warning PORSCHE BOXSTER 2005 2.G Owner's Manual

Controls, Instruments
39
Steering Wheel Adjustment
Warning!
Risk of accident.
The steering wheel may move further than
desired if you attempt to adjust it when
driving.
You may lose control of the vehicle.
fDo not adjust the steering wheel when driving.
Adjusting steering wheel height and
longitudinal direction 1. Push the locking lever downwards.
2. Adjust steering wheel to fit the chosen back-
rest angle and your seat position by moving
the steering wheel up or down and longitudinal-
ly.
3. Swivel locking lever back until you feel it enga-
ge.
If necessary, move the steering wheel slightly
up or down and longitudinally.

40
Controls, Instruments
Multi-functional steering wheel
Warning!
There is a danger of accident if you set or
operate the on-board computer, radio,
navigation system, telephone or other equip-
ment when driving.
This could distract you from the traffic and
cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
fOperate these components while driving only if
the traffic situation allows you to do so safely.
fCarry out any complicated operating or setting procedures only with the vehicle stationary.
Depending on the equipment in your vehicle, you
can use the function keys of the multi-functional
steering wheel to operate the following Porsche
communication systems:
–PCM,
– Telephone,
– Radio with CD drive,
–CD changer.
Readiness for operation of multi-
functional steering wheelThe multi-functional steering wheel is ready for
operation when the ignition and PCM are switched
on.Operating the function keysfPlease read the separate PCM operating
instructions before operating the function
keys.
fThe rotary knobs at the top left and right of the
steering wheel can also be pressed.
Turn volume control
Upwards – increase volume.
Downwards – decrease volume.
Press volume control
To switch volume/mute on and off.
Turn rotary knob
To select/mark function in the PCM. To do
this, turn the rotary knob upward or
downward.
Press rotary knob
To activate selected function.
Press screen button
To call the stored PCM function.
The button can be assigned the desired
function in the PCM.
Press Back button
To move back in the PCM menu.
Press Handset Pickup button
To accept a telephone call.
Press Handset Hangup button
To end or refuse a telephone call.

Controls, Instruments
41
Sun Visors fSwing the sun visors down to prevent glare
from the front.
Vanity mirror The vanity mirror on the rear of the sun visor is co-
vered by a lid.
Warning!
Risk of injury or risk of damage to mirror lid
and convertible top.
fKeep the lid closed while driving and when clo-
sing the convertible top.
Risk of damage.
fDo not force the lid beyond its end position.
In the case of an illuminated vanity mirror, the light
is switched on when the lid is opened.

42
Controls, Instruments
Safety Belts
Warning!
Always make sure your and your passenger’s
safety belts are properly fastened while the
vehicle is in motion.
Failure to follow safety belt warnings may re-
sult in serious personal injury.
fFor your and your passenger’s protection, use
safety belts at all times while the vehicle is in
motion.
fUse appropriate child restraint systems for all
small children.
Proper wearing of safety belts
fS a f e t y b e l t s m u s t b e p o s i t i o n e d o n t h e b o d y a s
to restrain the upper body and lap from sliding
forward. Improperly positioned safety belts
can cause serious personal injury in case of an
accident.
fThe shoulder belt should always rest on your
upper body. The shoulder belt should never be
worn behind your back or under your arm.
fFor maximum effectiveness, the lap belt
should be worn low across the hips.
fPregnant women should position the belt as
low as possible across the pelvis. Make sure it
is not pressing against the abdomen. fBelts should not be worn twisted.
fDo not wear belts over rigid or breakable ob-
jects in or on your clothing, such as eye glas-
ses, pens, keys, etc. as these may cause inju-
ry.
fSeveral layers of heavy clothing may interfere
with proper positioning of belts.
fBelts must not rub against sharp objects or da-
mage may occur to the belt.
fTwo occupants should never share the same
belt at the same time.
Care and maintenance
fKeep belt buckles free of any obstruction that
may prevent a secure locking.
fBelts that have been subjected to excesssive
stretch forces in an accident must be inspec-
ted or replaced to ensure their continued effec-
tiveness in restraining you.
The same applies to belt tensioner systems
which have been triggered.
In addition, the anchor points of the belts
should be checked.
fIf safety belts do not work properly, see your
authorized Porsche dealer immediately.
fI f t h e b e l t s s h o w d a m a g e t o w e b b i n g , b i n d i n g s ,
buckles or retractors, they should be replaced
to ensure safe operation. fDo not modify or disassemble the safety belts
in your vehicle.
fThe belts must be kept clean or the retractors
may not work properly.
Please observe the chapter “CAR CARE IN-
STRUCTIONS” on Page 191.
fNever bleach or dye safety belts.
fDo not allow safety belts to retract until they
are completely dry after cleaning or this may
cause damage to the belt.
Belt tensioner Depending on the force of a collision, fastened
safety belts are tightened in an accident.
The belt tensioners are triggered in:
– Front, side and rear impacts
Note
The belt tensioner system can be triggered only
once; the system must be replaced afterward.
If there is a fault in the belt tensioner system, the
airbag light lights up.
Work may be performed on the belt tensioner sys-
tem only by an authorized Porsche dealer.
Smoke is released when the belt tensioners are
triggered. This does not indicate a fire in the vehic-
le.

