
Driving and Driving Safety
189
Engine Braking Support
(Assistance when heading downhill)The Porsche Down-Hill Assistant is an assistance
system which helps the driver at slower downhill
driving up to approx. 12 mph (20 km/h), e.g., on
steep slopes or on wintry mountain roads.
As long as the gas pedal is not used when
traveling downhill, the Porsche Down-Hill Assistant
is active and brakes the vehicle.
If road grip is lost on one or more wheels, the
system brakes the wheels which have good road
contact.
The braking ability of the Engine Braking Support
is affected by slippery surfaces (e.g., on icy or
loose surfaces), like all brakes.
Warning!
Risk of accident, resulting in serious perso-
nal injury or death. Reduced braking ability
on a slippery surface.
fAlways adjust your driving style to the driving situation.
Conditions:
– The gas pedal must not be used when
travelling downhill.
– The speed must not exceed 12 mph
(20 km/h).–Vehicles with Tiptronic S:
The Tiptronic selector lever position D, M or R
must be engaged.
–Vehicles with manual transmission:
The reverse gear or any other gear (1. - 6. )
must be engaged. The clutch pedal must not
be used when travelling downhill.
Tip on driving
The Porsche Down-Hill Assistant is active when
driving downhill either forwards or backwards.
Checks on test standsBrake tests
Brake tests must be carried out only in High Range
and on plate-type test stands or roller test stands.
The following limit values must not be exceeded
on roller test stands:
– Testing speed 4.7 mph (7.5 km/h)
– Test duration 20 seconds
Parking brake test
Parking brake tests on the brake tester must be
performed only with the ignition switched off and
the Tiptronic selector lever in position N or the
gearshift lever in neutral.Balancing wheels on the vehicle
During finish balancing of the wheels, the entire
vehicle must be lifted and the wheels must be free
to turn.
Dynamometer testing procedure Some U.S. states and Canadian provinces con-
duct emissions inspection/maintenance testing
involving the use of two-wheel dynamometer.
A two-wheeled dynamometer is a treadmill type
device upon which a single axle of the car, the dri-
ving axle of the vehicle, rotates to simulate vehicle
operation on the road while the vehicle remains
stationary.
Your Porsche Cayenne has a full-time four-wheel
drive system which cannot be disabled. Severe
d a m a g e t o t h e p o w e r t r a i n c a n re s u l t i f t e s t e d o n a
two-wheel dynamometer.
Warning!
To avoid severe powertrain damage and a
possible unexpected movement of the vehic-
le.
fYour Porsche Cayenne vehicle must never be
tested on a two-wheel dynamometer.
fAdvise the emission station of this warning before testing the vehicle.
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Driving and Driving Safety
195
Off-Road DrivingPlease read this chapter carefully before driving
off road with your Porsche.
The information provided will familiarise you with
the special advantages of your vehicle, allowing
you to arrive at your destination safely every time.
We recommend practicing on less rugged terrain.Vehicles with SportDesign package
Caution!
Risk of damage. On vehicles with Sport-
Design package, front, rear, and side
member trim are painted. Off-road driving
can seriously damage these trim parts.
fWhen driving off-road, make sure these parts
are not damaged.
fMake sure there is sufficient clearance
between obstacles and the underside of the
vehicle.
fAvoid driving through water.
fDo not use side member trims or rear wheel spoilers as a running board.Maintenance Note
Please bear in mind that off-road driving subjects
all vehicle components to considerably more wear
than normal use, making professional inspection
and maintenance after each use a vital precondi-
tion for functioning and safety.
Grains of sand, dirt particles and other abrasive
materials entering the brakes can cause exces-
sive wear or unpredictable braking action.
Rules for off-road drivingfEnsure vehicle is equipped with approved all-
terrain tires.
fPay attention to the ground clearance of the
vehicle.
Please see the chapter “GROUND
CLEARANCE” on Page 357.
fActivate Low Range.
Please see the chapter “SELECTING OFF-
ROAD DRIVING PROGRAM” on Page 178.
fStow or fasten luggage and loads securely.
Please see the chapter “LOADING
INFORMATION” on Page 231.
fIf unknown terrain is obscured from view,
examine it on foot first and traverse it with
extreme caution.
This way, obstacles are easier to recognize
and damage to the vehicle is avoided.fAlways drive with the engine running.
