2004 Lexus ES330 engine

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278
(e) Parking

1Brake pedal2Parking brake pedal
3Pº (Park) position
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Depress the parking brake fully to securely apply the
parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the
selector lever to the Pº position.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector lever into Pº under
any circumstances while the vehicle is moving. Serious
mechanical damage and loss of vehicle control may
result.
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up and down between
fourth and overdrive gears when climbing a gentle slope,
shift the selector lever to the 4º position. Be sure to shift the
selector lever to the Dº position after climbing the slope.
When towing a trailer, in order to maintain efficient engine
braking and electrical charging performance, do not use
overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped
with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from
creeping.

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279
NOTICE
Always use the brake pedal or the parking brake to hold
the vehicle on an upgrade. Do not attempt to hold the
vehicle using the accelerator pedal, as this can cause
the transmission to overheat.
(g) 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 If you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector leverº on page 341.
CRUISE CONTROL
The cruise control allows you to cruise the vehicle at a
desired speed over 40 km/h (25 mph) with your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or down a gradient, within
the limits of engine performance. On steeper hills, a great
speed change will occur so it is better to drive without the cruise
control.
CAUTION
To help maintain maximum control of your vehicle,
do not use the cruise control when driving in heavy
or varying traffic, or on slippery (rainy, icy or
snow-covered) or winding roads.
Avoid vehicle speed increases when driving
downhill. If the vehicle speed is too fast in relation to
the cruise control set speed, cancel the cruise
control then downshift the transmission to use
engine braking to slow down.

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281
2Cancelling the preset speed
You can cancel the preset speed by either of the following:
a. Pulling the control lever in the CANCELº direction.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40 km/h (25 mph), the
preset speed will be automatically cancelled.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10 mph) below the preset
speed, the preset speed will also automatically be cancelled.
If the preset speed automatically cancels out for other than
these reasons, have your vehicle checked by your Lexus
dealer at the earliest opportunity.
3Resetting to a faster speed
Press the control lever upward in the RES/ACCº direction and
hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed is attained.
While the lever is held upward, the vehicle will gradually gain
speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km/h (3 mph), the set speed can be
increased 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever upward in the RES/ACCº direction quickly.
However, a quicker way to reset is to accelerate the vehicle and
then press the control lever downward in the SET/COASTº
direction.
4Resetting to a slower speed
Press the control lever downward in the SET/COASTº
direction and hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed
is attained. While the lever is held downward, the vehicle
speed will gradually decrease.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km/h (3 mph), the set speed can be
lowered 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever downward in the SET/COASTº direction quickly.
However, a quicker way to reset is to depress the brake pedal
and then press the control lever downward in the
SET/COASTº direction.
Even if you downshift the transmission from the Dº position to
4º with the cruise control on, engine braking will not be
enabled because the cruise control is not cancelled. To
decrease the vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed with the
cruise control lever or depress the brake pedal. If you use the
brake pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
5Resuming the preset speed
If the preset speed is cancelled by pulling the control lever or
by depressing the brake pedal, pushing the lever up in the
RES/ACCº direction will restore the speed set prior to
cancellation. However, once the vehicle speed falls below
about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will not be resumed.

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283
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The traction control system automatically helps prevent
the spinning of front wheels when the vehicle is started or
accelerated on slippery road surfaces.
When the ignition key is turned to ONº, the system
automatically turns on.
CAUTION
Under certain slippery road conditions, full traction of
the vehicle and power against front wheels cannot be
maintained, even though the traction control system is
in operation. Do not drive the vehicle under any speed
or maneuvering conditions which may cause the
vehicle to lose traction control. In situations where the
road surface is covered with ice or snow, your vehicle
should be fitted with snow tires or tire chains. Always
drive at an appropriate and cautious speed for the
present road conditions.
Normal driving mode

Slip indicator light
Leave the system on during the ordinary driving so that it
can operate when needed.
You may hear a sound in the engine compartment for a few
seconds when the engine is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the traction control system
is in the self-check mode, but does not indicate a malfunction.
When the traction control system is operating, the following
conditions occur:
The system controls the spinning of the front wheels. At this
time, the slip indicator light blinks.
You may feel vibration or noise in your vehicle, caused by
operation of the brakes. This indicates the system is
functioning properly.

STARTING AND DRIVING
284The slip indicator light comes on for a few seconds when the
ignition key is turned to ONº. If the indicator light does not
come on when the ignition is turned on, contact your Lexus
dealer.
Traction control off mode
If your wheels get stuck in a ditch when you are driving on
a severe off road and sand, turn off the traction control
system. This system that controls engine performance
interferes with the process of freeing your wheels.
To turn off: Push TRAC OFFº switch.
The TRAC OFFº indicator light will come on.
The vehicle stability control system is always activated, even
if the traction control system is turned off.To turn on: Push TRAC OFFº switch once again.
The TRAC OFFº indicator light will go off.
TRAC OFFº indicator light comes on for a few seconds when
the ignition key is turned to ONº. It will come on again when
you push the TRAC OFFº switch to turn off the system.
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer:
The indicator light does not come on when the ignition key
is turned to ONº.
The indicator light remains on after the ignition is turned on.
The indicator light comes on with the normal driving mode
while driving.

