Page 114 of 458
114
2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehi cle, resulting in an accident.
●Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-shifting
or down-shifting, may cause the vehicl e to skid, resulting in an accident.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make sure that
the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from
functioning properly. If the brakes on on ly one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be af fected, resulting in an accident.
■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.
Page 117 of 458
117
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 noise (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.
■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 9 1 )
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle.
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to
have your Lexus dealer check the following.
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil an d fluid used for the engine, transmission,
transfer, differentials, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible) and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
Page 118 of 458
118
2-1. Driving procedures
Engine (ignition) switch
■Turning the key from “ACC” to “LOCK”
■Engine (ignition) switch
“LOCK”:
The steering wheel is locked
and the key can be removed.
“A C C ” :
Some electrical components
such as the audio system can be
used.
“ON”:
All electrical components can
be used.
“START”:
For starting the engine.
■Starting the engine
Check that the parking brake is set.
Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
Check that the shift lever is set in “P”.
Sit in the driver’s seat and firmly depress the brake pedal.
Turn the engine switch to the “START” position to start the
engine.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
Shift the shift lever to “P”.
Push in the key and turn to the
“LOCK” position.STEP1
STEP2
Page 119 of 458
119
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
■Steering lock release
■Starting the engine using the flat keyPut the key case away when the security indicator light goes out. This
means the engine immobilizer system has turned off.
Start the engine within 60 seconds after the security indicator light goes
off.
■Leak detection pump
Several hours after the engine is turned off, you may hear a sound coming from
underneath the luggage compartment for several minutes. This is normal operation
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When starting the engine, the engine switch
may seem stuck in the “LOCK” position. To
free it, turn the key while turning the steering
wheel slightly in either direction.
Remove the flat key from its case. Insert the
key into the engine switch.STEP1
Bring the key case close to the engine switch
within 10 seconds as indicated by an arrow.STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
Page 160 of 458
160
2-4. Using other driving systems
When the VSC/TRAC/hill-start assist control systems are operatingIf the vehicle is in danger of slip-
ping, rolling backwards when
starting on an incline, or if the rear
wheels spin, the slip indicator light
flashes to indicate that the VSC/
TRAC/hill-start assist control sys-
tems have been engaged.
A buzzer (intermittent) sounds to
indicate that VSC is operating.
The stop lights and high mounted
stoplight turn on when the hill-start
assist control system is operating.
The slip indicator light flashes as
well when ABS is operating.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, VSC, TRAC and hill-start
assist control systems
●A sound may be heard from the engi ne compartment when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to move. This sound does not indicate that
a malfunction has occurred in any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are operat-
ing. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.
■Hill-start assist control is operational when
●The shift lever is in any of the positions “D”, “4”, “3”, “2” or “L”.
●The brake pedal is not depressed.
Page 166 of 458
166
2-5. Driving information
CAUTION
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of serious personal
injury or damage to your vehicle:
●Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving in
dangerous places.
●Do not grip the steering wheel spokes wh en driving off-road. A bad bump could
jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and especially your
thumbs on the outside of the rim.
●Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud, water or snow.
●After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that there is no
grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the underbody.
Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these
materials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rugged te rrain, do not drive at excessive speeds,
jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss of control or vehi-
cle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive dam-
age to your vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
NOTICE
■To prevent the water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the engine or
other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine air intake will cause severe engine damage.
●Water entering the automatic transmission will cause deterioration in shift quality,
locking up of your transmission accompanied by vibration, and ultimately dam-
age.
●Water can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and premature
failure, and may also enter the differentials, transmission and transfer case, reduc-
ing the gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
Page 172 of 458
172
2-5. Driving information
CAUTION
■Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compartment:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
●Do not place anything on the luggage cover, and do not stack anything in the lug-
gage compartment higher than the seatbacks.
Such items may be thrown about and possib ly injure people in the vehicle during
sudden braking or in an accident.
●Do not drive with objects on top of the instrument panel.
They may interfere with the driver’s field of view or move during sharp accelera-
tion or turning, thus impairing the driver ’s control of the vehicle. In an accident
they may injure the vehicle occupants.
●Secure all items in the occupant compartment, as they may shift and injure some-
one during an accident or sudden braking.
●Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed for
passengers. They should ride in their seat s with their seat belts properly fastened.
Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer serious bodily injury or death, in
the event of sudden braking or a collision.
■Capacity and distribution
●Do not exceed the maximum axle weight ra ting or the total vehicle weight rating.
●Even if the total load of occupant’s weight and the cargo load is less than the total
load capacity, do not apply the load unevenly. Improper loading may cause dete-
rioration of steering or braking control which may cause death or serious injury.
■Cross rail adjustment
Make sure the cross rails are locked secu rely by applying pressure forward and
rearward.
Failure to do so may cause an accident, deat h or serious injury in the event of emer-
gency braking or a collision.
Page 175 of 458
175
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
■Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading information label.
( P. 3 4 3 )
CAUTION
■Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tire s, but also degrade steering and braking
ability, resulting in an accident.
