2009 PORSCHE PANAMERA maintenance

272
Maintenance and Car Care
Polishing
Only when the original
shine can no longer be
obtained using preservatives should paint polish
be used to clean the paint.
We recommend Porsche paint polish.
Removing spots and stains
f Remove tar spatters, traces of oil, insects etc.
as soon as possible using an insect remover,
as they discolor the paint if left to work on it
over time.
f Wash the treated areas carefully afterwards.
Repairing minor paint damage
f Have minor paint damage (cracks, scratches
or stone damage) repaired immediately
before corrosion begins.
Please contact a qualif ied specialist workshop.
We recommend that you have an authorized
Porsche dealer to do this work as they have
trained workshop personnel and the necessary
parts and tools.
If traces of corrosion have already formed, these
must be thoroughly removed. An anti-corrosion
primer must then be applied to these spots,
followed by top-coat paint. Paint data can be found on the vehicle data
carrier.
f
Please see the chapter “VEHICLE DATA BANK”
on page 323.
Cleaning the engine compartment
Caution!
Risk of damage, e.g. to the alternator,
painted surfaces, and the valve covers.
f Never use high-pressure cleaners with
a round-jet nozzle.
f Always observe a minimum distance of 20 in.
(50 cm).
f Always cover the lid of the brake fluid reservoir
prior to cleaning with a high-pressure cleaner.
Never point the cleaning jet directly at the lid.
f Do not point the cleaning jet directly at any of the aforementioned components.
Note on operation
If the vehicle is driven frequently on salted
or gritted roads:
f Have the engine compartment cleaned
regularly.
Cleaning windowsfClean all windows regularly, inside and out,
with window cleaner.
We recommend Porsche window cleaner.
f Do not use the same chamois for painted
surfaces and for drying the windows.
Preservative residues could reduce
transparency.
f Remove insect residues with insect remover.
Note
The front side windows have a water-repellent
(hydrophobic) coating, which prevents soiling
of the windows.
This coating is subject to natural wear and can
be renewed.
f Please contact a qualified specialist workshop.
We recommend that you have an authorized
Porsche dealer to do this work as they have
trained workshop personnel and the necessary
parts and tools.

Maintenance and Car Care
273
Care of windshield wiper bladesWindshield wiper blades that are in perfect
condition are vital for a clear view.
fPlease see the chapter “WIPER BLADES” on
page 261.
f Have the wiper blades replaced twice per year
(before and after the cold season) or if wiper
performance deteriorates or the blades are
damaged.
f Clean the wiper blades with window cleaner at
regular intervals, especially after washing the
vehicle in a car wash.
We recommend Porsche window cleaner.
If wiper blades are very dirty (e.g. covered with
insect remains), they can be cleaned with
a sponge or cloth.
If the wiper blades rub or squeak, this may be due
to the following:
– If the vehicle is washed in an automatic car wash, wax residues may adhere to
the windshield. These wax residues can
be removed only by using window
cleaner concentrate.
f Please see the chapter “WASHER FLUID” on
page 259. Contact your authorized Porsche dealer for more
information.
– The wiper blades may be damaged or worn.
f
Have damaged wiper blades replaced
immediately.
UndercoatingThe underside of your car is durably protected
against chemical and mechanical influences.
As it is not possible to ex clude the risk of damage
to this protective coating in day to day driving, it
is advisable to have the underside of the car
inspected at certain intervals - preferably before
the start of winter and again in spring - and the
undercoating restored as necessary.
Your authorized Porsche dealer is familiar with the
bodyseal treatment procedures and has the
necessary equipment for applying factory
approved materials. We recommend that you
entrust them with such work and inspections.
Unlike conventional spray oils, undercoating and
rust-proofing compounds based on bitumen or
wax do not attack the sound-proofing materials
applied at the factory.
Warning!
Danger of fire resulting in serious personal
injury or death.
f Do not apply additional undercoating or rust-
proofing on or near the exhaust manifold,
exhaust pipes, catalytic converters or heat
shields. During driving the substance used for undercoating could overheat and ignite.
f Before applying fresh underseal, carefully
remove deposits or dirt and grease. Once it
has dried, the new undercoating compound
forms a tough protective coating which
provides efficient rust-proofing of the floor
panels and components.
f Always apply a fresh coating of suitable preser-
vative to unprotect areas after cleaning the
underside of the body, the transmission, the
engine or carrying out repairs to under-body,
engine or transmission components.
Effective rust-proofing is particularly important
during the cold weather season. If your car is
driven frequently in areas where salt has been
spread on the roads, the whole engine compart-
ment should be cleane d thoroughly after the
winter to prevent salt from causing any lasting
damage. A full under-body wash should also be
performed at the same time.

