2224-1. Before driving
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
Driving the vehicle
P. 240
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. ( P. 246)
If the parking brake is in manual mode, release the parking brake. ( P. 256)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal
to accelerate the vehicle.
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift the shift lever to P or
N. ( P. 246)
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake ( P. 256), and shift the shift lever to P. ( P. 246)
Press the engine switch to stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on your person .
If parking on a hill, bl ock the wheels as needed.
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving:
Starting the engine
Driving
Stopping
Parking the vehicle
Starting off on a steep uphill
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4-1. Before driving
4
Driving
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a metallized
film such as a silver-colored one. Reflecte d sunlight may cause the glass to act as a
lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the engine and lock the
vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the parking brake is not set, the
vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or immediately after turn-
ing the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■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 over-
heating. Additionally, if the vehicle is park ed 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 shar p 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 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 hy draulic 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 brak ing 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.
2304-1. Before driving
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
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 set the parking brake, and 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 possi ble to avoid damaging
the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
●GS200t: Make sure to idle the engine immediately after high-load driving. Stop the
engine only after the turbocharger has cooled down. ( P. 225)
Failure to do so may cause damage to the turbocharger.
■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. 557, 573)
■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
any authorized Lexus retailer or Lexus auth orized repairer, or any reliable repairer
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.
2324-1. Before driving
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
Trailer towing (vehicles without towing package)
Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Lexus also does
not recommend the installation of a tow hitch or the use of a tow hitch carrier
for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer
towing or for the use of tow hitch mounted carriers.
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4-1. Before driving
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Driving
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer . In order to avoid acci-
dent, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when towing:
■Checking connections between trailer and lights
Stop the vehicle and check the operation of the connection between the
trailer and lights after driving for a brief period as well as before starting off.
■Practicing driving with a coupled trailer ●Get the feel for turning, stopping an d reversing with the trailer coupled by
practicing in an area with no or light traffic.
● When reversing with a coupled trailer, hold the section of the steering
wheel nearest to you and rotate clockwise to turn the trailer left or counter-
clockwise to turn it right. Always rotate a little at a time to prevent steerin g
error. Have someone guide you when reversing to lessen the risk of an
accident.
■Increasing vehicle-to-vehicle distance
At a speed of 10 km/h (6 mph), the distance to the vehicle runni ng ahead of
you should be equivalent to or greater than the combined length of your v ehi-
cle and trailer. Avoid sudden braking that may cause skidding. Otherwise, the
vehicle may spin out of control. This is especially true when driving on wet or
slippery road surfaces.
■Sudden acceleration/steering input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing may result in the trailer colliding with your
vehicle. Decelerate well in advance when approaching turns and take them
slowly and carefully to avoid sudden braking.
■Important points regarding turning
The wheels of the trailer will travel closer to the inside of the curve than the
wheels of the vehicle. To make allowance for this, take the turns wider than you
would normally do.
■Important points regarding stability
Vehicle movement resulting from uneven road surfaces and strong cross-
winds will affect handling. The vehicle may also be rocked by passing buses or
large trucks. Frequently check behind when moving alongside such vehicles.
As soon as such vehicle movement occurs, immediately start to decelerate
smoothly by slowly applying the brakes. Always steer the vehicle straight
ahead while braking.
Guidance
2384-1. Before driving
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
■Passing other vehicles
Consider the total combined length of your vehicle and trailer and ensure that
the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is sufficient before executing lane change s.
■Transmission information
To maintain engine braking efficiency, when using engine braking, when driv-
ing on a long steep downgrade, do not use the transmission in D . If in the M
mode, the transmission shift range position must be in 4 or lower. ( P. 249)
■If the engine overheats
Towing a loaded trailer up a long, steep incline in temperatures exceeding 30 C (85 F) may result in the engine overheating. If the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is overheating, turn the air condition-
ing off immediately, leave the road and stop the vehicle in a safe place. ( P. 602)
■When parking the vehicle
Always place wheel chocks under the wheels of both the vehicle and trailer.
Firmly set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to P.
WARNING
Follow all the instructions described in this se ction. Failure to do so could cause an acci-
dent resulting in death or serious injury.
■Trailer towing precautions
When towing, make sure that none of the weight limits are exceeded. ( P. 234)
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not tow a trailer when the compact spare tire is installed on your vehicle.
●Do not tow a trailer when the tire installed is repaired with the emergency tire punc-
ture repair kit.
●Do not use cruise control (if equipped), dynamic radar cruise control (if equipped) or
dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range (if equipped) when trailer towing.
■Vehicle speed in towing
Observe the legal maximum speeds for trailer towing.
■Before descending hills or long declines
Reduce speed and downshift. However, never downshift suddenly while descending
steep or long downhill grades.
■Operation of the brake pedal
Do not hold the brake pedal depressed often or for long periods of time.
Doing so may result in the brake ov erheating or reduce braking effects.
2424-2. Driving procedures
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
If the engine is stopped with the shift le ver in a position other than P, the engine
switch will not be turned off but inst ead be turned to ACCESSORY mode. Per-
form the following procedure to turn the switch off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” is displayed on the multi-information display
and then press the engine switch once.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” on the multi-information display is off.
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY mode for more than 20 min utes or IGNITION ON
mode (the engine is not running) for more than an hour with th e shift lever in P, the engine
switch will automatically turn off. However, this function cannot entirely prevent battery
discharge. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine switch in ACCESSORY or IGNI-
TION ON mode for long periods of time when the engine is not running.
■Electronic key battery depletion P. 156
■Conditions affecting operation P. 175
■Notes for the push-start function P. 177
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system ma y not have been deactivated. (P. 86)
Contact any authorized Lexus retailer or Le xus authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer.
●Check that the shift lever is securely set in P. The engine may not start if the shift lever is
displaced out of P. “Shift to P position to Start” will be displayed on the multi-information
display.
■Steering lock
After turning the engine switch off and opening and closing the doors, the steering wheel
will be locked due to the steering lock functi on. Operating the engine switch again auto-
matically cancels the steering lock.
When stopping the engine with the shift lever in a position other than P
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4-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
GS350_200t_GS F_OM_OM30F83E_(EE)
■When the steering lock cannot be released
■Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from overheating, the motor may be suspended if the
engine is turned on and off repeatedly in a sh ort period of time. In this case, refrain from
operating the engine. After about 10 seconds, the steering lock motor will resume func-
tioning.
■When “Check Entry & Start System” will be displayed on the multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by any authorized Lexus
retailer or Lexus authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer immediately.
■If the electronic key battery is depleted P. 491
■Operation of the engine switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly and fi rmly, the engine switch mode may not change
or the engine may not start.
●If attempting to restart the engine immediately after turning the engine switch off, the
engine may not start in some cases. After turning the engine switch off, please wait a
few seconds before restarting the engine.
■If the smart entry & start system has be en deactivated in a customized setting
P. 642
“Steering Lock active” will be displayed on the
multi-information display.
Check that the shift lever is set in P. Press the
engine switch while turning the steering wheel
left and right.