service PORSCHE BOXSTER 2006 2.G User Guide

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
219 Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle ............................. 220
Tires/Wheels ............................................ 221
Loading Information ................................... 235
Lifting the Vehicle with a Lifting Platform
or Garage Lift ........................................... 237
Flat Tire .................................................... 238
Wheel Bolts ............................................. 241
Spacers ................................................... 244
Electrical System ..................................... 246
Battery .................................................... 249
Jump lead starting .................................... 256
Replacing bulbs ......................................... 258
Headlights ................................................ 261
Turn signal light ......................................... 265
Side marker light ....................................... 268
Tail light .................................................... 269
Additional brake light ................................. 270
Luggage compartment/footwell lights ......... 270
Interior light .............................................. 271
Adjusting Headlights .................................. 272
Towing ..................................................... 274

220
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Exercise Extreme Caution when
Working on your Vehicle
Danger!
Ignoring the following instructions may cau-
se serious personal injury or death.
fThe engine compartment of any motor vehicle
is a potentially hazardous area. If you are not
fully familiar with proper repair procedures, do
not attempt the adjustments described on the
following pages.
This caution applies to the entire vehicle.
fO 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.
fEnsure that there are no open flames in the
area of your vehicle at any time when fuel
fumes might be present. Be especially cau-
tious of such devices such as hot water hea-
ters which ignite a flame intermittently.
fBefore working on any part in the engine com-
partment, turn the engine off and let it cool
down sufficiently. Hot engine compartment
components can burn skin on contact.
fBe alert and cautious around engine at all
times while the engine is running.
If work has to be performed with the engine
running, always set the parking brake, and
make sure the shift lever is in neutral or the se-
lector lever is in position P.fIn particular, be very careful to ensure that
items of clothing (ties, shirt, sleeves etc.), je-
welry, long hair, hand or fingers cannot get
caught in the engine-compartment blower, 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 en-
gine off and exercise extreme caution.
fYour Porsche is equipped with an electronic ig-
nition system. When the ignition is on, high vol-
tage 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.
fAlways support your car with safety stands if it
is necessary to work under the car.
Jacks are not suitable for this kind of work.
fWhen 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 can-
not be started.
Remove the ignition key.fDo not smoke or allow an open flame around
the battery or fuel.
Keep a fire extinguisher in close reach.
fIncomplete or improper servicing may cause
problems in the operation of the car. If in doubt
about any servicing, have it done by your au-
thorized Porsche dealer.
Improper maintenance during the warranty pe-
riod may affect your Porsche warranty cover-
age.
fSupplies of fluids, e.g. engine oil, 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 appro-
priate regulations.
fSome countries require additional tools and
special spare parts to be carried.
Please make enquiries before driving abroad.

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
221
Tires/Wheels The original equipment tires and wheel rims on
your Porsche comply with all applicable Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
For your safety remember the following:
– Wheel rims and wheel bolts are matched to fit
your Porsche.
– If you intend to use other than original equip-
ment wheels, be sure that they conform to
Porsche specifications for your model.
Only tires with the same make and with the
same specification code (e.g. “N0”, “N1”...)
can be mounted.
– The use of wheel rims and wheel bolts that do
not meet specifications of the original factory
installed equipment will affect the safe opera-
tion of your vehicle.
– Before you plan on exchanging wheels, or
snow tires already mounted on the wheel rims,
consult your authorized Porsche dealer. Your
dealer has the technical information necessary
to advise you which wheel rims and wheel bolts
are compatible with the original factory instal-
lations.
Danger!
Risk of loss of control and serious personal
injury or death.
fIf while driving, your vehicle experiences a sud-
den vibration or ride disturbance, and/or you
suspect that possible damage to your tires or
vehicle has occurred, you should immediately
reduce your speed without excessive use of
the brakes.
fStop the vehicle as soon as possible, and in-
spect the tires.
If you cannot determine the cause for the dis-
turbance, have your vehicle towed to the near-
est Porsche or tire dealer to have your vehicle
or tire(s) inspected.
fContinuing to operate the vehicle without cor-
rection could result in a loss of control and se-rious personal injury.

