airbag off PORSCHE BOXSTER 2009 2.G Owners Manual

6
Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPorsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) ...... 4
Setting and operating vehicle components
when driving .................................................. 4
Portable Fuel Contain ers ................................ 4
Ground Clearance ...... .................................... 4
Engine Exhaust .......... .................................... 5Before driving off................................. 8Before driving off... ........................................ 8
Break in hints for the first
2,000 miles/3,000 kilo meters ...................... 10Operation, Safety ............................... 13Keys ........................ .................................. 15
Security Wheel Bolts .................................... 15
Doors ................................................ ......... 18
Central Locking in Cars without Alarm System 19
Central Locking in Cars with Alarm System ... 21
Alarm System,
Passenger Compartment Monitoring ............. 25
Power Windows ............. .............................. 27
Mirrors ...................... .................................. 29
Rear Window Defogger, Door Mirror Heating .. 31
Seat Adjustment and Head Restraints ............ 32
Seat Memory ............. .................................. 35
Heated Seats ............ .................................. 37
Seat Ventilation ...... ...................................... 38
Steering Wheel Adjust ment ........................... 38
Steering Wheel Heatin g ................................ 39
Multi-Functional Steering Wheel ..................... 40 Sun Visors ...............
....................................41
Safety Belts ............. ....................................42
Airbag Systems ....... ....................................44
Child Restraint System s ................................50
LATCH System
Child seat bracket on the passenger’s seat ....54
Sports Exhaust System ................................55
Parking Brake .......... ....................................55
Brakes ................... ....................................56
ABS Brake System (Antilock Brake System) ...59
Clutch Pedal ................ ................................60
Sport Mode ................. ................................61
Porsche Stability Manage ment (PSM) .............63
Porsche Active Suspension Management
(PASM) ........................ ................................66
Retractable Spoiler .. ................................... 67
Fixed rear spoiler . ........................................68
Interior lights ................................ ...............69
Parking Aids ........... ....................................70
Ignition/Starter Switch with
anti-theft Steering Lo ck .................................72
Starting Procedures .....................................75
Stopping Engine .. ........................................76
Emergency Flasher Swit ch ............................77
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Bi-Xenon Headlig hts ...............................78
Light Switch on Vehicles
with Halogen Headlights ...............................80
Turn Signal / Headlight Dimmer /Parking light /
Flasher Lever ........... ....................................81
Windshield Wiper/ Washer Lever ...................82
Automatic Speed Contro l ..............................

84Cupholder ...................
................................ 86
Ashtray ....................... ................................ 87
Cigarette Lighter .... ..................................... 88
Storage in the Passenger Compartment ........ 89
Luggage Storage on Engine Compartment Lid 91
Luggage Compartment Li ds ......................... 92
Luggage Compartment ................................ 94
Rear luggage compartm ent .......................... 94
Trunk Entrapment .. ..................................... 95
Porsche Communication Management (PCM) . 97
Car Telephone and Aftermarket Alarms ........ 99
iPod, USB and AUX . ................................... 100
Fire Extinguisher .... ................................... 101
HomeLink ................... .............................. 102
Automatic Air Conditioning System,
Heated Rear Window/
Door Mirror Heating. ........................ 105Air Conditioning ...... ................................... 106
Automatic Air Conditioning System ............. 109
Central and Side Vents ............................. 112
Fresh-air Intake . ....................................... 112
Heated Rear Window/Door Mirror Heating ... 113Instruments, On-Board Computer,
Warnings ........................................ 115Instrument Panel USA Models ..................... 116
Instrument Panel Canada Models ................ 118
Automatic Speed Control Indicator light ...... 120
Instrument Illumination ............................... 120

