2002 Lexus IS300 towing

INTERIOR EQUIPMENT
61
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 package tray behind the
rear seatback. Such items may be thrown about and
possibly injure people in the vehicle during sudden
braking or in 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.
NOTICE
Do not load the vehicle beyond the vehicle capacity
weight specified on the tire pressure label.

STARTING AND DRIVING
172
SV31022

1Brake pedal 2ºDº (Drive) position
4. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the
selector lever to ºDº.
Always use the ºDº position to improve fuel economy and quiet
driving. Only in this position, shifting into the overdrive gear is
possible. However, while the engine coolant temperature is
low, the transmission will not shift into the overdrive gear even
in the ºDº position. (See º(c) Using engine brakingº and\
º(g)
Good driving practiceº for exceptions.)
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while
shifting.
5. 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 r oads, etc., the vehicle shifts up and down
automatically according to the running conditions to obtain the
suitable driving power and engine braking.
When the lever is in º3º 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.

STARTING AND DRIVING
176
(d) 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 t\
he vehicle
in motion as with the lever in ºDº.
With the selector lever in º3º or º2º, the vehicle will star\
t in 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 over±rev the engine. Watch the tachometer to keep engine rpm from going into thered zone. The approximate maximum allowablespeed for each position is given below for yourreference:
º3º 124 km/h (78 mph)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
º2º 81 km/h (51 mph)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ºLº 52 km/h (33 mph)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or hard towing for a long
time in the º3º, º2º or ºLº position. This may causesevere automatic transmission damage from
overheating. To prevent such damage, º4º positionshould be used in hill climbing or hard towing.
(e) Backing up
SV31025

1Brake pedal 2ºRº (Reverse) position
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the
selector lever to the ºRº position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the vehicle is moving.

STARTING AND DRIVING
178
(h) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
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 backward 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 the transmission and
other parts.
Do not depress the accelerator pedal while shifting the selector lever or before the transmission iscompletely shifted to forward or reverse gear.
Do not race the engine and avoid spinning thewheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck after rocking the vehicleseveral times, consider other ways such as towing.
(i) If you cannot shift the selector
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 218.
(j) If the ºECT PWRº indicator light flashes
If the ºECT PWRº indicator light flashes, contact your Lexus
dealer as soon as possible. There may be trouble in the
transmission system.

SECTION 3 ± 2
191
STARTING AND DRIVING
Driving tips
Break±in period192
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Operation in foreign countries 192
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Tips for driving in various conditionss 193
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Winter driving tips 194
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Dinghy towing 195
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Trailer towing 196
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. . . . . . .
How to save fuel and make your vehicle last longer 196
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DRIVING TIPS
195
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.
DINGHY TOWING
SV32002
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with four
wheels on the ground) behind a motorhome.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four wheels on the ground. This may cause serious damage to your vehicle.

DRIVING TIPS
196
TRAILER TOWING
SV32001
Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your
vehicle. It is not designed for trailer towing.
HOW TO SAVE FUEL AND MAKEYOUR VEHICLE LAST LONGER
Improving fuel economy 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 warm±up 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 over±revving. Use a gear position suitable
for the road on which you are traveling.

Avoid continuous speeding up and slowing down.
Stop±and±go driving wastes fuel.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
214
IF YOUR VEHICLE NEEDS TO BETOWED
If towing is necessary, we recommend you to have it done
by your Lexus dealer or a commercial tow truck service.
In consultation with them, have your vehicle towed using
either (a) or (b).
(a) Towing with a wheel lift type truck
(b) Using a flat bed truck
(c) Never tow with a sling type truck
Only when you cannot receive a towing service from a
Lexus dealer or commercial tow truck service, tow your
vehicle carefully in accordance with the instructions
given in º(d) Emergency towingº on page 217.
Proper equipment will help ensure that your vehicle is not
damaged while being towed. Commercial operators are
generally aware of the state/provincial and local laws
pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is towed incorrectly.
Although most operators know the correct procedure, it is
possible to make a mistake. To avoid damage to your vehicle,
make sure the following precautions are observed. If
necessary, show this page to the tow truck driver.
TOWING PRECAUTIONS:
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by the
state/provincial and local laws. The wheels and axle on the
ground must be in good condition. If they are damaged, use
a towing dolly.
(a) Towing with a wheel lift type truck
From front
SS41015
Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission
from the front with rear wheels on the ground, as thismay cause serious damage to the transmission.