Get Driving and Driving Safety -> Selector-Lever Positions Guide for Porsche Cayenne SUV Second Generation (2011-2017)

Driving and Driving Safety 181

Selector-lever position

Display for selector-lever position and

engaged gear

When the engine is running, the display shows the

selector-lever position and engaged gear.

Selector-Lever Positions

P – Parking lock

When the selector lever is in position P, the drive

wheels are mechanically locked.

f Engage parking lock only when the vehicle is

stationary.

f Engage parking lock after applying the

electric parking brake and release it before

releasing the electric parking brake.

f Always apply the electric parking brake before

leaving the vehicle.

The ignition key can be removed only in selector-

lever position P.

R – Reverse gear

f Select reverse only if the vehicle is stationary

and the brake is applied.

N – Neutral

Selector-lever position N must be selected for

towing or in car washes, for example.

f Select the desired position for moving off

(D, M or R) only when the engine is idling and

when pressing the brake pedal.

D – Automatic selection mode

(D – Normal mode)

f Select selector-lever position D for “normal”

driving.

The gears are shifted automatically according

to the accelerator position and speed.

Depending on how the vehicle is driven

(economical or sporty driving style) and on the

resistance (e.g. driving uphill), the gear-changing

points are shifted towards higher or lower engine-

speed ranges. The accelerator movement, driving

speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration and

the road profile all have an influence on the gear-

changing characteristic.

f Unwanted upshifts, e.g. when entering

corners, are prevented by swiftly releasing the

accelerator pedal.

Depending on lateral acceleration, upshifts on

corners are not made until the engine-speed limit

is reached.

When you brake, and depending on the amount

of deceleration, the transmission changes down

earlier. For subsequent cornering, the right gear is

engaged when pressure is applied to the brakes

before the corner.

The corner is taken in a suitable gear. It is not

necessary to change down when accelerating out

of the corner.

D – Sport mode

The transmission switches to a sporty gear-

changing map. A sporty driving style is recognized

more quickly and the gear-changing speeds are

adapted to driving performance.

Braking downshifts are initiated earlier. Downshifts

occur for small decelerations, even at higher revs.

182 Driving and Driving Safety

D – Off-road mode

The transmission switches to an off-road gear-

changing map.

The gear-changing points are chosen to achieve

the best possible vehicle control on difficult

terrain.

On steep downhill stretches, upshifts are

prevented until average engine speeds are

reached.

When the vehicle is overrunning, upshifts are

prevented until the engine-speed limit is reached.

Shifting gears on the steering wheel

With the shift buttons on the steering wheel, you

can change temporarily from automatic selection

mode D to manual mode M.

Changing gear using the steering wheel could be

useful in the following situations:

– Shifting down before corners and on entering

built-up areas.

– Shifting down on downward slopes (engine

braking).

– Shifting down for brief spurts of acceleration.

The manual selection mode remains engaged:

– For cornering (depending on the lateral

acceleration) and overrunning.

– When the vehicle is stationary

(e.g. at a junction).

The system leaves manual selection mode:

– automatically after around 8 seconds

(unless cornering or overrunning),

– after driving off.

Kickdown

The kickdown function is active in selector-lever

position D and M.

f For optimum acceleration, e.g. when

overtaking, press the accelerator pedal

beyond the full-throttle point (kickdown).

The transmission shifts down depending on the

speed of travel and engine speed.

Upshifts occur at the highest possible engine

speeds.

Information

Unlike in Normal and Sport mode, an automatic

upshift is not performed in manual selection

mode M in Off-road mode when the engine-speed

limit is reached.

M – Manual selection mode

The currently engaged gear is retained when you

change from D to M.

If you change from M to D, the gear-changing map

suitable for your current driving style is selected

and the appropriate gear is engaged.

The selector lever and the two shift buttons in the

upper steering-wheel spokes let you select the

eight forward gears comfortably and reliably.

Driving and Driving Safety 183

Shifting up +

f Press the selector lever or shift button on the

steering wheel forward.

Shifting down -

f Pull the selector lever or shift button on the

steering wheel back.

You can shift up or down at any time depending

on driving speed and engine speed.

Gear changes that would exceed the upper and

lower engine-speed limit are not performed.

The gear is changed down automatically just

before idle speed is reached.

f Select an appropriately low gear on upward

and downward slopes.

This will ensure optimum use of engine power

and engine braking.

Driving off

1st or 2nd gear can be selected for driving off.

To shift up automatically at the upper

engine-speed limit:

f Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-

throttle point (kickdown).

Information Normal and Sport mode

There is no automatic upshift at the upper

engine-speed limit in selector-lever position M.

Upshift suppression can be canceled in Normal

and Sport mode by kickdown operation.

The transmission shifts down to the lowest

possible gear depending on the driving speed

and engine speed.

If, for example, the engine-speed limit is reached

during overtaking and an automatic upshift does

not occur, the transmission shifts up in this case

as a result of kickdown operation.

Information Off-road mode

The kickdown function is not available in selector-

lever position M in Off-road mode.

If, for example, the upper engine-speed limit is

reached during overtaking and an automatic

upshift does not occur, the transmission only

shifts up when you press a shift button (+) or

briefly press the selector lever (+).

Manual selection mode failure

If manual mode fails, the control electronics

system switches to automatic mode.

In this case, selector-lever position D will be

displayed on the instrument panel.

f Have the fault corrected at an authorized

Porsche dealer.

Stopping

f For a brief stop (e.g. at a traffic light), leave

the selector lever in drive position and hold the

vehicle with the brake pedal.

f Do not hold the car on a slope using the

accelerator. Use the brake pedal or the

electric parking brake instead.

f Before leaving the vehicle, always apply the

electric parking brake and move the selector

lever to position P.

Information

In selector-lever positions D and M, the HOLD

function makes it easier to drive off from

a standstill on an upward slope when the engine is

running without having to press the brake.

f For information on using the HOLD function:

Please see the chapter “HOLD FUNCTION:

DRIVE-OFF ASSISTANT, STANDSTILL

MANAGEMENT” on page 192.

Driving and Driving Safety -> Selector-Lever Positions for Your Porsche Cayenne SUV Second Generation (2011-2017)

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