Power steering assistance is provided only
with the engine running.
fDrive slowly and uniformly.
fAlways make sure that the wheels touch the
ground.
fBefore driving through water, check the water
depth, the condition of the surface beneath it
and the speed of the water.
fLook out for obstacles such as boulders,
holes, tree stumps or ruts.
fAlways keep the sliding/lifting roof or
Panorama roof system and the side windows
closed while driving.
fDo not depart from marked routes or paths.
fRespect Nature.
Always obey off-limits signs.
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198
Driving and Driving Safety Note on operation
fActivate the Low Range program before taking
extreme upward or downward gradients.
Tips on driving
fDo not perform manual gear changes when
driving, and try to avoid stopping.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
Traction on uphill slopesNote on operation
fActivate the Low Range program and engage
differential locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
fWhen driving uphill, go easy on the accelerator
and make sure that wheels have sufficient
traction (don't spin).
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDrive slowly.
Driving downhill
Danger!
There is a danger of serious personal injury
or death and risk of damage if the vehicle
should overturn.
fDo not drive over embankments or slopes at
steep diagonal angles.
fDrive downhill slowly, with the wheels pointing
straight ahead.
fIf the vehicle starts to tilt, immediately steer in
the direction of the tilt (line of slope).
fWhen driving downhill, never let the vehicle roll
when in idle.
fUse engine braking effect.
If the engine braking effect is not adequate, gently apply the foot brake.Note on operation
fActivate the Low Range off-road driving
program. The off-road ABS is switched on
automatically.
Tips on driving
fDo not perform manual gear changes when
driving, and try to avoid stopping.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
A special circuit in the off-road ABS permits con-
trolled brief lock-up of the front wheels so that they
can dig into the loose surface more effectively.
Locked wheels slip and can no longer be steered.
fWhen driving down steep hills on unpaved
surfaces, brake carefully so that vehicle does
not start to slide.
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Driving and Driving Safety
199
ObstaclesfPay attention to the ground clearance of the
car.
Please see the chapter “GROUND
CLEARANCE” on Page 357.
Note on operation
fActivatethe Low Range program and engage
differential locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
fJust before reaching the obstacle, ease off the
accelerator slightly and use the car's momen-
tum to cross the obstacle. This will prevent the
car from jumping over the obstacle and landing
on the following downward slope at an exces-
sive speed.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
Water crossingfPay attention to the ground clearance of the
car.
Please see the chapter “GROUND
CLEARANCE” on Page 357.
Danger!
Danger of drowning if water enters the
vehicle. Risk of damage to the engine and
accessories if water penetrates.
fBefore driving through water, check the water
depth A, water speed and the condition of the
surface beneath it.
Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne S
Tr a n s s y b e r i a :
The water must not be deeper than 19.7 in.
(50 cm).
The water must not be deeper than 21.9 in.
(55.5 cm) for vehicles with level control and
height adjustment.
Cayenne GTS:
The water must not be deeper than 18.7 in.
(47.6 cm).
The water must not be deeper than 21.1 in.
(53.5 cm) for vehicles with level control and
height adjustment.
fCheck the door sills and rubber seals before
starting to drive.
fDo not drive through deep or rapidly flowing
water.
Deep or rapidly flowing water, e.g. mountain
streams, can cause the car to deviate from the
desired path.
fAvoid a "bow wave" by driving at an appropriate
speed.
fNever open the doors when driving through
water.
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200
Driving and Driving Safety Soiling can impair the braking action.
fCheck and clean the brakes if they have been
soiled.
Danger of steering assistance failing during
a long journey in the water if the drive belt
slips.
fIf the steering assistance fails, more effort will
be required to steer.
Danger of damaging electrical systems
fAvoid driving through salt water.
Notes on operation
fActivate the Low Range program.
fSwitch the air conditioner off.
fSwitch the headlights off.Tips on driving
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDo not perform manual gear changes when
driving, and try to avoid stopping.
Moving off in the water can be difficult due to
the high resistance and the loose surface
involved.
fStart the water crossing at a shallow place at
walking speed.
fAfter checking the body of water, take the
shortest path through it.
fNever drive into the water at high speed. The
resulting “bow wave” could damage the engine
and its accessories.
fAdjust your driving style to the unfamiliar sur-
roundings.
fCross the body of water slowly and at a con-
stant speed.
fNever turn around when crossing a body of
water.
fIf it is not possible to cross the body of water,
the car must be backed out of it in reverse
gear.