8
Before driving off...
Dear Porsche Owner A lot has gone into the manufacture of your
Porsche, including advanced engineering, rigid
quality control and demanding inspections.
These engineering and safety features will be
enhanced by you... the safe driver... – who knows his/her car and all controls,
– who maintains the vehicle properly,
– who uses driving skills wisely and always drives within her/his own capabilities and the
level of familiarity with the vehicle.
You will find helpful hints in this manual on how to
perform most of the checks listed on the following
pages.
If in doubt, have these checks performed by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
Before driving off... Check the following items first f Turn the engine off before you attempt any
checks or repairs on the vehicle.
f Be sure the tires are inflated correctly.
Check tires for damage and tire wear.
f See that wheel bolts are properly tightened
and not loose or missing.
f Check engine oil level, add if necessary.
Make it a habit to have engine oil checked with
every fuel filling.
f Check all fluid levels such as windshield
washer and brake fluid levels.
f Be sure the vehicle battery is well charged and
cranks the engine properly.
f Check all doors and lids for proper operation
and latch them properly.
f Check, and if necessary replace worn or
cracked wiper blades.
f See that all windows are clear and unob-
structed.
f Check air intake slots and area between lug-
gage compartment lid and windshield. Ensure
that these areas are free of snow and ice, so
the heater and the windshield wipers work
properly. f
If a child will be riding in the vehicle, check
child seat/child seat restraint system to ensure
that restraints are properly adjusted.
f Child restraint systems will not fit into the
Sports bucket seat.
Do not install a child restraint system in the
Sports bucket seat.
The Sports bucket seat cannot be equipped
with the LATCH system and thus the airbag
system cannot be manually deactivated.
f Check all exterior and interior lights for opera-
tion and that the lenses are clean.
f Check the headlights for proper aim, and if
necessary, have them adjusted.
f Check under the vehicle for leaks.
f Be sure all luggage is stowed securely.
Emergency equipment It is good practice to carry emergency equipment
in your vehicle.
Some of the items you should have are:
window scraper, snow brush, container or bag of
sand or salt, emergency light, small shovel, first-
aid kit, etc.

Before driving off...
9
In the driver’s seat... fCheck operation of the horn.
f Position seat for easy reach of foot pedals and
controls.
To reduce the possibility of injury from the
airbag deployment, you should always sit back
as far from the steering wheel as is practical,
while still maintaining full vehicle control.
f Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
f Buckle your safety belts.
f Check operation of the foot and parking brake.
f Check all warning and indicator lights with
ignition on and engine not running.
f Start engine and check all warning displays for
warning symbols.
f Never leave an idling car unattended.
f Lock doors from inside, especially with chil-
dren in the car to prevent inadvertent opening
of doors from inside or outside.
Drive with doors locked.
On the road... fNever drive after you have consumed alcohol
or drugs.
f Always have your safety belt fastened.
f Always drive defensively.
Expect the unexpected.
f Use signals to indicate turns and lane changes.
f Turn on headlights at dusk or when the driving
conditions warrant it.
f Always keep a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, depending on traffic, road and
weather conditions.
f Reduce speed at night and during inclement
weather.
Driving in wet weather requires caution and re-
duced speeds, particularly on roads with
standing water, as the handling characteristics
of the vehicle may be impaired due to hydro-
planing of the tires.
f Always observe speed limits and obey road
signs and traffic laws.
f When tired, get well off the road, stop and take
a rest. Turn the engine off. Do not sit in the ve-
hicle with engine idling.
Please see the chapter “ENGINE EXHAUST” on
Page 5. f
When parked, always set the parking brake.
Move the PDK selector le ver to ”P“ or the gear-
shift lever to reverse or first gear.
On hills also turn the front wheels toward the
curb.
f When emergency repairs become necessary,
move the vehicle well off the road. Turn on the
emergency flasher and use other warning de-
vices to alert other motorists. Do not park or
operate the vehicle in areas where the hot ex-
haust system may come in contact with dry
grass, brush, fuel spill or other flammable ma-
terial.
f Make it a habit to have the engine oil checked
with every refueling.

