Maintenance, Car Care
157
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle
Danger!
Ignoring the following instructions may
cause serious personal injury or death.
fThe engine compartment of any motor vehicle
is a potentially hazardous area. If you are not
fully familiar with proper repair procedures, do
not attempt the adjustments described on the
following pages.
This caution also applies to the entire vehicle.
fO 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.
fEnsure 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 such devices such as hot water
heaters which ignite a flame intermittently.
fBefore 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.
fBe alert and cautious around engine at all
times while the engine is running.
If work has to be performed with the engine
running, always set the parking brake, and
make sure the shift lever is in neutral position.fIn 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 engine-compartment blower, fan,
belts or other moving parts.
The radiator and radiator fans are in the front
of the car.
The engine-compartment blower is mounted
on the engine-compartment lid.
The engine-compartment blower 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, the ignition switched off, and
exercise extreme caution.
fYour 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.
fAlways support your car with safety stands if it
is necessary to work under the car.
fWhen 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.
Remove the ignition key. fDo not smoke or allow an open flame around
the battery or fuel.
Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand.
fIncomplete or improper servicing may cause
problems in the operation o f t h e c a r. I f i n d o u b t
about any servicing, have it done by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
Improper maintenance during the warranty
period may affect your Porsche warranty
coverage.
fSupplies of fluids, e.g. engine oil, 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 appro-
priate regulations.
fSome countries require additional tools and
special spare parts to be carried in your
vehicle.
Please make enquiries before driving abroad.
Power measurementsPower measurements on dynamometers are not
approved by Porsche.
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158
Maintenance, Car Care
Coolant LevelfPlease see the chapter “EXERCISE EXTREME
CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR VEHICLE”
on Page 157.
The cooling system is filled at the factory with a
permanent coolant.
It provides year-round protection from corrosion
and freezing down to –31 °F/–35 °C
.
fOnly use antifreeze authorized by Porsche.
Checking coolant level The expansion tank with its filler orifice is in the
left-hand side of the engine compartment.
fCheck the coolant level regularly through the
transparent expansion tank.
When the engine is cold and the car is level the
fluid level must lie between the “MIN” and “MAX”
markings. Topping off coolant
Warning!
Danger of serious personal injury or death
from scalding. Coolant is hazardous to your
health, and may be fatal if swallowed.
fDo not open the cap of the expansion tank
while the engine is hot.
fAllow the engine to cool down before opening
the cap and protect your hands, arms and face
from any possible escape of hot coolant.
fKeep coolant out of children’s reach.
fAlso, keep coolant away from your pets.
They can be attracted to it should there be a
spill, or to used coolant left in an open
container. Coolant can be deadly to pets if consumed.1. Switch engine off and let it cool.
Please see the chapter “COOLING SYSTEM” on
Page 112.
2. Cover the expansion tank cap with a thick rag.
Open cap slowly and carefully and allow
overpressure to escape.
Then unscrew cap completely.
3. Only add a mixture of antifreeze and water in
equal parts, and do not exceed the “MAX”
mark.
Antifreeze in coolant:
50% gives protection down to –31 °F/–35 °C
60% gives protection down to –58 °F/–50 °C
4. Screw cap firmly on.
If in an emergency pure water has been added, the
mix ratio must be corrected at an authorized
Porsche dealer.
Marked loss of coolant indicates leakage in the
cooling system.
The cause should immediately be remedied at an
authorized Porsche dealer.
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Maintenance, Car Care
159
Engine-compartment blower, radiator fan The radiator and radiator fan are in the front of the
car.
The engine-compartment blower is mounted on
the engine compartment lid.
Warning!
Risk of injury.
After the engine is switched off, the engine-
compartment temperature is monitored for
approx. 30 minutes.
During this period, and depending on tempe-
rature, the engine-compartment blower may
continue to run or start to run.
fCarry out work in these areas only with the
engine off, the ignition off, and exercise
extreme caution.
Risk of injury. The radiator fan in the front
end of the car may be operating or unexpec-
tedly start operating when the engine is
switched on.
fCarry out work in these areas only with the engine switched off.
