2014 Lexus GS350 Do-it-yourself maintenance /

GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)
1614-1. Before driving
4
Driving
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steeri ng may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shift changing, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
●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.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the 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 acciden t or damage to 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 wh ile 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.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever wi th the accelerator pedal depressed. Shift-
ing the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid accel-
eration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious
injury.

162
GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
CAUTION
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brakes only: Moderate levels of brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced
front braking power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than conven-
tional brake discs. Therefore, when replacing the brake pads, Lexus recommends
that you also have the thickness of the discs measured.
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.
●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.

GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)
1634-1. Before driving
4
Driving
CAUTION
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehi-
cle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical com-
ponents.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a place such
as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when luggage is loaded
or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place contain-
ers such as air fresheners on the instru ment panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs
or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a metal-
lized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause the glass to
act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the sh ift lever to P, stop the engine and lock
the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or immediately after
turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.

164
GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)
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. Have your brakes
fixed immediately.
●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 di stance will increase. Have your brakes
fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD models)
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.

GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)
1654-1. 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 3 6 )

166
GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)
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.

167
GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)4-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Cargo and luggage
Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load cap acity) — (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit —
(1) Locate the statement “The combine d weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the av ailable amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in your vehi cle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capac ity is 650 lbs. (1400  750 (5150) = 650
lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be trans-
ferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
( P. 170)
Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your vehicle is not
designed for trailer towing.
Take notice of the following information about storage precautions,
cargo capacity and load:
Capacity and distribution

168
GS350_OM_OM30D41U_(U)
4-1. Before driving
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) (P. 76 8 )
When 2 people with the combined weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in your
vehicle, which has a total load capacit y (vehicle capacity weight) of B lb.
(kg), the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity will be C lb.
(kg) as follows:
B
*2 lb. (kg) — A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb. (kg)
*1: A = Weight of people
*2: B = Total load capacity
*3: C = Available cargo and luggage load
In this condition, if 3 more passengers with the combined weight of D lb. (kg) get
on, the available cargo and luggage load will be reduced E lb. (kg) as follows:
C lb. (kg) - D*4 lb. (kg) = E*5 lb. (kg)
*4: D = Additional weight of people
*5: E = Available cargo and luggage load
As shown in the example above, if the number of occupants increases, the
cargo and luggage load will be redu ced by an amount that equals the
increased weight due to the addition al occupants. In other words, if an
increase in the number of occupants causes an excess of the total load
capacity (combined weight of occu pants plus cargo and luggage load),
you must reduce the cargo and luggage on your vehicle.
Calculation formula for your vehicle
1
2