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ES350_OM_OM06134U_(U)4-1. Before driving
WARNING
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 on e 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 accide nt 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.
●Shifting 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)
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.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those
of the brake discs are exceeded.
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ES350_OM_OM06134U_(U)7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN” lines
on the tank.
■Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid type and prepare the necessary item.
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause
a dangerous loss of braking efficiency. Use
only newly opened brake fluid.
Brake fluid
Fluid type FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid
Items Clean funnel
WARNING
■When filling the reservoir
Take care as brake fluid can harm your ha nds and eyes and damage painted surfaces. If
fluid gets on your hands or in your eyes, fl ush the affected area with clean water imme-
diately. If you still experience discomfort, see a doctor.
NOTICE
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads wear out or
when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent ref illing, there may be a serious problem.
