Porsche 928 1984 User Manual

NOTE TO OWNERS

In Canada, this manual is also available in French. To obtain
a copy contact your dealer or write to:

NOTE AUX PROPRIETAIRES

Au Canada on peut se procurer un exemplaire de ce Manuel
en francais aupres concessionnaire ou du:

Volkswagen Canada Inc.
Porsche Customer Assistance/
Assistance ä la Clientele Porsche

1940 Eglinton Ave. East
Scarborough
Ontario M1L2M2

WKD

472

621

© Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
All rights reserved. Printed in Germany

OrderNo. W 426042721
OrderNo. W 42604272101

Your car may have all or some of the components described
in this manual. Should you find explanations of a feature or
equipment not installed in your car, your Porsche dealer
will be glad to assist you. Also check with your dealer on

other available options or equipment.

Text, illustrations and specifications in this manual are based
on the information available at the time of printing.

It has always been Porsche's policy to continuously improve
its products. Porsche, therefore, reserves the right to make
changes in design and specifications, and to make additions
or improvements in its product, without incurring any obli­gation to install them on products previously manufactured.

1.7 Μ 12/83

(English)
(French)

Edition 1984

Judging by the car you have chosen,
you are a motorist of a special breed,
and you are probably no novice when
it comes to automobiles.

Your Owner's Manual contains a
host of useful information. Please
read this manual before you drive
your new Porsche. Acquaint yourself
with your car's features and know

how to operate your Porsche more
safely. The better you know your Por­sche, the more pleasure you will ex­perience driving your new car.

Your Warranty and Maintenance
booklet explains how you can keep

your Porsche in top driving condition
by having it serviced regularly.

It also contains detailed information
about the warranties covering your
Porsche. These warranties are:

"Warranty for new Porsche ve­hicles", "Warranty against corro­sion for new Porsche vehicles",
"Warranty for new Porsche vehicle
emission control system", "Emis-

sions performance warranty" (USA
only), and "California emission
control system warranty" (Califor-

nia USA only).

Always carry your Warranty & Main-
tenance booklet with you when you
take your Porsche to an authorized
dealer for service. It provides your
Service Adviser with the information
he needs and enables him to record
each service.

If you sell your Porsche the Owner's
Manual and the Warranty & Mainten­ance record should be left in the ve­hicle to make all operating safety and
maintenance information available
to the next owner.

If you change your address or if
you bought this Porsche used be

sure to send in a "Notice of Address
Change"/"Notice of Used Car Pur-

chase" post card. This card can be
found in the Warranty & Maintenance
booklet or obtained from your Porsche
dealer.

It is in your own interest that we can
contact you, should the need arise.

For your own protection and longer

service life of your car, please heed
all operating instructions and special
warnings. Ignoring them could result
in serious mechanical failure or even
physical injury.

We wish you many miles of safe and
pleasurable driving in your

Index

A

Acceleration kickdown 52
Accelerator pedal 52
Adjusting headlights 89
Air compressor 75
Air conditioning 3942
Air cleaner 71
Alternator warning light 33
Antenna 59
Antifreeze 67,101
Antitheft alarm 12
Ashtray/light 43,88
Automatic garage door 27
Automatic speed control 36
Automatic transmission 5052

Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) 66

c

Capacities 101
Car care instructions 5761
Catalytic converter 93
Cautions 62
Center console 4345
Central door locking 13,38
Central warning light system 38
Changing a wheel 7577
Cigarette lighter 43
Cleaning 5761
Climate control system 3942

Clock 43

Clutch 25
Collapsible spare tire 75
Coolant temperature gauge 31
Cooling system 6769
Corrosion prevention 5761

D

Dashboard 37
Defogging/defrosting 34
Dimensions 99
Directional signals 30,32,35
Doors locks 1213
Driving hints 89

Engine  specifications 9798

 speed, maximum 49,53,97

F

Fan  radiator 31
Fan switch 41
Filling capacities 101
Flasher emergency 34
Fog lights 28,87
Fuel  economy 29,54

 evaporation control 95
 fillercap 55
 gauge 32
 recommendations 55
 tank 55,101

Fuses and relays 8081

G

Gasohol 56

Gas station information 107109

Gasoline  octane ratings 54,55,101

Gear ratios 98

Gearshifting 49
Glove compartment 46
Gong 10,22,26,28

Β

Battery 8283
Brake  booster 25

 fluid 70
 pads 53
 parking 23,51
 pedal 24
 system 24

 warning light 25
Breakinhints 53
Bulbs replacing 8688

4

Ε

Electrical system 8090
Emergency flasher 34
Emergency service 63
Emergency starting 84
Emission control system 9294
Engine  compartment 60

 hood release 47
 number 6

- oil 64-65,101,102

Η

Hatchback 48

release..........................23

Headlights 28,35,86,8990
Headlight dimmer/flasher 35
Headlight washer lever/reservoir 37,67
Headlight switch 28
Heater/ventilation controls 3941
Highbeam/lowbeam lever/light 30,35
Hood release 23,4748

