lexus LS400 1995 Gauges, Meters and Service Reminder Indicators / 1995 LS400: STARTING AND DRIVING

STARTING AND DRIVING
135
(c) Backing up
 1
“R” (Reverse) position 2
Brake pedal
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the
selector lever to the “R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the vehicle is moving.
(d) Parking
 1
“P” (Park) position 2
Brake pedal
3
Parking brake pedal
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal fully.
3. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the
selector lever to the “P” position.
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, never attempt to move the
selector lever into “P” under any circumstances.
Serious mechanical damage and loss of vehicle control
may result.

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136
(e) Good driving practice

If the transmission repeatedly upshifts and downshifts
between the third and overdrive gears when climbing a
gentle slope, shift the selector lever to the “3” position. Be
sure to shift the selector lever to the “D” position after
climbing the slope.

When towing a trailer, in order to maintain efficient engine
braking and electrical charging performance, do not use
overdrive. The selector lever must be in the “3” position.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped
with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from
creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an upgrade with the
accelerator pedal. This can cause the transmission to
overheat. Always use the brake pedal or parking brake.
(f) If you cannot shift the selector lever
If you cannot shift the selector ever even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock override button. For
instructions, see “If you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector lever” on page 175.
(g) If the “ECT PWR” indicator light flashes
If the “ECI PWR” indicator light flashes, contact your Lexus
dealer as soon as possible. There may be trouble in the
transmission system.
CRUISE CONTROL
The cruise control allows you to cruise the vehicle at a
desired speed over 40 km / h (25 mph) with your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or down a gradient, within
the limits of engine performance. On steeper hills, a great
speed change will occur so it is better to drive without the cruise
control.
When the cruse control is on, the driving pattern of the
automatic transmission is fixed in the normal position,
regardless of the position of the selector switch.

STARTING AND DRIVING
137
CAUTION

To help maintain maximum control of your vehicle,
do not use the cruise control when driving in heavy
or varying traffic, or on slippery (rainy, icy or
snow−covered) or winding roads.

Avoid vehicle speed increases when driving
downhill. If the vehicle speed is too fast in relation to
the cruise control set speed, cancel the cruise
control then downshift the transmission to use
engine braking to slow down.
Turning on the system
CRUISE
To operate the cruise control, push the main switch. This turns
the system on. The indicator light in the instrument cluster
shows that you can now set your desired cruising speed.
Another push on the switch will turn the system completely off.
When the ignition key is turned off, the main switch is also
automatically turned off. To use the cruise control again, push
the main switch again to turn it on.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control engagement, keep
the main switch off when not using the cruise control.

STARTING AND DRIVING
138
Setting at a desired speed
Bring the vehicle to the desired speed, press the control lever
downward in the “SET / COAST” direction and release it. This
sets the vehicle at that speed. Now you may take your foot off
the accelerator pedal. If you need acceleration − for example,
when passing − depress the accelerator pedal enough for the
vehicle to exceed the set speed. When you release the
accelerator pedal, the vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
Cancelling the preset speed
You can cancel the preset speed by either of the following:
a. Pulling the control lever in the “CANCEL” direction.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below 40 km / h (25 mph), the preset
speed will be automatically cancelled.If the vehicle speed drops 16 km / h (10 mph) below the preset
speed, the preset speed will also automatically be cancelled.
If the preset speed automatically cancels out for other than
these reasons, have your vehicle checked by your Lexus
dealer at the earliest opportunity.
Resetting to a faster speed
Press the control lever upward in the “RES / ACC” direction and
hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed is attained.
While the lever is held upward, the vehicle will gradually gain
speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km / h (3 mph), the set speed can be
increased 1.6 km / h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever upward in the “RES / ACC” direction quickly within 0.6
seconds.
However, a quicker way to reset is to accelerate the vehicle
and then press the control lever downward in the
“SET / COAST” direction.
Resetting to a slower speed
Press the control lever downward in the “SET / COAST”
direction and hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed
is attained. While the lever is held downward, the vehicle
speed will gradually decrease.

STARTING AND DRIVING
139 When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km / h (3 mph), the set speed can be
lowered 1.6 km / h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever downward in the “SET / COAST” direction quickly within
0.6 seconds.
However, a quicker way to reset is to depress the brake pedal
and then press the control lever downward in the
“SET / COAST” direction.
Resuming the preset speed
Press the control lever upward in the “RES / ACC” direction.
The vehicle will resume the speed set prior to cancellation
unless the vehicle speed is less than 40 km / h (25 mph) or is
16 km / h (10 mph) below the preset speed.
Cruise control failure warning
If the “CRUISE” indicator light in the instrument cluster flashes
when using the cruise control, push the main switch to turn the
system off and then push it again to turn it on.
If any of the following conditions then occurs, there is some
trouble in the cruise control system.

The indicator light does not come on.

The indicator light flashes again.

The indicator light goes out after it comes on.
If this is the case, contact your Lexus dealer and have your
Lexus inspected.
ELECTRONICALLY MODULATED
AIR SUSPENSION
(U.S.A. ONLY)
This electronically modulated air suspension adjusts the
damping effect on the shock absorbers and the vehicle
height. This adjustment is automatically made in
response to the driving conditions to provide good riding
comfort and stability in all driving conditions.
(a) Vehicle height adjustment
This system maintains a stable vehicle height, regardless
of occupants and luggage weight. You can select one of
the following modes using a selector switch.