The servo pump and alternator can fail if the car is
driven through water for an extended period.
fIf the servo pump fails, substantially more
force will have to be exerted in order to steer. Maintenance Note
The car requires a special check after the water
crossing.
fRemove mud from the tire tread.
fBriefly apply the brakes in order to dry them
after driving through the water.10_Cayenne_21_KW17.book Seite 200 Donnerstag, 9. April 2009 3:33 15

Driving and Driving Safety
201
Crossing obstacles
Caution!
Risk of damage to the underbody and chas-
sis components if obstacles are traversed
improperly.
fAlways bear in mind the ground clearance of
your vehicle.
fSlowly drive over the middle of tree trunks,
boulders or other obstacles with one of the
front wheels.
fCross the obstacle with the rear wheel in the same way.
Note on operation
fActivate Low Range and engage differential
locks if necessary.Tips on driving
fHave your passenger direct you if necessary.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDrive slowly.
Driving on sandNote on operation
fActivate Low Range and engage differential
locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
Loose sand is an especially tricky surface for off-
road driving.
You can often become stuck in sand within
minutes if you do not drive correctly in such
situations.
fDrive at brisk pace and do not stop under any
circumstances. This will reduce the chance of
the car becoming bogged down.
fFollow existing tracks – provided that they
have not been covered by blown sand, are not
too deep and the car's ground clearance is
sufficient.
Pay attention to the ground clearance of the
car.
Please see the chapter “GROUND
CLEARANCE” on Page 357.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
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202
Driving and Driving Safety When driving on slopes with soft sand on vehicles
with Tiptronic S:
fUse the manual select mode M in addition to
the Low Range program.
If your vehicle becomes stuck nevertheless:
fDo not spin the wheels. Instead, use branches,
mats or similar items to provide adequate
traction so that you can drive out of the critical
area.
Track rutsOther vehicles leave ruts in many off-road courses
or gravel roads.
fPay attention to the ground clearance of the
car.
Please see the chapter “GROUND
CLEARANCE” on Page 357.
Caution!
Risk of damage to the vehicle floor when
driving through ruts that are too deep.
fAlways bear in mind the car's ground clearan-
ce.
fDo not drive over ruts that are too deep.
Note on operation
fActivate the Low Range program and engage
differential locks if necessary.
Tips on driving
fIn cases of doubt, drive with one wheel on the
strip of grass between the ruts.
fAvoid high engine speeds (max. 2,500 rpm).
fDrive slowly.
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Luggage Compartment, Loadspace and Storage
217
Off-road roof-mounted Headlights
Cayenne S TranssyberiafPlease read the separate instructions for fitting
and operating the off-road roof-mounted
headlights.DisclaimerThe off-road roof-mounted headlights provided
with your Cayenne S Transsyberia have been
designed and manufactured solely for off-road
use. The use of these lights while on a public road
in your country may not be legal or may be legal
only under specified conditions. Check your
national, state/provincial and local laws or
regulations regarding any restrictions and/or
limitations for public highway use prior to
installation. It is common in many countries, for
example, that such roof-mounted headlights must
be hooded or covered while you are on a public
road.
Under no circumstances should the electrical
circuits for these lights be connected to the
circuits for the other lights provided with your
vehicle.
Safety Notes!
fCompletely remove the off-road roof-mounted
headlights before using an automatic car wash
– risk of damage to the vehicle!
fBefore every trip, and at regular intervals
during long trips, check that the off-road
roof-mounted headlights are secured to the
vehicle properly.
fWith the off-road roof-mounted headlights
fitted, do not exceed a maximum speed of
110 mph (180 km/h).
Nevertheless, Porsche recommends that you
do not exceed the posted speed limit.
fDriving, braking and steering behaviour
change due to the higher center of gravity and
the greater wind-resistant area. You should
adapt your driving style appropriately.
fSince fuel consumption and noise are
increased when the off-road roof-mounted
headlights are fitted, they should not remain on the vehicle when not in use.
Note on operation
If the engine is not running and the off-road
roof-mounted headlights are switched on, the
vehicle battery will be discharged.
Switching the off-road roof-mounted
headlights on/offThe off-road roof-mounted headlights are ready for
operation when the side lights are switched on.
fSwitch the off-road roof-mounted headlights on
and off using the button in the roof console.
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