv-
ing, this indicates that a fault has occurred. In both
cases, normal braking, as in vehicles without ABS,
is still retained.
The ABS system should, however, be examined at
an authorized Porsche dealer immediately to pre-
vent the occurrence of further faults.
f If the ABS system becomes inoperative, take
your vehicle to your authorized Porsche dealer
immediately.
Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
The control unit of the ABS brake system is
set for standard tire size. If non-standard
tires are installed, the control unit may mis-
interpret the speed of th e vehicle, because of
the variant data it rece ives from the sensors
on the axles.
f Use only tire makes and types tested by Porsche.
Clutch Pedal The clutch pedal must be depressed fully
before the starter will engage.
Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
f Always check the movement of the clutch ped-
al before driving and make sure that it is not
obstructed by a floor mat or any other object.
f Secure the floor mat to prevent it from sliding
into positions that could interfere with the safe
operation of your vehicle.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you
nonskid floor mats of the correct size.
To avoid damage to the clutch and transmis-
sion:
f Always depress the clutch pedal fully when
changing gears.
f Do not hold the car on a steep grade with the clutch pedal partially depressed.
Should the free travel of the clutch pedal suddenly
become larger, it could me an a malfunction of the
clutch.
f See your Porsche dealer for correction.
Warning light USA
Warning light Canada

Operation, Safety
67
Rear Spoiler The rear spoiler improves driving stability, espe-
cially at higher speeds.
Warning!
Risk of accident, resulting in serious perso-
nal injury or death.
If the spoiler cannot be extended, driving sta-
bility will be adversel y affected by increased
rear axle lift, which could lead to loss of con-
trol.
f Adapt your driving style and speed to the
changed driving conditions.
f Have the fault remedied at an authorized
Porsche dealer.
Risk of injury during manual retraction or
extension of the spoiler with the vehicle
stationary.
f Make sure that no persons or objects are
within the range of movement of the rear
spoiler.
Risk of damage from pushing the vehicle by
the rear spoiler.
f Do not push the vehicle at the rear spoiler.
Automatic control
(automatic mode)The rear spoiler extends at approx. 75 mph
(120 km/h) and retracts again at approx. 50 mph
(80 km/h).
If the automatic control fails, the warning light
lights up.
The warning light in the on-board computer lights
up when the rear spoiler does not extend over
75 mph (120 km/h) or its end position is not
reached.
Manual control
(manual mode)When the ignition is on, the rear spoiler can be
extended and retracted manually using the button
in the center console.
Note
When the rear spoiler is extended manually, the au-
tomatic control does not operate and the rear
spoiler must be manually retracted.
Warning light

Operation, Safety
75
Starting Procedures fPlease see the chapter “IMMOBILIZER” on
Page 15.
f Please see the chapter “EMISSION CONTROL
SYSTEM” on Page 198.
Warning!
Serious injury or death may result if you are
involved in a collision without having fas-
tened the safety belts.
f Fasten safety belts before driving away. Before starting the engine fApply the footbrake.
f Manual transmission:
Fully depress the clutch pedal and put the gear-
shift lever into neutral.
The clutch pedal must be depressed fully
before the starter will engage.
f In vehicles with PDK transmission:
Move PDK selector lever to position P or N.
Temperature sensors on the engine automatically
provide the correct fuel/air mixture required for
starting.
Therefore, it is not necessary to depress the
accelerator pedal while starting a cold or a
warm engine.
Starting the enginef Turn ignition key to ignition lock position 2.
f As soon as the engine st arts, release the igni-
tion key.
The first operation of the starter is ended automat-
ically when the engine starts.
If the engine does not start, subsequent starter
operations will not be ended automatically.
If the engine fails to start after 10 or 15 seconds
of cranking:
f Wait about 10 seconds before engaging the
starter again.
f When starting the engine, be ready to drive
immediately.
Drive vehicle at moderate speeds and avoid
engine speeds above 4,200 rpm during the
first 5 minutes.
f Do not let the engine idle to warm up.
Danger!
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
enclosed, unventilated area.
It is not recommended to sit in your car for prolonged periods with the engine on and the
car not moving.
An unattended vehicle with a running engine
is potentially hazardous.
If warning lights shoul d come on to indicate
improper operation, they would go unno-
ticed.
f Never leave the engine idling unattended.
Danger of fire.
f Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas
where the hot exhaust system may come in
contact with dry grass, brush, fuel spill or oth-
er flammable material.
f If your car catches on fire for any reason, call
the fire department.
Do not endanger your life by attempting to put
out the fire.
Risk of burn injury when 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.