2010 PORSCHE BOXSTER S brakes

4Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake
(PCCB)fPlease see the chapter “BRAKES” on Page 56.
The high-performance brake system is designed
for optimal braking effect at all speeds and
temperatures.
Certain speeds, braking forces and ambient
conditions (such as temperature and humidity)
therefore might cause brake noises.
Wear on the different components and braking
system, such as brake pads and brake discs,
depends to a great extent on the individual driving
style and the conditions of use and therefore
cannot be expressed in actual miles on the road.
The values communicated by Porsche are based
on normal operation adapted to traffic. Wear
increases considerably when the vehicle is driven
on race tracks or through an aggressive driving
style.
f Please consult an authorized Porsche dealer
about the current guidelines in effect before
such use of your vehicle.
Setting and operating vehicle
components when driving
Warning!
There is a danger of acci dent if you set or op-
erate the on-board comp uter, 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.
f Operate the components while driving only if
the traffic situation allows you to do so safely.
f Carry 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.
f Never 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.
f Drive carefully and slowly on steep slopes (e.g.
parking lots, curbs, uneven roads, lifting plat-
forms etc.).
fAvoid steep ramps.

6
Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPorsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) ...... 4
Setting and operating vehicle components
when driving .................................................. 4
Portable Fuel Contain ers ................................ 4
Ground Clearance ...... .................................... 4
Engine Exhaust .......... .................................... 5Before driving off................................. 8Before driving off... ........................................ 8
Break in hints for the first
2,000 miles/3,000 kilo meters ...................... 10Operation, Safety ............................... 13Keys ........................ .................................. 15
Security Wheel Bolts .................................... 15
Doors ................................................ ......... 18
Central Locking in Cars without Alarm System 19
Central Locking in Cars with Alarm System ... 21
Alarm System,
Passenger Compartment Monitoring ............. 25
Power Windows ............. .............................. 27
Mirrors ...................... .................................. 29
Rear Window Defogger, Door Mirror Heating .. 31
Seat Adjustment and Head Restraints ............ 32
Seat Memory ............. .................................. 35
Heated Seats ............ .................................. 37
Seat Ventilation ...... ...................................... 38
Steering Wheel Adjust ment ........................... 38
Steering Wheel Heatin g ................................ 39
Multi-Functional Steering Wheel ..................... 40 Sun Visors ...............
....................................41
Safety Belts ............. ....................................42
Airbag Systems ....... ....................................44
Child Restraint System s ................................50
LATCH System
Child seat bracket on the passenger’s seat ....54
Sports Exhaust System ................................55
Parking Brake .......... ....................................55
Brakes ................... ....................................56
ABS Brake System (Antilock Brake System) ...59
Clutch Pedal ................ ................................60
Sport Mode ................. ................................61
Porsche Stability Manage ment (PSM) .............63
Porsche Active Suspension Management
(PASM) ........................ ................................66
Retractable Spoiler .. ................................... 67
Fixed rear spoiler . ........................................68
Interior lights ................................ ...............69
Parking Aids ........... ....................................70
Ignition/Starter Switch with
anti-theft Steering Lo ck .................................72
Starting Procedures .....................................75
Stopping Engine .. ........................................76
Emergency Flasher Swit ch ............................77
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Bi-Xenon Headlig hts ...............................78
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Halogen Headlights ...............................80
Turn Signal / Headlight Dimmer /Parking light /
Flasher Lever ........... ....................................81
Windshield Wiper/ Washer Lever ...................82
Automatic Speed Contro l ..............................

84Cupholder ...................
................................ 86
Ashtray ....................... ................................ 87
Cigarette Lighter .... ..................................... 88
Storage in the Passenger Compartment ........ 89
Luggage Storage on Engine Compartment Lid 91
Luggage Compartment Li ds ......................... 92
Luggage Compartment ................................ 94
Rear luggage compartm ent .......................... 94
Trunk Entrapment .. ..................................... 95
Porsche Communication Management (PCM) . 97
Car Telephone and Aftermarket Alarms ........ 99
iPod, USB and AUX . ................................... 100
Fire Extinguisher .... ................................... 101
HomeLink ................... .............................. 102
Automatic Air Conditioning System,
Heated Rear Window/
Door Mirror Heating. ........................ 105Air Conditioning ...... ................................... 106
Automatic Air Conditioning System ............. 109
Central and Side Vents ............................. 112
Fresh-air Intake . ....................................... 112
Heated Rear Window/Door Mirror Heating ... 113Instruments, On-Board Computer,
Warnings ........................................ 115Instrument Panel USA Models ..................... 116
Instrument Panel Canada Models ................ 118
Automatic Speed Control Indicator light ...... 120
Instrument Illumination ............................... 120

