brakes PORSCHE 911 GT3 2004 5.G Owners Manual

Power transmission

The differential lock,which wasdesigned foruse
in motor sport,maymake aslight noisewhen
maneuvering andontight corners.

Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake
IPCCB)

The high-performance brakesystem isdesigned
for optimal braking effectatall speeds andtem-
peratures. Certainspeeds, brakingforcesandam-
bient conditions (suchastemperature andhumid-
ity) therefore mightcause brakenoises.
Wear onthe different components andbraking
system, suchasbrake padsorbrake discs,
depends toagreat extent onthe individual driving
style andtheconditions ofuse andtherefore
cannot beexpressed inactual milesonthe road.
The values communicated byPorsche arebased
on normal operation adaptedtotraffic. Wearin-
creases considerably whenthevehicle isdriven
on race tracks orthrough anaggressive driving
style.

I>
Please consult yourauthorized Porschedealer
about thecurrent guidelines
in
effect before
such useofyour vehicle.
Aerodynamic
components

To benefit fromthehigh driving performance with-
out impairing thedriving safetyorthe service life
of the vehicle components, certainvehicle parts
must bealways fullyoperational whiledriving.

I>
Regularly checkyourvehicle forsigns ofdam-
age.
Damaged, wornormissing aerodynamic com-
ponents suchasspoilers orunderside panels
affect driving behaviour andmust therefore be
replaced immediately.
To optimise thecooling ofthe PCCS brakediscs,
large airbrake spoilers arefitted tothe front and
rear running gearcontrol arms.
If these air-brake spoilersarenotfitted andthere
is ahigh thermal demand onthe braking system,
the service lifeofthe PCCS brakediscscould be
reduced.
The aerodynamic stabilityofthe vehicle isinflu-
enced considerably athigh speeds bythe front lip.
Due tothe small ground clearance requiredforthe
optimisation ofthe driving behaviour, thefront lip
and theair-brake spoilershavetobe placed inex-
posed positions tofulfil their function. Theycanbe
damaged, forexample byground orcurbstone
contact.
Ground
clearance

Please bear
in
mind thelimited ground clearance
of your caronuneven surfaces, whenparking
(curbs), onramps, liftingplatforms, etc.

Seating
Your carhas two seats.
The area behind theseats isnot intended forpas-
sengers.

A
Danger!
Severe personal injuryordeath canresult in
the event ofan accident.

I>
Never allowanyone tosit inthe area behind the
seats.

Beforedrivingoff.. 14
Break inhints forthe first
1,000 miles/1,600 kilometers 16
Keys 19
Security WheelBolts 19
Doors 21
Central Locking 22
Alarm System, InfraredPassenger
Compartment Monitoring 24
Power Windows 26
Inside mirror 28
Rear View Mirrors 28
Rear Window Defogger,
Door Mirror Heating 29
Seat Adjustment 30
Steering WheelAdjustment.. 31
Safety Belts 32
Child Restraint Anchorages 35
Child Restraint Systems 36
Airbag Systems 38
Clutch Pedal 40
Parking Brake 40
Brakes 41
ABS Brake System
(Antilock BrakeSystem) 44
Interior lights 46
Footwell Lights 47
Operation, Instruments 48
Ignition/Starter Switchwith
anti-theft SteeringLock 50
Starting Procedures 52
Stopping Engine 53Instrument
PanelUSAModels 54
Instrument PanelCanada Models 56
Voltmeter 58
Automatic SpeedControl 58
Instrument Illumination 59
Trip Odometer 59
Speedometer 60
Changing overbetween
Miles /Kilometers 60
Tachometer 61
Turn Signal Indicator Light 61
High Beam 61
Cooling System 62
Fuel 63

C~k ~

Engine OilPressure 65
Check Engine
Warning Light 66
On-Board Computer (BC) 67
Warnings inthe Instrument Panelandinthe On-
Board Computer 75
Emergency FlasherSwitch 81
Light Switch 82
Automatic HeadlightBeamAdjustment 82
Turn Signal /
Headlight Dimmer/Flasher Lever 83
Windshield Wiper/Washer Lever 84
Automatic SpeedControl 86
Heating andVentilation 88
Automatic AirConditioning 90
Central andSide Vents 93
Fresh-air Intake 93Controls,
Instruments
Ashtray 94
Cigarette Lighter 94
Cupholder 95
Storage inthe Passenger Compartment 96
Luggage Compartment Lidand
Engine Compartment Lid 98
Luggage Compartment.. 100
Trunk Entrapment 101
Sun Visors 103
Spoiler, SideMember Panels 104
Car Audio Operation/Tips 105
Car Telephone and
Aftermarket Alarms 107
Roof Transport System 108
Gearshifting 109
Controls, Instruments

