light PORSCHE 911 2009 5.G Owner's Guide

52
Operation, Safety
Using child restraint systems in the front
passenger seatfDo not install a child restraint system in
the Sports bucket seat.
Danger!
The use of a child restraint system in the
front passenger seat can result in serious
personal injury or death to the child from an
airbag deployment.
To reduce risk of injury from an inflating air-
bag in an accident, Porsche strongly recom-
mends:
fPlease see the chapter “PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR LAMP DOES NOT LIGHT UP”
on Page 47.
fPlease see the chapter “CHILD RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS” on Page 50.
fDo not install a child restraint system in
the Sports bucket seat.
The Sports bucket seat cannot be equipped with the LATCH system. Child restraint system for up to one-year old
children
– Make sure that the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
indicator lamp lights up.
– Adjust the passenger's seat as far away from
the airbag as possible.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death due
to the passenger’s airbag triggering uninten-
tionally.
When the ignition is on and the up to one-
year old child is seated in the child restraint
system on the passenger’s seat the indicator
lamp „PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF“ must be on.
If the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” indicator
lamp does not light up, it could indicate a
fault in the system.
In this case:
fOn vehicles with key-operated airbag deactiva-
tion device: Switch to position OFF.
fOn vehicles without key-operated airbag deac-
tivation device: Do not use a child restraint sys-
tem in the front passenger’s seat.
fHave the fault remedied at your nearest autho-rized Porsche dealer.Child restraint system for children older than
one year
Your vehicle is equipped with a weight sensing sys-
tem for the passenger's seat in accordance with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208.
Depending on the weight acting on the passen-
ger's seat, the passenger's airbag will automati-
cally be switched on or off.
Small adult passengers
Make sure that the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indi-
cator lamp does not light up.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death due
to the passenger’s airbag not triggering.
When the ignition key is inserted and the
small adult passenger is seated on the pas-
senger’s seat, the indicator lamp “PASSEN-
GER AIRBAG OFF” must be off.
If the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” indicator
lamp lights up, it could indicate a fault in the
system.
In this case:
fThe passenger should sit in the rear seat until
the fault is repaired.
fHave the fault remedied at the nearest autho-rized Porsche dealer.

56
Operation, Safety
Rollover Protection System The Rollover Protection System on the Cabriolet
consists of two supplemental safety bars that to-
gether with the front windshield frame help to cre-
ate occupant survival space in case of rollover. Be-
cause of the extreme and unpredictable forces
which can be encountered in a rollover, it is not
possible to guarantee that occupants will be pro-
tected from all contact with exterior objects or the
ground. However, the Rollover Protection System
is designed to maintain the occupant survival
space.
The Rollover Protection System is activated auto-
matically in the event of an accident or extreme
driving situation.
The protective devices are located behind each
rear seat and rapidly deploy within a fraction of a
second. If necessary, the seat-belt tensioners will
be activated.
fPlease see the chapter “BELT TENSIONER” on
Page 41.
They can deploy under:
– Extreme tilting of the vehicle.
– Loss of ground contact (e.g. Going over the
crest of a hill at high speed).
Danger!
Risk of death or serious injury.
fDo not block area of supplemental safety bars
with objects.
In the event of a deployment event, such
objects could potentially prevent such deploy-
ment from occuring, or such objects could
impact the car occupants at high speed.
fDo not tamper with or work on wiring and or
components of Rollover Protection System.
fAll work regarding this system must be carried
out by your authorized Porsche dealer.
fCheck functions and periodic service intervals
according to maintenance schedule (see your
authorized Porsche dealer).
To avoid damage to the convertible top:
fIf the supplemental safety bars are extended
for any reason, do not open or close converti-ble top.Faults in the Rollover Protection System are indi-
cated by the airbag warning light in the instrument
panel.
Extension of the supplemental safety bars is no
longer ensured.
fSee your authorized Porsche dealer immedi-
ately and have the fault remedied.
Lowering the supplemental safety bars
after deployment fHave this work performed by an authorized
Porsche dealer.
Warning light

Operation, Safety
57
Sports Exhaust SystemSwitching on and offThe sports exhaust system can be switched on
and off when the ignition is switched on using
button A.
When the sports exhaust system is switched on,
the light-emitting diode in the button lights up.
Parking Brake Parking brake force is mechanically transferred to
the rear wheels by means of cables.
fUse the parking brake only after the vehicle
has come to a full stop.
Setting the parking brake fPull the lever all the way up (arrow).
With the ignition on, the parking brake warning
lights in the instrument panel and on-board
computer will come on if the lever is even
slightly raised. A firm pull upward is required to
properly engage the parking brake.
If the brake is not fully set, the vehicle may roll
without control.
fMove the selector lever to “P” (PDK) or move
the gearshift lever to reverse or first gear
(Manual transmission).
fBefore exiting the vehicle, make sure that the
parking brake is fully set and the vehicle is not
moving at all.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death. A
partially engaged parking brake may allow
the vehicle to roll, causing serious personal
injury or death to any person in its path.
fEngage the parking brake fully.Releasing the parking brakefPull the lever slightly up as you depress the re-
lease button, and then push the lever all the
way down.