I/J

Identification plates 67
Ignition/steering lock 26
Instrument cluster 27
Instrument illumination 28
Intensive windshield washer/

switch/reservoir 37,70
Interior lights 14,88
Intermittent wiper interval 37
Jack 63,78

Jack lifting points 7778

K/L

Keys 10-12,77

Kickdown  acceleration 52
Lane changer 35
Leather 60
Lights  ashtray 88

 fog 28,87
 interior 14,88
 license plate 88
 parking 35,87
 switch 28

- tail 87

 turn signal 35,87
 vanity mirror 45
 warning indicator 3033,38

Lockable wheel nuts 76

Locks 11-13,76

Loudspeaker balance control 23
Luggage compartment 48

 light 14

M/O

Maintenance 63
Manual transmission 49
Mechanical fan 31
Mirrors 19,45

Octane ratings 54,55,97,101
Odometer 28
Oil changing/checking 6566

 filter 65
 grades 102
 pressure gauge/warning light ... 32
 transmission 66

Oxygen sensor 93

Ρ

Paint number 6
Parking brake lever 23
Parking lights/lever 35, 87
Performance 100
Polishing 5761
Power steering fluid 71,101
Powerwindows 13
Pressure  tires 72,99

R

Radiatorfan 31

Rear seats 18
Rear window defogger/defroster 34
Rear window wiper switch 45
Rear view mirrors 19
Refrigerant 42,101
Roof rack 48,99

s

Safe driving hints 89
Safety belts 2022
Seats, front/rear/electric 1618
Selector lever 5051
Shift points 49
Sliding roof  electric 44
Snow chains 74,99
Spare tire  collapsible 75
Specifications engine 9798
Speed control  automatic 36

Speedometer 30
Starting hints/engine 27,92
Steering lock 26
Sun visors 45
Sunroof 44

Τ

Tachometer 29
Technical data 97106
Tires 7275
Tire size/pressure 72,99

Tool kit 63

Transmission 4952,66,98
Trip odometer 28
Turn signal lights/lever 35,87

u

Undercoating 60,92
Unleaded fuel 54,55,97,101
Upholstery, care of 60

V

Vanity mirror 45
Vehicle identification 67

 label 7
Ventilation/heater controls 3941
Voltmeter 33

w

Warning indicator lights 3033,38
Washer system 37,67
Weights 99
Wheels 59,7277,99
Wheel changing 7677
Wheel nuts, lockable 76

Window switches 13,38
Windshield washer reservoir 67
Windshield/wiper washer lever 37

5

Location of Vehicle Identification
Number, Paint and Engine Number

When ordering spare parts or submitting

inquiries, always quote vehicle identifica­tion and engine number to assure correct
and prompt service.

Vehicle identification number

In accordance with Federal Safety Regula­tions, the vehicle identification number of your
car is located on the left windshield post and
can be seen from the outside.

6

Engine number

The engine number is stamped on the front
reinforcing rib in the top half of the crankcase.

Paint number

The paint number is on the doorjamb on the
driver's side.

Safety Compliance Sticker

Vehicle Identification Label

The Safety Compliance Sticker is your assur­ance that your Porsche complies with all Fe­deral Motor Vehicle Safety Standards which
were in effect at the time the vehicle was ma-

nufactured. It is located on the doorsill on the

driver's side.

The sticker also shows the month and year of
production and the vehicle identification num-

ber of your car (perforations) as well as the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating.

The vehicle identification label is located un­derneath the luggage compartment floor co­ver, next to the spare wheel well.

The label contains the following information:

1. Vehicle Identification Number

2. Vehicle Code

3. Engine and Transmission Code

4. Paint and Interior Code

5. Option Codes
A duplicate of the label is in your Warranty and

Maintenance brochure.

Dear Porsche-Owner Before going on a trip...

A lot has gone into the manufacture of your
Porsche, including advanced engineering,
techniques, rigid quality control and demand­ing inspections. These engineering and safety
features will be enhanced by you...

the safe driver...

who knows his car and all controls,
who maintains his vehicle properly,
who uses his driving skills wisely.

