2008 Lexus IS250 engine

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When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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If the vehicle battery is discharged
The following procedures may be used to start the engine if the vehicle’s
battery is discharged.
You can call your Lexus dealer, Roadside Assistance or Lexus Customer
Service Assistance.
If you have a set of jumper (or booster) cables and a second vehicle
with a 12-volt battery, you can jump start your Lexus following the steps
below.
Remove the engine compartment covers.
(→P. 2 9 4 )
Connecting the jumper cables.
If required, remove all vent plugs from the booster battery. Lay a
cloth over the open vents on the booster battery. (This helps reduce
the explosion hazard, personal injuries and burns.)
Positive (+) battery terminal on your vehicle
Positive (+) battery terminal on the second vehicle
Negative (-) battery terminal on the second vehicle
Connect the jumper cable to ground on your vehicle as shown in the
illustration. Start the engine of the second vehicle. Increase the engine
speed slightly and maintain at that level for approximately 5
minutes to recharge the battery of your vehicle.
Open and close any of the doors with the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch OFF.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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■Avoiding a discharged battery
●Turn off the headlights and the audio system while the engine is off.
●Turn off any unnecessary electrical components when the vehicle is running at a
low speed for an extended period, such as in heavy traffic, etc.
■When the battery is removed or discharged
The power windows must be initialized.
(→ P. 6 4 )
CAUTION
■Avoiding battery fires or explosions
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidentally igniting the flammable
gas that may be emitted from the battery.
●Make sure the jumper cable is connected to the correct terminal and that it is not
unintentionally in contact with any part other than the intended terminal.
●Do not allow the jumper cables to come into contact with the “+” and “-” termi-
nals.
●Do not allow open flame or use matches, cigarette lighters or smoke near the
battery.
Maintain the engine speed on the second vehicle and turn the
“ENGINE START STOP” switch to IGNITION ON mode,
then start the vehicle’s engine.
Once the vehicle’s engine has started, remove the jumper
cables in the exact reverse order in which they were con-
nected.
Once the engine starts, have the vehicle checked at your Lexus dealer
as soon as possible.STEP5
STEP6

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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If your vehicle overheats
If your engine overheats:
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the automatic air
conditioning system.
Check to see if steam is coming out from under the hood.
If you see steam: Stop the engine and carefully lift the hood.
If you do not see steam: Leave the engine running and carefully lift the hood.
Remove the engine compartment cover. ( →P. 2 9 4 )
Check to see if the cooling fan is operating.
If the fan is operating: Wait until the temperature of the engine (shown on the
instrument cluster) begins to fall and then stop the engine.
If the fan is not operating: Stop the engine immediately and call your local Lexus
dealer.
After the engine has cooled
down sufficiently, check the
engine coolant level and inspect
the radiator core (radiator) for
any leaks.STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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■Overheating
If you observe the following, your vehicle may be overheating.
●The engine coolant temperature gauge enters the red zone or a loss of power is
experienced.
●Steam is coming from under the hood.
CAUTION
■To prevent an accident or injury when inspecting under the hood of your vehicle
●Keep hands and clothing away from the fan and other belts while the engine is
running.
●Do not loosen the radiator cap while the engine and radiator are hot.
Serious injury, such as burns, may result from hot coolant and steam released
under pressure.
NOTICE
■When adding engine coolant
Wait until the engine has cooled down before adding engine coolant.
When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot engine too quickly
can cause damage to the engine.
Add engine coolant if required.
Water can be used in an emer-
gency measure if engine coolant
is unavailable. (
→P. 411)
Have the vehicle checked at your nearest Lexus dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
STEP6

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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If the vehicle becomes stuck
CAUTION
■When attempting to free a stuck vehicle
If you choose to rock the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure the surround-
ing area is clear, to avoid striking other vehicles, objects or persons. The vehicle
may also lunge forward or lunge back suddenly as it becomes free. Use extreme
caution.
■When shifting the shift lever
With automatic transmission vehicles, 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.
Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle becomes
stuck in mud, dirt, or snow.
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and put the selector
lever in P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or N (vehi-
cles with a manual transmission).
Remove the mud, snow, or sand from around the stuck tire.
Place wood, stones or some other material to help provide
traction under the tires.
Restart the engine.
Shift the shift lever to the D or R position (automatic) or 1 or R
position (manual) and carefully apply the accelerator to free
the vehicle.
Turn off TRAC and VSC if these functions are hampering your
attempts to free the vehicle. (
→ P. 1 7 2 )
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

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NOTICE
■To avoid damaging the transmission and other components
●Avoid spinning the wheels and do not rev the engine.
●If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may require
towing to be freed.

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6-1. Specifications
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Vehicle specifications
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Vehicle identification■ Vehicle identification number
The vehicle identification number (V IN) is the legal identifier for your
vehicle. This is the primary identification number for your Lexus. It is used
in registering the ownership of your vehicle.
This number is stamped on the top left of the instrument panel and in the engine
compartment.
This number is also on the Certifica-
tion Label.

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6-1. Specifications
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Engine number
The engine number is stamped on the engine block as shown.