Engine Oil It is important to perform oil changes regularly in
accordance with the intervals specified in the
“Maintenance” booklet.Engine oil consumption It is normal for your engine to consume oil.
The rate of oil consumption depends on the quality
and viscosity of oil, the speed at which the engine
is operated, the climate, road conditions as well
as the amount of dilution and oxidation of the
lubricant.
If the vehicle is used for repeated short trips, and
consumes a normal amount of oil, the engine oil
measurement may not show any drop in the oil
level at all, even after 600 miles (1,000 km) or
more. This is because the oil is gradually
becoming diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed.
The diluting ingredients evaporate out when the
vehicle is driven at high speeds, as on an
expressway, making it then appear that oil is
excessively consumed after driving at high
speeds.
If the conditions you drive your vehicle in are
dusty, humid, or hot, the frequency of the oil
change intervals should be greater. If the vehicle is driven at a high rate of speed,
climatic conditions are warm, and the load is high,
the oil should be checked more frequently, as
driving conditions will determine the rate of oil
consumption.
– The engine in your vehicle depends on oil to
lubricate and cool all of its moving parts.
Therefore, the engine oil should be checked
regularly and kept at the required level.
– Make it a habit to have the engine oil level
checked at every refueling.
– The oil pressure warning light is not an oil level
indicator.
The oil pressure warning light indicates serious
engine damage may be occuring when lit, if
engine rpm is above idle speed.
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160
Maintenance, Car Care
Engine Oil Level fPlease see the chapter “EXERCISE EXTREME
CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR VEHICLE”
on Page 157.
fRegularly check the oil level using the on-board
computer after the vehicle is refueled.
Please see the chapter “OIL DISPLAY AND
MEASUREMENT OF THE ENGINE OIL LEVEL”
on Page 143.
The difference between the minimum and
maximum marks on the segment display is
approx. 1.1 quarts (1.0 liters).
Each segment of the display corresponds to
approx. 0.32 quart (0.3 liter).
Topping off engine oilPorsche recommends .1) Generally, you can find details on the
manufacturer approvals on the oil containers or as
a notice displayed by the retailer.
The current approval status is also available from
your authorized Porsche dealer.2) SAE viscosity class – Example: SAE 0W - 40
Specification 0W = Viscosity specification for low
temperatures (winter).
Specification 40 = Viscosity specification for high
temperatures.3) For all temperature ranges.4) For the temperature range above –25 °C.Always observe the following points:
– Use engine oils approved by Porsche only.
This is a precondition for optimum and
problem-free operation of your vehicle.
– Regular oil changes are part of servicing.
It is important that the service intervals,
particularly the oil change intervals, are
observed in accordance with the specifications
in the “Maintenance” booklet.
– Oils approved by Porsche can be mixed with
each other.
– Porsche engines are designed so that no oil
additives may be used.
– A label is located in the engine compartment,
which provides you with information on suitable
oil for your engine.
Your authorized Porsche dealer will be pleased to
advise you. The right oil for your vehicle
Vehicle Complies
with
approval
1)
Viscosity
class
2)
911 GT3: Porsche A40 SAE 0W - 40
3)
SAE 5W - 40
4)
SAE 5W - 50
4)
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Maintenance, Car Care
161
Warning!
Risk of burning from hot parts in engine
compartment. Risk of injury by rotating
parts. The engine compartment blower on
the engine compartment lid can start up
even with engine off.
fExercise extrem caution when working in the
engine compartment.
fTop off engine oil only with the engine off.
Engine oil is hazardous to your health and
may be fatal if swallowed.
fKeep engine oil out of children’s reach.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that have
caused cancer in laboratory animals.
fAlways protect your skin by washing thoroughly with soap and water.
Note
The Check Engine warning light may light up if the
cap of the oil filler opening is opened while the
engine is running.1. Measure the oil level and read off the required
top-up quantity on the on-board computer.
2. Switch off the engine.
3. Unscrew cap of the oil filler opening.4. Add at most 0.5 quarts (0.5 liter) of engine oil
at a time.
Never add more engine oil than required
to reach the max. mark.
5. Carefully close cap of the oil filler opening.
6. Measure oil level again with the on-board
computer. Switch off the engine.