You will find helpful hints in this manual on how

to perform most of the checks listed on the fol-

lowing pages. If in doubt, have these checks
performed by your Porsche dealer.

First things first

• Turn the engine off before you attempt any
checks or repairs on the vehicle.

• Be sure tires are inflated correctly. Check
for damage and tire wear.

• See that wheel bolts are properly tightened
and not loose or missing.

• Check engine oil level, add if necessary.
Make it a habit to have engine oil checked
with every fuel filling.

• Check coolant level to assure sufficient en­gine cooling.

• Be sure you have a well charged battery.

• Check brake fluid level. If too low, have
brake system checked.

• Replenish windshield washer fluid.

• Check if engine hood is locked safely.

• Replace worn or cracked wiper blades.

• See that all windows are clear and unob­structed.

• Keep air intake slots and area between en­gine hood and windshield free of snow and
ice, so that the heater and the windshield
wipers work properly.

• Check whether all light lenses are clean.

• Be sure all lights are working and head­lights are aimed correctly.

• Check under vehicle for leaks.

• Be sure all luggage is stowed securely.

Emergency equipment

It is good practice to carry emergency equip-

ment in your vehicle. Some of the things you
should have are: window scraper, snow brush,
container or bag of sand or salt, emergency
light, small shovel, first-aid kit, etc.

8

In the drivers seat...

On the road...

• Check operation of horn.

• Position seat for easy reach of controls.

• Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.

• Use safety belts.

• Check operation of foot and parking brakes.

• Check all warning and indicator lights with
ignition on and engine stationary.

• Do not leave car idling unattended.

• Lock doors from inside, especially with
children in the car.

• To prevent inadvertent opening of doors
from inside or outside, drive with locked
doors.

• Always drive defensively. Expect the unex­pected.

• Use signals to indicate turns and lane
changes.

• Turn on headlights at dusk.

• Always keep a safe distance from the ve­hicle in front of you, depending on traffic,
road and weather conditions.

• Reduce speed at night and during incle­ment weather.

• Observe speed limits and obey road signs.

• When tired, get well off the road, stop and

take a rest. Turn the engine off. Do not sit in
the vehicle with engine idling. See WAR-

NINGS on "Engine Exhaust".

• When stopped or parked, always set the

parking brake. Move the selector lever to

"P" (Automatic transmission) or move the

gearshift lever to reverse or first gear (Man­ual transmission). On hills also turn the
wheels toward the curb.

• When stalled or stopped for repairs, move
the vehicle well off the road. Turn on emer­gency flasher and use other warning de­vices to alert other motorists. Do not park or
operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust system may come in contact with
dry grass, brush, fuel spill or other flam­mable material.

• Make it a habit to have the engine oil check­ed with every fuel filling.

9

Do not invite car theft!

WARNING

An unlocked car with the key in the
ignition switch invites car theft.

A steering wheel lock and a gong
alarm are standard equipment in your
Porsche. The gong will sound if you
open the driver's door while the key
is still in the ignition lock. It is your re­minder to pull the key out of the igni­tion lock and lock the doors.

Always remove the ignition key,

especially if children are left unat-

tended in the vehicle. Unsupervised

use of any vehicle key may cause

serious personal injury.

Do not leave your vehicle unat-

tended with the key in the ignition

lock. Take the key and lock the

doors.

a Master key
b Auxiliary key
c Rear glove compartment key
d Key for lockable wheel nuts

Keys

Your Porsche comes with two of each of the
following keys:

a Master key for ignition lock, door locks, lug-

gage compartment lock, fuel filler cap lock
and glove compartment lock.

b Auxiliary key for ignition lock, door locks

and luggage compartment lock and fuel filler
cap lock.

Do not remove the key from the steering
lock while you are driving or as the car is
rolling to a stop. The steering column is
locked when you remove the key, and you
will not be able to steer the car.

Because of the symmetrical shape of the key
shaft, there is no "wrong" way of inserting the
key in the locks.

The new format of the master and auxiliary
keys makes unauthorized duplication of the
keys virtually impossible. This means, how­ever, that you yourself will not be able to get
replacement keys cut, unless ordered from

the manufacturer.

For vehicles equipped with lockable wheel nuts,
four identical keys, four wheel nuts with lock
sleeve, plus a standard wheel nut for the spare
wheel, are included. When taking the vehicle
to your Porsche dealer or to a workshop for
wheel or tire service, remember to leave one
key with the service attendant.

