2007 LEXUS LX470 Owners Manual

When driving2
87
2-1. Driving procedures ................. 88Driving the vehicle ...................... 88
Starting the engine ...................... 95
Automatic transmission ............. 98
Turn signal lever .......................... 102
Parking brake ............................... 103
2-2. Instrument cluster................... 104 Gauges and meters .................. 104
Indicators and warning lights.............................................. 107
Trip information display............. 110
2-3. Operating the lights and windshield wipers .................. 112
Headlight switch ........................... 112
Fog light switch.............................. 114
Windshield wipers and washer............................................ 115
Rear window wiper and washer........................................... 118
Headlight cleaner switch .......... 119 2-4. Using other driving
systems .................................... 120
Cruise control ............................. 120
Rear view monitor system ...... 123
Lexus night view system ........... 126
AHC (Active Height Control Suspension) ............................... 130
AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension) ............................... 138
Four-wheel drive system ......... 139
Driving assist systems................ 142
2-5. Driving information................ 146 Off-road precautions ............... 146
Cargo and luggage..................... 151
Vehicle load limits ...................... 155
Winter driving tips ..................... 156
Trailer towing................................ 160
Dinghy towing .............................. 170

88
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
Starting on a steep inclineFirmly set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to “D”.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving.
■ Starting the engine ( P. 9 5 )
■ Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to “D”. (P. 9 8 )
Release the parking brake. ( P. 103)
Gradually release the brake peda l and gently push the accel-
erator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■ Stopping
With the shift lever in “D”, push the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle is stopped for an extended period of time, shift the
shift lever to “P” or “N”. (
P. 9 8 )
■Parking the vehicle
With the shift lever in “D”, push the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. ( P. 103)
Shift the shift lever to “P”. ( P. 9 8 )
Turn the ignition key to stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your per-
son.
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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended to
observe:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. (P. 3 7 0 )

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2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine running.
This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar 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
result 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 shift lever is in a driving position, or
roll forward while the shift lever is in “R”.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and check
that the back door is closed.
Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause driver drowsiness and eventu-
ally, death. Have the cause of the problem inspected immediately.
●Do not under any circumstances shift the shift lever to “P”, “R” or “N” while the
vehicle is moving.
Doing so can cause significant damage to the transmission and may result in a
loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to “N” while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so may cause the engine brake not to operate properly and lead to an
accident.
●Do not turn the engine off while driving.
The power steering and brake booster systems will not operate properly if the
engine is off.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Use 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. 9 9 )
●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.
●Be careful when driving on slippery surfaces, as the vehicle may spin or skid when
downshifting, rapidly accelerating, braking or turning.
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside
rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents that may
result in death or serious injury.
●Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their bodies are
not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do
not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-speed capability
tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire failure, loss of control and
possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on
your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at such speeds.
●If you drive through deep water over ab out 500 mm (20 in.) in depth, put the
vehicle height in the HI (High) mode with the active height select switch and then
turn off the active height control suspension by pushing the height control switch.
Drive your vehicle at 30 km/h (19 mph) or lower speed.

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2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an
accident and result in death or serious injury.
■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 sud-
denly 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
check that exhaust fumes do not 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.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehi-
cle when it is in the sun.
Failure to do so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of eye glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle's electrical com-
ponents.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to “P”, stop the engine and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattend ed while the engine is running.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipe while the engine is running or immediately after
turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
●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 vehicle and cause gas poisoning.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off.
Otherwise, you may accidentally move the shift lever 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 ventilated area, exhaust fumes may
enter the vehicle and cause gas poisoning.
■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
the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also the parking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other vehicles closely
and avoid downhill or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but it will require 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.
●The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems: if one of the systems
fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual and braking distance becomes longer.
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.

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2-1. Driving procedures
NOTICE
■While driving the vehicle
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress accelerator and brake pedals together
to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always put the shift lever in “P”. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or
the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is accidentally
depressed.
■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 replac e the brake pads as soon as possible.
The rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
that of the brake discs are exceeded.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause 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 6 )