STARTING AND DRIVING
140“NORMAL” mode − For driving on roads with a normal
surface.
“HIGH” mode − For driving on rough roads which are
unsurfaced or continually bumpy.
The damping effect is set slightly firmer in “HIGH” mode. So
you may feel the vibration of the vehicle compared to in
“NORMAL” mode. However, this does not mean a malfunction
in the system. We recommend you use a “NORMAL” mode in
normal driving.
To change the mode, push the selector switch.
“NORMAL” mode
The vehicle height remains at normal height at all driving
speeds.
“HIGH” mode
The vehicle height switches between the following two vehicle
heights according to the driving conditions:
Vehicle height
Driving condition
NormalMedium and high speed driving
HighLow speed driving
The indicator light shows “HIGH” mode is selected.
When you turn the ignition key to the “ON” position, the
indicator light will come on for 2 seconds in any mode.
NOTICE
For vehicles equipped with the height control switch, be
sure to turn the ignition switch off before jacking. If this
is not done, the vehicle height adjustment function will
operate, which may cause body damage.
(b) Malfunction warning
If the “HI” indicator light blinks, there is a malfunction in this
system. Have the system checked by your Lexus dealer at the
first opportunity.

STARTING AND DRIVING
141
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The traction control system automatically controls
spinning of the rear wheels which may occur when
accelerating on slippery road surfaces, thus assisting
driver control and driving power to the rear wheels.
When you turn the ignition switch on, this system always
turns on. Leave the system on during ordinary driving so
that it can operate when needed. When traction control is
applied, the slip indicator light blinks.
You can turn off the traction control system by pushing
the “TRAC−OFF−” switch. The “TRAC OFF”
indicator / warning light will then come on. Pushing the
“TRAC−OFF−” switch a second time turns the system
back on and extinguishes the “TRAC OFF”
indicator / warning light.
You may hear a slight clicking noise in the engine compartment
when the engine is started. This means that the traction control
system is in the self−check mode, and does not indicate
malfunction. When the traction control system is operating,
you may feel vibration of your vehicle, caused by operation of
the brakes. This indicates the system is functioning properly.
When getting the vehicle out of mud or new snow, etc. the
traction control system will operate to prevent the wheels from
spinning. Even though the accelerator pedal is fully depressed,
the engine speed will be restrained to a certain level.

STARTING AND DRIVING
142
Traction control failure warning
If the “TRAC OFF” indicator / warning light flashes, contact
your Lexus dealer as soon as possible. There may be trouble
in the traction control system.
CAUTION
Under certain slippery road conditions, full stability of
the vehicle and power to the rear wheels cannot be
maintained, even though the traction control system is
in operation. In situations where the road surface is
covered with ice or snow, your vehicle should be fitted
with snow tires or tire chains and driven at a more
cautious pace.
BRAKE SYSTEM
The tandem master cylinder brake system is a hydraulic
system with two separate sub−systems. If either sub−system
should fail, the other will still work. However, the pedal will be
harder to press, and your stopping distance will be longer.
Also, the brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake
system. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to power−assist the
brakes. If the engine should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal pedal pressure. There
is enough reserve vacuum for one or two stops but no more!
CAUTION

Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls. Each
push on the pedal uses up your vacuum reserve.

Even if the power assist is completely lost, the brakes
will still work. But you will have to push the pedal
hard − much harder than normal. And your braking
distance will be longer.

STARTING AND DRIVING
143
Anti−lock brake system
The anti−lock brake system is designed to prevent
lock−up of the wheels during sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces. This assists the driver in
controlling the vehicle under these circumstances.
The anti−lock brake system becomes operative after the
vehicle has accelerated to a speed in excess of approximately
10 km / h (6 mph). It stops operating when the vehicle
decelerates to a speed below approximately 5 km / h (3 mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine compartment for a few
seconds when the engine is started or just after the vehicle is
started. This means that the anti−lock brake system is in the
self check mode, and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the anti−lock brake system function is in action, you may
feel the brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise. In this
situation, to let the anti−lock brake system work for you, just
hold the brake pedal down more firmly. Do not pump the brake.
The brake pedal pulsation caused by the anti−lock brake
system may indicate hazardous road surface conditions.
Although the anti−lock brake system assists in providing
vehicles control, it is still important to drive with all due care,
because the anti−lock brake system cannot overcome the
laws of physics that act on your vehicle:

Braking capability is dependent on tire friction with the road
surface.
Even though the anti−lock brake system is operating, a
driver cannot maintain full control on certain slippery road
surfaces, when cornering at high speeds, or in violent
maneuvers.

Avoid high speeds on wet roads. The anti−lock brake
system cannot eliminate the risk of hydroplaning and loss
of tire friction.
Always maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of
you. Compared with vehicles riot fitted with an anti−lock brake
system, your vehicle may require a longer stopping distance
in the following cases:

Driving on rough, gravel or snow−covered roads.

Driving with tire chains installed.

Driving on roads where the road surface is pitted or has
other differences in surface height.

STARTING AND DRIVING
144“ABS” warning light
This light comes on when the ignition key is turned to the
“ON” position. After about 3 seconds, the light will go off.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a
malfunction somewhere in the parts monitored by the warning
light system. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible
to service the vehicle.

The light does not come on as described above, or remains
on.

The light comes on while driving.
Even if the anti−lock brake system should fail, the brake
system will still operate conventionally. Have your vehicle
checked by your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Drum−in−disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum−in−disc type parking brake system.
This type of brake system needs bedding−down of the brake
shoes periodically or whenever the parking brake shoes
and / or drums are replaced.
Have your Lexus dealer perform the bedding−down.
Brake pad wear limit warning light
When your brake pads are worn enough to require
replacement, the brake pad wear limit warning light in the
instrument cluster comes on.
If the warning light comes on while driving, have the brake pads
checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. Expensive rotor damage can result if the pads are not
replaced when needed.