
Maintenance, Car Care
165
Fuel
Warning!
Fuel is highly flammable and harmful to
health.
fFire, open flame and smoking are prohibited
when handling fuel.
fAvoid contact with skin or clothing.
fDo not inhale fuel vapors.
To prevent damage to the emission control
system and engine:
fNever drive the tank completely out of fuel.
fAvoid high cornering speeds after the warning lights have come on.
fPlease see the chapter “FUEL ECONOMY” on
Page 164.
Please see the chapter “EMISSION CONTROL
SYSTEM” on Page 168.
Please see the chapter “LEVEL GAUGE” on
Page 113.
Check engine warning light If the warning lights in the instrument panel and on-
board computer come on and remain on while
driving, it suggests:
– a potential engine control problem and the
need for system service or
– an improperly fastened tank cap or – refueling with engine running.
Opening the filler flapThe filler opening is under the filler flap in the front
right fender.
fWith the vehicle unlocked, press on the front
part of the filler flap (arrow) to open the flap.
The filler flap is centrally locked along with the
other locks. If there is a defect in the automatic unlocking
system:
fOpen the passenger door.
fPull the ring in the right-hand door aperture
(arrow).
10_GT3_21.book Seite 165 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12

170
Maintenance, Car Care
Washer FluidCapacityfPlease see the chapter “CAPACITIES” on
Page 239.Washer fluidThe reservoir is denoted by the blue screw cap
and is located in the luggage compartment in the
rear left.Clean water is generally not enough to clean the
windshield and headlights. Depending on the
season, mix the water with the appropriate
additives. Follow the instructions for the mixture
ratio.
Only use window cleaner concentrate which meets
the following requirements.
– Dilutability 1:100
– Phosphate-free
– Suitable for plastic headlight lenses.
We recommend window cleaner concentrates
approved by Porsche. Your authorized Porsche
dealer will be pleased to advise you.
Summer filling
Water + window cleaner concentrate at the mixing
ratio indicated on the container.
Winter filling
Water + antifreeze protection + window cleaner
concentrate at the mixing ratio indicated on the
container.
fPlease note all the information on the contai-
ners of the window cleaner concentrate or the
antifreeze protection.Topping off washer fluid
1. Please note all the information on the refill
container of the cleaning agent.
2. Open cap of the washer-fluid reservoir (arrow).
3. Top off washer fluid and close cap properly.
fDo not use engine coolant anti-freeze or any
other solution that can damage the car’s paint,
in the washer reservoir.
If less than 0.53 quarts (0.5 liter) remains, a
warning message appears on the on-board
computer.
fAdd washer fluid.
Warning light
10_GT3_21.book Seite 170 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12

Maintenance, Car Care
175
Decals
Caution!
Risk of damage due to separation of the
decal films when using high-pressure
cleaning equipment or steam cleaners.
fDo not use high-pressure cleaning equipment or steam cleaners to clean decal films.
Washing The best method of protecting your car from the
damaging effects of the environment is frequent
washing and the application of a preservative. The
underside of your vehicle should also be
thoroughly washed for cinders, salt or sanding at
winter’s end.
The longer salt, road dust and industrial dust,
dead insects, bird droppings or substances from
trees (resin, pollen) are allowed to remain on the
bodywork, the more serious is their harmful
effect.
New cars should be washed carefully with plenty
of clear water to protect the new paint work. Dark
paint finishes show up the smallest of surface
damage (e.g., scratches) more readily than lighter
colors. Dark colors are also more susceptible to
scratching because of the composition of their
pigments and require particularly careful paint
care.
fDo not wash your car in bright sunlight or while
the bodywork is still hot.
fWhen washing by hand, use abundant water, a
soft sponge or wash brush, and Porsche car
shampoo.
fBegin by spraying the body thoroughly with
water to rinse away loose dirt.
fAfter washing, rinse the car with plenty of
water and then dry with a chamois leather.
Do not use the same chamois leather for
drying as you use for cleaning the windshield
and windows.
Warning!
Moisture which gets on to the brakes during
a car wash can reduce braking efficiency or
make the brakes pull unevenly which could
increase the danger of an accident, causing
serious personal injuries or death.
fAfter washing the car, test the brakes and
steering and briefly brake the discs dry.
