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4-1. Before driving
CAUTION
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause one side
of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the parking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase.
●The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems; if one of the systems
fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual and the braking distance will increase.
If this happens, do not continue to drive the vehicle. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline components or propel
the vehicle forward or backward, causing an accident.
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GS350_U (OM30C34U)
1634-1. Before driving
4
Driving
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
Always shift the shift lever 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 th e 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. 7 2 2 )
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4-1. Before driving
NOTICE
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause
the following serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to
have your Lexus dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, transmission,
transfer (AWD models), differential, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
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GS350_U (OM30C34U)4-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Engine (ignition) switch
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Firmly depress the brake pedal.
will be displayed on the multi-information display.
If it is not displayed, the engine cannot be started.
Press the engine switch.
The engine will crank until it starts or
for up to 30 seconds, whichever is
less.
Continue depressing the brake pedal
until the engine is completely started.
The engine can be started from any
engine switch mode.
Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic key
on your person starts the engine or changes engine switch modes.
Starting the engine
1
2
3
4
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4-2. Driving procedures
Stop the vehicle.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Set the parking brake. (P. 1 8 6 )
Press the engine switch.
Release the brake pedal and check that “POWER ON” on the multi-
information display is off.
Modes can be changed by pressing the engine switch with brake pedal
released. (The mode changes each time the switch is pressed.)
Off*
The emergency flashers can be used.
The multi-information display will not
be displayed.
ACCESSORY mode
Some electrical components such as
the audio system can be used.
“POWER ON” will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
IGNITION ON mode
All electrical components can be
used.
“POWER ON” will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
*: If the shift lever is in a position other than P when turning off the engine, the
engine switch will be turned to
ACCESSORY mode, not to off.
Stopping the engine
Changing engine switch modes
1
2
3
4
5
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GS350_U (OM30C34U)
1734-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
If the engine is stopped with the shift lever in a position other than P, the
engine switch will not be turned off but instead be turned to ACCES-
SORY mode. Perform the following procedure to turn the switch off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Check that “POWER ON” and “Turn Power OFF” are displayed alter-
nately on the multi-informa tion display and then press the engine switch
once.
Check that “POWER ON” and “Tur n Power OFF” on the multi-infor-
mation display are off.
When stopping the engine with the shift lever in a position other
than P
1
2
3
4
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4-2. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress the accel-
erator pedal while starting the engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If engine failure occurs while the vehicle is moving, do not lock or open the doors
until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activation of the steering lock in
this circumstance may lead to an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop the engine in an emergency while driving the vehicle, press and
hold the engine switch for more than 2 seconds, or press it briefly 3 times or more
in succession. (P. 6 7 7 )
However, do not touch the engine switch while driving except in an emergency.
Turning the engine off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking con-
trol, 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.
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4-2. Driving procedures
Automatic transmission
While the engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode, move the shift
lever with the brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Shifting the shift lever