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286
VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL
SYSTEM
The vehicle stability control system helps provide
integrated control of the systems such as anti-lock brake
system, traction control, engine control, etc. This system
automatically controls the brakes and engine to help
prevent the vehicle from skidding when cornering on a
slippery road surface or operating steering wheel
abruptly.
The system will activate when your vehicle speed reaches or
exceeds 15 km/h (9 mph), and will deactivate when the vehicle
speed reduced to below 15 km/h (9 mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine compartment for a few
seconds when the engine is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the system is in the
self-check mode but does not indicate a malfunction.
CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the vehicle stability
control system. Even if the vehicle skid control
system is operating, you must always drive carefully
and attentively to avoid serious injury. Reckless
driving will result in an unexpected accident. If the
slip indicator light blinks, sounding an alarm, special
care should be taken while driving.
Only use tires of specified size. The size,
manufacture, brand and tread pattern for all 4 tires
should be the same. If you use the tires other than
specified, or different type or size, the vehicle
stability control system may not function correctly.
When replacing the tires or wheels, contact your
Lexus dealer.
In situations where the road surface is covered with
ice or snow, your vehicle should be fitted with snow
tires or tire chains.

Slip indicator light
If the vehicle is going to skid during driving, the slip indicator
light blinks and an alarm sounds intermittently. Special care
should be taken while driving.
The slip indicator light comes on for a few seconds when the
ignition key is turned to ONº. If the indicator light does not
come on when the ignition is turned on, contact your Lexus
dealer.

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288
BRAKE SYSTEM
The tandem master cylinder brake system is a hydraulic
system with two separate sub-systems. If either sub-system
should fail, the other will still work. However, the pedal will be
harder to press, and your stopping distance will increase. Also,
the brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake
system. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to power-assist the
brakes. If the engine should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal pedal pressure. There
is enough reserved vacuum for one or two stops but no more!
CAUTION
Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the pedal uses up your reserved
vacuum.
Even if the power assist is completely lost, the brakes
will still work. But you will have to push the pedal
hard, much harder than normal. And your braking
distance will increase.
Anti-lock brake system
The anti-lock brake system is designed to help prevent
lock-up of the wheels during a sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces. This assists in providing
directional stability and steering performance of the
vehicle under these circumstances.
Effective way to press the ABS brake pedal: When the
anti-lock brake system function is in action, you may feel the
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise. In this situation, to
let the anti-lock brake system work for you, just hold the
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not pump the brake in a
panic stop. This will result in reduced braking performance.
The anti-lock brake system becomes operative after the
vehicle has accelerated to a speed in excess of approximately
10 km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the vehicle
decelerates to a speed below approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).
Depressing the brake pedal on slippery road surfaces such as
on a manhole cover, a steel plate at a construction site, joints
in a bridge, etc. on a rainy day tends to activate the anti-lock
brake system.

STARTING AND DRIVING
289 You may hear a click or motor sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the engine is started or
just after the vehicle begins to move. This means that the
anti-lock brake system is in the self-check mode, and does not
indicate a malfunction.
When the anti-lock brake system is activated, the
following conditions may occur. They do not indicate a
malfunction of the system:
You may hear the anti-lock brake system operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsating and the vibrations of the vehicle
body and steering wheel. You may also hear the motor
sound in the engine compartment even after the vehicle is
stopped.
At the end of the anti-lock brake system activation, the
brake pedal may move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the anti-lock brake system:
Although the anti-lock brake system assists in
providing vehicle control, it is still important to drive
with all due care and maintain a moderate speed and
safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, because
there are limits to the vehicle stability and effectiveness
of steering wheel operation even with the anti-lock
brake system on.
If tire grip performance exceeds its capability, or if
hydroplaning occurs during high speed driving in the
rain, the anti-lock brake system does not provide
vehicle control.
Anti-lock brake system is not designed to shorten the
stopping distance: Always drive at a moderate speed
and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of
you. Compared with vehicles without an anti-lock
brake system, your vehicle may require a longer
stopping distance in the following cases:
Driving on rough, gravel or snow-covered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving over the steps such as the joints on the road.
Driving on roads where the road surface is pitted or
has other differences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at appropriate inflation
pressure: The anti-lock brake system detects vehicle
speeds using the speed sensors for respective wheels'
turning speeds. The use of tires other than specified
may fail to detect the accurate turning speed resulting
in a longer stopping distance.