When doing this, take care not to hamper other
road users behind you (traffic conditions permitting). Automatic car washes
fPlease see the chapter “WIPER BLADES” on
Page 173.
Optional add-on parts or parts which project
beyond the contours of the vehicle may be
damaged by design features (e.g. brushes) of
automatic car washes.
The following parts are particularly
susceptible to damage:
– Windshield wipers (always switch them off to
prevent them wiping unintentionally in intermit-
tent or sensor operation)
– External antennas (always unscrew)
– Rear spoiler
– Wheels (the wider the rim and the lower the tire
height, the greater the risk of damage)
– High-gloss wheels (to prevent these from
getting scratched, do not clean with the wheel-
cleaning brushes of the car wash).
fPlease consult the operator before using
automatic car washes.
fWash and dry by hand all points not reached by
a car wash, such as door and lid seams or
door sills.
10_GT3_21.book Seite 175 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12

178
Maintenance, Car Care
Undercoating As it is not possible to exclude 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.
fDo 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.
fBefore applying fresh underseal, carefully
remove any deposits of 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. fAlways apply a fresh coating of suitable preser-
vative to unprotected 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 cleaned 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.
Stainless steel exhaust tailpipesStainless steel exhaust tailpipes can discolor due
to soiling, strong heat, and combustion residues.
The original polish can be achieved again using
commercially available metal polishing paste or
metal polish.
Light alloy wheels fPlease see the chapter “WASHING” on
Page 175.
Warning!
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.
fMake sure that no cleaning agent comes into
contact with the brake discs.
fIf cleaning agent has come into contact with
the brake discs, thoroughly clean the brake
discs with a strong jet of water.
fPaying attention to any road users behind you,
dry the brake discs by applying the brakes at short intervals.
Pitting may occur if metallic particles which cause
contact corrosion (e.g. brass or copper in brake
dust) are allowed to remain on the aluminum for
too long.
fIf possible, wash the wheels with a sponge or
wash brush about every two weeks. In areas
where salt is spread on winter roads or there is
a lot of airborne industrial dust, it is best to
clean the wheels weekly.
10_GT3_21.book Seite 178 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12

180
Maintenance, Car Care
Cleaning airbags covers
Danger!
Risk of danger of serious personal injury or
death if the airbag system is impaired by
improper cleaning work.
fDo not make any modifications whatsoever on
individual components such as the padded
covers of the steering wheel, passenger side
instrument panel, the front seats and the door
linings.
fLet your authorized Porsche dealer clean these components.
Fabric, upholstery, carpets and
floor-mats fUse only a vacuum cleaner or a medium stiff
brush.
fRemove stains and spots with Porsche stain
remover.
The Porsche range of accessories includes
nonskid floor-mats to protect the carpets in
summer and winter.
Warning!
Risk of an accident resulting in serious
personal injury or death.
fAlways check the movement of the pedals
before driving and make sure that they are not
obstructed by a floor-mat or any other object.
fSecure the floor-mat to prevent it from sliding
into positions that could interfere with the safe
operation of your vehicle - do not install them
loosely in the vehicle.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you nonskid floor-mats of the correct size.
Alcantara fDo not use a leather care product to clean
Alcantara.
For regular care it is sufficient to clean the cover
with a soft brush.
Heavy abrasion or rubbing when cleaning causes
a lasting change in the surface.
Cleaning when lightly soiled
fWet a soft cloth with water or a neutral soap
solution and wipe off the dirt.
Cleaning when heavily soiled
fWet a soft cloth with lukewarm water or
thinned white spirit and dab the dirt from the
outside in. Safety belts If it becomes necessary to clean the belts, you
can use any mild washing agent.
Allow the belts to dry prior to retracting, but avoid
direct sunlight.
fOnly use suitable cleaners.
If unsuitable cleaners are used or any attempt
is made to dye or bleach the belts, the
webbing may be weakened and thus constitute
a safety risk.
10_GT3_21.book Seite 180 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
185
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specific govern-
ment test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and a half (1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to var-
iations in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C and they represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
Warning!
The traction grade assigned to this is based on
braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does
not include cornering (turned) traction, accelera-
tion, hydroplaning or peak traction characteris-
tics. Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and
C, representing the tire’s resistance to the genera-
tion of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperatures can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning!
The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire failure, resul-
ting in serious personal injury or death.
Tire pressures
Warning!
