2012 Lexus HS250h steering

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1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●If a vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS knee airbags will deploy, be sure
to remove it.
●Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side airbags
inflate as they may interfere with inflation of the airbags. Such accessories may
prevent the side airbags from activating correctly, disable the system or cause the
side airbags to inflate accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
●Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS airbag
components.
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
●Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS airbags have
deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
●If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have deployed, open a door
or window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do so. Wash off
any residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation.
●If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel pad and
front and rear pillar garnishes, are damaged or cracked, have them replaced by
your Lexus dealer.
●Do not attach anything to or lean anything
against areas such as the dashboard, steer-
ing wheel pad and lower portion of the
instrument panel.
These items can become projectiles when
the SRS driver, front passenger and knee
airbags deploy.
●Do not attach anything to areas such as a
door, windshield glass, side door glass,
front or rear pillar, roof side rail, and assist
grip.
●Do not hang coat hangers or other hard
objects on the coat hooks. All of these
items could become projectiles and may
cause death or serious injury, should the
SRS curtain shield airbags deploy.

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1-8. Safety information
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
■Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications with-
out consulting your Lexus dealer.
The SRS airbags may malfunction or deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or
serious injury.
●Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags
●Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel, instrument
panel, dashboard, seats, seat upholstery or rear seat side garnishes (padding),
front, side and rear pillars or roof side rails
●Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the occupant
compartment
●Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars or kangaroo
bar etc.)
●Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system
●Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios and CD players
●Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability

143
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
Starting off on a steep uphillMake sure that the parking brake is set securely, and then select
shift position D.
Check that the shift position indicator shows 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 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 994 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■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. 5 6 2 )

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2-1. Driving procedures
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
●Do not shift the shift position 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 position to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
hybrid system. Engine braking is not available with the hybrid system disengaged.
●During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid sys-
tem 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. 5 5 8
●Use engine braking (shift position B) 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. 160)
●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.
●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.
●Abrupt changes from shift position D to B and rapid changes in the engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.

147
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
●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 changing the shift position
Be careful not to change the shift position with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Changing the shift position to any positions other than P or N may cause the vehicle
to accelerate abruptly, causing an accident and resulting in death or serious injury.
After changing the shift position, make sure to confirm the current shift position dis-
played on the shift position indicator inside the meter.
■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 depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any shift position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system 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 “READY” indicator is on. 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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2-1. Driving procedures
HS250h_U_75050U
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving,
as this may restrain driving torque.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at
the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Be sure to firmly apply the parking brake and set the shift position to 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 an
extended period of 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 get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire. ( →P. 5 3 2 )

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2-1. Driving procedures
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
■When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hybrid system while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress the
accelerator pedal while starting the hybrid system under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■Stopping the hybrid system in an emergency
If you want to stop the hybrid system in an emergency while driving the vehicle,
press and hold the “POWER” switch for more than 3 seconds.
However, do not touch the “POWER” switch while driving except in an emergency.
Turning the hybrid system 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 diffi-
cult to steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so.
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
●Do not leave the “POWER” switch in ACCESSORY or ON mode for long peri-
ods of time without the hybrid system on.
●If the hybrid system is off, but the indicator on the “POWER” switch is illuminated,
this indicates that the “POWER” switch is still turned on. When exiting the vehi-
cle, always check that the “POWER” switch is off.
■When starting the hybrid system
Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
■Symptoms indicating a malfunction with the “POWER” switch
If the “POWER” switch seems to be operating somewhat differently than usual,
such as the switch sticking slightly, there may be a malfunction. Contact your Lexus
dealer immediately.

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2-1. Driving procedures
HS250h_U_75050U
Horn
■After adjusting the steering wheel (manually adjustable type only)
Make sure that the steering wheel is securely locked.
The horn may not sound if the steering wheel is not securely locked. (→P. 8 3 )
To sound the horn, press on or
close to the mark.