2004 Lexus GX470 brake fluid

For detailed information, refer to the description given in each Section.
PICTORIAL INDEX
xii
Page
1Automatic transmission second start
indicator light 373. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2Unengaged Parkº warning light 61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3Automatic transmission fluid temperature
warning light 62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4Low washer fluid warning light 65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5Automatic transmission indicator lights 365. . . . . .
6Driver's seat belt reminder light 58. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7Turn signal indicator light 31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8Brake system warning light 57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9Headlight high beam indicator light 31. . . . . . . . . . . .
10ABSº warning light 60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11Open door warning light 61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12Tachometer 54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13Headlight indicator light 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14Cruise control indicator light 377. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15Engine oil replacement reminder light 64. . . . . . . . . .
16Engine coolant temperature gauge 52. . . . . . . . . . . . . Page
17Discharge warning light 63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18Low engine oil pressure warning light 64. . . . . . . . . .
19Malfunction indicator lamp 59. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20Slip indicator light 389, 391, 394, 396. . . . . . . . . . . . .
21Vehicle stability control system off
indicator light 391. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22Center differential lock indicator light 373. . . . . . . .
23VSC TRACº warning light 63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24Downhill assist control system
indicator light 393. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25Rear height control indicator lights 386. . . . . . . . . . .
26Security indicator light 14, 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27SRS warning light 59. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28Trip meter reset knob 55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29Odometer and trip meter 55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30Low fuel level warning light 65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
31Fuel gauge 51. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
56IF THIS INDICATOR OR
BUZZER COMES ON...
DO THIS.
(f)
Take vehicle to Lexus
dealer.
If brake system
warning light is also
on, stop immediately
and contact Lexus
dealer.
(g)Close all side doors
and back door.
(h)Shift four-wheel drive
control out of Nº.
(i)Stop and check.
(j)Take vehicle to Lexus
dealer.
IF THIS INDICATOR OR
BUZZER COMES ON...DO THIS.
(k)Stop and check.
(l)Stop and check.
(m)Replace engine oil.
(n)Fill up tank.
(o)Add washer fluid.
(p)Key reminder buzzerRemove key.

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
57
(a) Brake System Warning Light and Buzzer
This light comes on in the following cases when the ignition key
is in the ONº position.
When the parking brake is applied...
This light comes on for a few seconds when the ignition key is
in the ONº position even after the parking brake is released.
When the brake fluid level is low...
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving normally when the
brake fluid level is low.
When the hydraulic brake booster fails...
If the hydraulic booster causes a problem resulting in poor
braking performance, the warning light comes on and buzzer
sounds continuously.
Have your vehicle checked at your Lexus dealer in the
following cases:
The light does not come on even if the parking brake is
applied when the ignition key is in the ONº position.
The light does not come on even if the ignition key is turned
on with the parking brake released.
A warning light turning on briefly during operation does not
indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If any of the following conditions occurs, immediately
stop your vehicle at a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
The light does not turn off even after the parking
brake is released while the engine is running.
The warning buzzer comes on together with the
warning light.
In either case, this can indicate that the brakes may not
work properly and your stopping distance will become
longer. Depress the brake pedal firmly and bring the
vehicle to an immediate stop.
The brake system warning light remains on together
with the ABSº warning light.
In this case, not only the anti-lock brake system will fail,
but also the vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking.

