2012 Lexus GX460 Owner's Manual

When driving2
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GX460_U.S.A. (OM60J00U)
2-4. Using other driving systemsCruise control ......................... 246
Dynamic radar cruise control ................................... 250
Intuitive parking assist .......... 266
LDA (Lane Departure Alert)....................................... 275
Rear view monitor system ...................................... 281
Wide view front & side monitor ................................... 286
Multi-terrain Select .............. 296
Multi-terrain Monitor.......... 304
Rear height control air suspension .............................. 316
AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension System)............. 321
Four-wheel drive system ..... 322
Crawl Control ........................ 328
DAC (Downhill Assist Control system) .................. 332
Driving assist systems ........... 335
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .................................. 343 2-5. Driving information
Off-road precautions ........... 353
Cargo and luggage ............... 358
Vehicle load limits .................. 364
Winter driving tips ................. 366
Trailer towing .......................... 370
Dinghy towing......................... 389

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2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving:
■Starting the engine
→ P. 1 7 9
■ Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D.
(→P. 1 8 6 )
Release the parking brake. ( →P. 193)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■ Stopping
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift the
shift lever to P or N. ( →P. 1 8 6 )
■Parking the vehicle
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (→ P. 193)
Shift the shift lever to P. ( →P. 1 8 6 )
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
Press the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your per-
son.
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STEP3
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STEP2
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STEP4
STEP5

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
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Starting off on a steep uphillMake sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to
D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be especially
slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because
there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road surface, preventing
the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

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2-1. Driving procedures
GX460_U.S.A. (OM60J00U)
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of brake sys-
tem needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or whenever the parking
brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Lexus dealer perform the bed-
ding down operation.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. (→P. 7 5 4 )
■Eco-friendly driving
If Eco Driving Indicator Light comes on, it
indicates that you are driving at an Eco-
friendly driving. In case of over-use of the
accelerator that cause the vehicle to exceed
the Zone of Eco driving, Eco Driving Indica-
tor Light will turn off.
The Eco Driving Indicator Light will not oper-
ate in the following conditions:
●The shift lever in anything other than D.
●The vehicle is set to second start mode.
( → P. 1 8 8 )
●The vehicle speed is approximately 81 mph
(130 km/h) or higher.

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When driving
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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. This allows you to depress the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• 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. These hot parts may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
●Do not let the vehicle roll backwards while th e shift lever is in a driving position, or
roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, 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 back door is closed.
Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause driver drowsiness and an acci-
dent, resulting in death or a serious heal th hazard. Have the vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer immediately.

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CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the engine
from the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is selected.
●During normal driving, do not tune off the engine. Turning the engine off while
driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to
these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer and brake, so you
should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop
the vehicle in the normal way: →P. 74 9
●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. 1 8 7 )
●Do not adjust the positions 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, resulting
in death or serious injury.

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When driving
GX460_U.S.A. (OM60J00U)
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body 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.
■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.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid
acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious
injury.

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CAUTION
■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.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■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 suddenly
and unexpectedly, causing 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.
●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.