1999 Lexus LS400 towing

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
59
ENGINE COOLANT
TEMPERATURE GAUGE
13L002±2

Normal range
The gauge indicates the engine coolant temperature
when the ignition switch is on. The engine operating
temperature will vary with changes in weather and
engine load.
If the needle points to the red zone or higher, stop your
vehicle and allow the engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe operating
conditions, such as:
 Driving up a long hill on a hot day.
 Reducing speed or stopping after high speed driving.
 Idling for a long period with the air conditioning on in stop±and±go traffic.
 Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in the engine
cooling system as this may cause the engine to
overheat. The thermostat is designed to control the flow of coolant to keep thetemperature of the engine within the specifiedoperating range.
Do not continue driving with an overheatedengine. See ºIf your vehicle overheatsº onpage 347.

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
64
(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light has the following two functions:
Parking brake reminder
If this light is on, make sure the parking brake is fully
released. The light should go off.
Low brake fluid level warning
If this light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
slow down and pull off the road. Then stop the vehicle
carefully. Remember that stopping distance and pedal
effort may be increased. There may be a problem
somewhere in the brake system. Check the fluid level
of the see±through reservoir.
To make sure the parking brake has not caused the
warning light to come on, check to see that the parking
brake is fully released.
If the brake fluid level is low ...
At a safe place, test your brakes by starting and
stopping.
If you judge that the brakes still work adequately, drive
cautiously to your nearest dealer or shop for repairs.
 If the brakes are not working, have the vehicle towed
in for repairs. (For towing information, see page 366.)

INTERIOR EQUIPMENT
103
LUGGAGE STOWAGEPRECAUTIONS
When stowing luggage or cargo in the vehicle,
observe the following:
Put luggage or cargo in the trunk when at all possible.
Be sure all items are secured in place.
 Be careful to keep the vehicle level. Placing the
weight as far forward as possible helps maintain
vehicle balance.
 For better fuel economy, do not carry unnecessary
weight.
CAUTION
Do not place anything on the filler panel behind the
rear seatback. Such items may be thrown about and
possibly injure people in the vehicle during sudden
braking or an accident.
 Do not drive with objects left on top of the instrument
panel. They may interfere with the driver's field of
view. Or they may move during sharp vehicle
acceleration or turning, and impair the driver's
control of the vehicle. In an accident they may injure
the vehicle occupants.

STARTING AND DRIVING
2885. Release the parking brake and brake pedal.
Depress the accelerator pedal slowly for smooth
starting.
In normal cruising, the vehicle will start in the first gear
and automatically shift up to the most suitable gear. On
inclines, declines or winding roads, etc., the vehicle
shifts up and down automatically according to the
running conditions to obtain the suitable driving power
and engine braking.
In º4º position, the automatic transmission system will
select the most suitable gear for the running conditions
such as hill climbing, hard towing, etc.
If you need to accelerate rapidly while driving, depress
the accelerator pedal to the full throttle position. This
provides more acceleration by automatically
downshifting the transmission to the next lower gear or
beyond, depending on the vehicle speed.
If engine braking is needed, such as in descending a
long hill, see º(b) Using engine brakingº.
(b) Using engine braking

STARTING AND DRIVING
290
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a slippery surface.
The abrupt change in engine speed could cause the
vehicle to spin or skid.
(c) Using the º3º, º2º and ºLº positions
The º3º, º2º and ºLº positions are used for strong engine\
braking as described previously.
With the selector lever in º3º, º2º or ºLº, you can start the
vehicle in motion as with the lever in ºDº.
With the selector lever in º3º or º2º, the vehicle will star\
t
in the first gear and automatically shift to the third or
second gear.
With the selector lever in ºLº, the transmission is
engaged in the first gear.NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the engine. Watch the tachometer to keep engine rpm from going intothe red zone. The approximate maximumallowable speed for each position is givenbelow for your reference:
º3º 160 km/h (99 mph) . . .
º2º 104 km/h (65 mph) . . .
ºLº 68 km/h (42 mph) . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or hard towing for
a long time in the º3º, º2º or ºLº position. Thismay cause severe automatic transmission
damage from overheating. To prevent suchdamage, º4º position should be used in hillclimbing or hard towing.

STARTING AND DRIVING
293
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly upshifts and
downshifts between the fourth and overdrive gears
when climbing a gentle slope, shift the selector lever
to the º4º position. Be sure to shift the selector lever
to the ºDº position after climbing the slope.
 When towing a trailer, in order to maintain efficient
engine braking and electrical charging performance,
do not use overdrive. The selector lever must be in
the º4º position.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped
with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from
creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an upgrade with the accelerator pedal. This can cause thetransmission to overheat. Always use the brakepedal or parking brake.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck

STARTING AND DRIVING
294
CAUTION
If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,
then you may attempt to rock the vehicle free by moving
it forward and backward. Do not attempt this procedure
if people or objects are anywhere near the vehicle.
During the rocking operation the vehicle may suddenly
move forward or back as it becomes un±stuck, causing
injury or damage to nearby people or objects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the following
precautions to prevent damage to thetransmission and other parts.
Do not depress the accelerator pedal whileshifting the selector lever or before thetransmission is completely shifted to forwardor reverse gear.
Do not race the engine and avoid spinning thewheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck after rocking thevehicle several times, consider other wayssuch as towing.
(h) If you cannot shift the selector lever
If you cannot shift the selector lever even though the
brake pedal is depressed, use the shift lock override
button. For instructions, see ºIf you cannot shift
automatic transmission selector leverº on page 375.

SECTION 3 ± 2
322
STARTING AND DRIVING
Driving tips
Break±in period323
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Operation in foreign countries 323
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Tips for driving in various conditions 323
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Winter driving tips 324
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Trailer towing 326
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How to save fuel and make your vehicle
last longer 336
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