1998 Lexus LS400 brake

DRIVING TIPS
181
BREAKIN PERIOD
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
You need not follow a breakin schedule with your new Lexus. But
following a few simple tips for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can
add to the future economy and long life of your vehicle:
Do not drive over 88 km/h (55 mph).
Avoid overrevving. Maintain engine speed between 2000 and
4000 rpm.
Avoid fullthrottle starts.
Try to avoid hard stops during the first 300 km (200 miles).
Do not drive for a long time at any single speed, either fast or slow.
Do not tow a trailer during the first 800 km (500 miles).
OPERATION IN FOREIGN
COUNTRIES
If you plan to drive your Lexus in another country ...
First, comply with the vehicle registration laws.
Second, confirm the availability of the correct fuel (unleaded and
minimum octane rating).
TIPS FOR DRIVING IN VARIOUS
CONDITIONS
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds. This will allow you
much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if possible, at a right angle. Avoid
driving onto high, sharpedged objects and other road hazards.
Failure to do so can lead to severe tire damage resulting in tire
bursts.
When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels until they touch the
curb so that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the parking brake, and
place the transmission in ”P”. If necessary, block the wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through deep water may get the
brakes wet. To see whether they are wet, check that there is no
traffic near you and then press the pedal lightly. If you do not feel
a normal braking force, the brakes are probably wet. To dry them,
drive the vehicle cautiously while lightly pressing the brake pedal
with the parking brake applied. If they still do not work safely,
pull to the side of the road and call a Lexus dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure the parking brake is fully
released and that the parking brake reminder light is off.

DRIVING TIPS
182Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. It
can cause dangerous overheating, needless wear, and poor
fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill, reduce your speed and
downshift. Remember, if you ride the brakes excessively,
they may overheat and not work properly. See page 163.
Be careful when accelerating, upshifting, downshifting or
braking on a slippery surface. The abrupt change in engine
speed, such as sudden acceleration or engine braking, could
cause the vehicle to spin or skid.
Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal
speed limit permits it, do not drive over 140 km/h (85 mph)
unless your vehicle has highspeed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may result in tire failure,
loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire
dealer to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are
highspeed capability tires or not before driving at such
speeds.
Do not continue normal driving when the brakes are wet.
If they are wet, your vehicle will require a longer stopping
distance, and it may pull to one side when the brakes are
applied. Also, the parking brake will not hold the vehicle
securely.
WINTER DRIVING TIPS
Make sure you have ethyleneglycol antifreeze in the radiator.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
Check the condition of the battery and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of any battery, so it must be
in top shape to provide enough power for winter starting. Page 253
tells you how to visually inspect the battery. Your Lexus dealer and
most service stations will be pleased to check the battery charge
level.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for the cold weather.
See page 232 for recommended viscosity. Leaving a heavy summer
oil in your vehicle during winter months may cause harder starting.
If you are not sure about which oil to use, call your Lexus dealer
they will be pleased to help.
Check the electronic ignition system for loose connections or
obvious damage.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock deicer or glycerine into the locks to keep them from
freezing.

DRIVING TIPS
183 Use a washer fluid containing an antifreeze solution.
This product is available at your Lexus dealer and most auto parts
stores. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for how much to mix
with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute because it
may damage your vehicle’s paint.
Do not use your parking brake when there is a possibility it could
freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into ”P” and block the front
wheels. Do not use the parking brake, or snow or water accumulated
in and around the parking brake mechanism may freeze the parking
brake, making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders can make steering difficult.
During bad winter driving, stop and check under the fenders
occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving, we recommend you carry
some emergency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the vehicle are tire chains,
window scraper, bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel, jumper
cables, etc.
TRAILER TOWING
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passengercarrying vehicle.
Towing a trailer will have an adverse effect on handling,
performance, braking, durability and driving economy (fuel
consumption, etc.). Your safety and satisfaction depend on the
proper use of correct equipment and cautious driving habits. For
your safety and the safety of others, you must not overload your
vehicle or trailer. Lexus warranties do not apply to damage or
malfunction caused by towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
Ask your local Lexus dealer for further details before towing.
NOTICE
When towing a trailer, be sure to consult your Lexus dealer for
further information on additional requirements.
Weight limits
Before towing, make sure the total trailer weight, gross vehicle
weight, gross axle weight and trailer tongue load are all within
the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue load can be measured with
platform scales found at a highway weighing station, building
supply company, trucking company, junk yard, etc.

DRIVING TIPS
185
Hitches
If you wish to install a trailer hitch, your Lexus dealer should be
consulted.
Use only a hitch which is recommended by the hitch
manufacturer and conforms to the total trailer weight
requirement.
Follow the directions supplied by the hitch manufacturer.
Lubricate the hitch ball with a light coat of grease.
Lexus recommends removing the trailer hitch whenever you are
not towing a trailer to reduce the possibility of additional damage
caused by the hitch if your vehicle is struck from behind. After
removing the hitch, seal any mounting holes in the vehicle body
to prevent entry of pollutants such as exhaust fumes, dirt, water,
etc.
NOTICE
Install the trailer hitch using only the position recommended
by your Lexus dealer. Do not install the trailer hitch on the
bumper; this may cause body damage.
Do not use axlemounted hitches as they can cause damage
to the axle housing, wheel bearings, wheels or tires.
Brakes and safety chains
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any
applicable federal and state/provincial regulations.
A safety chain must always be used between the towing
vehicle and the trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the chain for
turns. The chain should cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping to the ground in case it
becomes damaged or separated. For correct safety chain
procedures, follow the hitch or trailer manufacturer’s
recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight exceeds 450 kg (1000 lb.), trailer
brakes are required.
Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system as it will
lower its braking effectiveness.
Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely
attached to both the trailer and the vehicle. If damage
occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball, there is possible
danger of the trailer wandering over into another lane.

