2012 Lexus IS250 steering

464
5-1. Essential information
IS350/250_U
■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 be cautious of the
surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
●If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering will not
function, making steering and braking more difficult.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious da mage 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 damage 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
467
5-1. Essential information
IS350/250_U
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.

468
5-1. Essential information
IS350/250_U
Using a flat bed truckIf your Lexus is transported by a
flat bed truck, it should be tied
down at the locations shown in the
illustration.
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45°.
Do not overly tighten the tie downs
or the vehicle may be damaged.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious da mage to the transmission
(vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear with the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
OFF.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels
straight.
●When raising the vehicle from the rear, ensure adequate ground clearance for
towing at the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed from the rear.

5
When trouble arises
473
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
IS350/250_U
Follow the correction procedures.After taking the specified steps to co rrect the suspected problem, check
that the warning light turns off.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)

(Canada)
ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
•The ABS;
• The brake assist system.
Electric power steering system warning lightIndicates a malfunction in the EPS (Electric Power Steering)
system.
Slip indicatorIndicates a malfunction in:
• The VSC system;
• The TRAC system; or
• The hill-start assist control system
Warning lightWarning light/DetailsCorrection procedure
Open door warning light
(warning buzzer)
*1
Indicates that a door or the
trunk is not fully closed.
Check that all doors and the
trunk are closed.
Low fuel level warning light
Remaining fuel
(Approximately 2.9 gal. [11 L,
2.4 Imp. gal.] or less)
Refuel the vehicle.
(On the instru-ment cluster)
Driver’s seat belt reminder
light (warning buzzer)
*2
Warns the driver to fasten
his/her seat belt.Fasten the seat belt.

476
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
IS350/250_U
■If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on while driving
First check the following:
●Is the fuel tank empty?
If it is, fill the fuel tank immediately.
●Is the fuel tank cap loose?
If it is, tighten it securely.
The lamp will go off after taking several driving trips.
If the lamp does not go off even after several trips, contact your Lexus dealer as
soon as possible.
■Electric power steering warning light
When the battery is low or when the voltage drops temporarily, the electric power
steering warning light may come on.
■Front passenger detection sensor and passenger seat belt reminder and warning
buzzer
●If luggage is placed on the front passenger seat, the front passenger detection
sensor may cause the warning light to flash and the warning buzzer to sound,
even if a passenger is not sitting in the seat.
●If a cushion is placed on the seat, the sensor may not detect a passenger, and the
warning light may not operate properly.
■When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate level. Pressing the
satellite switch does not turn off the tire pressure warning light.
■The tire pressure warning light ma y turn on due to natural causes
The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes such as natural air
leaks or tire inflation pressure changes caused by temperature. In this case, adjust-
ing the tire inflation pressure will turn off the warning light (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
The compact spare tire is not equipped with the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning light will not turn off even
though the flat tire is replaced with the spare tire. Replace the spare tire with the
repaired tire and adjust the proper tire inflation pressure. The tire pressure warning
light will turn off after a few minutes.

478
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
IS350/250_U
CAUTION
■When the electric power steering warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes heavier than usual when operating, firmly hold and
operate it using more force than usual.
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could cause loss of
vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire inflation pres-
sure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pressure adjust-
ment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires. If the tire is flat,
change to the spare tire and have the flat tire repaired by the nearest Lexus
dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you could
lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning system may not activate immediately.

482
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
IS350/250_U
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.A buzzer sounds and a warning message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display. Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may
lead to the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Wa r n i n g m e s s a g eDetails
(If equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the AWD system.
(Flashing)
Indicates a malfunction in the steering lock system.
(If equipped)
Indicates intuitive parking assist malfunction. The malfunctioning assist-sensor is shown flashing on
the display.

490
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
IS350/250_U
Once
(Vehicles with an auto-matic transmission)
Indicates that a
door has been
opened or closed
and the “ENGINE
START STOP”
switch has been
switched twice to
ACCESSORY
mode from OFF.
Press the
“ENGINE START
STOP” switch
while applying the
brakes.
Once
(Vehicles with a manual
transmission)
Indicates that a
door has been
opened or closed
and the “ENGINE
START STOP”
switch has been
switched twice to
ACCESSORY
mode from OFF.
Press the
“ENGINE START
STOP” switch
while depressing
the clutch pedal.

(Flashing)
Indicates that the
steering lock has
not released
within 3 seconds
of pressing the
“ENGINE START
STOP” switch.Press the
“ENGINE START
STOP” switch
again while turn-
ing the steering
wheel with the
brake pedal
depressed.
InteriorbuzzerExterior buzzerWarning messageDetailsCorrection
procedure