In case of loss, duplicate keys cannot be
furnished by your Porsche dealer. Do not
leave these keys in the vehicle. Keep them
in a safe place.

See "Lockable wheel nuts" for details.

10

Key number

The key number of the ignition key is im­pressed on a plastic tag which comes with the
keys. Detach this tag and keep it in a safe place.

For your protection against theft:

• Record the key numbers and keep them in
a safe place, such as your wallet. Do not
keep them in the vehicle.

Key light

One master key has a built-in flashlight in the
key head. The beam from a small bulb in the
key head illuminates the lower part of the key
stem.

The flashlight is on as long as the contact but-

ton is depressed.

• If you should lose a key, provide your
Porsche dealer with the key number to ob­tain a duplicate key. Tell him whether you
need a master or an auxiliary key.

The flashlight is powered by a 1.5 Volt button
battery. When the beam begins to fade, re­place the battery, because an old battery

may leak and damage your clothes.

11

S-key

lluminated)

Anti-theft alarm

Auxiliary

key

Doors Activate alarm by locking with S-key.

Deactivate alarm by unlocking with S-key.
Auxiliary key - lock or unlock when alarm not required (see "Central

door locking system").

Luggage compartment Activate alarm by closing rear lid, then turn S-key counter-clockwise.

Deactivate alarm by unlocking rear lid with S-key.

Auxiliary key - lock or unlock when alarm not required.
Ignition/steering Lockable with either key.
Glove compartment Lockable with S-key only.
Fuel filler cap Lockable with either key.

If your Porsche is equipped with an anti-theft
alarm system, you will be given a duplicate

set of the master S-key illustrated above in-

stead of the "regular" master key. The alarm
system can only be activated or deactivated
with the S-key.

Functions for both S-key and auxiliary key are

locking operations.

12

Attempting to open the doors, the rear lid or

the engine hood by any other means or turning

on the ignition when the alarm system is acti­vated will produce an intermittent high noise

for about 30 seconds.

The engine cannot be started while the
alarm system is activated.

Keep the S-key in your personal possession
at all times. Leave the auxiliary key only with
an attendant when the car is being serviced.

Keep plastic tag with key number in a safe

place. Do not leave it in the vehicle.

Always drive with locked doors to prevent

inadvertent opening of a door from the in­side, especially with small children in the
car.

Doors

To open doors from outside, pull the recessed

door handle.
To open doors from inside, pull recessed

handle "C" above armrest.

The armrests have a built-in storage com­partment. To open, press knob in hand cutout
and tilt armrest outward. To close, tilt compart­ment toward door panel.

Central door locking system

The central door locking system enables you
to lock or unlock both doors simultaneously

by operating one door lock.

The central door locking system functions
only when both doors are fully closed. If one

door is "centrally" locked before the other
door is fully closed, the "centrally" locked door
will unlock automatically.

The car is safely locked when locking knob "A"
is fully down on both doors. If locking knob "A"
is not fully down on one door, open that door
again, close it firmly and repeat the locking
operation.

On a centrally locked vehicle, the passenger
door can also be unlocked and locked from
inside by turning locking knob "B". Locking
knob "B" is operational only with door fully
closed.

With the ignition key in Pos. "1" or "2" both
doors can be locked or unlocked by pressing
the central locking button in the center con­sole. The button is illuminated when the doors
are locked.

With the ignition key in Pos. "0" the central
locking system is operational by turning knob

"B".

The courtesy light in the lower door panel

"D" will come on when a door or the hatch­back is opened. The light can also be turned

on or off with the switch on the light housing.

Door windows

To open or close, depress the rocker switches

in the center console in front of the shift lever.

The power windows only work when the igni­tion is turned on.

WARNING

Do not put anything on or near the win­dows that may interfere with the driver's
vision.

Remove the ignition key to shut off power

to the window switches when the vehicle

is not attended by a responsible person.

13

Interior lights

Dome lights

The dome lights have a built-in rocker switch Switch positions for the lower door panel lights The luggage compartment light is located on

which is operated by tilting the lamp lens as are as follows: the hatchback.The three switch positions are:

follows:

a light on continuously
b light off
c light on with front doors or hatchback open.

Door courtesy lights

a light on with front doors or hatchback open a light on with front doors or hatchback open
b light off b light off
c light on continuously. c light on continuously.

Luggage compartment light

14

mm

Door warning lights

The red spot lights in the rear doorjambs will

come on when a door or the rear lid is opened.