274
Maintenance and Car Care
Cleaning headlights, lights, interior and
exterior plastic components, adhesive
foils, radar sensor for adaptive cruise
control and rearview cameraObserve the following points:
fUse only clean water and a little dishwashing
liquid or interior window cleaner to clean
headlights, lights, plastic components
and surfaces.
Use a soft sponge or a soft, lint-free cloth.
Note
An interior window cleane r can also be used to
clean plastic surfaces (always read the cleaning
instructions on the container!).
We recommend Porsche interior window cleaner.
f Gently wipe the surface without applying
too much pressure.
f Do not clean when dry.
f Never use other chemical cleaners
or solvents.
f Rinse cleaned surfaces with clear water.
Alloy wheelsMetal particles (e.g. brass or copper in brake
dust) must not remain too long on alloy wheels.
Contact corrosion can cause pitting.
Note
Cleaners with an oxide-removing effect or
wrong pH value, as are commonly used for
other metals, as well as mechanical tools and
products, will damage the oxide layer and are
therefore unsuitable.
fUse only cleaners for alloy wheels
(pH value 9.5). Products with the wrong
pH value can destroy the protective layer
on the wheels.
We recommend Porsche cleaner for light
alloy rims.
f If possible, wash the wheels every two weeks
with a sponge or washing brush. If the wheels
are exposed to road salt, grit or industrial dust,
weekly cleaning is necessary.
f Every three months, after cleaning, treat the
wheels with car wax or an acid-free grease
(e.g. Vaseline).
Rub the grease in well with a soft cloth.
f Please see the chapter “CLEANING IN CAR
WASHES” on page 271.
Danger!
Danger of accident resulting in serious
personal injury or death if cleaning agents
(e.g. wheel cleaning agents) come into
contact with the brake discs. The resulting
film on the brake discs can impair braking
performance.
f Make sure that no clea ning agent comes into
contact with the brake discs.
f If cleaning agent has come into contact with
the brake discs, clean the brake discs
thoroughly with a strong jet of water.
f Paying attention to any road users behind you, dry the brake discs by applying the brakes.
Stainless steel tailpipesStainless steel tailpipes can discolor due to
soiling, strong heat and combustion residues.
The original shine can be achieved again using
commercially available metal lustre paste or metal
polish.

Maintenance and Car Care
275
Cleaning door, roof, lid and window seals
Caution!
The lubricant coating on the inner door seals
may be damaged by unsuitable cleaning and
care agents.
f Do not use any chemical cleaning agents
or solvents.
fDo not use any preservative agents.
f Wash dirt (e.g. abrasion, dust, road salts) from
all seals regularly using warm soapy water.
f If there is a risk of frost, protect the outer door
seals and lid seals against freezing into place
with a suitable care product.
Leather careThe natural surface markings of leather,
e.g. creases, healed scar s, insect sting marks,
structural differences and slight variations in
shade and grain add to the attractiveness of
the high-quality natural leather product.
Observe the following care instructions:
Caution!
The leather will be damaged by the use of
unsuitable cleaning and care agents and by
inappropriate treatment.
f Do not use caustic cleaners or hard cleaning
objects!
f Perforated leather must under no circumstances get wet on its reverse side.
f Clean all types of leather regularly to
remove fine dust using a soft, damp,
white woollen cloth or a commercially
available microfibre cloth.
f Remove heavy contamination with
a leather cleaner.
Always read the instructions for use given
on the containers.
We recommend the Porsche leather
care product.
f Treat cleaned leather only with a leather
care product.
We recommend the Porsche leather
care product.
Cleaning carpet, floor matsf Use a vacuum cleaner or a brush (not too soft)
for cleaning.
f Heavy dirt and stains can be removed with
astain remover.
We recommend Porsche stain remover.
To protect carpets, the Porsche range of
accessories includes mats of the correct size
and with the appropriate fastening.
Warning!
Risk of an accident resulting in serious
personal injury or death.
f Always check the movement of the pedals
before driving and make sure that they are 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 – do not lay them
loosely in the vehicle.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you
floor mats of correct size including a securing possibility.