Parkingbrakewarning lightUSA
Parking brakewarning light
Canada

The warning lightsinthe instrument panelandon-
board computer willgoout after theparking brake
is fully released.
The warning lightsarenotanindicator thatthe
parking brakeisfully set;itis only intended tobe
a warning torelease theparking brakebefore
driving thecar.

A
Caution!
A partially engaged brakewilloverheat the
rear brakes, reducetheireffectiveness and
cause excessive wear.

~ Release theparking brakefully.
t> When parking yourcar,always setthe parking
brake bypulling allthe way uponthe lever.

t>
Move thegearshift levertoreverse orfirst
gear.

t>
Onhills also turnthefront wheels towards the
curb.
Brakes

t>
Please observe thechapter "AERODYNAMIC
COMPONENTS" onPage 9.

t>
Make itahabit tocheck theoperation ofyour
brakes beforedriving.
Keep inmind thatthebraking distance increases
very rapidly asthe speed increases. At60 mph or
100 km/h, forexample, itis not twice butfour
times longer than30mph or50 km/h. Tiretrac-
tion isalso lesseffective whentheroads arewet
or slippery.

t>
Therefore, alwaysmaintain asafe distance
from thecarinfront ofyou.

Vehicles withoutPorsche Ceramic Compos-
ite Brake (PCCB)

Even though thebrake discsconsist ofalloyed
grey castiron,theywillunavoidably starttocor-
rode ifyour carisparked foranextended period.
The brakes willtend to"rub" asthe result.
The nature, extentandeffects ofcorrosion de-
pend onthe amount oftime thevehicle was
parked, whether granular orliquid roadsaltwas
spread andwhether grease. were usedincar washes.
If the braking comfort isnoticeably impaired,we
recommend havingthebrake system checked by
experts atan authorized Porschedealer.
Brake
system function

Your Porsche isequipped withapower assisted
hydraulic dualcircuit brakesystem withdisc
brakes atthe front andrear.
Both circuits function independently. Onebrake
circuit operates thefront andtheother operates
the rear.
If one brake circuit hasfailed, theother willstill op-
erate. However, youwillnotice anincreased pedal
travel whenyouapply thebrakes.
Failure ofone brake circuit willcause thestopping
distance toincrease.

A
Warning!
Risk ofan accident.
In the unlikely eventofhydraulic failureof
one brake circuit:

t> Push thebrake pedaldownfirmly andhold itin
that position.
A mechanical linkageactivates thesecond cir-
cuit, andyou willbeable tobring thevehicle to
a stop.
t> After bringing yourvehicle toacomplete stop,
avoid driving thevehicle andinstead haveit
towed tothe nearest authorized Porschedeal-
er for repair.
Controls,Instruments

•Brakewarning lightUSA
~ Brakewarning lightCanada

If the warning lightsinthe instrument panelandon-
board computer goonwhile driving, thebrake flu-
id level maybetoo low, or(ifthe brake pedaltrav-
el has increased) oneofthe two brake circuits
may have failed.
A greater braking pressure willberequired, stop-
ping distances willbelonger andthebraking be-
havior willchange, particularly incurves.
With correctly adjustedbrakes,andacorrectly
working brakesystem, thepedal travel tothe
point ofbrake actuation shouldbe1-3/16 in.to
1-9/16 in.or30 to40 mm.
Whenever thebrake pedaltravel exceeds thisdis-
tance, havethebrake system checked.

42
Controls, Instruments
Brake
pedal

A
Warning!
Risk ofan accident.
Any obstruction ofthe brake pedalcould
increase thestopping distance.

~ Always checkthemovement ofthe brake ped-
al before driving andmake surethatitis not
obstructed byafloor matorany other object.
~ Secure thefloor mattoprevent itfrom sliding
into positions thatcould interfere withthesafe
operation ofyour vehicle.
Your Porsche dealerwillbeglad tooffer you
floor mats ofthe correct sizeincluding asecur-
ing possibility.