Operation, Safety
13
Operation, Safety
Keys ........................
.................................. 15
Security Wheel Bolts .................................... 15
Doors ................................................ ......... 18
Central Locking in Cars without Alarm System 19
Central Locking in Cars with Alarm System ... 21
Alarm System,
Passenger Compartment Monitoring ............. 25
Power Windows ............. .............................. 27
Mirrors ...................... .................................. 29
Rear Window Defogger, Door Mirror Heating .. 31
Seat Adjustment and Head Restraints ............ 32
Seat Memory ............. .................................. 35
Heated Seats ............ .................................. 37
Seat Ventilation ...... ...................................... 38
Steering Wheel Adjust ment ........................... 38
Steering Wheel Heatin g ................................ 39
Multi-Functional Steering Wheel ..................... 40
Sun Visors ................. .................................. 41
Safety Belts ............... .................................. 42
Airbag Systems ......... .................................. 44
Child Restraint System s ............................... 50
LATCH System
Child seat bracket on the passenger’s seat .... 54
Sports Exhaust System ................................ 55
Parking Brake ............ .................................. 55
Brakes ..................... .................................. 56
ABS Brake System (Antilock Brake System) ... 59
Clutch Pedal .............. .................................. 60
Sport Mode ............... .................................. 61
Porsche Stability Mana gement (PSM) ............. 63
Porsche Active Suspension Management
(PASM) ...................... .................................. 66 Retractable Spoiler ..
................................... 67
Fixed rear spoiler . ........................................ 68
Interior lights ................................ ............... 69
Parking Aids ........... .................................... 70
Ignition/Starter Switch with
anti-theft Steering Lo ck ................................ 72
Starting Procedures ..................................... 75
Stopping Engine . ........................................ 76
Emergency Flasher Swit ch ............................ 77
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Bi-Xenon Headlights ............................... 78
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Halogen Headlights ............................... 80
Turn Signal / Headlight Dimmer /Parking light /
Flasher Lever ........... .................................... 81
Windshield Wiper/ Wash er Lever ................... 82
Automatic Speed Control .............................. 84
Cupholder ................... ................................
86
Ashtray ....................... ................................ 87
Cigarette Lighter ...... .................................... 88
Storage in the Passenger Compartment ........ 89
Luggage Storage on Engine Compartment Lid 91
Luggage Compartment Li ds .......................... 92
Luggage Compartment ................................ 94
Rear luggage compartm ent .......................... 94
Trunk Entrapment ... .................................... 95
Porsche Communication Management (PCM) .. 97
Car Telephone and Aftermarket Alarms ......... 99
iPod, USB and AUX .. .................................. 100
Fire Extinguisher .. ...................................... 101
HomeLink .................... .............................. 102

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 173.
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

Operation, Safety
63
Porsche Stability Management
(PSM)PSM is an active control system for stabilization of
the vehicle approaching the performance limits of
driving maneuvers.
Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
The increased control that is provided should
not induce you to take greater risks with your
safety. The limits dictated by the laws of
physics cannot be overcome, even with PSM.
The risk of accidents due to inappropriate
speed cannot be reduced, even by PSM.
The driver bears the responsibility for all
driving maneuvers.
f Adapt your driving style to the prevailing road
and weather conditions.
fObey all traffic laws.
Sensors at the wheels, brakes, steering system
and engine continuously measure:
–Speed
– Direction of travel (steering angle)
– Lateral acceleration
– Rate of turn about the vertical axis
– Longitudinal acceleration PSM uses these values to determine the direction
of travel indicated by the driver.
PSM intervenes and helps to correct the course if
the actual direction of motion deviates from the
chosen course (steering-wheel position):
It brakes individual wheels as needed. In addition,
the engine power may be manipulated in order to
stabilize the vehicle.
The events below inform the driver of PSM control
operations and warn him/her to adapt his/her
driving style to the road conditions:
– The multifunctional in
formation light on the
instrument panel flashes.
– Hydraulic noises can be heard.
– The vehicle decelerate s and steering-wheel
forces are altered as the PSM controls the
brakes.
– Reduced engine power.
– The brake pedal pulsates and its position is changed during braking.
In order to achieve full vehicle deceleration,
foot pressure must be increased after the
brake pedal has begun vibrating.
Examples of PSM control operations– If the front wheels of the vehicle drift on a
bend, the rear wheel on the inside of the bend
is braked and the engine power is reduced if
necessary.
– If the rear of the vehicle swings out on a bend, the front wheel on the outside of the bend is
braked.Additional braking functions– Pre-filling the brake system:The brake system is prepared for possible
subsequent emergency braking if the acceler-
ator pedal is released suddenly and quickly.
The brake system is prefilled and the brake
pads are already applied gently to the brake
discs.
– Brake booster: In the event of an emergency braking operation
where the pedal force is insufficient, a brake
booster provides the braking pressure neces-
sary for maximum deceleration at all 4 wheels.Advantages of PSM– Best possible traction and lane-holding ability in all driving situations – even on road surfaces
with varying friction.

64
Operation, Safety
– The system compensates for undesired lateral
vehicle reactions when the driver releases the
accelerator pedal or brakes when cornering.
This compensation functions up to the
maximum lateral acceleration.
– PSM actively stabilizes the vehicle as required during dynamic driving maneuvers (e.g. rapid
steering movements, during lane changes or
on alternating bends).
– Improved braking stability on bends and on different or varying road surfaces.
– It improves braking function and shortens stopping distance in the event of emergency
braking.
Readiness for operationPSM is switched on automatically every time you
start the engine.
PSM should always be switched on during
“normal” driving.
However, it may be advantageous to switch off
PSM temporarily in exceptional situations, for
example:
– On a loose surface or in deep snow,
– When “rocking” the vehicle free and
– When using snow chains.
Switching off PSMf Press PSM OFF button.
PSM is switched off after a short delay.
The light-emitting diode in the button is lit up.
When the PSM is switched off, the PSM multi-
functional light on the instrument panel is lit
and a message is shown on the on-board
computer.
An acoustic signal also sounds.
Note
When PSM is switched off, the additional braking
functions are deactivated. Automatic reactivation
in emergency situations is linked to the PSM
control. The following functions stabilize the vehicle in
emergency situations, even with PSM switched
off:
– When PSM is off, the vehicle is stabilized as
soon as one of the two front wheels enters the
ABS control range.
– When PSM is off and Sport mode is on, the vehicle is stabilized as soon as both front
wheels enter the ABS control range.
One-sided spinning of the wheels is prevented,
even with PSM switched off.
Switching PSM back onf Press PSM OFF button.
PSM is switched on after a short delay.
The light-emitting diode in the button and the
PSM multifunctional li ght on the instrument
panel go out.
The on-board computer shows a message.