276
Maintenance and Car Care
Cleaning air bag covers
Danger!
Risk of serious or fatal injury from impaired
operation of the air bag system caused by
incorrect cleaning.
f While it is appropriate to use normal surface
cleaning methods on the interior of your
vehicle, do not undertake deep cleaning of air
bag-related components, such as the
padded covers on the steering wheel,
the underside of the instrument panel,
front seats, roof pillars, roof liners and the
rear interior trim panels, and around the
seat backrest.
f Have your authorized Porsche dealer to clean these components.
Cleaning fabric liningsfFabric linings on pillars, roofliner and sun
blinds, etc. must be cleaned only using
suitable cleaning agents or a suitable dry
foam and a soft brush.
Alcantara careDo not use leather care products to
clean Alcantara.
For regular care, it is sufficient to clean the
cover with a soft brush.
Strong abrasion or rubbing when cleaning will
produce a lasting change to the surface.
Cleaning when lightly soiled
f Wet a soft cloth with water or a neutral
soap solution and wipe off the dirt.
Cleaning when heavily soiled
f Wet a soft cloth with lukewarm water or diluted
white spirit and dab the dirt from the outside
in.Cleaning the seat beltsfUse mild detergent to clean soiled belts.
f When drying, avoid direct sunlight.
f Only use suitable cleaning agents.
f Do not tint or bleach the belts.
The belt fabric could be weakened,
thus affecting safety.
Storing your PorscheIf you wish to keep your Porsche off the road for
a lengthy period, we recommend that you contact
your authorized Porsche dealer.
They will be glad to advise you about the
necessary measures, e.g. corrosion prevention,
care, maintenance and storage.
Further important information on laying up your
Porsche can be found in other sections.
fPlease see the chapter “BATTERY” on
page 303.
For information on locking the vehicle when
the battery is disconnected:
f Please see the chapter “NOT ALL VEHICLE
DOORS ARE LOCKED” on page 36.

278
Minor Repairs
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle
Danger!
Ignoring the following instructions may
cause serious personal injury or death.
f The engine compartment of any motor vehicle
is a potentially hazardou s area. If you are not
fully familiar with proper repair procedures, do
not attempt the adjustments described on the
following pages.
f O n l y w o r k o n y o u r v e h i c l e o u t d o o r s o r i n a w e l l
ventilated area.
f Ensure that there are no open flames in the
area of your vehicle at any time when fuel
fumes might be present. Be especially
cautious of devices such as hot water heaters
which ignite a flame intermittently.
f Before working on any part in the engine
compartment, turn the engine off and let it cool
down sufficiently. Hot engine compartment
components can burn skin on contact.
f Be alert and cautious around the engine at all
times while it is running. If you have to work on
the engine while it is running, always put the
parking brake on and put the PDK selector
lever in position P or N.
f In particular, be very careful to ensure that
items of clothing (ties, shirt, sleeves etc.),
jewelry, long hair, hand or fingers cannot get caught in the fan, belts or other moving parts.
The radiator and radiator fans are in the front
of the car.
The fans can start or continue running as a
function of temperature,
even with the engine
switched off.
Carry out work in these areas only with the
engine off and exercise extreme caution.
f Your Porsche is equipped with an electronic
ignition system. When the ignition is on, high
voltage is present in all wires connected with
the ignition system; therefore, exercise
extreme caution when working on any part of
the engine while the ignition is on or the engine
is running.
f Always support your car with safety stands if it
is necessary to work under the car. The jack
supplied with the car is not adequate for this
purpose.
Switch off level control of air suspension and
height adjustment.
Please see the chapter “RAISING THE VEHICLE
WITH A LIFTING PLATFORM, TROLLEY JACK
OR STANDARD JACK” on page 290.
f When working under the car without safety
stands but with the wheels on the ground,
make sure the car is on level ground, the
wheels are blocked, and that the engine
cannot be started.
Withdraw ignition keys (switch ignition off in
vehicles that have Porsche Entry & Drive). f
Do not smoke or allow an open flame around
the battery or fuel.
Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand.
f Incomplete or improper servicing may cause
problems in the operation of the car. If in doubt
about any servicing, have it done by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
Improper maintenance during the warranty
period may affect your Porsche warranty
coverage.
f Supplies of fluids, e.g. engine oil, washer fluid,
brake fluid or coolant, are hazardous to your
health.
Keep these fluids out of children's reach and
dispose of them in accordance with the
appropriate regulations.
f Some countries require additional tools and
special spare parts to be carried in your
vehicle. Please make enquiries before driving
abroad.
Note
The tools required for changing a wheel (e.g. jack,
wheel bolt wrench, assembly aids) are not
supplied as standard with the vehicle. Your
authorized Porsche dealer will be pleased to
advise you.

