1998 Lexus LS400 mileage

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

CHASSIS
247
REPLACING WHEELS
When to replace your wheels
If you have wheel damage such as bending, cracks or heavy
corrosion, the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, a tire may slip off a wheel or
they may cause loss of handling control.
Replacement with used wheels is not recommended as they may
have been subjected to rough treatment or high mileage and could
fail without warning. Also, bent wheels which have been
straightened may have hidden structural damage and therefore
should not be used. Never use an inner tube in a leaking wheel which
is designed for a tubeless tire.
Wheel selection
When replacing wheels, care should be taken to ensure that they
are equivalent to those removed in load capacity, diameter, rim
width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available at your Lexus dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may adversely affect handling,
wheel and bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, stopping ability, headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or snow chain clearance to the body and
chassis.
ALUMINUM WHEEL
PRECAUTIONS
After driving your vehicle the first 1600 km (1000 miles), check
that the wheel nuts are tight.
If you have rotated, repaired, or changed your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving 1600 km (1000 miles).
When using tire chains, be careful not to damage the aluminum
wheels.
Use only the Lexus wheel nuts and wrench designed for your
aluminum wheels.
When balancing your wheels, use only Lexus balance weights or
equivalent and a plastic or rubber hammer.
As with any wheel, periodically check your aluminum wheels for
damage. If damaged, replace immediately.
SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS
CAUTION
Do not modify the suspension/chassis with lift kits, spacers,
springs, etc. It can cause dangerous handling characteristics,
resulting in loss of control.