
5
Setting and operating vehicle 
components when driving 
 Warning!
There is a danger of accident if you set or op-
erate the on-board computer, radio, naviga-
tion system, telephone or other equipment 
when driving.
This could distract you from the traffic and 
cause you to lose control of the vehicle re-
sulting in serious personal injury or death. 
fOperate the components while driving only if 
the traffic situation allows you to do so safely. 
fCarry out any complicated operating or setting procedures only with the vehicle stationary. 
Portable Fuel Containers
 Danger!
Portable fuel containers may leak, whether 
they are full or partially empty. Fuel leaking 
from a portable container carried in your ve-
hicle could, in case of an accident, cause a 
fire or explosion, resulting in serious person-
al injury or death. 
fNever carry additional fuel in portable contain-ers in your vehicle. 
Ground Clearance
 Caution!
Risk of damage. The vehicle may touch the 
ground as a result of reduced ground clear-
ance.
fDrive carefully and slowly on steep slopes (e.g. 
parking lots, curbs, uneven roads, lifting plat-
forms etc.).
fAvoid steep ramps.Engine Exhaust 
 Danger!
Engine exhaust is dangerous if inhaled.
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. 
fNever start or let the engine run in an en-
closed, unventilated area.
It is not recommended to sit in your car for pro-
longed periods with the engine on and the car not moving.California Proposition 65 Warning
 Warning!
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and cer-
tain vehicle components contain or emit chemi-
cals known to the State of California to cause can-
cer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
In addition, certain fluids contained in vehicles and 
certain products of component wear contain or 
emit chemicals known to the State of California to 
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproduc-
tive harm.Hot Exhaust Pipes
 Warning!
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.
fTo 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. 

Table of Contents
7
Speedometer ............................................  118
Changing over between Miles / Kilometers ..  118
Tachometer ...............................................  119
Turn Signal Indicator Light ..........................  119
High Beam Indicator Light...........................  119
Gear Shift Indicator “A”
(in vehicles with manual transmission)..........  119
Cooling System .........................................  120
Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) ...................  121
Fuel ..........................................................  122
Clock ........................................................ 123
Outside Temperature  .................................. 123
Engine Oil Pressure ....................................  124
Check Engine (Emission Control) ................. 125
On-Board Computer (BC) ............................ 126
Warnings on the instrument panel 
and the on-board computer.........................  158Shifting Gears.................................  167Manual Transmission, Clutch .......................  168
Drive-Off Assistant .....................................  169
Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) ...................  170Mobile Roofs ..................................  177 Lifting/Sliding Roof ....................................  178
Convertible Top .........................................  181
Emergency operation of the convertible top .  183
Windstop...................................................  190
Hardtop ....................................................  194
Targa ........................................................  200
Roof Transport System...............................  204
Maintenance, Car Care ...................  205Exercise Extreme Caution when Working 
on your Vehicle .......................................... 206
Coolant Level............................................. 207
Engine Oil .................................................. 208
Engine Oil Level ......................................... 208
Engine Oil Recommendation........................ 210
Brake Fluid Level........................................ 212
Fuel Economy ............................................ 214
Operating your Porsche in other Countries ... 214
Fuel Recommendations .............................. 216
Portable Fuel Containers............................. 217
Fuel Evaporation Control ............................. 217
Emission Control System ............................ 218
How Emission Control Works ...................... 219
Washer Fluid .............................................. 220
Power Steering .......................................... 221
Air Filter .................................................... 222
Combination Filter ...................................... 222
Fluids/Oils for Manual Transmission 
and Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) ............. 222
Wiper Blades ............................................. 223
Car Care Instructions.................................. 224Practical Tips, Emergency Service ...  233Exercise Extreme Caution when Working 
on your Vehicle .......................................... 234
Tires/Wheels ............................................. 235
Loading Information ................................... 246
Wheel Bolts ............................................... 248
Changing a wheel....................................... 249
Flat Tire..................................................... 251Lifting the Vehicle with a Lifting Platform or 
Garage Lift ...............................................  254
Spacers 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera S .........  255
Electrical System ......................................  257
Battery .....................................................  261
Replacing the remote-control battery ..........  266
Emergency Starting with Jumper Cables .....  267
Bulb chart.................................................  269
Lights, Replacing Bulbs..............................  269
Headlights ................................................  270
Number Plate Light....................................  277
Changing Light-Emitting Diodes and 
Long-Life Bulbs .........................................  277
Adjusting Headlights ..................................  278
Towing .....................................................  280
Vehicle Identification, 
Technical Data ...............................  283Vehicle Identification..................................  284
Technical Data ..........................................  286
Diagrams .................................................  299 

