tow Lexus GX460 2014 Owner's Guide
Page 179 of 624
GX 460 _O M_ OM6 0K 80 U_ (U)
1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
●After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying occurred is beyond
the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combination.
Drive at a lower speed to prev ent instability. Remember that swaying of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer increases as speed increases.
CAUTION
■Trailer towing precautions
●To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance with the
trailer’s characteristics and operating conditions. Failure to do so could cause an acci-
dent resulting in death or se rious injury. Vehicle stability and braking performance are
affected by trailer stability, brake setting and performance, and the hitch. Your vehicle
will handle differently when towing a trailer.
●Set the vehicle height to the LO mode and turn off the rear height control air suspen-
sion when you connect a trailer, otherwise the vehicle height may change due to the
automatic leveling function, and you may catch part of your body in the vehicle,
resulting in an accident.
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GX 460 _O M_ OM6 0K 80 U_ (U)4-1. Before driving
CAUTION
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
●If the gross trailer weight is over 2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway control device with suffi-
cient capacity is required.
●If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2268 kg), a weight distributing hitch with
sufficient capacity is required.
●Adjust the tongue weight within the appropriate range. Place heavier loads as close
to the trailer axle as possible.
●Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h), the posted towing speed limit or the speed limit
for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner’s manual, whichever is lowest. Slow
down sufficiently before making a turn, in
crosswinds, on wet or slippery surface, etc.
to help avoid an accident. If you experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing
a certain speed, slow down and make sure you keep your vehicle speed under the
speed of which you expe rience the instability.
●Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp turns.
●Do not apply the brakes suddenly as you ma y skid, resulting in jackknifing and loss of
vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight, gross axle
weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.
●Do not use cruise control when towing.
●Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill grades. Do not
make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long downhill grades.
●Vehicle-trailer instability is more likely on steep long down hills. Before descending
steep or long downhill grades, slow down and downshift. Do not make sudden down-
shifts when descending steep or long do wnhill grades. Avoid holding the brake pedal
down too long or applying the brakes too frequently. This could cause the brakes to
overheat and result in reduced braking efficiency.
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GX 460 _O M_ OM6 0K 80 U_ (U)
1794-1. Before driving
4
Driving
CAUTION
■Hitch
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities established by the hitch manu-
facturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of towing a higher weight,
the operator must determine the maximum weight rating of the particular hitch assem-
bly and never exceed the maximum weight rating specified for the trailer-hitch.
Exceeding the maximum weight rating set by the trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause
an accident resulting in death or serious personal injuries.
■When towing a trailer
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable federal and
state/provincial regulations.
●If the gross trailer weight exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer brakes are required. Lexus
recommends trailers with brakes that conform to all applicable federal and state/pro-
vincial regulations.
●Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehicle’s braking
effectiveness.
●Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both the trailer
and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball, there is danger of
the trailer wandering into another lane.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
Use only the position recommended by your Lexus dealer. Do not install the trailer
hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
■Do not directly splice trailer lights
Do not directly splice trailer lights. Direct ly splicing trailer lights may damage your
vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.
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GX 460 _O M_ OM6 0K 80 U_ (U)4-1. Before driving
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed to be ding
hy towed (with 4 wheels on the ground)
behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with four wheels on the ground.
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GX 460 _O M_ OM6 0K 80 U_ (U)
1894-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■Driving on a downhill
On declines, there may be case where the vehicle shifts down automatically to obtain
engine braking. As a result of the downshifting, the engine speed may increase.
■Second start mode automatic deactivation
Second start mode is automatically deactivated if the engine is turned off after driving in
second start mode.
■S mode
When the shift range is 5 or lower, holding the shift lever toward “+” sets the shift range to
6.
■AI-SHIFT
AI-SHIFT automatically shifts the gear to the suitable position according to driver perfor-
mance and driving conditions.
AI-SHIFT automatically operates when the shif t lever is in the D position. (Shifting the
shift lever to the S position cancels the function.)
■When driving with the cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control
Engine braking will not occur in S mode, even when downshifting to 5 or 4.
( → P. 2 1 4 , 2 1 7 )
■If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
→P. 5 4 2
■If the “S” indicator does not come on even after shifting the shift lever to S
This may indicate a malfunction in the automatic transmission system. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
(In this situation, the transmission will operate in the same manner as when the shift lever
is in D.)
■Downshift restriction warning buzzer (S mode)
To help ensure safety and driving performa nce, downshifting operation may sometimes
be restricted. In some circumstances, downsh ifting may not be possible even when the
shift lever is operated. (A buzzer will sound twice.)
CAUTION
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
Do not accelerate or shift gears suddenly.
Sudden changes in engine braking may cause th e vehicle to spin or skid, resulting in an
accident.
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