2011 Lexus GS350 Owner's Manual

576
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
■Starting the engine when the 12 volt battery is discharged
The engine cannot be started by push-starting.
■To prevent 12 volt battery discharge
●Turn off the headlights and the audio system while the engine is turned 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 12 volt battery is removed or discharged
The intuitive parking assist must be initialized. (
→P. 5 5 3 )
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.

5
When trouble arises
577
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
CAUTION
■Battery precautions
The battery contains poisonous and corrosive acidic electrolyte, while related parts
contain lead and lead compounds. Observe the following precautions when han-
dling the battery:
●When working with the battery, always wear safety glasses and take care not to
allow any battery fluids (acid) to come into contact with skin, clothing or the vehi-
cle body.
●Do not lean over the battery.
●If the battery fluid comes into contact with the skin or eyes, immediately wash the
affected area with water and seek medical attention.
Place a wet sponge or cloth over the affected area until medical attention can be
received.
●Always wash your hands after handling the battery support, terminals, and other
battery-related parts.
●Do not allow children near the battery.
NOTICE
■When handling jumper cables
Be careful that the jumper cables do not become tangled in the cooling fan or any
of the belts when connecting or disconnecting them.

578
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine overheats:
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the air conditioning
system.
Check to see if steam is coming out from under the hood.
If you see steam: Stop the engine. Carefully lift the hood after the steam sub-
sides and then restart the engine.
If you do not see steam: Leave the engine running and carefully lift the hood.
Remove the engine compartment cover. ( →P. 4 5 0 )
Check to see if the cooling fan is operating.
If the fan is operating: Wait until the engine coolant temperature gauge begins to
fall and then stop the engine.
If the fan is not operating: Stop the engine immediately and call your Lexus dealer.
After the engine has cooled
down sufficiently, check the
coolant level and inspect the
radiator core (radiator) for any
leaks.STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

5
When trouble arises
579
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
■Overheating
In the following situations, 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
●If steam is seen coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until the
steam has subsided. The engine compartment may be very hot, causing serious
injury such as burns.
●Keep hands and clothing away from the fan and engine drive belt 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.
Add coolant if necessary.
Water can be used in an emer-
gency measure if coolant is
unavailable. (→P. 5 9 2 )
Have the vehicle checked at your nearest Lexus dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
STEP6

580
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
NOTICE
■When adding coolant
Wait until the engine has cooled down before adding coolant.
When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot engine too quickly
can cause damage to the engine.

5
When trouble arises
581
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
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
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.
NOTICE
■To avoid damaging the automatic transmission and other components
●Avoid spinning the wheels and racing the engine.
●If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may require
towing to be freed.
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 shift the shift lever
in “P”.
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 and carefully apply
the accelerator to free the vehicle.
Turn off TRAC/Enhanced VSC if these functions are hampering
your attempts to free the vehicle. (→P. 2 0 1 )
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

582
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency
CAUTION
■If the engine has to be turned off while driving
Power assist for the brakes and steering wheel will be lost, making the brake pedal
harder to depress and the steering wheel heavier to turn. Decelerate as much as
possible before turning off the engine.
Only in an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle
in the normal way, stop the vehicle using the following procedure:
Steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet and firmly
depress it.
Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the
effort required to slow the vehicle.
Shift the shift lever to “N”.
If the shift lever is shifted to “N” After slowing down, stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Stop the engine.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted to “N” Keep depressing the brake pedal with both feet to reduce vehi-
cle speed as much as possible.
Stop the engine by pressing and
holding the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch for 3 consecutive
seconds or more.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP3
Press and hold for 3 seconds or more
STEP4
STEP5

Vehicle specifications6
583
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
May 21, 2010 12:06 pm
6-1. SpecificationsMaintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .............. 584
Fuel information ..................... 599
Tire information...................... 602
6-2. Customization Customizable features .......... 616
6-3. Initialization Items to initialize .................... 622