
264
Maintenance and Car Care
Fuel EconomyFuel 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 to the correct
pressure.
f Always monitor your fuel consumption.
f Drive smoothly, avoid abrupt changes in speed
as much as possible.
f Avoid jack rabbit starts and sudden stops.
f Do not drive longer than necessary in the lower
gears. Shifting into a higher gear early without
lugging the engine will help save fuel.
f Prolonged “warm up” idling wastes gas. Start
the vehicle just before you are ready to drive.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
f Switch off the engine if stationary for longer
periods.
f Any additional weight carried in the vehicle
reduces fuel economy. Always keep cargo to
a minimum and remove all unnecessary items. f
Organize your trips to take in several errands
in one trip.
f All electrical accessories contribute to
increased fuel consumption.
f Only switch on the air conditioning when
necessary.
f Do not drive with the Ro of Transport System
mounted unless you need it.
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 may be less than the
estimated mpg.
f Please observe all local and national speed
limits.
Operating Your Porsche in other
CountriesGovernment regulations in the United States and
Canada require that automobiles meet specific
emission regulations and safety standards.
Therefore, cars built for the U.S. and Canada differ
from vehicles sold in other countries.
If you plan to take your Porsche outside the
continental 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. Excessi ve 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.

Maintenance and Car Care
265
FuelWhen the ignition is on, the fuel level is displayed
on the instrument panel.
fPlease see the chapter “FUEL GAUGE” on
page 111.
Warning!
Fuel is highly flammable and harmful to
health.
f Fire, open flame and smoking are prohibited
when handling fuel.
f Avoid contact with skin or clothing, since injury
to your skin may occur.
f Do not inhale fuel vapors, since they may make
you ill and possibly cause death if inhalation is
prolonged and occurs in a closed space.
To prevent damage to the emission control
system and engine:
f Never drive the tank dry.
f Avoid high cornering speeds after the warning lights have come on.
f Please see the chapter “FUEL ECONOMY” on
page 264. To avoid permanent damage
to the functionality of
the catalytic converters and oxygen sensors, use
unleaded fuel only.
The engine is designed to provide optimum
performance and fuel consumption if unleaded
premium fuel with 98 RON/88 MON is used.
If unleaded fuels with octane ratings of less than
98 RON/88 MON are used, the engine’s knock
control automatically adapts the ignition timing.
Porsche recommends that you use fuel with
at least 95 RON/85 MON in your vehicle.
The emission control system can be damaged in
various ways (e.g. fueling incorrectly, shortage of
fuel, tow-starting).
f Please see the chapter “HOW EMISSION
CONTROL WORKS” on page 263. Note on operation
Information on the fuel quality can normally
be found on the pump.
If this is not the case, ask a fuel station attendant.
If the recommended fuel
is not available, you
can also use unleaded regular fuel (91 RON/
82.5 MON) in an emergency.
However, this could reduce performance and
increase fuel consumption.
f Avoiding driving at full throttle.
In some countries the available fuel quality may
not meet requirements and can result in coking
around the inlet valve.
In this case, the fuel may be mixed with the
additive sold and recommended by Porsche after
consulting a authorized Porsche dealer.
Porsche part number 000 043 206 89.
f Observe the instructions and mixture ratios
stated on the container.
It is important that the service intervals,
particularly the oil change intervals, are
observed in accordance with the specifications
in the “Maintenance” booklet.

