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In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer:
The warning light does not come on after the ignition key is
turned to “ON”.
The warning light remains on after the ignition key is turned
to “ON”.
The warning light comes on while driving.
VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL
SYSTEM
The vehicle stability control system helps provide
comprehensive 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.
This system activates when the vehicle speed is about more
than 15 km/h (9 mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine compartment for a few
seconds just after the vehicle begins to move. This means that
the system is in the self −check mode, but does not indicate a
malfunction.
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CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the vehicle stability
control system. Even if the vehicle stability 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,
manufacturer, 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 “ON”. If the indicator light does not
come on when the ignition is turned on, contact your Lexus
dealer.
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“VSC” warning light
This light warns that there is a problem somewhere in the
vehicle stability control system or traction control system.
The light will come on when the ignition key is turned to “ON”
and will go off after a few seconds.
If the light comes on while driving, the vehicle stability control
system and traction control system do not work. However, as
conventional braking operates when applied, there 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 “ON”.
The warning light remains on after the ignition key is turned
to “ON”.
The warning light comes on while driving.
Tw o −wheel drive models only — The “TRAC OFF” indicator
light will come on when the “VSC” warning light comes on even
if the “TRAC OFF” switch is not pushed.
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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
pressure: The anti lock brake system detects vehicle
speeds u sing 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.“ABS” warning light
1U.S.A.2Canada
The light comes on when the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position. If the anti−lock brake system and the brake assist
system work properly, the light turns off after a few seconds.
Thereafter, if either of the systems malfunctions, the light
comes on again.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the anti −lock brake system, the brake
assist system, the traction control system and the vehicle
stability control system do not operate, but the brake system
still operates conventionally.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the anti−lock brake system does not
operate so that the wheels could lock up during a sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfaces.
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If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates
a malfunction somewhere in the components monitored
by the warning light system. Contact your Lexus dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.
The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the “ON” position, or remains on.
The light comes on while you are driving.
A warning light turning on briefly during operation does not
indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If the “ABS” warning light remains on together with the
brake system warning light, immediately stop your
vehicle at a safe place and contact your Lexus dealer.
In this case, not only the anti lock brake system will fail
but also the vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking.
Drum in disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum−in−disc type parking brake system.
This type of brake system needs bedding −down of the brake
shoes periodically or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drums are replaced.
Have your Lexus dealer perform the bedding −down.
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Low tire pressure warning light
This light comes on when the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position. It goes off after a few seconds. This indicates that the
tire pressure warning system is functioning properly.
If the low tire pressure warning light comes on or blinks
while driving, do the following.
If the warning light comes on: The tire pressure is critically
low. Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level
as soon as possible. (See “Tires and wheels” on page 566.)
Once the ignition switch is turned off, the warning light also
goes off. If the light comes on again when the vehicle is started
after adjusting tire inflation pressure to the specified level, have
the system checked at your Lexus dealer. If you have a flat tire, replace it with the spare tire. For details,
see “If you have a flat tire” on page 500.
If the warning light blinks once every second: The low
tire pressure warning system may be malfunctioning.
Contact your Lexus dealer.
If the warning light blinks twice every second: The low
tire pressure warning system needs to be initialized. Reset
the system with the tire pressure warning system reset
switch. (To reset the system, see “Tire pressure warning
system reset switch”.)
The tire pressure warning system does not function
properly under certain circumstances. In the following
cases, the low tire pressure warning light may not come
on even if the tire inflation pressure is low, or it may come
on when the tire inflation pressure is actually normal.
A compact spare tire, snow tires, or tire chains are used.
The tire inflation pressure is excessively higher than
specified, or tire inflation pressure suddenly drops due to
bursting or other causes.
The vehicle is driven on a slippery road surface such as
rough or frozen roads.
The vehicle speed is less than 30 km/h (19 mph) or more
than 100 km/h (62 mph), and the driving duration is less than
5 minutes.
The tires differ in tread pattern or manufacturer.
The tires are not the specified size.
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The tread wear is very different among the installed tires.
Rapid acceleration/deceleration or sharp turns is continue.
Towing a trailer.
The loading is over the limit or imbalanced.
Initialization was not performed correctly after replacing or
rotating tires or wheels.
The outside temperature is below 0 C (32F) or above
40 C (104 F).
CAUTION
When the tire pressure warning light comes on, observe
the following instructions:
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level
as soon as possible.
Avoid abrupt steering wheel maneuvering and
braking when the tire pressure warning light comes
on. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you could lose
control of the steering wheel or the brakes, causing
death or serious injury.
Tire pressure warning system reset switch
The tire pressure warning system need to be initialized in
the following conditions:
When the low tire pressure warning light blinks twice
every second
After replacing or rotating tires or wheels
When initializing the system, the present tire condition is
stored as a standard.
To initialize the system, perform the following:
1. Park the vehicle at a safe place and apply the parking brake.
Stop the engine.
2. Adjust the pressure of all the installed tires to the specified
level. (See “Tires and wheels” on page 566.)
3. Turn the ignition key to “ON”.
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WINTER DRIVING TIPS
Make sure your coolant is properly protected against
freezing.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” or similar high
quality ethylene glycol based non−silicate, non −amine,
non− nitrite, and non −borate coolant with long− life hybrid
organic acid technology. (Coolant with long −life hybrid organic
acid technology is a combination of low phosphates and
organic acids.)
See “Checking the engine coolant level” on page 559 for
details of coolant type selection.
For the U.S.A. — “T oyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mixture
of 50% coolant and 50% deionized water. This coolant
provides protection down to about −35C (− 31F).
For Canada — “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mixture
of 55% coolant and 45% deionized water. This coolant
provides protection down to about −42C (− 44F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Check the condition of the battery and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of any battery, so it
must be in top shape to provide enough power for winter
starting. Page 601 tells you how to visually inspect the battery.
Your Lexus dealer and most service stations will be pleased to
check the battery charge level.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for the cold
weather.
See page 558 for recommended viscosity. Leaving a heavy
summer oil in your vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Lexus dealer — they will be pleased to help.
Check the electronic ignition system for loose
connections or obvious damage.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de− icer or glycerine into the locks to keep them from
freezing.
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.