58
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.
fRelease the parking brake fully.
fWhen parking your car, always set the parking
brake by pulling all the way up on the lever.
fMove the selector lever to “P” (PDK) or move
the gearshift lever to reverse or first gear
(Manual transmission).
fOn hills also turn the front wheels towards the
curb.
Brakes fMake it a habit to check 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.
fTherefore, 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:
fPush 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.
fAfter 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
59
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, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
Any obstruction of the brake pedal could
increase the stopping distance.
fAlways check the movement of the brake pedal
before driving and make sure that it is not ob-
structed 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.
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:
fBefore descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift the transmission into a lower
gear or driving position to control speed.
fDo not “ride the brakes” by resting your foot on
the pedal when not intending to apply brake
pressure.
fDo not hold the pedal down too long or too
often.
This could cause the brakes to get hot and not function properly.
Brake warning light USA
Brake warning light Canada

60
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 booster 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.
When the vehicle is driven on salted or sanded
roads for extended periods, the brakes should be
washed down thoroughly about every 2 weeks. An
automatic carwash facility cannot do this job prop-
erly.
Brakes will dry after a few 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.
fCautiously 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.
fHave 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 driving, the brake pads are
worn excessively.
fDo not continue to operate the vehicle.
Have your authorized Porsche dealer inspect
or replace the brake pads.
Brake pads Wear 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

62
Operation, Safety When the ignition is switched on the ABS warning
light will light up while the system is electronically
interrogated and goes out when the engine is
started if the check is not yet complete.
If the ABS warning lamp fails to go out, this indi-
cates that ABS has been deactivated due to a
fault. If the warning lights in the instrument panel
and on-board computer light up while you are driv-
ing, this indicates that a fault has occurred. In both
cases, normal braking, as in vehicles without ABS,
is still retained.
The ABS system should, however, be examined at
an authorized Porsche dealer immediately to pre-
vent the occurrence of further faults.
fIf the ABS system becomes inoperative, take
your vehicle to your authorized Porsche dealer
immediately.
Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
The control unit of the ABS brake system is
set for standard tire size. If non-standard
tires are installed, the control unit may mis-
interpret the speed of the vehicle, because of
the variant data it receives from the sensors
on the axles.
fUse only tire makes and types tested by Porsche.
Clutch Pedal The clutch pedal must be depressed fully
before the starter will engage.
Warning!
Risk of an accident, resulting in serious per-
sonal injury or death.
fAlways check the movement of the clutch ped-
al before driving and make sure that it is 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.
Your Porsche dealer will be glad to offer you
nonskid floor mats of the correct size.
To avoid damage to the clutch and transmis-
sion:
fAlways depress the clutch pedal fully when
changing gears.
fDo not hold the car on a steep grade with the clutch pedal partially depressed.
Should the free travel of the clutch pedal suddenly
become larger, it could mean a malfunction of the
clutch.
fSee your Porsche dealer for correction.
Warning light USA
Warning light Canada

64
Operation, Safety
Sport ModeA sportier car set-up is obtained when Sport mode
is switched on. Interventions by the Porsche
control systems are intentionally shifted towards
greater agility and driving performance:
– PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Manage-
ment) is automatically changed to Sport mode,
resulting in a stiffer suspension setup.
– When Sport mode is active, the PDK transmis-
sion switches to a sporty gear-changing map
and shortens the gear shifting times. Gear
changes take place faster, but fuel consump-
tion is also increased.
PSM (Porsche Stability Management) control
gives a sportier road-feel to the vehicle. PSM
interventions take place later than in Normal
mode. The driver can maneuver the vehicle
with greater agility at its performance limits,
without having to dispense with the assistance
of PSM in emergency situations. This helps to
achieve optimal lap times, particularly on race
circuits with a dry road surface.
– The electronic accelerator pedal reacts
sooner, and the engine is more responsive to
throttle inputs. When Sport mode is switched
on, this function is activated only after the
driver has floored the accelerator pedal or
released it briefly.– The rpm limiter characteristic is “harder”, i.e.
the engine is immediately throttled when the
performance limits are reached (only in manual
selection mode for vehicles with PDK transmis-
sion).
fPlease observe the chapters on PSM, PASM
and PDK.
Switching Sport mode on and offSwitching Sport mode on and off simultaneously
activates and deactivates the Sport mode in
PA S M .
If PASM Sport mode was activated with the PASM
button, PASM remains active.
After the ignition is switched off, Sport mode is
automatically reset to Normal mode.
SPORT button
fPress SPORT button A in the center console.
When Sport mode is switched on, the light-
emitting diode in the SPORT button is lit.
A sporty gear-changing map is enabled and the
gear shifting times are shortened for the PDK
transmission.
A sporty driving style is recognized more quickly
and the gear-changing speeds are adapted to
driving performance.
Deceleration downshifts are commenced earlier.
Downshifts are made during slight decelerations,
even at higher engine speeds.
fPlease see the chapter “SPORT MODE
(“SPORT” AND “SPORT PLUS” MODES)” on
Page 172.

Operation, Safety
65
SPORT PLUS button
(only on vehicles with PDK transmission)
In “Sport Plus” mode, the PDK transmission
changes to a shift program designed for driving
on race circuits. 7th gear is not selected.
The gear-changing performance is enhanced
significantly again compared with “Sport” mode.
fPlease see the chapter “SPORT MODE
(“SPORT” AND “SPORT PLUS” MODES)” on
Page 172.
fPress SPORT PLUS button B in the center
console.
When Sport mode is switched on, the light-
emitting diode in the SPORT PLUS button is lit.When mode “Sport” is switched on, the logo
SPORT appears next to the digital speedometer.When mode “Sport Plus” is switched on, the logo
SPORT PLUS appears next to the digital
speedometer.

66
Operation, Safety
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.
fAdapt 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 accelerationPSM 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 information light on the
instrument panel flashes.
– Hydraulic noises can be heard.
– The vehicle decelerates 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.