44
Operation, Safety
Airbag SystemsThe airbags in combination with the safety belts
make up a safety system which offers the driver
and the passenger the greatest known protection
from injuries in case of accident.
Your vehicle is equipped with a weight sensing sys-
tem for the passenger's seat in accordance with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicl e Safety Standard 208.
Even if your vehicle is equipped with airbags, the
safety belts must be worn at all times ,
because the front airbag system is only deployed
by frontal collisions with an impact of sufficient
severity.
Below the deployment threshold of the airbag sys-
tem, and during types of collisions which do not
cause the actuation of the system, the safety belts
provide the primary protection to the occupants
when correctly worn.
Therefore, all persons within the vehicle
must wear safety belts at all times (in many
states, state law requires the use of safety belts).
f Please see the chapter “SAFETY BELTS” on
Page 42.
The front airbags are located under the padded
steering wheel panel on the driver’s side and, on
the passenger's side, in the dashboard.
The side airbags are installed on the side in the
seat backrests.
The head airbags are installed in the door linings.
Danger!
To provide optimal occupant protection, air-
bags must inflate at very high speed. If you
are not wearing your safety belt or are too
close to the airbag when it is deployed, infla-
ting airbags can result in serious personal in-
jury or death.
f Make sure there are no people, animals or ob-
jects between the driver or passenger and the
area into which the airbag inflates.
f Sit back as far from the dashboard or steering
wheel as is practical, while still maintaining full
vehicle control.
f Always hold the steering wheel by the outer
rim. Never rest your hands on the airbag panel.
f Always fasten seat belts because triggering
of the airbag system depends on the force and
angle of impact.
f Do not transport heavy objects on or in front of
the passenger’s seat. These could impair the
function of the airbag , the seat belts, and
weight sensing.
f Do not hang objects (e.g . jackets, coats, coat
hangers) over the backrest. f
Always keep the lid of the door storage com-
partment closed. Objects must not protrude
out of the door storage compartment.
f No changes may be made to the wiring or
components of the airbag system.
f Do not add any additional coverings or stickers
to the steering wheel or in the area of the pas-
senger airbag, side airbags and head airbags.
Doing so may adversely affect the functioning
of the airbag system or cause harm to the oc-
cupants if the airbag system should deploy.
Do not use protective seat covers.
f Do not modify the seat coverings. Do not at-
tach additional cushions, protective coverings,
or pillows to the passenger's seat. Do not affix
things to the passenger's seat or cover it with
other materials. Do not cover the back of the
backrest. Do not make changes to the passen-
ger's seat and to the seat base frame.
f Do not undertake any wiri ng for electrical ac-
cessory equipment in the vicinity of the airbag
wiring harnesses. Doing so may disable the air-
bag system or cause inadvertent inflation.
f If the warning light co mes on, the airbag sys-
tem should be repaired immediately by your
authorized Porsche dealer.
f Always keep feet in the footwell while driving.
Do not put feet on the dashboard or the seat
area. Do not lean against the inside of the door
or outside the window while the vehicle is mov-
ing.

Operation, Safety
45
fUsing accessories not approved by Porsche
can cause the weight sensing system to be im-
paired.
f Do not squeeze objects, such as the fire extin-
guisher, or first aid kit under the seat.
f Only have seats removed and installed by an
authorized Porsche dealer so that weight sens-
ing components will not be damaged.
f Give your passenger all of the information in
this chapter.
Note
Airbag components (e.g. steering wheel, door lin-
ing, seats) may be disassembled only by an autho-
rized 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.
Function of the airbag systemAirbags are a supplemental safety system. Your
primary protection comes from your safety belts.
The front airbags are triggered during a frontal
collision of sufficient force and direction.
In the event of a side impact of corresponding
force, the side airbag on the impact side is
triggered.
The inflation process gene rates the amount of gas
required to fill the airbags at the necessary pres-
sure in fractions of a second.
Airbags help to protect the head and upper body,
while simultaneously damp ing the motion of the
driver and passenger in the impact direction in the
event of a frontal impact or side impact.
In order to help provide protection in severe colli-
sions which can cause death and serious injury,
airbags must inflate extremely rapidly. Such high
speed inflation has a negative but unavoidable
side effect, which is that it can and does cause in-
juries, including facial an d arm abrasions, bruising
and broken bones. You can help minimize such in-
juries by always wear ing your safety belts.
There are many types of accidents in which air-
bags are not expected to deploy. These include
accidents where the airbags would provide no be-
nefit, such as a rear impact against your vehicle.
Other accidents where the airbags are designed
not to deploy are those where the risk of injury
from the airbag deployment could exceed any pro-
tective benefits, such as in low speed accidents or higher speed accidents where the vehicle decele-
rates over a long time. Since airbag deployment
does not occur in all accidents, this further em-
phasizes the need for yo
u and your passenger to
always wear safety belts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module. This module will record the
use of the seat belt restraint system by the driver
and passenger when the airbags and/or belt ten-
sioner work.
Advanced AirbagYour 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 and off.
Depending on the angle and force of impact, the
passenger's airbag which is activated will be trig-
gered during a collision.
Precondition for switching the passenger's airbag
on and off, depending on weight:
– Vehicles equipped with key-operated airbag deactivation device:
Switch position AUTO.
– Ignition key is inserted.
Improper handling of the weight sensing system
can unintentionally impair switching the
passenger's airbag off and on.