Controls, Instruments
43
An audio-visual warning system is interconnec-
ted with the driver’s safety belt.
Every time the ignition is turned on, the gong will
sound for about 6 seconds to remind driver and
passenger to buckle up.
In addition, the gong will sound if the vehicle speed
exceeds 6mph (10 km/h).
The safety belt warning light in the instrument
panel and on-board computer will go off as soon
as the driver has buckled up.
Inertia reel retractor The combination lap/shoulder belt with inertia reel
locking mechanism adjusts automatically to your
size and movements as long as the pull on the belt
is slow.
Rapid deceleration during hard braking or a collisi-
on locks the belt. The belt will also lock when you
drive up or down a steep hill or in a sharp curve,
otherwise, the shoulder belt will not inhibit your up-
per body movement. fAssume a comfortable sitting position.
The shoulder belt should always rest on your
upper body. The shoulder belt should never be
worn behind your back or under your arm.
fTo fasten, grasp belt and pull the belt in a con-
tinuous slow motion across your chest and lap.
fInsert belt tongue into buckle on inboard side
of seat. Push down until it securely locks with
an audible click. Pull the belt to check.
fPull shoulder section to make sure belt fits snu-
gly across the pelvis.
fBelts should fit snugly across the pelvis and
chest. Make sure there is no slack in the belt.
fTo unfasten belt, push in release button (arrow)
on buckle. Belt tongue will spring out of buckle.
fTo release a latched belt, lean back to take the
body pressure off the belt.
fTo store lap/shoulder belt, allow the belt to re-
tract as you guide the latch to its stowed posi-
tion.
fPlease observe the chapter “AUTOMATIC LO-
CKING RETRACTOR” on Page 44.
Safety Belt Warning System

Controls, Instruments
47
LATCH SystemChild seat bracket on the passenger’s
seatUse only child restraint systems with the LATCH
system recommended by Porsche.
These systems have been tested and adjusted to
the interior of your Porsche and the appropriate
child age groups. Other systems have not been
tested and could entail an increased risk of injury.
You can obtain child seats that are
LATCH compatible at your authorized Porsche
dealer.
fAlways observe the separate installation in-
structions for your child seat.
Note
The LATCH attachment bracket is not installed at
the factory. It can be retrofitted at your authorized
Porsche dealer.
Danger!
The use of a child restraint system in the
passenger seat without airbag deactivation
can result in serious personal injury or death
to the child from an airbag deployment.
fFor children up to a weight of 27 kg (59 lbs.),
the passenger’s airbag must be switched off if
a child restraint system is used on the
passenger’s seat.
The passenger’s airbag must be switched on
for children weighing over 27 kg (59 lbs.).
fPlease see your authorized Porsche dealer for
correct Porsche Child Seat availability.
fPorsche recommends the use of a Porsche
Child Seat with Lower Anchorage and Tether
for Children system (LATCH).
fPlease observe the chapter “CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS” on Page 45.
Installing a LATCH child seat system1. Switch off passenger airbag with key switch.
The warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF”
must be illuminated.
Please observe the chapter “KEY-OPERATED
AIRBAG DEACTIVATION DEVICE” on Page 48.2. Secure the child seat to retaining lugs A as out-
lined in the instruction manual for the child
seat.
3. Pull the child seat to check that both fastening
points are engaged correctly.
Note
The airbag must be switched back on after remo-
ving the child seat.