7. If necessary, repeat the process and add more
engine oil as required.
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162
Maintenance, Car Care
Brake Fluid LevelfPlease see the chapter “EXERCISE EXTREME
CAUTION WHEN WORKING ON YOUR VEHICLE”
on Page 157.
fUse only new (unused) Original Porsche
brake fluid.
Warning!
Brake fluid is hazardous to your health, and
may cause death if swallowed.
Brake fluid also attacks paintwork.
fKeep brake fluid out of children’s reach.
fTake care while topping off brake fluid not to
soil the luggage compartment or items of luggage.
Checking the brake fluid levelThe reservoir for the hydraulic braking and clutch
systems is located in the luggage compartment.
1. Open and remove cover flap A.
2. Regularly check the brake-fluid level on the
transparent expansion tank through the
window B.
The fluid level should always lie between the
minimum and maximum marks.A slight decrease in the fluid level due to wear and
automatic readjustment of the disc brakes is
normal.
If, however, the fluid level falls markedly or below
the minimum mark, the braking system may have
developed a leak.
fHave the brake system checked without delay
at an authorized Porsche dealer.
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Maintenance, Car Care
163
Changing the brake fluid Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air over
time. This accumulation of water lowers the
boiling point and, under certain operating condi-
tions, can affect the braking performance.
Therefore have the brake fluid changed in accor-
dance with the change intervals stated in the
brochure “Maintenance”. – The warning lights on the instrument panel and
on the on-board computer indicate an insuffi-
cient brake fluid level.
– If the warning light lights up on the instrument
panel and the warning message appears on
the on-board computer in combination with a
larger pedal travel, a brake circuit may have
failed.
If the warning lights should light up when
driving:
fStop immediately in a suitable place.
fDo not continue driving.
Consult an authorized Porsche dealer.
Warning light USA
Warning light Canada
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164
Maintenance, Car Care
Fuel Economy Fuel economy will vary depending on where,
when and how you drive, optional equipment
installed, and the general condition of your
car.
A car tuned to specifications and correctly
maintained, will help you to achieve optimal
fuel economy.
fHave your vehicle tuned to specifications.
Air cleaner should be dirt free to allow proper
engine “breathing”.
Battery should be fully charged.
Wheels should be properly aligned.
Tires should be inflated at correct pressure.
fAlways monitor your fuel consumption.
fDrive smoothly, avoid abrupt changes in speed
as much as possible.
fAvoid jack rabbit starts and sudden stops.
fDo not drive longer than necessary in the lower
gears. Shifting into a higher gear early without
lugging the engine will help save fuel.
fProlonged “warm up” idling wastes gas. Start
the vehicle just before you are ready to drive.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
fSwitch off the engine if stationary for longer
periods. fAny additional weight carried in the vehicle
reduces fuel economy. Always keep cargo to a
minimum and remove all unnecessary items.
fOrganize your trips to take in several errands
in one trip.
fAll electrical accessories contribute to incre-
ased fuel consumption.
fOnly switch on the air conditioning when neces-
sary.
The EPA estimated miles per gallon (mpg) is
to be used for comparison purposes, actual
mileage may be different from the estimated
mpg, depending on your driving speed,
weather conditions and trip length. Your
actual highway mileage will probably be less
than the estimated mpg.
fPlease observe all local and national speed
limits.
Operating your Porsche in other
Countries Government regulations in the United States and
Canada require that automobiles meet specific
emission regulations and safety standards. There-
fore, cars built for the U.S. and Canada differ from
vehicles sold in other countries.
If you plan to take your Porsche outside the conti-
nental limits of the United States or Canada, there
is the possibility that
– unleaded fuel may not be available;
– unleaded fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Excessive engine knock and
serious damage to both engine and catalytic
converters could result;
– service may be inadequate due to lack of
proper service facilities, tools or diagnostic
equipment;
– replacement parts may not be available or very
difficult to get.
Porsche cannot be responsible for the
mechanical damage that could result
because of inadequate fuel, service or parts
availability.
If you purchased your Porsche abroad and want to
bring it back home, be sure to find out about
shipping and forwarding requirements, as well as
current import and customs regulations.
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