Page 329 of 482

DRIVING TIPS
304
Brakes and safety chains
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to
any applicable federal and state/provincial regulations.
A safety chain must always be used between the towing
vehicle and the trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross under the
trailer tongue to prevent the tongue from dropping to
the ground in case it becomes damaged or separated.
For correct safety chain procedures, follow the hitch or
trailer manufacturer's recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight exceeds 500 kg (1102 lb.),
trailer brakes are required.
Never tap into your vehicle's hydraulic system as it
will lower its braking effectiveness.
Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain
securely attached to both the trailer and the vehicle.
If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball,
there is possible danger of the trailer wandering over
into another lane.
Tires
Ensure that your vehicle's tires are properly inflated. Adjust
the tire inflation pressure to the recommended cold tire
inflation pressure indicated below:
Tire inflation pressure, kPa (kgf/cm
2 or bar, psi)
Front 200 (2.0, 29)
Rear 200 (2.0, 29)
The trailer tires should be inflated to the pressure
recommended by the trailer manufacturer in respect to the
total trailer weight.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must comply with federal, state/provincial and
local regulations. See your local recreational vehicle dealer
or rental agency for the correct type of wiring and relays for
your trailer. Check for correct operation of the turn signals
and stop lights each time you hitch up. Direct splicing may
damage your vehicle's electrical system and cause a
malfunction of your lights.
Break-in schedule
Lexus recommends that you do not tow a trailer with a new
vehicle or a vehicle with any new power train component
(engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearing, etc.) for
the first 800 km (500 miles) of driving.
Page 332 of 482

DRIVING TIPS
307 3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal and slowly pull
or back away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply your
brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower. Because instability
(swaying) of a towing vehicle-trailer combination
usually increases as the speed increases, exceeding
72 km/h (45 mph) may cause loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before descending steep
or long downhill grades. Do not make sudden
downshifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too
frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat
and result in reduced braking efficiency.
HOW TO SAVE FUEL AND MAKE
YOUR VEHICLE LAST LONGER
Improving fuel economy is easy Ð 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 Ð but gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this may take a little
longer.
Always drive with the automatic transmission selector
lever in the Dº position when engine braking is not
required. Driving with the overdrive off will reduce the fuel
economy. (For details, see Automatic transmissionº on
page 272.)
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.
Page 333 of 482

DRIVING TIPS
308Avoid 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.
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
premature 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 tuned-up 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 Owner's Manual
Supplement/Scheduled Maintenanceº.)
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast down hills. Your
power steering and brake booster will not function
without the engine running. Also, the emission control
system operates properly only when the engine is
running.
Page 347 of 482

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
322
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight
line. Move cautiously off the road to a safe place
Ð 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. F i r m l y s e t t h e p a r k i n g b r a k e a n d p u t t h e
transmission in Pº.
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle on the side
away from traffic.
5. Read the following instructions thoroughly.
CAUTION
When jacking, be sure to observe the following
to reduce the possibility of personal injury:
Follow jacking instructions.
Do not put any part of your body under a
vehicle supported by a jack. Otherwise,
personal injury may occur.
Do not start or run the engine while your
vehicle is supported by the jack.
Stop the vehicle on a level firm ground, firmly
set the parking brake and put the
transmission in Pº. 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 place any
objects on top of or underneath the jack.
Raise the vehicle only high enough to remove
and change the tire.
Page 348 of 482
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
323
NOTICE
Do not continue driving with a deflated tire.
Driving even a short distance can damage a tire
and wheel beyond repair.
1. Lift up the deck board and hang the deck board
hook on the right hinge of the trunk lid.
Make sure the board does not fall down.
When closing the board, replace the hook in its
original position.1 Spare tire 2 Jack handle 3 Wrench
4 Jack 5 Towing eyelet
2. Get the jack, wrench 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. The jack handle and
wrench are attached at the reverse side of the cover.
Page 349 of 482
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
324
1 Joint
2When removing the jack, turn the joint by hand
in the contractº direction until the jack is free.
3When storing, turn the joint by hand in the
expandº direction until the jack is firmly secured
to prevent it from flying forward during a collision
or sudden braking.
To remove the spare tire:
1Remove the spare tire cover.
2Loosen 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.
Page 350 of 482
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
325
3. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire
to keep the vehicle from rolling when it is jacked
up.
When blocking the wheel, place a wheel block in front
of one of the front wheels or behind one of the rear
wheels.4. Loosen all the wheel nuts.
Always loosen the wheel nuts before raising the
vehicle.
Turn the wheel 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 Ð just unscrew them
about one-half turn.
CAUTION
Never use oil or grease on the bolts or nuts.
The nuts may loose and the wheels may fall off,
which could cause a serious accident.
Page 352 of 482
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
327
7. Remove the wheel nuts and remove the flat tire.
Lift the flat tire straight off and put it aside.Before putting on the wheel, remove any corrosion
on the mounting surfaces with a wire brush or such.
Installation of wheels without good metal-to-metal
contact at the mounting surface can cause wheel nuts
to loosen and eventually cause a wheel to come off
while driving.