Incorrect tire pressure causes increased tire
wear and adversely affects road handling.
This could lead to tire failure, resulting in loss
of control, leading to serious personal injury
or death.
fAlways use an accurate tire pressure gauge
when checking inflation pressures.
fDo not exceed the maximum tire pressure
listed on the tire sidewall.
Please see the chapter “TIRE PRESSURE
PLATE” on Page 235.
fCold tire inflation pressure means: all tires
must be cold, ambient temperature maximum
(68 °F/20 °C)
, when adjusting the inflation
pressure.
Avoid sunlight striking the tires before measu-
ring cold pressures, since the pressures would
rise from temperature influence.
fValve caps protect the valve from dust and dirt,
and thus from leakage.
Always screw caps tightly down.
Replace missing caps immediately.
fUse only plastic valve caps.
fDo not use commercially available sealant or
tire inflating bottles. Only use Porsche approved tire sealant.
10_GT3_21.book Seite 185 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
201
9. Insert the central bolt into the socket (until it
engages), fit the central bolt at right angles to
the wheel hub and screw it on without tilting.
10.Tighten the central bolt once to at least
370 ftlb. (500 Nm) using a suitable torque
wrench and then loosen again slightly (by
approx. 1/4 turn).
11.Tighten the central bolt to 370 ftlb.
(500 Nm).
Prevent the wheel from turning by getting
a second person to press the brake pedal.
If you do not have a suitable torque wrench
in a breakdown situation, the emergency
procedure for securing the central bolt must
be performed.
Please see the chapter “EMERGENCY PROCE-
DURE FOR SECURING CENTRAL BOLT” on
Page 202.12.Remove the socket and check that the locking
pin A has already engaged automatically in the
central bolt. The locking pin is then flush with
the inner teeth of the central bolt.
If the locking pin is still in the rear position, the
pin must be turned to the left and right using
a square bar from the tool kit, for example,
until it engages in the central bolt.
Warning!
Risk of damage and accident, resulting in
serious personal injury or death.
The central bolt can loosen and the wheel
can fall off.
fNever drive without the locking pin being engaged. 13.Fit the wheel-hub cap in the central bolt so that
the position finger is in the groove. Then
press the cap into position.
Apply a small amount of grease on the rubber
ring of the cap beforehand if necessary.
14.Now lower the vehicle.
10_GT3_21.book Seite 201 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
205
A- Filler bottle
B- Filler hose
C- Plug of the filler hose
D-Valve turner
E-Valve insert
F- Tire valveInserting sealant
1. Leave the object that caused the puncture in
the tire.
2. Remove sealant and the enclosed sticker from
the luggage compartment.
3. Adhere the sticker in the driver's field of vision.
4. Shake filler bottle A.5. Screw filler hose B onto the filler bottle.
The filler bottle is now open.
6. Unscrew valve cap from tire valve F.
7. Remove valve insert E from the tire valve with
valve turner D.
Keep the valve insert in a clean and dry place.
8. Remove plug C of the filler hose B.
9. Push filler hose onto the tire valve.
10.Hold filler bottle higher than the level of the tire
valve and press it together forcefully until the
bottle is completely emptied into the tire.
11.Pull filler hose off the tire valve.
12.Twist the valve insert firmly into the tire valve
using the valve turner.
13.Connect the compressor to the cigarette
lighter and inflate the tire to the prescribed tire
pressure.
Please see the chapter “TIRE PRESSURES FOR
COLD TIRES 68 °F/20 °C” on Page 237.
14.Screw valve cap onto the tire valve.
15.Check the tire pressure after driving for around
10 minutes.
If the tire pressure is less than 22 psi (1.5 bar),
do not continue driving.
If a value of more than 22 psi (1.5 bar) is
indicated, correct the pressure to the
prescribed value.
16.Please consult your authorized Porsche
dealer.Care Instructions
After drying, any sealant that emerges can be
peeled off like a film.
Warning!
Risk of accident, resulting in serious
personal injury or death.
fHave the tire replaced by an authorized
Porsche dealer immediately.
fAvoid hard acceleration and high cornering
speeds.
fDo not exceed maximum speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).
fPlease always see the safety and operating
instructions, which can be found in the
separate operating instructions for the sealant and on the compressor.
10_GT3_21.book Seite 205 Donnerstag, 4. Juni 2009 12:48 12