15

Front seats

a backward/forward
b height
c backrest angle

Electrically operated seats

Correct seat positioning is important for safe
and comfortable driving. Therefore, the seat
and the backrest angles in your Porsche are
fully adjustable.

WARNING
Do not adjust seats while the vehicle is in

motion. The seat may move unexpectedly
which could cause sudden loss of vehicle
control or personal injury.

16

The rocker switches for a smooth three-way
seat adjustment are located at the outboard
side of the seat.

Note:

Before operating the switches, tilt the safety

belt buckle at inboard side of seat out of the
way to prevent the buckle from getting squeezed
in between seat cushion and backrest, which
could damage both buckle and seat cover.

Manual operation

If the electric mechanism fails, the seat can

be moved forward or backward by pushing
the locking lever under the front of the seat
toward outboard side of seat. Slide the seat to
the desired position and let the lever go. Move
the seat slightly back and forth to make sure it
is securely engaged.

Front passenger seat

Seat adjustment

To move the seat forward or backward, pull
the locking lever at the front of the seat up.

Now slide the seat to the desired position. Let
the lever go, and move the seat slightly back
and forth to make sure it is securely engaged.

WARNING

For passenger protection, backrest locks
must be engaged at all times while the ve­hicle is in motion.

Backrest release

The backrest can be folded forward for easy
access to the rear seats. To release, press the
locking button on the side of the backrest (ar­row) and, at the same time, tilt the backrest
forward. When the backrest is tilted back, the

lock will engage automatically.

Backrest adjustment

Turn handwheel on the outboard side of the
seat (arrows), with your body weight taken off
the seatback.

WARNING

Front seat passengers should not ride in a
moving vehicle with the backrest reclined.
Safety belts only offer protection when the
backrest is upright and the belts are prop­erly positioned on the body. Improperly
positioned safety belts can cause serious
personal injury in an accident.

17

Steering wheel adjustment

For maximum legroom and unobstructed view
of the instruments, the height of the steering
wheel, together with the instrument cluster
unit, can be adjusted.

Rear seats-luggage compartment

The backrests of the rear seats can be tilted
forward to provide additional luggage space.

Unsnap the luggage compartment cover from
the upright rear seat backrests and the rear
cross wall.

Release locking lever under instrument cluster
for desired positioning (arrow), then lock se­curely.

18

To release backrest, pull the lever on side of
the backrest up and, at the same time, tilt the
backrest forward.

Rear view mirrors

Adjust the outside and inside mirrors be-

fore driving off. It is important for safe driv-

ing that you have good vision to the rear.

Inside day-night mirror

You can adjust the day-night mirror from clear
daylight visibility to non-glare visibility at night,
by moving the lever at the bottom of the mirror
forward or rearward.

Do not put decals or other signs on the win­dows that may interfere with the driver's
vision.

Heated outside mirrors with remote control

When the rear window defogger/defroster is
switched on, the outside mirrors are also heat­ed electrically. The outside mirrors can be ad-

justed from the inside by remote control when

the ignition is turned on. The control switch is
located next to the side window vents in the
armrest.

The electrically heated outside mirror for the
passenger side can be adjusted with the same
control switch, by pressing the rocker switch
beside the adjuster switch into the appropriate
position.

If necessary, the outside mirrors can also be
adjusted manually.

19

Safety belts

• When driving in foreign countries, re­member that some require the wearing
of safety belts by law.

• Belts that have been subjected to ex­cessive stretch forces in an accident
must be replaced.

WARNING

• For your and your passengers' protec­tion, use safety belts at all times while
the vehicle is in motion.

• Safety belts must be properly positioned
on the body. Improperly positioned safe­ty belts can cause serious personal in­jury in case of an accident. Therefore,
heed all of the following warnings and
instructions.

• A combination lap-shoulder belt should
not be worn by a person less than 4' 11"
or 1.5 m in height, because it would not
be in its most protective position and,

therefore, may increase the possibility
of injury in an accident.

• Persons smaller than 4' 11" or 1.5 m in

height and children who are able to sit
upright by themselves should use one
of the rear seating positions and the lap
belt provided.

• For maximum safety and protection, we

recommend that small children travel in
the rear seats.

• Do not strap in more than one person
with each belt.

• For maximum effectiveness, the lap belt
should be worn low across the pelvic
crest.

• Do not wear shoulder part of belt under
your arm or otherwise out of position.
This would increase the possibility of
serious injury in case of an accident.

• Belts should not be worn twisted.

• Do not wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eye glasses, pens, keys, etc. as these
may cause injury.

• Several layers of heavy clothing may in­terfere with proper positioning of belts.