268
Maintenance and Car Care
Fuel Recommendations Your Porsche is equipped with catalytic
converters and must use UNLEADED FUEL
ONLY .
Your engine is designed to provide optimum
performance and fuel economy using unleaded
premium fuel with an octane rating of 98 RON
(93 CLC or AKI) . Porsche therefore
recommends the use of these fuels in your
vehicle.
Porsche also recognizes that these fuels may not
always be available. Be assured that your vehicle
will operate properly on unleaded premium fuels
with octane numbers of at least 95 RON
(90 CLC or AKI) , since the engine’s “Electronic
Oktane™ knock control” will adapt the ignition
timing, if necessary.
It is important to observe the regular service
intervals, and particularly the oil change intervals,
specified in the “Maintenance” booklet.
T h e u s e o f U N L E A D E D F U E L O N LY i s c r i t i c a l l y
important to the life of the catalytic
converters. Deposits fr om leaded fuels will
ruin the converters and make them
ineffective as an emis sion control device.
Cars with catalytic converters have a smaller fuel
tank opening, and gas station pumps that
dispense unleaded fuel ha ve smaller nozzles. This
will prevent accidental pumping of leaded fuel into
cars with catalytic converters. Unleaded fuels may not be available outside the
continental U.S. and Canada. Therefore, we
recommend you do not take your car to areas or
countries where unleaded fuel may not be
available.
Octane ratings Octane rating indicates a fuel’s ability to resist
detonation. Therefore, buying the correct octane
gas is important to prevent engine “damage”.
The RON octane rating is based on the research
method. The CLC (U.S.
Cost of Living Council
octane rating) or AKI ( anti knock index) octane
rating usually displayed on U.S. fuel pumps is
calculated as research octane number plus motor
octane number, divided by 2, that is written as:
The CLC or AKI octane rating is usually lower than
the RON rating:
For example: 95 RON equals 90 CLC or AKI.
Fuels containing ethanolDo not use any fuels containing more than 10
percent ethanol by volume.
We recommend, however, to change to a different
fuel or station if any of the following problems
occur with your vehicle:
– Deterioration of driveability and performance.
– Substantially reduced fuel economy.
– Vapor lock and non-start problems, especially at high altitude or at high temperature.
– Engine malfunction or stalling.
RON+MON
2 R+M
2
or

Maintenance and Car Care
271
fStart washing the vehicle by thoroughly
wetting the paintwork and rinsing the heavy
dirt off.
f After washing the vehicle, rinse it thoroughly
with water and rub it dry with chamois-leather.
Do not use the same chamois for rubbing
dry as you use for cleaning the windshield
and windows.
Warning!
Risk of accidents! Reduced or uneven
braking action may be caused by wet
brakes.
f After washing the vehicle, test the brakes
and steering and briefly brake the discs dry.
When doing so, make sure that vehicles travelling behind you are not affected. Cleaning in car washes
Optional add-on parts or parts that project beyond
the contours of the vehi
cle may be damaged by
design features of car washes.
The following parts are particularly at risk:
– Windshield wipers and rear wiper (always switch them off – wiper stalk in
position 0 – to prevent them wiping
unintentionally in intermittent or sensor
operation).
– Exterior mirrors (always fold in).
– External antenna (always unscrew).
– Roof transport system (always remove completely).
– Spoiler.
– Wheels (the wider the rim and the lower the tire height, the greater the risk of damage).
f Please consult the operator before using
automatic car washes.
f All parts not reached by a car wash, such
as door and lid seams or door sills, must
be washed and polished by hand.
Paint careIn order to protect the pa int on your vehicle in
the best possible way against mechanical and
chemical damage, you should
– preserve it regularly,
– polish it if necessary,
– remove spots and stains, and
– repair damaged paintwork.
General Notes
f Never rub a dusty vehicle with a dry cloth,
because the grains of dirt will damage
the paintwork.
f Do not treat matt-painted components with
preservatives or polishes as these remove
the matt effect.
Preservation
The paint surface becomes dull over time due
to weathering.
f Preserve paint regularly.
f Apply paint preservative after washing the
vehicle and polish it smooth to preserve
the paintwork.
This keeps the paint shin y and elastic. Dirt is
prevented from adhering to the paint surface and
industrial dust is prevented from penetrating
the paint.

Maintenance and Car Care
273
Care of windshield wiper bladesWindshield wiper blades that are in perfect
condition are vital for a clear view.
fPlease see the chapter “WIPER BLADES” on
page 261.
f Have the wiper blades replaced twice per year
(before and after the cold season) or if wiper
performance deteriorates or the blades are
damaged.
f Clean the wiper blades with window cleaner at
regular intervals, especially after washing the
vehicle in a car wash.
We recommend Porsche window cleaner.
If wiper blades are very dirty (e.g. covered with
insect remains), they can be cleaned with
a sponge or cloth.
If the wiper blades rub or squeak, this may be due
to the following:
– If the vehicle is washed in an automatic car wash, wax residues may adhere to
the windshield. These wax residues can
be removed only by using window
cleaner concentrate.
f Please see the chapter “WASHER FLUID” on
page 259. Contact your authorized Porsche dealer for more
information.
– The wiper blades may be damaged or worn.
f
Have damaged wiper blades replaced
immediately.
UndercoatingThe underside of your car is durably protected
against chemical and mechanical influences.
As it is not possible to ex clude 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.
f Do 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.
f Before applying fresh underseal, carefully
remove deposits or 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.
f Always apply a fresh coating of suitable preser-
vative to unprotect 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 cleane d 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.