48
Controls, Instruments
Key-operated airbag deactivation
deviceSwitching passenger’s airbag on and offfSwitch off the passenger airbag on the key
switch using the vehicle key.
A - Switch position ON – airbag is active
B - Switch position OFF – airbag is switched off
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death for
passenger if passenger airbag remains
switched off after the child restraint system
is removed.
fThe passenger airbag must be switched on
again once the child seat has been removed, in
order to provide protection to the adult occupants.
Warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF”If the airbag on the passenger’s side is switched
off:
– Warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” is
continuously lit when the ignition is switched
on.
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNINGS ON
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-
BOARD COMPUTER” on Page 102.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death from
the passenger’s airbag.
If the “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” warning
light is not lit when the ignition is switched on
and the Airbag OFF switch is switched off,
this could indicate a fault in the system.
fDo not install a child restraint system on the
passenger’s seat.
fHave the fault remedied immediately. Please see your authorized Porsche dealer.
Note
The key switch and the warning light “PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF” are not installed at the factory.
They can be retrofitted at your authorized Porsche
dealer.

50
Controls, Instruments fDo not add any additional coverings or stickers
to the steering wheel or in the area of the pas-
senger airbag and side airbags. Doing so may
adversely affect the functioning of the airbag
system or cause harm to the occupants if the
airbag system should deploy.
fDo not undertake any wiring for electrical ac-
cessory equipment in the vicinity of the airbag
wiring harnesses. Doing so may disable the air-
bag system or cause inflation.
fIf the warning light comes on, the airbag sys-
tem should be repaired immediately by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
Note
Airbag components (e.g. steering wheel, door
trim, seats) may be disassembled only by an au-
thorized Porsche dealer.
When disposing of a used airbag unit, our safety
instructions must be followed. These instructions
can be obtained at any authorized Porsche dealer.Faults are indicated by a warning light in the instru-
ment panel and a message on the on-board com-
puter.
fIn the following cases you should immedi-
ately consult an authorized Porsche deal-
er in order to assure the airbag system is
functioning properly:
– If the warning light does not light up when the
ignition is switched on or
– if the warning light does not go out once the
engine is running or
– if the warning light appears while driving.
fPlease observe the chapter “WARNINGS ON
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-
BOARD COMPUTER” on Page 102.
Warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF”fPlease observe the chapter “KEY-OPERATED
AIRBAG DEACTIVATION DEVICE” on Page 48.
Airbag maintenanceIn order to ensure long-term functioning, the air-
bag system must be inspected by an authorized
Porsche dealer at the intervals recommended in
your Maintenance booklet.
Important information
If you sell your Porsche, notify the purchaser that
the vehicle is equipped with airbags, and refer
them to the chapter, “Airbag Systems”, in the own-
er’s manual (safety and disposal rules).
Further information on the airbag system can be
found on labels on the sun visors, as well as on all
airbag components.
fFor special recommendations on the use of
child restraints:
Please observe the chapter “CHILD RES-
TRAINT SYSTEMS” on Page 45.
Warning light and warning
message

Controls, Instruments
51
Clutch Pedal The clutch pedal must be depressed fully be-
fore the starter will engage.
Warning!
Risk of an accident.
fAlways check the movement of the clutch pe-
dal 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.
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 (see 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” (Tiptronic) 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 brake fPull the lever slightly up as you depress the re-
lease button A, and then push the lever all the
way down.

52
Controls, Instruments The parking brake warning lights 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 dri-
ving 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” (Tiptronic) 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 ti-
mes longer than 30 mph or 50 km/h. Tire traction
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
Composite Brake (PCCB)
Even though the brake discs consist of alloyed
grey cast iron, they will unavoidably start to corro-
de 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 par-
ked, whether granular or liquid road salt was
spread and whether grease-dissolving agents
were used in car washes.
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 bra-
kes 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
operate. However, you will notice an increased pe-
dal travel when you apply the brakes.
Failure of one brake circuit will cause the stopping
distance to increase.
Warning!
Risk of an accident.
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 to-
wed to the nearest authorized Porsche dealer for repair.
Parking brake warning light USA
Parking brake warning light
Canada