engine overheat Lexus ES300 1992 Driving Tips

DRIVING TIPS
11 5
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
It can cause dangerous overheating, needless wear,
and poor fuel economy.

To drive down a long or steep hill, reduce your speed
and downshift. Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and not work properly.
See page 104.

Be careful when accelerating, upshifting, downshifting
or braking on a slippery surface. The abrupt change in
engine speed, such as sudden acceleration or engine
braking, could cause the vehicle to spin or skid.

Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do not drive over
140 km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle has high-speed
capability tires. Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control and possible injury.
Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the
tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.

Do not continue normal driving when the brakes are
wet. If they are wet, your vehicle will require a longer
stopping distance, and it may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the parking brake will not hold
the vehicle securely.
WINTER DRIVING TIPS
Make sure you have ethylene-glycol antifreeze in the
radiator.
NOTICE:
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
Check the condition of the battery and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of any battery, so it
must be in lop shape to provide enough power for winter
starting. Page 194 tells you how to visually inspect the battery.
Your Lexus dealer and most service stations will be pleased to
check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for the cold
weather.
See page 169 for recommended viscosity. Leaving a heavy
summer oil in your vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Lexus dealer − they will be pleased to help.
Check the ignition system for loose connections or
obvious damage.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de-icer or glycerine into the locks to keep them from
freezing. To open a frozen lock, try heating the key before
inserting it.

DRIVING TIPS
121
Because of the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s
engine may overheat on hot days (at temperatures over
30C [85F]) when going up a long or steep grade with a
trailer. If the engine temperaure gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air conditioner (if in
use), pull off the road and stop in a safe spot. See “If your
vehicle overheats” on page 126 of this manual.

Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and trailer
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly. Put
the transmission in “P” (automatic) or in first or reverse
(manual). Avoid parking on a slope with a trailer, but if it
cannot be avoided, do so only after performing the
following:
1. Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle
and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes
slowly until the blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or “P” (automatic) and turn
off the engine.
When restarting out after parking on a slope:
1. With the transmission in “P” range (automatic) or the clutch
pedal depressed (manual), start the engine. (With an
automatic transmission, be sure to keep the brake pedal
depressed.)
2. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or “2”, “L” or “R” range
(automatic).3. Release the parking brake (also foot brake on automatic
transmission vehicles) and slowly pull or back away from the
wheel blocks. Stop and apply your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION:

Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower. Because instability
(swaying) of a towing vehicle-trailer combination
usually increases as the speed increases, exceeding 72
km/h (45 mph) may cause loss of control.

Slow down and downshift before descending steep or
long downhill grades. Do not make sudden downshifts.

Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too
frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.
HOW TO SAVE FUEL AND MAKE
YOUR VEHICLE LAST LONGER
Getting more kilometers/mileage from a liter/gallon of fuel is
easy−just take it easy. It will help make your vehicle last longer,
too. Here are some specific tips on how to save money on both
fuel and repairs:

Keep your tires inflated at the correct pressure. Check
the pressure every two weeks, or at least once a month.
Underinflation causes tire wear and wastes fuel.

DRIVING TIPS
122
Do not carry unneeded weight in your vehicle. Excess
weight puts a heavier load on the engine, causing greater
fuel consumption.

Avoid lengthy warm-up idling. Once the engine is running
smoothly, begin drivinq−but gently. Remember, however,
that on cold winter days this may take a little longer.

Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Avoid jackrabbit starts.
Get into high gear as quickly as possible.

Avoid long engine idling. If you have a long wait and you
are not in traffic, it is better to turn off the engine and start
again later.

Avoid engine overrevving. Use gear range suitable for the
road on which you are traveling.

Avoid continuous speeding up and slowing down.
Stop-and-go driving wastes fuel.

Avoid unnecessary stopping and braking. Maintain a
steady pace. Try to time the green traffic signals so you
need to stop as little as possible or take advantage of
through streets to avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper distance
from other vehicles to avoid sudden braking. This will also
reduce wear on your brakes.

Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams whenever possible.

Do not rest your foot on the clutch or brake pedal. This
causes needless wear, overheating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on highways. The faster you
drive, the greater the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel consumption.

Keep the front wheels in proper alignment. Avoid hitting
the curb and slow down on rough roads. Improper alignment
not only causes faster tire wear but also puts an extra load
on the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.

Keep the bottom of your vehicle free from mud, etc. This
not only lessens weight but also helps prevent corrosion.

Keep your vehicle tuned-up and in top shape. A dirty air
cleaner, improper valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil and
grease, brakes not adjusted, etc. all lower engine
performance and contribute to poor fuel economy. For
longer life of all parts and lower operating costs, perform all
maintenance work on schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle receives more
frequent maintenance (See Section 5).
CAUTION:
Never turn off the engine to coast down hills. Your power
steering and brake booster will not function without the
engine running. Also, the emission control system
operates properly only when the engine is running.