Lexus GS350 2011 Owner's Manual

130
2-1. Driving procedures
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
CAUTION
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, you may accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, which 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 the vehicle
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and 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 brake actuator (GS460) or brake booster (GS350) does not operate, do
not follow other vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require brak-
ing.
In this case, braking is still possible, but it will require more force on the pedal than
usual. Braking distance may also increase.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if turning the engine off.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted brakes.
●The brake system consists of 3 (GS460) or 2 (GS350) individual hydraulic sys-
tems: 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 braking distance becomes
longer.
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck or bogged (4WD models)
Do not spin the wheels recklessly when any of the tires is up in the air, or stuck in
sand or mud, etc. This may damage the drive system components or propel the
vehicle forward (or in another direction) and cause an accident.

131
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
NOTICE
■While driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving.
If the brake pedal is depressed while driving with the accelerator pedal
depressed, driving torque may be restrained.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress accelerator and brake pedals
together to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always put the shift lever in “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 a long
time.
Doing so may damage the 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 hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replace the brake pads as soon as possible.
The rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brake only: Moderate levels of the brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced
front braking power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional
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
that of the brake discs are exceeded.

132
2-1. Driving procedures
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
NOTICE
■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 press the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds.
●The vehicle will behave abnormally.
Replace a flat tire with a new one. ( →P. 560)
■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, automatic
transmission, transfer (4WD models), differentials, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible) and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.

133
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
Engine (ignition) switch
Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic key on
your person starts the engine or changes “ENGINE START STOP” switch
modes.
■ Starting the engine
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in “P”.
Sit in the driver’s seat and firmly depress the brake pedal.
The “ENGINE START STOP” switch indicator turns green.
Press the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch.
The engine can be started
from any mode.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4

134
2-1. Driving procedures
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
■Changing “ENGINE STAR T STOP” switch mode
Modes can be changed by pressing the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
with the brake pedal released. (The mode changes each time the switch is
pressed.)
OFF*
Emergency flashers can be
used.
ACCESSORY mode
Some electrical components
such as the audio system can be
used.
The “ENGINE START STOP”
switch indicator turns amber.
IGNITION ON mode
All electrical components can
be used.
The “ENGINE START STOP”
switch indicator turns amber.
*: If the shift lever is in a position other than “P” when turning off
the engine, the “ENGINE
START STOP” switch will be
turned to ACCESSORY mode,
not to OFF.

135
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
■If the engine does not start
The immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (→P. 8 5 )
■When the steering lock cannot be released
■When the “ENGINE START STOP” switch indicator flashes in amber
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus
dealer immediately.
■Auto power OFF function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode (the engine is not
running) for more than an hour with the shift lever in P, the “ENGINE START STOP”
switch will automatically turn off. However, this function cannot entirely prevent bat-
tery discharge. Do not leave the vehicle with the “ENGINE START STOP” switch in
ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode for long periods of time when the engine
is not running.
■Electronic key battery depletion
→P. 3 5
■When the electronic key battery is discharged
→P. 4 8 2
■Conditions affecting operation
→P. 3 3 The green indicator light on the “ENGINE
START STOP” switch will flash and a mes-
sage will be shown on the multi-information
display. Press the “ENGINE START STOP”
switch again while turning the steering wheel
left and right.

136
2-1. Driving procedures
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
CAUTION
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not press the accelera-
tor pedal while starting the engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop the engine in an emergency while driving the vehicle, push and
hold the “ENGINE START STOP” switch for more than 3 seconds.
However, do not touch the “ENGINE START STOP” switch while driving except in
an emergency. 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.
NOTICE
■To prevent 12 volt battery discharge
Do not leave the “ENGINE START STOP” switch in ACCESSORY or IGNITION
ON mode for long periods if the engine is not running.
■When starting the engine
●Do not race the engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently, have the engine
checked immediately.

137
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
Automatic transmission
Select a shift position appropriate for the driving conditions.
■Shifting the shift lever
While the “ENGINE START STOP” switch is in IGNITION
ON mode, depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever.
■ Shift position uses
*1: To improve fuel consumption and reduce noises, set the shift lever in the
“D” position for normal driving.
*2: By selecting shift ranges using “S” mode, you can control engine braking forces.
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle or starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
S“S” mode driving*2 ( → P. 1 3 9 )

138
2-1. Driving procedures
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
■Selecting a driving mode
The following patterns can be selected to suit current driving and
operating conditions.
Power mode
For powerful acceleration and
driving in mountainous regions.
Normal mode
Snow mode
For accelerating and driving on
slippery road surfaces, such as
on snow.
Press “SNOW” to return to nor-
mal mode.

139
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
GS_G_U (OM30C11U)
October 28, 2011 5:15 pm
Changing shift ranges in “S” modeShift the shift lever to the “S” position and operate the shift lever. Upshifting
Downshifting
GS460
The initial shift range in “S” mode is automatically set to “6”, “5” or “4”
according to vehicle speed. However, the initial shift range may be set
to “3” or “2” if the AI-SHIFT has operated while the shift lever was in
the “D” position. ( →P. 141)
GS350
The initial shift range in “S” mode is automatically set to “4” according
to vehicle speed. However, the initial shift range may be set to “3” or
“2” if the AI-SHIFT has operated while the shift lever was in the “D”
position. (→ P. 141)