46
Operation, Safety
Seat adjustment for the passenger's seat Danger!
Safety belts only offer protection when the
backrest is upright and the belts are properly
positioned on the body. Improperly positio-
ned safety belts can cause serious personal
injury or death in an accident.
f Do not operate the car with the driver or pas-
senger backrest excessively reclined.
f Porsche recommends the use of L.A.T.C.H.
(L ower Ancorage and Tether for Ch ildren)
equipped Porsche child seat.
Do not install a child restraint system in
the Sports bucket seat.
The Sports bucket seat cannot be equipped with the LATCH system.
If the seat is in an extreme position (e.g., the back-
rest is in contact with the engine compartment
wall), the backrest can warp. Warping of the back-
rest can lead to malfunctions.
f Correct the seat adjustment.
Ensure that the seat is not jammed and is self-
supporting.
Ensure that the backrest is in the upright posi-
tion. f
Do not transport a load and objects behind and
under the passenger's seat.
If the load or objects ar e under the seat, it can
cause malfunctions.
If the weight on the passenger's seat is reduced
significantly, e.g., by supporting weight on the
armrest, the passenger's airbag can be switched
off.
f Select an upright seat position, and do not sup-
port weight on the armrests or lean out of the
window.
Always keep feet in the footwell while driving.
Do not put feet on the dashboard or the seat
area. Do not lean against the inside of the door
or outside the window while the vehicle is mo-
ving.
If the passenger's seat is warped significantly, a
message is displayed on the on-board computer:
f Correct the seat adjustment.
f Please see the chapter “WARNINGS ON THE
INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-BOARD
COMPUTER” on Page 162.
Vehicle modifications to accommodate
persons with disabilities
Because modifications to your vehicle could com-
promise your advanced airbag system, please call
1-800-PORSCHE prior to ha ving your vehicle modi-
fied. Automatic deactivation of the passenger’s
airbags
Danger!
The use of a child restraint system in the pas-
senger seat can result in serious personal
injury or death to the child from an airbag
deployment.
f Please see the chapter “PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR LAMP DOES NOT LIGHT UP”
on Page 47.
f Before transporting a child on the passenger’s
seat:
Please see the chapter “CHILD RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS” on Page 50.
f Do not install a child restraint system in the Sports bucket seat.
– When an up to one-year old child is seated
in the child restraint system, the front airbag is
automatically deactivated on the passenger
side.
– When an adult is seated in the front seat the front airbag remains active on the passenger‘s
side.

Operation, Safety
47
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lampNote on operation
Although not desired, it can occur in the case of
heavier children that the passenger’s airbag
remains active or, in the case of very light adults
or young persons, that the passenger airbag is
deactivated.The condition of the passenger’s front airbag is
shown by the indicator lamp.
If in doubt:
f
Please see the chapter “PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR LAMP DOES NOT LIGHT UP”
on Page 47.
f Please see the chapter “KEY-OPERATED AIR-
BAG DEACTIVATION DEVICE” on Page 49.
f Please see the chapter “CHILD RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS” on Page 50.
f Please see the chapter “LATCH SYSTEM
CHILD SEAT BRACKET ON THE PASSENGER’S
SEAT” on Page 54.
Note
f After inserting the ignition key, the PASSEN-
GER AIRBAG OFF warning light lights up for a
few seconds as a bulb check.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up
– The passenger's airbag is switched off. PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up
– The passenger's airbag is active and ready for
operation.
– If the passenger's seat is not occupied, the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will
also not light up, even though the passenger's
airbag is switched off.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death due
to the passenger airbag triggering unintenti-
onally.
When the ignition key is insterted and the up
to one-year old child is seated in the child re-
straint 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:
f On vehicles with key-operated airbag deactiva-
tion device: Switch to position OFF.
f On vehicles without key-operated airbag deac-
tivation device: Do not drive.
f Have the fault remedied at your nearest autho-rized Porsche dealer.

48
Operation, Safety
Note
The key switch for switching off the passenger’s
airbag in combination with the LATCH attachment
bracket are not installed at the factory. They can
be retrofitted.
f
Please see your authorized Porsche dealer.
Faults are indicated by a warning light in the instru-
ment panel and a message on the on-board com-
puter.
f Please see the chapter “WARNINGS ON THE
INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE ON-BOARD
COMPUTER” on Page 162.
f In the following cases you should immedi-
ately consult an authorized Porsche
dealer in order to assure the airbag sys-
tem is functioning properly:
– If the warning light does not light up when the ignition key is inserted or
– If the warning light does not go out once the engine is running or
– If the warning light appears while driving.
Airbag maintenanceIn order to ensure long-t erm functioning, the air-
bag system must be inspected by an authorized
Porsche dealer at the i ntervals 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
Owner's Manual (safety and disposal rules).
Further information on the airbag system can be
found on stickers attach ed to the sun visors.
For special recommendations on the use of child
restraints:
f Please see the chapter “CHILD RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS” on Page 50.
Warning light and warning
message