Minor Repairs
277
Minor Repairs
Exercise Extreme Caution when Working
on your Vehicle .......
................................... 278
Tires and Wheels..... ................................... 280
Wheel Bolts ................ .............................. 293
Flat Tire .................. ................................... 293
Electrical System .... ................................... 296
Battery ............................................ .......... 303
External Power Supply, Jump-Lead
Starting ........................................... .......... 306
Changing the Remote Co ntrol Battery .......... 307
Replacing Bulbs ...... ................................... 308
Headlights ....................................... .......... 308
Side Turn Signal Ligh t................................. 312
Licence Plate Lights ................................... 313
Side Marker Light .... ................................... 313
Changing Light-Emitting Diodes and
Long-Life Bulbs ......................................... 314
Headlight Adjustment .................................. 314
Towing ........................ .............................. 316
Fire Extinguisher .......................... .............. 321

278
Minor Repairs
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle
Danger!
Ignoring the following instructions may
cause serious personal injury or death.
f The engine compartment of any motor vehicle
is a potentially hazardou s area. If you are not
fully familiar with proper repair procedures, do
not attempt the adjustments described on the
following pages.
f O 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.
f Ensure 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 devices such as hot water heaters
which ignite a flame intermittently.
f Before 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.
f Be alert and cautious around the engine at all
times while it is running. If you have to work on
the engine while it is running, always put the
parking brake on and put the PDK selector
lever in position P or N.
f In 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 fan, belts or other moving parts.
The radiator and radiator fans are in the front
of the car.
The fans 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 and exercise extreme caution.
f Your 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.
f Always support your car with safety stands if it
is necessary to work under the car. The jack
supplied with the car is not adequate for this
purpose.
Switch off level control of air suspension and
height adjustment.
Please see the chapter “RAISING THE VEHICLE
WITH A LIFTING PLATFORM, TROLLEY JACK
OR STANDARD JACK” on page 290.
f When 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.
Withdraw ignition keys (switch ignition off in
vehicles that have Porsche Entry & Drive). f
Do not smoke or allow an open flame around
the battery or fuel.
Keep a fire extinguisher close at hand.
f Incomplete or improper servicing may cause
problems in the operation of the car. If in doubt
about any servicing, have it done by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
Improper maintenance during the warranty
period may affect your Porsche warranty
coverage.
f Supplies of fluids, e.g. engine oil, washer fluid,
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
appropriate regulations.
f Some countries require additional tools and
special spare parts to be carried in your
vehicle. Please make enquiries before driving
abroad.
Note
The tools required for changing a wheel (e.g. jack,
wheel bolt wrench, assembly aids) are not
supplied as standard with the vehicle. Your
authorized Porsche dealer will be pleased to
advise you.

Minor Repairs
293
Wheel Bolts fAlways clean the wheel bolts before fitting.
f Wheel bolts must not be greased.
f Replace damaged wheel bolts.
Only use genuine Porsche wheel bolts
assigned especially to this model or wheel
bolts of similar quality that have been
manufactured according to Porsche
specifications and production requirements.
Tightening torque
Tightening torque for wheel bolts: 160 Nm
(118 ftlb.) .
Security wheel boltsThe adapter (wrench socket) for the security
wheel bolts is stored in the tool tray under the
luggage compartment floor.
fIf the wheels have to be removed at the
workshop, do not forget to hand over the
socket for the security wheel bolts along
with the car key.
f To loosen or tighten the wheel bolt with anti-
theft protection, the adapter must be used
between the wheel bolt and the wheel
bolt wrench.
f When positioning the wrench socket, ensure
that it engages fully in the teeth of the
wheel bolt.
Flat Tire 1. Stop the vehicle as far away from the driving lane as possible.
The vehicle must be parked on a firm and flat
surface offering adequate grip.
2. Switch emergency flasher on.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Put the vehicle in 1st gear or move the PDK selector lever to position P.
5. Straighten the front wheels.
6. Remove the ignition key, or the control unit on vehicles with Porsche Entry & Drive, in order to
lock the steering and pr event the engine from
being started.
7. Get all passengers to leave the vehicle.
8. Set up the warning triangle at a suitable distance.Filling in tire sealantThe tire sealant and compressor with pressure
tester can be found in the tool tray under the
loadspace floor in the luggage compartment.
The tire sealant can be used to seal small cuts,
especially in the tire tread.
Sealing the tire with the tire sealant is only an
emergency solution so you can drive to the
nearest workshop. Even if the tire is air-tight,