282
Minor Repairs
f
Valve caps protect the valve from dust and dirt,
and thus from leakage. Always screw caps
tightly down. Replace missing caps
immediately.
f Use only plastic valve caps.
f For safety reasons, don't use tire inflating
bottles.
f Please see the chapter “TIRE PRESSURE FOR
COLD TIRES (68 °F/20 °C)” on page 326.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should
be checked monthly when cold and inflated to the
inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a
different size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pr essure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring (TPM)
that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as po ssible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failur e. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency an d tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability. Please note that the TPM is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level to
trigger illumination of the TPM low tire pressure
tell-tale.
For further information on the tire pressure
monitoring:
f
Please see the chapter “TIRE PRESSURE
MONITORING (TPM)” on page 127.
When tires are warm, the tire pressure is
increased.
f Never let air out of hot tires. This could cause
the tire pressure to fall below the prescribed
value.
Insufficient tire pressure can cause tires to over-
heat and thus be damaged – even invisibly. Hidden
tire damage is not eliminated by subsequently
correcting the tire pressure. Overloading
Danger!
Risk of damage to vehicle parts, loss of
control and serious pers onal injury or death.
f Do not overload your vehicle. Be careful about
the roof load.
f If you plan to load the vehicle, first correct the
tire pressure. Tire pressure for loaded vehicle
can be found on the tire pressure plate and in
the chapter technical data.
f Never exceed the specified axle load.
Overloading can shorten the service life of the
tires and car, as well as lead to dangerous
vehicle reactions and long braking distances.
Damage due to overloading is not covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Tire damage may also be caused by
overloading, and this damage is not covered by your tire warranty.
f Please see the chapter “LOADING INFORMA-
TION” on page 236.

Minor Repairs
285
In case of tire damage, where it is uncertain
whether there is a break in the ply with all its
consequences or tire damage caused by thermal
or mechanical overloading due to loss of pressure
or any other prior damage, we recommend that
the tire be replaced for safety reasons.
If one faulty tire is replac ed it should be noted that
the difference in tread depth on one axle must not
exceed 30%. Handling inconsistencies may result.
f Perform a visual inspection if necessary.Tire replacementsfUse only tire makes and types tested 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 manufacturer and
with the same specific ation code (e.g. “N0”,
“N1”…) should be mounted on the vehicle.
Before mounting new tires, check with your
Porsche dealer about the current release
status.
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 tire s are not permissible and
will affect vehicle performance, safety, and can
affect vehicle warranty. Porsche dealers can recommend the most current
replacement tire options for your vehicle.
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).
Tires must always remain
on the same side of
the vehicle.
When wheels are removed, the direction of
rotation and position of each wheel should be
marked.
If new tires are installed only on one axle, a
noticeable change in hand ling occurs due to the
different tread depth of the other tires. This
happens especially if only rear tires are replaced.
However, this condition disappears as the new
tires are broken in.
f Please adjust your driving style accordingly.
Installation of new tires should only be done by a
qualified tire technician.
Valves
f Use only plastic valve caps.
f The rubber valves must be replaced whenever
the tires are changed.
f The fitting and replacement specifications
must be observed for metal valves.
f Only use Original Porsche metal valves.
f Protect the valve inserts against soiling with
valve caps. Soiled valve inserts can cause a
gradual loss of air.
Parking at the curb
Danger!
Hard impacts against curbs (or traffic
islands) are dangerous and may cause
hidden tire damage which is not noticeable
until later. Such damage can result in
accidents at high speeds causing serious
personal injury or death. Depending on the
force of impact, the edge of the rim can also
be damaged.
f After such an impact, have the wheel checked
by an expert.
f If you must drive over a curb or other obstacle,
drive slowly and at an obtuse angle. Exercise care when parking along curbs.
Maintenance note
Tire repairs are not permissible under any
circumstances.
Wheel alignment, wheel balancingAs a precaution, have wheels with summer tires
balanced in the spring, and those with mud and
snow tires before winter. Unbalanced wheels may
affect car handling and tire life.
Only the specified weights may be used for wheel
balancing.