Operation, Safety
49
Key-operated airbag deactivation deviceIn case your vehicle is equipped with LATCH, you
can switch off (OFF) the passenger’s front airbag
manually. In the automatic mode (AUTO), the air-
bag will be switched on or off automatically de-
pending on the weight on the passenger seat.
fSwitch off the passenger’s airbag on the key
switch using the vehicle key.
A Switch position AUTO – passenger’s front airbag is active
B Switch position OFF – passenger’s front airbag is switched off
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death for
passenger if passenger’s airbag remains
switched off after the child restraint system
is removed.
f Make sure that the key switch is switched to
AUTO 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 pass
enger’s side is switched
off:
– Warning light “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” is continuously lit when the ignition key is
inserted.
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 key is inserted
and the Airbag OFF switch is switched to the
OFF-Position, this could indicate a fault in the
system.
f Do not install a child restraint system on the
passenger’s seat.
f Have the fault remedied immediately. Please see your authorized Porsche dealer.
Note
f Do not install a child restraint system in the
Sports bucket seat.
The key switch for switch ing off the passenger’s
airbag in combination with the LATCH attachment
bracket are not installed at the factory. They can
be retrofitted (not on vehicles with Sports bucket
seats).
f Please see your authorized Porsche dealer.

50
Operation, Safety
Child Restraint SystemsfDo not install a child restraint system in the
Sports bucket seat.
The Sports bucket seat cannot be equipped
with the LATCH system.
Porsche recommends that all infants and children
be restrained in child restraint systems at all times
while the vehicle is in motion in accordance with
applicable laws.
Use only child restraint systems with the LATCH-
system recommended by Porsche. These sys-
tems have been tested and adjusted to the interior
of your Porsche and the appropriate child weight
groups. Other systems have not been tested and
could entail an increased risk of injury or death.
You can obtain child seats that are LATCH compa-
tible at your authorized Porsche dealer.
f Always see the separate installation
instructions for your child seat.
The use of infant or child restraints is required by
law in all 50 states of the U.S. and all Canadian
provinces. The child restraint system should be
one that complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards and should be secured by a lap
belt or lap belt portion of a lapshoulder belt or for
child seats equipped with the LATCH sytem ( Lo-
wer Anchorage and Tether for Children, also
known as ISOFIX) to the LATCH anchorages.
A statement by the seat manufacturer of compli-
ance with this standard can be found on the in-
struction label on the restraint and in the instruc- tion manual provided with the restraint.
Danger!
The use of a child restraint system in the pas-
senger seat can result in serious personal in-
jury or death to the child from an airbag
deployment.
To reduce risk of injury from an inflating air-
bag in an accident, Po rsche strongly recom-
mends:
f Please see the chapter “PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF INDICATOR LAMP DOES NOT LIGHT UP”
on Page 47.
f Please see the chapter “CHILD RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS” on Page 50.
f Do not install a child restraint system in
the Sports bucket seat.
The Sports bucket seat cannot be equipped with the LATCH system.
Note
The key switch for switching off the passenger’s
airbag and the LATCH attachment bracket are not
installed at the factory. Th ey can be retrofitted (not
on vehicles with Sports bucket seats).
f Please see your authorized Porsche dealer.
Danger!
Risk of serious personal injury or death to the
child.
f Follow all child restraint instructions and warnings in this manual.
– When using an infant or child restraint system, be sure to follow all manufacturer's instruc-
tions on installation and use.
– Infants and small children should never be held on the lap, nor should th ey share a safety belt
with another occupant while the vehicle is in
motion.
– Children too big for child restraint systems should use regular safety belts. A shoulder belt
can be used providing it does not cross the
face or the neck of the child.
– Choose a child restraint system according to the weight of the child.
– Child restraint systems that are damaged or h a v e b e e n h e a v i l y s t r e s s e d i n a n a c c i d e n t m u s t
be replaced immediately.
– Children could be endangered in a crash if their child restrains are not properly secured in the
vehicle.
– Do not affix things to child restraint systems or cover it with other materials.