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 fTurn the engine off before you attempt any 
checks or repairs on the vehicle. 
fBe sure the tires are inflated correctly. 
Check tires for damage and tire wear. 
fSee that wheel bolts are properly tightened 
and not loose or missing. 
fCheck engine oil level, add if necessary. 
Make it a habit to have engine oil checked with 
every fuel filling. 
fCheck all fluid levels such as windshield 
washer and brake fluid levels. 
fBe sure the vehicle battery is well charged and 
cranks the engine properly. 
fCheck all doors and lids for proper operation 
and latch them properly. 
fCheck, and if necessary replace worn or 
cracked wiper blades. 
fSee that all windows are clear and unob-
structed. 
fCheck 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. fIf a child will be riding in the vehicle, check 
child seat/child seat restraint system to ensure 
that restraints are properly adjusted.
fChild 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.
fCheck all exterior and interior lights for opera-
tion and that the lenses are clean. 
fCheck the headlights for proper aim, and if 
necessary, have them adjusted. 
fCheck under the vehicle for leaks. 
fBe 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. 
fPosition 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. 
fAdjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors. 
fBuckle your safety belts. 
fCheck operation of the foot and parking brake. 
fCheck all warning and indicator lights with 
ignition on and engine not running. 
fStart engine and check all warning displays for 
warning symbols. 
fNever leave an idling car unattended. 
fLock 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. 
fAlways have your safety belt fastened. 
fAlways drive defensively. 
Expect the unexpected. 
fUse signals to indicate turns and lane changes. 
fTurn on headlights at dusk or when the driving 
conditions warrant it. 
fAlways keep a safe distance from the vehicle in 
front of you, depending on traffic, road and 
weather conditions. 
fReduce 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. 
fAlways observe speed limits and obey road 
signs and traffic laws. 
fWhen 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.fWhen parked, always set the parking brake. 
Move the PDK selector lever to ”P“ or the gear-
shift lever to reverse or first gear. 
On hills also turn the front wheels toward the 
curb. 
fWhen 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. 
fMake 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 wearing-in occurs mainly in 
the first 2,000 miles/3,000 kilometers.Therefore: fPreferably take longer trips. 
fAvoid frequent cold starts with short-distance 
driving whenever possible. 
fAvoid full throttle starts and abrupt stops. 
fDo not exceed maximum engine speed of 
4,200 rpm (revolutions per minute).
fDo not run a cold engine at high rpm either in 
Neutral or in gear. 
fDo not let the engine labor, especially when 
driving uphill. Shift to the next lower gear in 
time (use the most favorable rpm range). 
fNever lug the engine in high gear at low 
speeds. This rule applies at all times, not just 
during the break-in period.fDo 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 have 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 whenever the brake pads and 
brake discs are replaced. New tires New tires do not have maximum traction. They 
tend to be slippery. 
fBreak 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 period 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. 
fMake a habit of checking engine oil with every 
refueling, add if necessary. 