Note

In case oneofthe two brake circuits fails,in-
creased pedaltravel isrequired tobring your
vehicle toafull stop.
A

Warning!
To avoid overheating andpremature wearof
the brakes:

~ Before descending asteep grade, reduce
speed andshift thetransmission intoalower
gear ordriving position tocontrol speed.
~ Donot "ride thebrakes" byresting yourfooton
the pedal whennotintending toapply brake
pressure.
~ Donot hold thepedal downtoolong ortoo
often.
This could cause thebrakes toget hotand not
function properly.

Brakebooster

The brake booster assistsbraking onlywhen
the engine isrunning.

When thecar ismoving whiletheengine isnot run-
ning, orifthe brake booster isdefective, more
pressure onthe brake pedalisrequired tobring
the car toastop.
Moisture orroad saltonbrakes affects braking.
When thevehicle isdriven onsalted roadsforex-
tended periods, thebrakes shouldbewashed
down thoroughly aboutevery2weeks. Anauto-
matic carwash facilitycannot dothis jobproperly.
Brakes willdry after afew cautious brakeapplica-
tions.

/!\.
Warning!
Driving through watermayreduce thetrac-
tion. Moisture onbrakes fromroadwater, car
wash, orcoating ofroad saltmay affect
braking efficiency.

c>
Cautiously applybrakes totest brakes after
being exposed.
Brake
wear

Your carhas excellent brakes,butthey arestill
subject towear. Therate atwhich theywear de-
pends onhow thebrakes areused.

c>
Have thebrake system inspected atthe
intervals recommended inyour Maintenance
Booklet.

•• Warning lightUSA
• Warning lightCanada

If the warning lightsinthe instrument panelandon-
board computer stayonwhen theengine isrun-
ning orcome onwhile driving, thebrake padsare
worn, excessively.

c>
Donot continue tooperate thevehicle.
Have yourauthorized Porschedealerinspect
or replace thebrake pads.
Brake
pads

Wear onthe brake padsandbrake discsdepends
to agreat extent onthe driving styleandthecon-
ditions ofuse and therefore cannotbeexpressed
in actual milesonthe road.
The high-performance brakesystem isdesigned
for optimal braking effectatall speeds andtem-
peratures.
Certain speeds, brakingforcesandambient
conditions (suchastemperature andhumidity)
therefore mightcause "brake noises".

New brake padsorlinings

New brake padsandbrake discshavetobe "bro-
ken i",and therefore onlyattain optimal friction
when thecar has covered severalhundred miles

or km.

The slightly reduced brakingabilitymustbecom-
pensated forbypressing thebrake pedalharder.
This alsoapplies whenever thebrake padsand
brake discsarereplaced.
Controls, Instruments
43

ABSBrake System
(Antilock BrakeSystem)

The ABS system represents amajor contribution
to the enhancement ofactive safety inyour vehi-
cle. This system prevents thewheels fromlocking
in apanic stoponalmost allroad surfaces.
Controls, Instruments
With
theASS system inyour vehicle, the
following areasareenhanced:
Steering,
vehicleremains steerable underall
braking forceswhenABSisengaged.

Good directional control,
noswerving caused
by locking ofwheels underbraking conditions.

Shorter stopping distance,
stoppingdistances
are usually reduced because controlled brakingis
maximized.

Prevention of
wheel lock
up,
nobrake- induced
sliding andthus nolocalized tirewear fromemer-
gency braking.
The crucial advantage ofthe ABS system overa
conventional brakesystem isinthe area ofmain-
taining directional controlandmaneuverability of
the car inemergency situationsduringnormal
driving, including panicbraking inturns.
A

Warning!
The increased controlthatisprovided should
not induce youtotake greater riskswithyour
safety. Thelimits dictated bythe laws of
physics cannotbeovercome, evenwithASS.
The riskofaccidents duetoinappropriate
speed cannot bereduced, evenbythe ASS.
The driver bearstheresponsibility forall
driving maneuvers.

t>
Adapt yourdriving styletothe prevailing road
and weather conditions.
t> Obey alltraffic laws.