• Belts must not rub against sharp objects.

• Keep belt buckles free of any obstruc­tion that may prevent secure locking.

• Make sure that belt of the unoccupied
passenger seat is fully wound up on its
retractor so that the belt tongue is in its
stowed position. This reduces the posi­bility of the tongue becoming a striking

object in case of a sudden stop.

• If belts show damage to webbing, bind­ings, buckles or retractors, they should
be replaced.

• If belts do not work properly, see your
authorized Porsche dealer.

• Do not modify or disassemble the safety
belts in your vehicle.

• The belts must be kept clean as other­wise the retractors may not work pro­perly (see also "Car care instructions").

• Never bleach or dye safety belts.

• Do not allow safety belts to retract until
they are completely dry.

20

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
collision locks the belt. The belt will also lock
when you drive up or down a steep hill or in a
sharp curve.

• To fasten, grasp latch and pull belt in contin­uous slow motion across your chest and lap.

• Insert latch into buckle on inboard side of
seat. Push down until it is securely locked
with an audible click. Pull belt to check.

• Pull shoulder section to make sure belt fits
snugly across the hips.

• Belts should fit snugly across the pelvis and
chest. Make sure any slack is wound on the
retractor.

• To unfasten belt, push in release button on
buckle. Belt will spring out of buckle.

• To release a locked belt, lean back to take
the body pressure off the belt.

• To store lap/shoulder belt, allow belt to wind
up on retractor as you guide latch to its
stowed position on doorpost.

Lap belts for rear seats

The automatic retractor will lock the rear seat
lap belt when your passenger has buckled up,
and the remaining slack has retracted.
The belt can only be pulled out after it is fully
retracted.

• To fasten lap belt, grasp latch on outboard
side of seat and slowly pull across the pel­vis. Insert latch into buckle on inboard side
of seat and push down until it is securely
locked with an audible click. Pull belt to

check. To unfasten belt, push in release but­ton on the buckle.

• To store belt, allow belt to wind up as you

guide latch to retractor.

21

Safety belt warning system

An audio-visual warning system is inter-

connected with the driver's safety belt.
Every time the ignition is turned on, the seat

belts warning light will come on for about 6
seconds as a reminder to buckle up. If the dri­ver does not fasten the safety belt, the gong
will also come on for the duration of this six
second period. The gong will go off as soon as

the driver has buckled up.

22

To release the parking brake

Loudspeaker balance control

Parking brake lever (arrow)

Parking brake force is mechanically trans-

ferred to the rear wheels by means of cables.

Use the parking brake only after the vehic­le has come to a full stop.

To set the parking brake

Press in the release button (arrow) at the end

of the lever as you pull the lever up. The park-

ing brake engages as soon as you release the
button in the raised lever.

Pull the lever slightly up as you depress the
release button. Keep the button depressed
as you lower the lever.

WARNING

Release the parking brake fully. A partially
engaged brake will overheat the rear brakes,
reduce their effectiveness and cause ex­cessive wear.

Always set the parking brake when park­ing your car. Move the selector lever to "P"
(Automatic transmission) or move the gear­shift lever to reverse or first gear (Manual

transmission). On hills also turn the wheels
toward the curb.

The central warning light and the parking brake

light will go out after the engine is started and

the parking brake is fully released (see "Cen­tral warning light system").

The volume of the loudspeakers in the door
and in the rear of the vehicle can be balanced
by turning the loudspeaker balance control
knob (A), located next to the parking brake
lever.

Hatchback release

With one or both doors open, you can release
the hatchback by pulling either button "B" on
the left of the driver's seat or the respective

button on the right of the passenger's seat.
The hatchback will open automatically.

Also see "Hatchback".

23

Brakes

Brake pedal

WARNING

With correctly adjusted brakes, and a correct-

ly working brake system, the pedal travel to
the point of brake actuation should be 1 -3/16"
to 1 -9/16" or 30 to 40 mm. Whenever the brake
pedal travel exceeds this distance, have the
brake system checked.

Functioning of brake system

Your Porsche is equipped with a power as­sisted hydraulic dual circuit brake system with
disc brakes at the front and at the rear. Both
circuits function independently.

In the unlikely event of hydraulic failure of
one circuit, push the brake pedal down
firmly and hold it in that position. A mechan­ical linkage activates the second circuit,
and you will be able to bring the vehicle to
a safe stop.

WARNING

Failure of one brake circuit will impair the
braking capability resulting in an increased
stopping distance.