DRIVING TIPS
187
Trailer towing tips
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will handle differently than
when not towing. The three main causes of vehicletrailer
accidents are driver error, excessive speed and improper trailer
loading. Keep these in mind when towing:
Before starting out, check the operation of the lights and all
vehicletrailer connections. After driving a short distance, stop
and recheck the lights and connections. Practice turning,
stopping and backing with a trailer in an area away from traffic
until you learn the feel.
Backing with a trailer is difficult and requires practice. Grip the
bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to move
the trailer to the right. (This procedure is generally opposite to
that when backing without a trailer.) Also, just turn the steering
wheel a little at a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when backing to reduce the risk of an
accident.
Because stopping distance may be increased, vehicletovehicle
distance should be increased when towing a trailer. For each 16
km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer
length between you and the vehicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking
as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing and loss of control. This
is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns. The trailer could hit your
vehicle in a tight turn. Slow down before making a turn to avoid
the need of sudden braking.
Remember that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Therefore,
compensate for this by making a larger than normal turning radius
with your vehicle.
Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely affect handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention to the rear
from time to time to prepare yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your vehicle and trailer to sway.
If swaying happens, firmly grip the steering wheel and reduce
speed immediately but gradually. Never increase speed. If it is
necessary to reduce speed, brake slowly. Steer straight ahead. If
you make no extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your
vehicle and trailer will stabilize.
Be careful when passing other vehicles. Passing requires
considerable distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the
length of your trailer and be sure you have plenty of room before
changing lanes.
In order to maintain efficient engine braking and electrical
charging performance, do not use overdrive. Transmission must
be in the ”4” position.

DRIVING TIPS
188Because of the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine
may overheat on hot days (at temperatures over 30C [85F])
when going up a long or steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indicates overheating, immediately
turn off the air conditioning (if in use), pull your vehicle off the
road and stop in a safe spot. See ”If your vehicle overheats” on
page 196 of this manual.
Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and trailer
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly. Put the
transmission in ”P”. Avoid parking on a slope with a trailer, but
if it cannot be avoided, do so only after performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and
trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into ”P” and turn off the engine.When restarting out after parking on a slope:
1. With the transmission in ”P” position, start the engine. Be sure
to keep the brake pedal depressed.
2. Shift into the ”3”, ”2”, ”L” or ”R” position.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal and slowly pull or back
away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing speed
limit, whichever is lower. Because instability (swaying) of
a towing vehicletrailer combination usually increases as
the speed increases, exceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may cause
loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long
downhill grades. Do not make sudden downshifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too
frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.

DRIVING TIPS
189
HOW TO SAVE FUEL AND MAKE
YOUR VEHICLE LAST LONGER
Getting more kilometer/mileage from a liter/gallon of fuel is easy
just take it easy. It will help make your vehicle last longer, too. Here
are some specific tips on how to save money on both fuel and repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the correct pressure. Check the
pressure every two weeks, or at least once a month.
Underinflation causes tire wear and wastes fuel.
Do not carry unneeded weight in your vehicle. Excess weight
puts a heavier load on the engine, causing greater fuel
consumption.
Avoid lengthy warmup idling. Once the engine is running
smoothly, begin driving but gently. Remember, however, that
on cold winter days this may take a little longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Avoid jackrabbit starts.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have a long wait and you are
not in traffic, it is better to turn off the engine and start again later.
Avoid engine overrevving. Use a gear position suitable for the
road on which you are traveling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and slowing down.
Stopandgo driving wastes fuel.Avoid unnecessary stopping and braking. Maintain a steady
pace. Try to time the traffic signals so you only need to stop as
little as possible or take advantage of through streets to avoid
traffic lights. Keep a proper distance from other vehicles to avoid
sudden braking. This will also reduce wear on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on highways. The faster you drive,
the greater the fuel consumption. By reducing your speed, you
will cut down on fuel consumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper alignment. Avoid hitting the
curb and slow down on rough roads. Improper alignment not only
causes faster tire wear but also puts an extra load on the engine,
which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free from mud, etc. This not
only lessens weight but also helps prevent corrosion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in top shape. A dirty air
cleaner, improper valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil and
grease, brakes not adjusted, etc. all lower engine performance and
contribute to poor fuel economy. For longer life of all parts and
lower operating costs, keep all maintenance work on schedule,
and if you often drive under severe conditions, see that your
vehicle receives more frequent maintenance. (For scheduled
maintenance information, please refer to the separate ”Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Maintenance Schedule”.)
CAUTION

DRIVING TIPS
190Never turn off the engine to coast down hills. Your power
steering and brake booster will not function without the
engine running. Also, the emission control system operates
properly only when the engine is running.