Other vehicles notequipped withtheASS
system maynotbeable tomaintain control,
especially onwet orpoor roadsurfaces and
thus maybemore likelytoimpact youfrom
behind.

t>
Tominimize thatrisk, useyour ABSsystem to
increase yourability tomaneuver toavoid dan-
gerous situations andnotmerely totry tostop
in the shortest distance possible.

Brake Fluidlevel

I>
Please observe thechapter "EXERCISE EX-
TREME CAUTION WHENWORKING ONYOUR
VEHICLE" onPage 112.

I>
Use only new(unused) OriginalPorsche
brake fluid.
A

Warning!
Brake fluidishazardous toyour health, and
may befatal ifswallowed.
Brake fluidalsoattacks paintwork.

I>
Keep brake fluidoutofchildren's reach.

I>
Take carewhile topping offbrake fluidnotto
soil theluggage compartment oritems oflug-
gage .
Checking thebrake fluidlevel
The reservoir forthe hydraulic brakingsystems is
in the luggage compartment.

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Check thebrake·fluid levelregularly atthe
transparent reservoir.
The fluid level should always liebetween the"MIN"
and "MAX" marks.
A slight decrease inthe fluid level duetowear and
automatic readjustment ofthe disc brakes isnor-

mal.
If, however, thefluid level fallsmarkedly orbelow
the "MIN" mark, thebraking systemmayhave
developed aleak.

I>
Have thebraking systemchecked immediately
at an authorized Porschedealer. Changing
thebrake fluid
Brake fluidabsorbs moisture fromtheairover
time. Thisaccumulation ofwater lowers theboil-
ing point and,under certain operating conditions,
can affect thebraking action.
Therefore havethebrake fluidchanged inaccor-
dance withthechange intervals statedinthe
brochure "Maintenance".
• Warning lightUSA

G
Warning lightCanada
The brake-fluid warninglightsinthe instrument
panel andon-board computer indicate:
- brake-fluid leveltoolow,
- inconjunction withlarge pedal travel,
a braking-circuit failure.

If the warning lightsshould lightupwhile
driVing:

I>
Stop immediately inasuitable place.

I>
Donot continue driving.
Please havethefault remedied atyour nearest
authorized Porschedealer.
Maintenance, CarCare

19

CarCare Instructions

I>
Please observe thechapter "EXERCISE EX-
TREME CAUTION WHENWORKING ONYOUR
VEHICLE" onPage 112.

Regular andcorrect carehelps tomaintain
the value ofyour carand isalso a
precondition forthe New Vehicle Warranty
and theAnti Corrosion Warranty.
Your authorized Porschedealerhas
specially developed car-careproductsfrom
the Porsche program available eithersingly
or as complete car-caresets.They willbe
pleased tohelp youselect suitable products.
Whether youusePorsche products orother
commercially availablecleaningagentsfirst
make sureoftheir correct application.

A Porsche thatiswell-cared forcan look likenew
for years.
It
all depends onthe amount ofcare the
owner iswilling togive thecar.

130
Maintenance, CarCare
A

Warning!
Risk ofserious personal injuryordamage to
the vehicle orproperty.
Cleaning agentsmaybehazardous toyour
health.
Most chemical cleanersareconcentrates
which require dilution. Highconcentrations
might cause problems rangingfromirritation
to serious injuryaswell asdamage toyour
vehicle.

t>
Keep cleaning agentsoutofreach fromchil-
dren.

I>
Observe allcaution labels.

I>
Always readdirections onthe container before
using anyproduct. Thesedirections maycon-
tain information necessarytoavoid personal
injury.

t>
Donot use fuel, kerosene, naphtha,nailpolish
remover orother volatile cleaning fluids.They
may betoxic, flammable orhazardous inother
ways. Onlyusespot removing fluidsinawell
vented area.

I>
Donot clean theunderside ofchassis, fend-
ers, wheel covers, etc.,without protecting
your hands andarms asyou may cutyourself
on sharp-edged metalparts. Moisture
androad saltonbrakes mayaffect brak-
ing efficiency.

I>
Test thebrakes aftereach vehicle washing.

