GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)
1834-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control is available. (→P. 3 0 8 )
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is ra ining, 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 slip-
pery.
●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.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving. This is due
to automatic up-shifting control or down-shi fting implementation to meet driving condi-
tions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
●When the accelerator pedal is released
●When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected (→ P. 2 9 3 )
■Restraining engine output (Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the engine
output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is
operating. ( →P. 4 8 0 )
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control)
●When the following unusual operation is performed, the engine output may be
restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted from R to D, D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes M) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on
the multi-information display. ( →P. 464)
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed t oo much while the vehicle is in reverse.
●While Drive-Start Control is being activated, your vehicle may have trouble escaping
from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRAC ( →P. 310) to cancel Drive-
Start Control so that the vehicle may become able to escape from the mud or fresh
snow.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observin g the following precautions is recommended:
●For the first 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 621 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)
1854-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■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 th e location of the brake and accelerator ped-
als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a difficulty in oper- ating 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 accident.
●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.
●During normal driving, do not turn 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. 4 4 3
●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 effective-
ness. (→P. 202)
●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.
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle.
●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.
186
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)4-1. Before driving
WA R N I N G
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 steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your
ability to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine speed
could 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 func-
tioning 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 accident 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 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 a driving position 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 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.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators) (GS350/
GS200t)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brakes of F SPORT models: Moderate levels of brake pad and disc wear allow
enhanced front braking power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than con-
ventional 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.
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)
1894-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■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.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted brakes.
●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. Have your brakes fixed imme-
diately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline components or propel the vehi-
cle forward or backward, causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain the engine output.
●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 the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damaging
the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
●GS200t: Make sure to idle the engine i mmediately after high speed driving or hill
climbing. Stop the engine only after the turbocharger has cooled down. ( →P. 1 8 4 )
Failure to do so may cause damage to the turbocharger.
212
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
Brake Hold (GS350/GS200t)
Turns the brake hold system on
The brake hold standby indicator
(green) comes on. While the system is
holding the brake, the brake hold oper-
ated indicator (yellow) comes on.
■Brake hold system operating conditions
The brake hold system cannot be turn
ed on in the following conditions:
●The driver’s door is not closed.
●The driver is not wearing the seat belt.
●“EPB Activation Stopped Incompletely” or “Electronic Parking Brake Malfunction Visit
Your Dealer” is displayed on the multi-information display.
If any of the conditions above are detected when the brake hold system is enabled, the
system will turn off and the brake hold standby in dicator light will go off. In addition, if any
of the conditions are detected while the sy stem is holding the brake, a warning buzzer
will sound and a message will be shown on the multi-information display. The parking
brake will then be set automatically.
■Brake hold function
●If the brake pedal is left released for a period of about 3 minutes after the system has
started holding the brake, the parking brake will be set automatically. In this case, a
warning buzzer sounds and a message is shown on the multi-information display.
●To turn the system off while the system is holding the brake, firmly depress the brake
pedal and press the button again.
●The brake hold function may not hold the vehicle when the vehicle is on a steep incline.
In this situation, it may be necessary for the driver to apply the brakes. A warning
buzzer will sound and the multi-information di splay will inform the driver of this situa-
tion. ( →P. 4 5 9 )
The brake hold system keeps the brake applied when the shift lever is in D, M
or N with the system on and the brake pedal has been depressed to stop the
vehicle. The system releases the brake when the accelerator pedal is
depressed with the shift lever in D or M to allow smooth start off.
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)
2134-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■When the parking brake is set automatically while the system is holding the brakes
The parking brake will not be released automatically. Perform one of the following proce-
dures to release the parking brake and confirm that the parking brake indicator light
turns off. ( →P. 2 1 0 )
●With the brake pedal depressed, operate the parking brake switch.
●Fasten your seat belt, check that the shift leve r is in either D or R and slowly depress the
accelerator pedal.
■Warning message and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution. ( →P. 4 5 9 )
WA R N I N G
■When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a steep incline exercise caution. The brake hold
function may not hold the vehicle in such a situation.
■When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when the gripping ability of the tires has been
exceeded. Do not use the system when stopped on a slippery road.
NOTICE
■When parking the vehicle
The brake hold system is not designed for use when parking the vehicle for a long
period of time. Turning the engine switch off while the system is holding the brake may
release the brake, which would cause the vehicle to move. When operating the engine
switch, depress the brake pedal, set the pa rking brake and shift the shift lever to P.
237
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)4-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
PCS (Pre-Collision System)∗
◆Pre-collision warning
When the system determines that
the possibility of a frontal collision is
high, a buzzer will sound and a warn-
ing message will be displayed on the
multi-information display to urge the
driver to take evasive action.
◆Pre-collision brake assist
When the system determines that the possi
bility of a frontal collision is high,
the system applies greater braking force in relation to how strongly the brake
pedal is depressed.
∗: If equipped
The pre-collision system uses a radar sensor and camera sensor to detect
vehicles and pedestrians
*1 in front of your vehicle. When the system deter-
mines that the possibility of a frontal collision with a vehicle or pedestrian is
high, a warning operates to urge the driver to take evasive action and the
potential brake pressure is increased to help the driver avoid the collision. If
the system determines that the possibility of a frontal collision with a vehicle or
pedestrian is extremely high, the brakes are automatically applied
*2 to help
avoid the collision or help reduce the impact of the collision.
The pre-collision system can be disabled/enabled and the warning timing can
be changed. ( →P. 2 4 0 )
*1: Depending on the region in which the vehicle was sold, the pedestrian detection
function may not be available. Contact your Lexus dealer for details.
*2: Depending on the region in which the ve hicle was sold, the pre-collision braking
function (automatic braking function) may not be available. Contact your Lexus
dealer for details.
238
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30E86U_(U)4-5. Using the driving support systems
◆Pre-collision braking*3
When the system determines that the possi
bility of a frontal collision is high,
the system warns the driver. If the system determines that the possibility of a
collision is extremely high, the brakes are automatically applied to help avoid
the collision or reduce the collision speed.
*3: Depending on the region in which the vehicle was sold, the pre-collision braking func- tion may not be available.
◆Suspension control (if equipped)
When the system determines that the possi bility of a frontal collision is high,
the Adaptive Variable Suspension system ( →P. 309) will control the damping
force of the shock absorbers.
◆Steering control (if equipped)
When the system determines that the possibility of a frontal collision is high
and the driver is operating the steering wheel, the LDH system ( →P. 309) will
control the turning angle of the front and rear wheels and effort necessary to
turn the steering wheel.
WA R N I N G
■Limitations of the pre-collision system
●The driver is solely responsible for safe driving. Always drive safely, taking care to
observe your surroundings.
Do not use the pre-collision system instead of normal braking operations under any
circumstances. This system will not preven t collisions or lessen collision damage or
injury in every situation. Do not overly rely on this system. Failure to do so may lead to
an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
●Although this system is designed to help avoid a collision or help reduce the impact of
the collision, its effectiveness may change according to various conditions, therefore
the system may not always be able to achieve the same level of performance.
Read the following conditions carefully. Do not overly rely on this system and always
drive carefully.
• Conditions under which the system may operate even if there is no possibility of a collision: →P. 2 4 3
• Conditions under which the system may not operate properly: →P. 2 4 6
●Do not attempt to test the operation of the pre-collision system yourself, as the system
may not operate properly, possibly leading to an accident.