lexus LFA 2012 Owner's Manual / LEXUS 2012 LFA OWNERS MANUAL (OM77006U)

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
■Changing the ignition switch positions
“LOCK”
The steering wheel is locked and
the key can be removed.
“A C C ”
Some electrical components such
as the power outlet can be used.
“ON”
All electrical components can be
used.
■Turning the key from “ACC” to “LOCK”
■Default driving mode
AUTO driving mode will be automatically se lected each time the engine is started.
(  P. 1 0 4 )
Push in the key and turn it to the “LOCK”
position.

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2-1. Driving procedures
■If the engine does not start
●Repeat the procedure again. If the engine does not start after a few tries, the
“ENGINE START” switch may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected
by your Lexus dealer.
●Check to make sure that the brake pedal is firmly depressed and that “N” is dis-
played in the gear indicator. (If the brake pedal is not depressed or “N” is not
displayed, the engine will not start.)
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. ( P. 5 3 )
●In order to protect the engine, the engine may not start when the engine coolant
temperature or the engine oil temperature is below -13 F (-25C). In that case,
a buzzer will sound and “Temp low Engine cannot be started” will be shown on
the meter. ( P. 3 2 7 )
■When the steering lock cannot be released
■Key reminder function
A buzzer sounds if the driver’s door is opened while the ignition switch is in the
“LOCK” or “ACC” position to remind you to remove the key.
■After reconnecting the battery
If the gear indicator is not displayed when an attempt is made to start the engine,
the engine is not yet ready to start. Depr ess the brake pedal for several seconds and
wait for the gear indicator to appear.
When starting the engine, the ignition switch
may seem stuck in the “LOCK” position. To
free it, turn the key while turning the steering
wheel slightly left and right.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
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.
■Caution when driving
Do not turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK” position while driving. An accident
may result if the engine is stopped while driving.
If you must turn the engine off while the vehicle is moving (due to an emergency),
turn the ignition switch on ly to the “ACC” position. (P. 355)
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the ignition switch in the “A CC” or “ON” position for long periods of
time without the engine running.
■When starting the engine
●Do not race a cold engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently, have the engine
checked immediately.

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2-1. Driving procedures
ASG (Automated Sequential Gearbox)
The LFA is equipped with a sequential manual transmission with automated
clutch and shifting mechanisms (ASG). Driving modes can be selected
according to personal preference and include AUTO driving mode, which
allows automatic gear shifting, and SPORT, NORMAL, and WET driving
modes which enable manual gear shifti ng using the paddle shift switches. The
shift speed can be adjusted to seven different levels when in any mode other
than AUTO driving mode.
■ Switch operation
“+” Paddle shift switch (Upshift/Switch to a forward gear)
Shifts up by one gear each time this switch is pulled.
Selects a forward gear if pulled when Neutral is selected.
“-” Paddle shift switch (Downshift)
Shifts down by one gear each time this switch is pulled.
Reverse selector switch
Driving mode selector switch ( P. 1 0 4 )
Shift speed selector ( P. 1 0 7 )

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
■Shifting to Neutral
Pull both paddle shift switches at
the same time.
“N” is shown on the gear indicator.
■Shifting to Reverse
Reverse cannot be selected when in a forward gear, and a forward
gear cannot be selected when in Reve rse. Make sure to select Neutral
before shifting.
Stop the vehicle.
Pull both paddle shift switches at the same time to select Neutral.
Pull the reverse selector switch.
The gear display changes to “R”
and the indicator illuminates in
amber.
To shift out of Reverse, pull both
paddle shift switches to select
Neutral.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

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2-1. Driving procedures
Driving modesThe LFA has four driving modes, each of which varies the control charac-
teristics of items such as the electr onic throttle, VSC and TRAC accord-
ing to driving conditions. Driving mode s can be selected using the driving
mode selector switch or paddle shift switches.
■ Driving mode characteristics
Driving
modeGear
shiftingMeter display/
Gear indicatorDetails
AUTO Automatic The optimal gear is selected
automatically according to the
throttle opening and vehicle
speed.
SPORT Manual Dynamic performance can be
maximized on dry roads.
NORMAL
Manual shift driving is possible
by using the paddle shift
switches.

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2-1. Driving procedures
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When driving
■Selecting driving modes
Driving modes can be selected using the following procedures:
Switching to AUTO driving mode Press the AUTO driving mode
button.
Release the accelerator pedal
before pressing the button.
Switching to SPORT driving modeTurn the driving mode selector
switch upward.
To change from WET driving
mode, turn the driving mode selec-
tor switch twice.
WET Manual
Dynamic performance can be
maximized in slippery road
conditions.
Driving
modeGear
shiftingMeter display/
Gear indicatorDetails

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2-1. Driving procedures
Switching to NORMAL driving modeWhen AUTO driving mode is
selected:
Pull the “+” paddle shift switch.
When the vehicle is stopped in
Neutral, pull the “+” paddle shift
switch twice.
When SPORT driving mode is
selected:
Turn the driving mode selector
switch downward.
When WET driving mode is
selected:
Turn the driving mode selector
switch upward.
Switching to WET driving mode Turn the driving mode selector
switch downward.
To change from SPORT driving
mode, turn the driving mode selec-
tor switch twice.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
Shift speed selectionOne of seven different shift speeds can be selected for SPORT, NOR-
MAL, and WET driving modes using the shift speed selector. The
selected shift speed level is indicated on the meter.
Fast (shorter shifting time)
Slow (longer shifting time)
The shift speed is shown below the
speedometer. The more indicator
lights that are illuminated, the
faster the shift speed (less time
required for gear changes).
Slow
Fast

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2-1. Driving procedures
■Starting off control
The ASG does not have the creep function of a conventional automatic transmis-
sion. The vehicle can be driven by selecting 1st gear or Reverse and depressing the
accelerator pedal.
■Maximum speed for each gear
To avoid over-revving the engine, do not exceed the maximum speed for each gear
as shown below.
mph (km/h)
*: Always observe the legal speed limit when driving on public roads.
■Gear shift control
To ensure safety and driving performance, the following restrictions exist:
●Gear shifting with the paddle shift swit ches may not be possible under certain
driving conditions.
●Even while driving with a gear manually selected in SPORT, NORMAL, or
WET driving mode, the gears may change automatically under certain driving
conditions.
●If the paddle shift switches are operated repeatedly in a short space of time, a
temporary restriction of gear shifting may be activated. In this case, “Transmis-
sion pump overheat Shift rejected” will be displayed on the meter. ( P. 3 2 7 )
●Gear shifting with the paddle shift swit ches may not be possible when the trans-
mission fluid temperature is low. In this case, “Transmission temp low Shift
restricted” will be disp layed on the meter. (P. 3 2 7 )
GearMaximum speed*
151 (83)
276 (123)
3103 (167) 4135 (218)
5172 (277)