If one brake circuit has failed, the other will still
operate. However, you will notice an increased
pedal travel when you step on the brake.
Should you encounter such experience, bring
your vehicle safely to a full stop.

Avoid driving the vehicle and have it towed
to the nearest authorized Porsche dealer.

• The movement of the brake pedal must
never be obstructed by a floor mat or
any other object. In case one of the two
brake circuits fails, increased pedal tra-

vel is required to bring your vehicle to a
full stop.

• Make sure that the size of your floor mat

does not hamper the movements of
either brake, clutch or accelerator ped­als in any way.

• Secure the floor mat against sliding into

positions that could interfere with the
safe operation of your vehicle.

• Do not "ride the brakes" by resting your

foot on the pedal when not intending to
brake. Overheating and wear of the
brakes is the result.

• Before descending a steep grade, re-

duce speed and shift transmission into

a lower gear or driving position to con­trol speed. Do not ride the brakes or hold
pedal down too long or too often. This
could cause the brakes to get hot and

not function properly.

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 at 30 mph or
50 km/h. Tire traction is also less effective
when the roads are wet or slippery. Therefore,
always maintain a safe distance from the car
in front of you.

Moisture or road salt on brakes affects
braking

WARNING

Driving through water may reduce the trac-

tion. Moisture on brakes from road water

or car wash or coating of road salt may af-

fect braking efficiency. Cautiously apply

brakes for a test. When the vehicle is driven
on salted roads for extended periods, the
brakes should be hosed down thoroughly

about every 2 weeks. An automatic car­wash facility cannot do this job properly.

Brakes will dry after a few cautious brake

applications.

24

Brake booster

New brake pads or linings

Clutch

The brake booster assists braking only
when the engine is running.

When the car is moving while the engine is not
running, or if the brake booster is defective,
more pressure on the brake pedal is required

to bring the car to a halt.

Brake operation and brake warning light

Make it a habit to check the operation of your
brakes before driving.

The central warning light and the brake fluid
warning light in the combination instrument
will flash when the level in the brake fluid re-

servoir is too low (see "Central warning light

system").

Brake wear

Our automobiles have excellent brakes, but
they are still subject to wear, depending on
how the brakes are used. Have the brake sys-

tem inspected at the intervals recommended

in your Warranty & Maintenance booklet.

Brake pads or linings may not have the highest
possible braking efficiency when new. There­fore, allow for longer braking distance during
the initial 100 to 150 miles or 150 to 250 kilo­meters of normal city driving if fewer stops are
realized.

Due to the hydraulic operation of the clutch, a
free travel of the clutch pedal of 0,1" or 2.5 mm
is necessary.

Should this free travel suddenly become big­ger, it could mean a malfunction of the clutch.
See your Porsche dealer for rectification.

The specified maximum rpm figures should
not be exceeded when shifting down, as other­wise the engine speed would be too high. This
applies to standard gear ratios only.

25

Instrument cluster

14 15

1 Odometer reset switch
2 Light switch
3 Fog light switch
4 Left combination instrument
5 Turn signal indicator light
6 Speedometer
7 Central warning light
8 Tachometer

9 High beam indicator light
10 Right combination instrument
11 Emergency flasher switch
12 Rear window defogger switch
13 Ignition/starter switch with steering lock
14 Instrument illumination control
15 Turn signal/headlight dimmer flasher/

parking light lever

16 Locking lever for steering wheel/

instrument cluster height adjustment
17 Automatic speed control lever
18 Windshield wiper and windshield/head-

light washer lever
19 Intensive washer system switch

20 Intermittent wiper interval control

Ignition/Starter Switch with
Steering Lock

The steering is equipped with an anti-theft ig­nition lock.

For your safety, fasten safety belts.
Manual transmission:

Move gearshift lever to Neutral.
Automatic transmission:

Move gearshift lever to Neutral or Park.
Never start or let the engine run in an en-

closed unventilated area. Exhaust fumes
from the engine contain carbon monoxide
which is a colorless and odorless gas. Car­bon monoxide can be fatal if inhaled.

There are 4 positions:

0 Steering locked. All electric circuits wired

through the ignition switch are turned off.
The ignition key can only be withdrawn in
the "0" position. The parking lights can be

operated in this position by pushing the turn
signal indicator lever up and down (also see

"Parking lights").

1 Steering unlocked. In this position all elec-

tric circuits are operational except for the
following: turn signals, back-up lights, out­side mirror remote control, rear window de­fogger/defroster and fresh air ventilation.