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
65 You need to reset the light after the engine oil replacement.
Reset the light by following the procedure below:
1. Turn the ignition key to the OFFº position with the odometer
reading shown. (For details, see Odometer and trip meterº on
page 55.)
2. Turn the ignition key to the ONº position while holding down
the trip meter reset knob.
Hold down the knob until the light goes off. Before the light
goes off, it illuminates for 3 seconds, flashes for 2 seconds and
illuminates for 1 second.
If the system fails to reset, the light will remain flashing. In this
case, return to step 1 and try again.
(n) Low Fuel Level Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel level in the tank becomes
very low. Fill the tank as soon as possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the movement of fuel in the tank,
the low fuel level warning light may come on earlier than usual.
(o) Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
This light comes on when the fluid level in the tank becomes
very low. Fill the tank as soon as possible.
(p) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the key when you open the
driver's door with the ignition key in the ACCº or LOCKº
position.
How to check all the service reminder
indicators (except the low fuel level warning
light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Open the door.
The following service reminder indicator should come on. It
goes off when you close the door completely.
3. Place the four-wheel drive control lever in Nº position and
the selector lever in Pº position and turn the ignition key to
ACCº.
The following service reminder indicator should come on. It
goes off when you place the four-wheel drive control lever in
Hº or Lº position.

STARTING AND DRIVING
398Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly may turn on the light.
It is normal if it goes out after a few seconds.
The brake actuator temperature increases during continuous
operation of the above mentioned system on such as slippery
roads. If the brake actuator temperature becomes too high
while any of the systems is operating, a buzzer will start to
sound intermittently to indicate that the hill-start assist control
system can no longer operate. In this case, stop your vehicle
immediately at a safe place.
If the system continues to operate, the buzzer sound changes
from intermittent to continuous. (The continuous buzzer
sounds for about 3 seconds.) At this time, the VSC TRACº
warning light will come on and the hill-start assist control
system stops operating temporarily in order to protect the
brake actuator. (Although the hill-start assist control system
does not operate, it is no problem to continue your driving.) The
system will be automatically restored after a short time and the
VSC TRACº warning light goes out.
If the warning light comes on while driving, the system does not
work. However, as normal braking operates when being
applied, it is no problem to continue your driving.
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer:
The warning light does not come on after the ignition key is
turned to ONº.
The warning light remains on after the ignition key is turned
to ONº.
The warning light comes on while driving.
BRAKE SYSTEM
This brake system has 2 independent hydraulic circuits. If
either circuit 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 brake fluid pressurized by the pump
to power-assist the brakes. If the brake booster fails during
driving, the brake system warning light comes on and buzzer
sounds continuously. In this case, the brakes may not work
properly. If they do not work well, depress the brake pedal
firmly. If the brake system warning light comes on, immediately
stop your vehicle and contact your Lexus dealer.
The brake system warning light may stay on for about 60
seconds after the ignition key is turned to the ONº position. It
is normal if the light turns off after a while.
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly may turn on the brake
system warning light and buzzer. It is normal if the light goes
out and the buzzer stops sounding after a few seconds.

STARTING AND DRIVING
399 You may hear a small sound in the engine compartment after
the engine is started or the brake pedal is depressed
repeatedly. This is a pump pulsating sound of the brake
system, and it is not a malfunction.
CAUTION
Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the pedal uses up your brake fluid
pressure reserve.
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 automatically
help prevent lock-up of the wheels during a sudden brake
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.
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 to the forward.

DRIVING TIPS
415 Use a washer fluid containing an antifreeze solution.
This product is available at your Lexus dealer and most auto
parts stores. Follow the manufacturer's directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute
because it may damage your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake when there is a possibility
it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into Pº and block the front
wheels. Do not use the parking brake, or snow or water
accumulated in and around the parking brake mechanism may
freeze the parking brake, making it hard to release.Keep ice and snow from accumulating under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders can make steering
difficult. During bad winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
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.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
443
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
If your engine coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a loud knocking or pinging noise, the engine has
probably overheated.
When the engine overheats
Pull safely off the road, stop the vehicle and turn on your
emergency flashers. Put the transmission in Pº and apply the
parking brake.
A: If steam is coming from your engine:
Turn off the engine. Leave the hood closed until there is no sign
of steam or coolant. Your engine could have been seriously
damaged already. Call your Lexus dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep the hood closed until
there is no steam. Escaping steam or coolant is sign of
very high pressure.
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.