1998 Lexus LS400 jack

STARTING AND DRIVING
172”NORMAL” mode For driving on roads with a normal surface.
”HIGH” mode For driving on rough roads which are unsurfaced
or continually bumpy.
The damping effect is set slightly firmer in ”HIGH” mode. So you
may feel the vibration of the vehicle compared to in ”NORMAL”
mode. However, this does not mean a malfunction in the system. We
recommend you use a ”NORMAL” mode in normal driving.
To change the mode, push the selector switch.
”NORMAL” mode
The vehicle height remains at normal height at all driving speeds.
”HIGH” mode
The vehicle height switches between the following two vehicle
heights according to the driving conditions:
Vehicle height
Driving condition
NormalMedium and high speed driving
HighLow speed driving
31L016-2
The indicator light shows ”HIGH” mode is selected.
When you turn the ignition key to the ”ON” position, the indicator
light will come on for 2 seconds in any mode.
NOTICE
For vehicles equipped with the height control switch, be sure to
turn the ignition switch off before jacking. If this is not done, the
vehicle height adjustment function will operate, which may
cause body damage.
(b) Malfunction warning
If the ”HI” indicator light blinks, there is a malfunction in this
system. Have the system checked by your Lexus dealer at the first
opportunity.

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
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

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
197 B: If no steam is coming from your engine:
Leave the engine running and turn off the air conditioning. Check
the following.
Is the cooling fan operating?
Is the coolant in the acceptable range?
Is the engine drive belt O.K.?
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep hands and clothing away
from the moving fan and engine drive belt.
Do not attempt to remove the radiator cap when the engine
and radiator are hot. Serious injury could result from
scalding hot fluid and steam blown out under pressure.
If the cooling fan is not operating or the coolant is not in the
acceptable range, turn off the engine and call your Lexus dealer.
If both conditions are O.K., after the engine coolant temperature has
cooled to normal, continue driving your vehicle.
If the engine coolant temperature does not cool down, or your
vehicle overheats again, have it checked as soon as possible by your
Lexus dealer.
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight line. Move
cautiously off the road to a safe place well away from the traffic.
Avoid stopping on the center divider of a highway. Park on a level
spot with firm ground.
2. Stop the engine and turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Firmly set the parking brake and put the transmission in ”P”.
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle on the side away from
traffic.
5. Read the following instructions thoroughly.
NOTICE
For vehicles equipped with the height control switch, be sure to
turn the ignition switch off before jacking. If this is not done, the
vehicle height adjustment function will operate, which may
cause body damage.
CAUTION
When jacking, be sure to observe the following to reduce the
possibility of personal injury:
Follow jacking instructions.
Do not start or run the engine while your vehicle is
supported by the jack.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
198Stop the vehicle on a level firm ground, firmly set the
parking brake and put the transmission in ”P”. Block the
wheel diagonally opposite to the one being changed if
necessary.
Make sure to set the jack properly in the jack point. Raising
the vehicle with jack improperly positioned will damage
the vehicle or may allow the vehicle to fall off the jack and
cause personal injury.
Never get under the vehicle when the vehicle is supported
by the jack alone.
Use the jack only for lifting your vehicle during wheel
changing.
Do not raise the vehicle with someone in the vehicle.
When raising the vehicle, do not put an object on or under
the jack.
Raise the vehicle only high enough to remove and change
the tire.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving with a deflated tire. Driving even a short
distance can damage a tire beyond repair.
40L003-1
1
Tool box 2
Jack 3
Spare tire 4
Jack handle
1. Get the tool, jack and spare tire.
To prepare yourself for an emergency, you should familiarize
yourself with the use of the jack and each tool, and their storage
locations.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
199
40L004-1
1
Joint
2
When removing the jack, turn the joint by hand in the
”contract” direction until the jack is free.
3
When storing, turn the joint by hand in the ”expand”
direction until the jack is firmly secured to prevent it from
flying forward during a collision or sudden braking.
40L0051
To remove the spare tire:
1
Remove the spare tire cover.
2
Loosen the bolt and remove it.
When storing the spare tire, place it with the inner side of the wheel
facing up. Then bolt the tire in place and install the spare tire cover
to prevent the tire from flying forward during a collision or sudden
braking.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
200
40L0061
2. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire to keep the
vehicle from rolling when it is jacked up.
When blocking a wheel, place a wheel block in front of the front
wheels or behind the rear wheels.
40L0074
Paper for protecting surface
3. Remove the wheel ornament.
Pry off the wheel ornament, using the screwdriver as shown.
CAUTION
Do not try to pull off the ornament by hand. Take due care in
handling the ornament to avoid unexpected personal injury.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
201
40L0081
4. Loosen all the wheel nuts.
Always loosen the wheel nuts before raising the vehicle.
Turn the nuts counterclockwise to loosen them. To get maximum
leverage, fit the wrench to the nut so that the handle is on the right
side, as shown above. Grab the wrench near the end of the handle
and pull up on the handle. Be careful that the wrench does not slip
off the nut.
Do not remove the nuts yet just unscrew them about onehalf turn.
40L0091
5. Position the jack at the jack points as shown.
Make sure the jack is positioned on a level and solid surface.