2 Ignition on, steering unlocked. All electric

circuits are operational. With the engine
stationary, the central warning light and all

individual warning lights located in both
combination instruments will light up for a
bulb check. If the engine oil level is too low
the central warning light will flash. (Lack of
engine oil can, in comparison with all other

functions, only be checked with the engine

turned off and with the vehicle level.)

3 The starter is operated by turning the ig-

nition key to the right. As soon as the engine
starts, release the key. It will spring back to
position "2". With the engine running, the

central and individual warning lights should

go out. The STOP LAMP will go out after

depressing the brake pedal and the PARK

BRAKE light after fully releasing the parking
brake (see "Central warning light system").

To conserve battery power, the electric cir­cuits for headlights, rear window defogger/
defroster and wiper/washer system are
temporarily interrupted during the starting
process.

The starter should not be operated for more
than 10 to 15 seconds at a time. If the engine
does not start the first time or stalls at any time,
the ignition will have to be switched off and
then on again. The non-repeat lock in the
switch prevents the starter from being oper­ated when the engine is running and thus from

being damaged.

To remove the key and to lock the steering, turn
the key back to position "0" and pull it out. Turn
the steering wheel until it locks.

Gong

If you leave the key in the ignition/steering
lock, the gong will sound when the driver's door
is opened. This is your reminder to remove the
key.

For further details see "Starting Procedures"

on the following page.

WARNING
Never remove key from ignition lock or turn

key off while vehicle is moving. The steering
wheel will lock, causing loss of control.

26

Starting Procedures

WARNING

• Fasten safety belts before driving off.

• Never start or let the engine run in an en­closed, unventilated area. Exhaust fumes
from the engine contain carbon mo­noxide, which is a colorless and odor­less gas. Carbon monoxide can be fatal
if inhaled.

• Never leave engine idling unattended.
An unattended vehicle with a running

engine is potentially hazardous.

• Do not park or operate the vehicle in
areas where the hot exhaust system may
come in contact with dry grass, brush,
fuel spill or other flammable material.

Therefore, it is not necessary to depress the
accelerator pedal while starting a cold or a
warm engine.

When the engine is hot, fully depress the ac­celerator pedal while starting.

When starting at very low outside temper-
atures, fully depress the clutch pedal, so that
the starter only has to crank the engine.

As soon as the engine starts, release the ig-

nition key.

If the engine fails to start after 10 to 15 sec­onds of cranking, wait about 10 seconds

before restarting.

Do not let the engine idle to warm it up. After
starting, accelerate gradually and maintain
moderate speed. Avoid high rpm and full throt­tle until the engine has reached normal oper­ating temperature.

WARNING

• Before you check anything in the engine
compartment, let the engine cool down.
Hot components can burn skin on con­tact.

• The radiator fan switches on automati­cally when the coolant reaches a certain
temperature and continues to run (even
with ignition off) until the coolant tem­perature drops. Therefore, never touch
the fan blades as they will rotate spon­taneously when the thermoswitch turns
the fan on.

If your have an automatic garage door...

• Never leave engine idling. When starting
engine, be ready to drive off immediate­ly. Maintain moderate speed until engine
is warm.

Before starting the engine, make sure the

gearshift lever is in Neutral.

Temperature sensors on the engine automat­ically provide the correct fuel/air mixture re­quired for starting.

Stopping engine

Turn key back to position 0.

Do not stop engine immediately after hard
or extended driving. Keep engine running
at increased idle for about two minutes to
prevent excessive heat build-up before

turning off engine.

The transistorized ignition system in your

Porsche may interfere with your electronically
operated garage door. To check this: drive
your Porsche close to the garage door and run
the engine at different speeds.

If the garage door opens or closes without
your operating the garage door unit in your car,
contact the dealer who installed the automatic
garage door to have the frequency and/or
coding of the garage door signal modified.

27

Light switch - with ignition on

0 lightsoff

1 parking lights on (2 front/2 rear)

2 headlights on and raised

In positions 1 and 2, the following lights are

also on:

tail lights
instrument illumination
shift pattern illumination for automatic trans­mission gearshift lever

28

When you open the door while the lights are
on, the gong will sound. It is your reminder to
switch off the lights.

Instrument illumination control

With headlights on, the brightness of the in­strument illumination can be adjusted by turn­ing the thumbwheel on the left side underneath

the instrument cluster.

Fog lights

With headlights on, the fog lights can be turned
on or off by depressing switch "A". The switch
is illuminated when the fog lights are on.

Trip odometer

The trip odometer in the lower part of the
speedometer instrument can be turned back
to zero by depressing switch "B".