222
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maxi-
mum section width.
Example All passenger car tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades. Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested un-
der controlled conditions on a specific govern-
ment test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and a half (1-1/2) times as well on the government
course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to va-
riations in driving habits, service practices and dif-
ferences in road characteristics and climate.

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
223
Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B and C and they represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under con-
trolled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
Warning!
The traction grade assigned to this is based on
braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does
not include cornering (turned) traction, accelera-
tion, hydroplaning or peak traction characteris-
tics. Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and
C, representing the tire’s resistance to the genera-
tion of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperatures can cause the mate-
rial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel than the mini-
mum required by law.
Warning!
The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloa-
ded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loa-
ding, either separately or in combination, can cau-
se heat buildup and possible tire failure.

224
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Tire pressures
Warning!
Incorrect tire pressure causes increased tire
wear and adversely affects road handling.
fAlways use an accurate tire pressure gauge
when checking inflation pressures.
fDo not exceed the maximum tire pressure list-
ed on the tire sidewall.
Please observe the chapter “VEHICLE IDENTI-
FICATION NUMBER” on Page 278.
fCold tire inflation pressure means: all tires
must be cold, ambient temperature maximum
(68°F, (20°C)
, when adjusting the inflation pres-
sure.
Avoid sunlight striking the tires before measur-
ing cold pressures, since the pressures would
rise from temperature influence.
fValve caps protect the valve from dust and dirt,
and thus from leakage.
Always screw caps tightly down.
Replace missing caps immediately.
fUse only plastic valve caps.
fDo not use commercially available sealant or
tire inflating bottles. Only use Porsche approved tire sealant.Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should
be checked every 2 weeks when cold (68°F/20°C)
and inflated to the inflation pressure recommend-
ed in this Owner's Manual or on the tire-pressure
plate.
If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated in this Owner's Manual or on the tire-
pressure plate, you should determine the proper
tire inflation pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire pressure monitoring (TPC)
that illuminates a low tire pressure message when
one or more of your tires is significantly under-in-
flated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
message illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly un-
der-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduc-
es fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPC is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s re-
sponsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even
if under-inflation has not reached the level to trig-
ger illumination of the TPC low tire pressure mes-
sage.
fOn vehicles with tire pressure monitoring:
Please observe the chapter “TPC TIRE
PRESSURE MONITORING” on Page 103.
When tires are warm, the tire pressure is increa-
sed.fNever let air out of hot tires.
This could cause the tire pressure to fall below
the prescribed value.
Insufficient tire filling pressure can cause tires to
overheat and thus be damaged – even invisibly.
Hidden tire damage is not eliminated by subse-
quently correcting the tire pressure.

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
225
Overloading
Danger!
Risk of personal injury, loss of control and
damage to vehicle parts.
fDo not overload your vehicle. Be careful about
the roof load.
fIf loading the vehicle also correct the tire pres-
sure. Tire pressure for loaded vehicle can be
found on the tire pressure plate and in the
chapter technical data.
fNever exceed the specified axle load.
Overloading can shorten the service life of the
tires and car, as well as lead to dangerous ve-
hicle reactions and long braking distances.
Damage due to overloading is not covered by the vehicle warranty.
fPlease observe the chapter “LOADING INFOR-
MATION” on Page 235.
fPlease observe the chapter “TIRE PRESSURE
FOR COLD TIRES” on Page 284.

226
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Example of a tire pressure plate ATire pressure plateDepending on when your vehicle was manufac-
tured, the tire pressure plate in the left door aper-
ture will contain different data.
Information on the tire pressure plate A
A Seating capacity
Maximum number of vehicle occupants, includ-
ing the driver.B Vehicle load limit
Is the maximum total weight limit specified of
the load (passengers and cargo) for the vehi-
cle. This is the maximum weight of passengers
and cargo that can be loaded into the vehicle.
If a trailer is being towed, the trailer tongue
weight must be included as part of the cargo
load.
Please observe the chapter “LOADING INFOR-
MATION” on Page 235.
C Tire size for the front axle
Check with your authorized Porsche dealer
about the current release status.
D Recommended tire pressure for the front axle
These values are for cold tires (68°F/20 °C).
E Tire size for the rear axle
Check with your authorized Porsche dealer
about the current release status.
F Recommended tire pressure for the rear axle
These values are for cold tires (68°F/20 °C).
G In vehicles with collapsible spare wheel:
Size and tire pressure of the spare wheel.
Example of a tire pressure plate BInformation on the tire pressure plate B
A Information for tire sealant, seating capacity,
vehicle load limit
B Approved tire size for the front axle
C Permissible tire pressure for the front axle
D Tire pressure for fully loaded or partially
loaded vehicle
E Permissible tire pressure for the rear axle
F Approved tire size for the rear axle