64
Operation, Safety
Sport ModeA sportier car set-up is obtained when Sport mode 
is switched on. Interventions by the Porsche 
control systems are intentionally shifted towards 
greater agility and driving performance:
– PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Manage-
ment) is automatically changed to Sport mode, 
resulting in a stiffer suspension setup.
– When Sport mode is active, the PDK transmis-
sion switches to a sporty gear-changing map 
and shortens the gear shifting times. Gear 
changes take place faster, but fuel consump-
tion is also increased.
PSM (Porsche Stability Management) control 
gives a sportier road-feel to the vehicle. PSM 
interventions take place later than in Normal 
mode. The driver can maneuver the vehicle 
with greater agility at its performance limits, 
without having to dispense with the assistance 
of PSM in emergency situations. This helps to 
achieve optimal lap times, particularly on race 
circuits with a dry road surface.
– The electronic accelerator pedal reacts 
sooner, and the engine is more responsive to 
throttle inputs. When Sport mode is switched 
on, this function is activated only after the 
driver has floored the accelerator pedal or 
released it briefly.– The rpm limiter characteristic is “harder”, i.e. 
the engine is immediately throttled when the 
performance limits are reached (only in manual 
selection mode for vehicles with PDK transmis-
sion).
fPlease observe the chapters on PSM, PASM 
and PDK.
Switching Sport mode on and offSwitching Sport mode on and off simultaneously 
activates and deactivates the Sport mode in 
PA S M .
If PASM Sport mode was activated with the PASM 
button, PASM remains active.
After the ignition is switched off, Sport mode is 
automatically reset to Normal mode.
SPORT button
fPress SPORT button A in the center console.
When Sport mode is switched on, the light-
emitting diode in the SPORT button is lit.
A sporty gear-changing map is enabled and the 
gear shifting times are shortened for the PDK 
transmission.
A sporty driving style is recognized more quickly 
and the gear-changing speeds are adapted to 
driving performance.
Deceleration downshifts are commenced earlier. 
Downshifts are made during slight decelerations, 
even at higher engine speeds.
fPlease see the chapter “SPORT MODE 
(“SPORT” AND “SPORT PLUS” MODES)” on 
Page 172. 

Operation, Safety
77
Starting Procedures fPlease see the chapter “IMMOBILIZER” on 
Page 15.
fPlease see the chapter “EMISSION CONTROL 
SYSTEM” on Page 218.
 Warning!
Serious injury or death may result if you are 
involved in a collision without having fas-
tened the safety belts. 
fFasten safety belts before driving away. Before starting the engine fApply the footbrake. 
fManual transmission:
Move the gearshift lever into neutral. 
The clutch pedal must be depressed fully 
before the starter will engage.
fIn 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 enginefTurn ignition key to ignition lock position 2.
fAs soon as the engine starts, 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: 
fWait about 10 seconds before engaging the 
starter again. 
fWhen 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.
fDo 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. 
fNever start or let the engine run in an en-
closed, unventilated area.
It is not recommended to sit in your car for pro-longed periods with the engine on and the car 
not moving.
An unattended vehicle with a running engine 
is potentially hazardous.
If warning lights should come on to indicate 
improper operation, they would go unno-
ticed. 
fNever leave the engine idling unattended.
Danger of fire. 
fDo 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. 
fIf 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.
fTo 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. 

Operation, Safety
79
Operational readiness of the emergency flasher 
does not depend on the ignition lock and turn sig-
nal lever position. 
fIf your car is disabled or parked under emer-
gency conditions switch on the emergency 
flasher in the dashboard.
All turn signals and the indicator light in the 
switch flash with the same frequency. 
 Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death. 
fWhenever stalled or stopped for emergency re-
pairs, move the car well off the road. Switch on 
the emergency flasher and mark the car with 
road flares or other warning devices. 
fDo not remain in the car. Someone approach-
ing from the rear may not realize your vehicle 
is stopped and cause a collision.
Danger of fire. 
fDo not park or operate the vehicle in areas 
where the hot exhaust system may come in 
contact with dry grass, brush, fuel spill or 
other flammable material.
Hot engine compartment components can 
burn skin on contact. 
fBefore working on any part in the engine 
compartment, turn the engine off and let it cool down sufficiently. 
Emergency Flasher Switch