2011 Lexus IS250 brake

395
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■When filling the reservoir
Take care because brake fluid can harm your hands or eyes and damage painted
surfaces.
If fluid gets in your eyes, flush your eyes with clean water immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, see a doctor.
NOTICE
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads wear or
when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent refilli ng, it may indicate a serious problem.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■Adding distilled water
Remove the vent plug.
Add distilled water.
If the “UPPER LEVEL” line cannot be seen, check the fluid level by
looking directly at the cell.
Put the vent plug back on and close securely.
Low O.K.
■Before recharging
When recharging, the battery produces hydrogen gas which is flammable and
explosive. Therefore, before recharging:
●If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect the
ground cable.
●Make sure the power switch on the charger is off when connecting and discon-
necting the charger cables to the battery.
■After recharging/reconnecting the battery
In some cases, the engine may not start. Follow the procedure below to initialize the
system.
Shift the shift lever to “P” (automatic transmission) or depress the brake
pedal with the shift lever in N (manual transmission), and turn the
“ENGINE START STOP” switch OFF.
Open and close any of the doors.
Start the engine. (If the engine does not start first time, repeat the proce-
dure.)
If the engine will not start even after mult iple attempts at the above method, contact
your Lexus dealer.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

5
When trouble arises
451
5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Before towingThe following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Lexus dealer before towing.
● The engine is running, but the vehicle will not move.
● The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available, in an emergency your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency towing
eyelet(s). This should only be attempted on hard, surfaced roads for short
distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to s teer and operate the brakes. The vehi-
cle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in good condi-
tion.
Towing eyelets
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by your
Lexus dealer or a commercial towing se rvice, using a lift-type truck or a flat
bed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towi ng, and abide by all state/provincial
and local laws.
If towing from the rear, the vehicle’s front wheels and axles must be in good
condition. ( P. 4 5 5 )
If they are damaged, use a to wing dolly or flat bed truck.

452
5-1. Essential information
■Emergency towing procedureRelease the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Put the “ENGINE START STOP” switch in ACCESSORY mode or IGNI-
TION ON mode.
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive stress on
the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains. Always use caution for
the surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
●If the engine is not running, the power assi st for the brakes and steering will not
function, making steering and braking more difficult.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
(vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious dama ge to the transmission.
■When towing a vehicle without using a towing dolly
(vehicles with a manual transmission)
The “ENGINE START STOP” switch must not be OFF.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

5
When trouble arises
455
5-1. Essential information
Towing with a wheel lift-type truckFrom the front Vehicles with an automatic trans-
mission: Use a towing dolly under
the rear wheels.
Vehicles with a manual transmis-
sion: We recommend to use a tow-
ing dolly under the rear wheels.
When not using a towing dolly,
release the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to N.
From the rear (2WD models)Switch to ACCESSORY mode so
that the steering wheel is
unlocked.
From the rear (AWD models) Use a towing dolly under the front
wheels.

5
When trouble arises
457
5-1. Essential information
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably needs
adjustment or repair. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
■Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● Engine coolant temper ature gauge needle continually points
higher than normal
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, sp ongy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor

5
When trouble arises
459
5-1. Essential information
Event data recorder
In a crash or a near car crash eventThe SRS airbag sensor assembly cont ains the EDR. In a crash or a near
car crash event, this devic e may record some or all of the following infor-
mation:
● Engine speed
● Whether the brake pedal was applied or not
● Vehicle speed
● To what extent the accelerator pedal was depressed
● Position of the transmission shift lever
● Whether the driver and front passenger wore seat belts or not
● Driver's seat position
● SRS airbag deployment data
● SRS airbag system diagnostic data
● Front passenger’s occupant classification
The information abov e is intended to be used for the purpose of improv-
ing vehicle safety performance. Unlike general da ta recorders, the EDR
does not record sound data such as conversation between passengers.
Your vehicle has computers that monitor and control certain aspects of
your vehicle. These computers assist in driving and maintaining optimal
vehicle performance.
Besides storing data usef ul for troubleshooting, there is an event data
recorder (EDR) that records data in a crash or a near car crash event.

5
When trouble arises
461
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds...
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle may be dangerous.
The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake system.
Immediately stop the vehi cle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
*: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer:
 P. 4 7 3
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)

(Canada)
Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)*
•Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake booster system
This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is fully
released the system is operating normally.
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights turn on or
flash. If a light turns on or flashes, bu t then turns off, this does not necessar-
ily indicate a malfunction in the system.