2010 Lexus GS350 Owner's Manual

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2-1. Driving procedures
GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
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 willresult in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a difficulty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly, allowing you to depress the brake and accelerator pedals prop-
erly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, resulting in an acci-
dent.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. This may cause a
fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
●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 not to operate or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, 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 trunk is closed.
Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause driver drowsiness and an acci-
dent, resulting in death or a serious health hazard. Have the vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer immediately.
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GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●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 automatic 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 actuator (GS460) or brake booster (GS350) will
not operate properly if the engine is off.
●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. 141)
●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.
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2-1. Driving procedures
GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
CAUTION
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
●Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-shifting
or down-shifting, may cause the vehicle 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 only one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be affected, 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 positions 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 on 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.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the engine is running, and apply the parking
brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine. Running the engine at high speed while the
vehicle is stopped may cause the exhaust system to overheat, which could result
in a fire if combustible material is nearby.
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GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
CAUTION
■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 plasticmaterial 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 unattended 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 it is
snowing. If snowbanks build up around the vehicle while the engine is running,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may lead to death or a seri-
ous health hazard.
■Exhaust gases
Exhaust gases include harmful carbon monoxide (CO) that is colorless and odor-
less. Inhaling exhaust gases may lead to death or a serious health hazard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area, stop the engine. In a closed area, such
as a garage, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may lead to
death or a serious health hazard.
●The exhaust should be checked occasionally. If there is a hole or crack caused by
corrosion, damage to a joint or abnormal exhaust noise, be sure to have the vehi-
cle inspected and repaired by your Lexus dealer. Failure to do so may allow
exhaust gases to enter the vehicle, resulting in death or a serious health hazard.
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GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
CAUTION
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, you may accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, which could cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a serious health hazard.
■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 actuator (GS460) or brake booster (GS350) does not operate, do
not follow other vehicles closely and avoid downhill or sharp turns that require
making.
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 turning the engine off.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted brakes.
●The brake system consists of 3 (GS460) or 2 (GS350) individual hydraulic sys-
tems: 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.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck or bogged (4WD models)
Do not spin the wheels recklessly when any of the tires is up in the air, or stuck in
sand or mud, etc. This may damage the drive system components or propel the
vehicle forward (or in another direction) and cause an accident.
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When driving
GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
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 motor.
●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 replace the brake pads as soon as possible.
The rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brake only: Moderate levels of the brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced
front braking power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional
brake discs. Therefore, when replacing the brake pads, Lexus recommends that you
also have the thickness of the discs measured.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
that of the brake discs are exceeded.
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GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
NOTICE
■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 brake 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. 559)
■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 and fluid used for the engine, automatic
transmission, transfer (4WD models), differentials, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible) and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
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When driving
GS_G_U (OM30C80U)
January 27, 2010 4:47 pm
Engine (ignition) switch
Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic key on
your person starts the engine or changes “ENGINE START STOP” switch
modes.
■ Starting the engine
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in “P”.
Sit in the driver’s seat and firmly depress the brake pedal.
The “ENGINE START STOP” switch indicator turns green.
Press the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch.
The engine can be started
from any mode.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
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