2006 LEXUS LS430 Owners Manual

89
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfaniliar with the location of the brake and accelerator
pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal. 
Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal will
r
esult in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
●Do not let the vehicle roll backwards while the selector lever is in a driving posi -
tion, or roll forward while the selector lever is in R. 
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lea
d to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●If you smell exhaust fumes in the vehicle, open the windows and close the trunk lid
to ensure plenty of fresh air enters the vehicle.
If you can smell exhaust fumes even through there are no other vehicle in sur -
rounding area, have your vehicle checke d b
y you Lexus dealer. Continued inhala-
tion of exhaust fumes can lead to death by gas poisoning.
●Do not shift the selector lever to P, R or N while the vehicle is moving under any
circumstances. 
Doing so can cause significant damage to the tr
ansmission system and may result
in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not turn the engine off while driving. 
The power steering and brake booster systems will not operate properly if the
eng
ine is not running.
●Use the engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a
steep hill. 
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose effec -
tiveness. ( P.98 )
●Do not shift the selector lever to N. 
Doing so may cause the engine brake to not operate properly and lead to an
acc
ident.
●When stopped on an inclined surface, use the brake pedal and parking brake to
prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or forward and causing an accident.

90
2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■While driving the vehicle
●Be careful when driving on slippery surfaces, as the vehicle may skid or spin when
downshifting, rapidly accelerating, braking or turning.
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, seat, or mirror while driving.
Doing so may result in losing control of th
e vehicle and cause an accident, which
may cause death or serious injury.
●Always check that passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their bodies are not
outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
■When shifting the selector lever
Use caution if accelerating while shifting. 
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an
ac
cident.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine. 
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly
and unexpectedly, and may cause an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running for a long time. 
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and
che
ck that exhaust fumes do no t enter the vehicle interior.
●Always keep a foot on the brake pedal while the engine is running to prevent an
accident caused by the vehicle moving.

91
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehi-
cle in hot areas.
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spr
ay can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic
m
aterial of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the co ntents
to spray over the interior of
the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical com -
ponents.
●Always set the parking brake, shift the se lector lever to P, stop the engine and
lock the vehicle. 
Do not leave the vehicle unattend ed
while the engine is running.
●Do not leave the engine running in an area with snow build up, or where snow is
expected to fall. 
Exhaust gases may enter the interior of the vehicle and cause gas poisoning.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, you may accidentally move the selector
le

ver or press the accelerator pedal, which could cause an accident or fire due to
abnormal engine overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly venti-
lated area, exhaust fumes may enter the vehicle and cause gas poisoning.

92
2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When braking the vehicle
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and may cause one side of
th
e vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also the parking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid downhill or sharp turns that require making. 
Braking is still possible, but it will re quir
e more force on the pedal than usual.
Braking distance may also increase.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls. Each push on the pedal uses up
your reserved brake fluid pressure.
●Even if the power assist is completely lost, the brakes will still work. But you will
have to push the pedal hard, much hard er than normal. And your braking dis-
tance will increase.
●Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
NOTICE
■While driving the vehicle
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depres s acceler
ator and brake pedals together
to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always put the selector lever in P. The vehicle may begin to move, or the vehicle
ma
y accelerate suddenly if the accelerat or pedal is accidentally depressed.

93
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
NOTICE
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for a long
time. Doing so may damage the power steering pump.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damag-
ing the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping no ise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replace the brake pads as soon as possible.
Exp
ensive rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
■If a malfunction is detected while driving
A flat or damaged tire may c
ause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually press the brak e pedal to slow down the vehicle.
• It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
• The vehicle will make abnormal sounds.
• The vehicle will behave abnormally.
Replace a flat tire with a new one. ( P.
3 4 7 )

94
2-1. Driving procedures
Starting the engine
■Ignition switch
LOCK:
Inserting and removing the key
ACC:
The audio system and other
acces

sories can be used when
the engine is stopped.
ON:
When driving the vehicle the
engine an
d all accessories are
on.
START:
For starting the engine.
■ Star
ting the engine
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the selector lever is set in P.
If you need to restart the engine while the vehicle is moving, put the
selector lever in N.
Sit in the driver’s seat and firmly depress the brake pedal.
Push and turn (if the smart access s
ystem is engaged) or turn the
ignition switch to STAR T and star
t the engine.
1
2
3
4

95
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
■If the engine does not start
Check whether the other keys will start the engine.
If they work, your key may be broken. Have the key checked at your Lexus dealer.
■Starting the engine using the flat key (Smart access)
■ Steering lock release
When starting the engine, the igni -
tion switch may seem stuck in the
“L
OCK” position. To free it, per -
form the following:
Smart access
Push and hold the ignition
s
witch (do not try to turn the
ignition switch), then rock the
steering wheel until it releases.
Standard
Turn the key while turning the
steering wheel slightly in either
dir

ection.
Remove the flat key from its case.
Insert the flat key into the igni-
tions switch.
Start the engine within 10 sec-
onds after the indicator light goes
off.

96
2-1. Driving procedures
■Starting the engine using the flat key (Standard)Put the key case away when the indicator light goes out. When the light
goes out, this means the engine immobilizer system has turned off.
Start the engine within 10 seconds after the indicator light goes off.
■Leak detection pump
Approximately five hours after the engine is turned off, you may hear sound coming
fr
om underneath the luggage compartment for several minutes. This is normal
operation and does not indicate a malfunction. ( 
For your information)
CAUTION
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not press the accelera -
tor while starting the engine under any circumstances. 
Doing so may cause an accident resu lting i
n death or serious injury.
Remove the flat key from its case. Insert the
flat key into the ignition switch.
Bring the key case close to the ignition switch
within 10 seconds as indicated by the arrow.