Practical Tips, Emergency Service
227
Tire traction
Warning!
When driving on wet or slushy roads, a
wedge of water may build up between the
tires and the road. This phenomenon is
known as “hydroplane” and may cause par-
tial or complete loss of traction, vehicle
control or stopping ability.
fReduce speed on wet surface to prevent this. Tire life Tire life depends on various factors, i. e., road
surfaces, traffic and weather conditions, driving
habits, type of tires and tire care.
fInspect your tires for wear and damage before
driving off. If you notice uneven or substantial
wear, wheels might need alignment or tires
should be balanced or replaced.
Tire wear The original equipment tires on your Porsche have
built-in tire wear indicators. They are molded into
the bottom of the tread grooves and will appear as
approximately 1/2 in. (12 mm) bands when the
tire tread depth is down to 1/16 of an in.
(1.6 mm).
When the indicators appear in two or more adja-
cent grooves, it is time to replace the tires. We
recommend, however, that you do not let the tires
wear down to this extent.
Worn tires cannot grip the road surface properly
and are even less effective on wet roads.
In the United States, state laws may govern the
minimum tread depth permissible. Follow all such
laws.
Danger!
Driving on worn tires can result in loss of con-
trol of the vehicle and could cause serious
personal injuries or death.
fDo not drive with worn tires or tires showing
cuts or bruises as they may lead to sudden
deflation and loss of control which could cause
severe personal injury.
fSpecialized high performance tires on high
performance sports cars exhibit more wear
than those on a family sedan, or even a high
performance sedan.
Therefore, it is important to check your tire
pressure and condition at least every two weeks.
If you notice that tires are wearing unevenly, con-
sult your Porsche dealer.
Uneven wear may not always be due to improper
wheel alignment. It can be the result of individual
driving habits such as cornering at high speeds. If
the tire pressure is not checked and adjusted
regularly, abnormal tire wear can also occur.

228
Practical Tips, Emergency Service
Tire care fAvoid damaging tires and wheel rims.
fIf you must drive over a curb or other obstacle,
drive slowly and at an obtuse angle.
fCheck tires for uneven wear and damage
before driving off.
fRemove imbedded material.
fReplace worn or damaged tires immediately.
fKeep oil, fuel, brake fluid, etc. away from tires.
fReplace missing valve stem caps.
fKeep tires inflated correctly.
fWash tires when washing the vehicle.
Also clean inner side of wheels.
fDo not use abrasive cleaners when washing
the wheels.
fCheck wheel rims for corrosion.
fRemove road salt, if driving in winter.
Tire damage, puncture fCheck tires for imbedded material, cuts, punc-
tures, cracks and bulges (side wall) before driv-
ing off.
In case of tire damage, where it is uncertain wheth-
er there is a break in the ply with all its conse-
quences or tire damage caused by thermal or me-
chanical overloading due to loss of pressure or
any other prior damage, we recommend that the
tire be replaced for safety reasons.
I f o n e f a u l t y t i re i s re p l a c e d i t s h o u l d b e n o t e d t h a t
the difference in tread depth on one axle must not
exceed 30 %.
Handling inconsistencies may result.
fPerform a visual inspection if necessary.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death.
Driving the vehicle with low tire pressure
increases risk of a tire failure and resulting
loss of control. Furthermore, low tire pres-
sure increases rate of wear of the affected
tires.
fCheck tires – including sidewalls – regularly for
foreign bodies, nicks, cuts, cracks and bulges.
fAfter driving off road, examine tires for signs
of damage such as cuts, tears, bulges or for-
eign objects stuck in the tread. Replace a dam-
aged tire if necessary.
fCross curb edges slowly and at right angles if
possible.
Avoid driving over steep or sharp curbs.
fIn cases of doubt, have the wheel (particularly
the inner side) checked by an authorized Porsche dealer.