5
1
8 7
6
5
4
3
2
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)
9
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenanceDo-it-yourself service precautions................................ 345
Hood ............................................... 347
Positioning a floor jack.............348
Engine compartment ............... 349
12-volt battery ............................. 358
Tires.................................................... 361
Tire inflation pressure ............... 370
Wheels ............................................373
Air conditioning filter ................375
Electronic key battery...............377
Checking and replacing fuses...............................................379
Headlight aim (vehicles with single-beam head lights) ...... 384
Light bulbs .................................... 386
7-1. Essential information Emergency flashers .................. 392
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency.... 393 7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be towed................................ 394
If you think something is wrong ................ 399
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds.....400
If a warning message is displayed ................................ 406
If you have a flat tire ...................437
If the hybrid system will not start ............................... 446
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P ..................... 448
If the parking brake cannot be released ................................ 449
If the electronic key does not operate properly ....................... 451
If the 12-volt battery is discharged............................. 453
If your vehicle overheats ..........457
If the vehicle becomes stuck ..............................................462
7When trouble arises
15Pictorial index
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)
Windshield wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 204
Precautions against winter season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 274
To prevent freezing (windshield wiper de-icer)
* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 291
Precautions against car wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P. 334
Fuel filler door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 210
Refueling method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P . 210
Fuel type/fuel tank capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 468
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 361
Tire size/inflation pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 473
Winter tires/tire chain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 274
Checking/rotation/tire pressure warning system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 361
Coping with flat tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 437
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 347
Opening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 347
Engine compartment cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 350
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P. 469
Coping with overheat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 457
Warning messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 408
Headlights/parking lights/dayti me running lights/front side
marker lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P. 197
Front turn signal lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P. 192
Side turn signal lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P. 192
Tail lights/rear side marker lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 197
Rear turn signal lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P. 192
Stop lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 166
Back-up light
Shifting the shift lever to R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 18 7
License plate lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P. 197
4
5
6
7
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P. 386, Watts: P. 477)
*: If equipped
8
9
10
11
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)
1674-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control is available. (P. 2 6 7 )
■For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles are similar to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary
to refrain from activities such as sudden ac celeration, etc. Refer to “Hybrid vehicle driv-
ing tips”. ( P. 2 7 2 )
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged-up, and th e road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, becau se 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.
■Restraining engine output (Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals are de pressed at the same time, the hybrid sys-
tem output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is
operating. ( P. 4 2 5 )
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control)
●When the following unusual op eration is performed, the hybrid system 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 S) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on
the multi-information display. ( P. 4 1 3 )
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed to o 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. 268) 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 ve hicle, observing the followin g 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.
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)
1694-1. 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 “READY” indicator is
illuminated. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator ped-
als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing th e 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 th e brake and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your righ t foot. Depressing the brake pedal using
your left foot may delay response in an emergency, resulting in an accident.
●The driver should pay extra attention to pedestrians when the vehicle is powered only
by the electric motor (traction motor). As there is no engine noise, the pedestrians
may misjudge the vehicle’s movement.
●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 hybrid system. Turning the hybrid system off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, however, power assist
to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer smoothly, so you
should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in
the normal way: P. 3 9 3
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a steep
hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause th e brakes to overheat and lose effective-
ness. ( P. 1 8 7 )
●Do not adjust the positions of the steering wh eel, 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. Ev en 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.
172
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(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 taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could caus e an accident or fire due to hybrid system
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the vehicle, lead ing 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 electronically controlled brake system does not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is st ill possible, but the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distan ce will increase. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2 or more indi vidual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other(s) wi ll 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 immediately.
■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 th e 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 peda ls at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain hybrid system 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 ac cidentally 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.
177
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)4-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Vehicle load limits
◆Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight): P. 4 6 6
Total load capacity means the combined weight of occupants, cargo and lug-
gage.
◆Seating capacity: 5 occupants (Front 2, Rear 3)
Seating capacity means the maximum number of occupants whose estimated
average weight is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person.
◆To w i n g c a p a c i t y
Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.
◆Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or decrea se depending on the weight and the
number of occupants.
■Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading information label. (P. 3 7 0 )
Vehicle load limits include total load capacity, seating capacity, towing capac-
ity and cargo capacity.
WA R N I N G
■Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tires, but also degrade steering and braking ability,
resulting in an accident.
196
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)
4-2. Driving procedures
■When the parking brake is set automatically while the system is holding the brakes
The parking brake will not be released auto matically. Perform one of the following proce-
dures to release the parking brake and conf irm that the parking brake indicator light
turns off. ( P. 1 9 3 )
●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 0 6 )
WA R N I N G
■When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a stee p 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 power switch off while the system is holding the brake may
release the brake, which would cause the vehicle to move. When operating the power
switch, depress the brake pedal, set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to P.
222
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)
4-5. Using the driving support systems
WA R N I N G
■Pre-collision braking*3
●The pre-collision braking function may not operate if certain operations are per-
formed by the driver. If the accelerator pedal is being depressed strongly or the steer-
ing wheel is being turned, the system may de termine that the driver is taking evasive
action and possibly prevent the pre-colli sion braking function from operating.
●In some situations, while the pre-collision braking function is operating, operation of
the function may be canceled if the accele rator pedal is depressed strongly or the
steering wheel is turned and the system determines that the driver is taking evasive
action.
●A large amount of braking force is applied while the pre-collision braking function is
operating. As the pre-collision braking function will be canceled after the vehicle has
been stopped for approximately 2 seconds, the driver should depress the brake
pedal as necessary.
●If the brake pedal is being depressed, the system may determine that the driver is tak-
ing evasive action and possibly delay the op eration timing of the pre-collision braking
function.
*3: Depending on the region in which the ve hicle was sold, the pre-collision braking
function may not be available.
■When to disable the pre-collision system
In the following situations, disable the syst em, as it may not operate properly, possibly
leading to an accident resultin g in death or serious injury:
●When the vehicle is being towed
●When your vehicle is towing another vehicle
●When transporting the vehicle via truck, boat, train or similar means of transportation
●When the vehicle is raised on a lift with the hybrid system operating and the tires are
allowed to rotate freely
●When inspecting the vehicle using a drum tester such as a chassis dynamometer or
speedometer tester, or when using an on vehicle wheel balancer
●When a strong impact is applied to the front bumper or front grille, due to an accident
or other reasons
●If the vehicle cannot be driven in a stable manner, such as when the vehicle has been
in an accident or is malfunctioning
●When the vehicle is driven in a sporty manner or off-road
●When the tires are not properly inflated
●When the tires are very worn
●When tires of a size other than specified are installed
●When tire chains are installed
●When a compact spare tire or an emergency tire puncture repair kit is used