Washing

The best method ofprotecting yourcarfrom the
damaging effectsofthe environment isfrequent
washing andtheapplication ofapreservative. The
underside ofyour vehicle shouldalsobewashed
thoroughly, atthe latest whensaltisno longer
spread onthe roads.
The longer salt,road dustandindustrial dust,
dead insects, birddroppings orsubstances from
trees (resin, pollen) areallowed toremain onthe
bodywork, themore serious istheir harmful ef-
fect.
New cars should bewashed carefully withplenty
of clear water toprotect thenew paint work. Dark
paint finishes showupthe smallest ofsurface
damage (e.g.,scratches) morereadily thanlighter
colors.
Dark colors arealso more susceptible toscratch-
ing because ofthe composition oftheir pigments
and require particularly carefulpaintcare.

D-
Donot wash yourcarinbright sunlight orwhile
the bodywork isstill hot.

D-
When washing byhand, useabundant water,a
soft sponge orwash brush, andPorsche car
shampoo.

D-
Begin byspraying thebody thoroughly withwa-
ter torinse away loose dirt.
D-

After washing, rinsethecarwith plenty ofwa-
ter and then drywith achamois leather.
Do not use thesame chamois leatherfordry-
ing asyou useforcleaning thewindshield and
windows.

/!\
Warning!
Moisture whichgetsontothe brakes during
a car wash canreduce braking efficiency or
make thebrakes pullunevenly whichcould
increase thedanger ofan accident, causing
serious personal injuriesordeath.

D-
Always applythebrakes afew times after
washing thecartotest braking efficiency and
dry the brake discs.
When doingthis,take care nottohamper other
road users behind you(traffic conditions per-
mitting),

Automatic carwashes

Optional add-onpartsorparts which project
beyond thecontours ofthe vehicle maybe
damaged bydesign features (e.g.brushes) ofau-
tomatic carwashes.
The
following partsareparticularly
susceptible todamage:

- Windshield wipers(always switchthemoffto
prevent themwiping unintentionally inintermit-
tent operation)
- External telephone antennas(alwaysunscrew)
- Roof Transport System(alwaysremove com-
pletely)
- Rear spoiler
- Wheels (thewider therimand thelower thetire
height, thegreater therisk ofdamage)
- High-gloss wheels(toprevent thesefromget-
ting scratched, donot clean withthewheel-
cleaning brushesofthe carwash).

D-
Please consult theoperator beforeusingauto-
matic carwashes.

D-
Wash anddrybyhand allpoints notreached by
a car wash, suchasdoor andlidseams or
door sills.

Note

Automatic carwashes spraywater atodd angles
and high pressures, whicharenotseen innormal
driving. Therefore, watercansometimes findits
way intothepassengers compartment duringor
shortly afterthecarwash.

D-D- D-

Maintenance, CarCare

lires/Wheels
The original equipment tiresandwheel rimson
your Porsche complywithallapplicable Federal
Motor Vehicle SafetyStandards.

For your safety remember thefollowing:

- Wheel rimsandwheel boltsarematched tofit
your Porsche.
- Ifyou intend touse other thanoriginal equip-
ment wheels, besure thatthey conform to
Porsche specifications foryour model.
Only tires withthesame makeandwith the
same specification code(e.g.
"NO", "Nl"..
J

can bemounted.
- The useofwheel rimsandwheel boltsthatdo
not meet specifications ofthe original factory
installed equipment willaffect thesafe opera-
tion ofyour vehicle.
- Before youplan onexchanging wheels,or
snow tiresalready mounted onthe wheel rims,
consult yourauthorized Porschedealer.Your
dealer hasthetechnical information necessary
to advise youwhich wheel rimsandwheel bolts
are compatible withtheoriginal factoryinstal-
lations.
A

Warning!
Risk ofloss ofcontrol andserious personal
injury.

I>
Ifwhile driving, yourvehicle experiences asud-
den vibration orride disturbance, and/oryou
suspect thatpossible damagetoyour tires or
vehicle hasoccurred, youshould immediately
reduce yourspeed without excessive useof
the brakes.

I>
Stop thevehicle assoon aspossible, andin-
spect thetires.
If you cannot determine thecause forthe dis-
turbance, haveyourvehicle towedtothe near-
est Porsche ortire dealer tohave yourvehicle
or tire(s) inspected.

I>
Continuing tooperate thevehicle without cor·
rection couldresult inaloss ofcontrol and
serious personal injury.
PracticalTips,Emergency Service
141