steering Lexus GS350 2007 Using the front audio system / LEXUS 2007 GS430/350 (OM30A04U) User Guide

57
1
Before driving
1-7. Safety information
Correct driving posture
Drive with a good posture as follows:
Sit upright and well back in
the seat.
Adjust the position of the seat
forward or backward to
ensur
e the pedals can be
reached and easily
depressed to the extent
required. ( P. 2 5 )
Adjust the seatback so that
the controls are easily opera -
ble.
Adjust the tilt and telescopic
positions of the steering
wheel do
wnward so the air -
bag is facing your chest. 
( P. 39 )
Lock the head restraint in
place with the center of the
head r
estraint closest to the
top of your ears. ( P. 31 )
Wear the seat belt correctly.
( P. 3 3 )

61
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
Your vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed based
on US motor vehicle sa fety standards (FMVSS208). The airbag system
controls airbag deployment power for the driver and front passenger. The
driver airbag system consists of the driver seat’s position sensor etc. The
front passenger’s airbag system consist s of the front passenger occupant
classification sensor etc.
In certain types of severe frontal or side impacts, the SRS airbag s
ystem
triggers the airbag inflators. A chemica l reaction in the inflators quickly
fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain the motion of the occu -
pants.
■If the SRS airbags deploy (inflate)
●Bruising and slight abrasions may result from contact with a deploying (inflating)
SRS airbag.
●A loud noise and white powder will be emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, airbag cover and inflator) as
well as the seats, and parts of the front and rear pillars, and roof side rail, may be
hot for several minutes. The airbag itself may also be hot.
●The windshield may crack.

64
1-7. Safety information
■When to contact your Lexus dealer
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible. Do not dis-
connect the battery cables before contacting your Lexus dealer.
●Any of the SRS airbags have been inflated.
●The front of the vehicle is damaged or
deformed, or was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause the
SRS airbags to inflate.
●A portion of the doors is damaged or
deformed, or the vehicle was involved in an
accident that was not severe enough to
cause the SRS side airbags and curtain
shield airbags to inflate.
●The pad section of the steering wheel, front
passenger airbag cover or lower portion of
the instrument panel is scratched, cracked,
or otherwise damaged.
●The surface of the seats with the side air-
bag is scratched, cracked, or otherwise
damaged.
●The portion of the front pillars, rear pillars
or roof side rail garnishes (padding) con-
taining the curtain shield airbags is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-
aged.

65
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the airbags. Failure to do so may
cause death or serious injury.
●The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.
●The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause death or
serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag. The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) advises:
Since the risk zone for driver airbag is th e first 2 - 3 in. (50 - 75 mm) of inflation,
placing yourself 10 in. (250 mm) from your driver airbag provides you with a
clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the center of the steering
wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 10 in. (250 mm) away now, you can
change your driving position in several ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the pedals
comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Al though vehicle designs vary, many driv-
ers can achieve the 10 in. (250 mm) distan ce, even with the driver seat all the
way forward, simply by reclining the back of the seat somewhat. If reclining
the back of your seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a
firm, non-slippery cushion, or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, ti lt it downward. This points the airbag
toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still main-
taining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instrument
panel controls.

68
1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●If the vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS knee airbag will deploy, be sure
to remove it.
●Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side airbags
inflate as they may interfere with inflation of the airbags.
●Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS airbag
components shown on P. 60. Doing so ca n cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
●Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS airbags have
deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
●If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbag has deployed, open a door or
window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do so. Wash off any
residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation.
●If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel pad and
front pillar garnish, are damaged or cracked, have them replaced by your Lexus
dealer.
●Do not attach anything to or lean anything
against areas such as the dashboard, steer-
ing wheel pad or lower portion of the
instrument panel. These items can become
projectiles when SRS driver, front passen-
ger and knee airbags deploy.
●Do not attach anything to areas such as the
door, windshield glass, side door glass,
front and rear pillars, roof side rail or assist
grip.
●Do not hang coat hangers or other hard
objects on the coat hooks. All of these
items could become projectiles and seri-
ously injure or kill you, should the SRS cur-
tain shield airbag deploy.

69
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications with-
out consulting your Lexus dealer. The SRS airbag may malfunction or deploy
(inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
●Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags
●Repairs, modifications, removal or replace ment of the steering wheel, instrument
panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear pillars or roof side
rail
●Repairs or modifications of the front fender , front bumper, or side of the occupant
compartment
●Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars, kangaroo bar
etc.)
●Modifications to the vehi cle's suspension system
●Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios or CD players
●Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability.

92
2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine running.
This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator
pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal. 
Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal will
result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
●Do not let the vehicle roll backwards while the shift lever is in a driving position, or
roll forward while the shift lever is in “R”. 
Doing so may cause the engine not to oper ate or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and check
that the trunk is closed. 
Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause driver drowsiness and eventu-
ally, death. Have the cause of the problem inspected immediately.

93
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not under any circumstances shift the shift lever to “P”, “R” or “N” while the
vehicle is moving.
Doing so can cause significant damage to the transmission and may result in a
loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to “N” while the vehicle is moving. 
Doing so may cause the engine brake not to operate properly and lead to an
accident.
●Do not turn the engine off while driving. 
The power steering and brake actuator (GS430) or brake booster (GS350) will
not operate properly if the engine is not running.
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a
steep hill. 
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose effec-
tiveness. ( P. 1 0 2 )
●When stopped on an inclined surface, use the brake pedal and parking brake to
prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or forward and causing an accident.
●Be careful when driving on slippery surfaces, as the vehicle may spin or skid when
downshifting, rapidly accelerating, braking or turning.
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside
rear view mirrors while driving. 
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents that may
result in death or serious injury.
●Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their bodies are
not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.

96
2-1. Driving procedures
NOTICE
■While driving the vehicle
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 no ise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replac e the brake pads as soon as possible.
The rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brake only (GS430): 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 recom-
mends that you also have the th ickness 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.
■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 brak e 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. 4 76 )

117
2-3. Operating the lights and windshield wipers
2
When driving
AFS (Adaptive Front lighting System)
AFS improves visibility at intersectio ns and on curves by automatically
adjusting the level of the headlights according to vehicle speed and the
degree of the tire angle that are controlled by steering input.
Operates at speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher.
■ Deactivating AFS
Press the switch to turn it OFF.
The indicator turns on when
the AFS is deactivated.
■Daytime running light system
To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers, the headlights turn on automati -
cally (at a reduced intensity) whenever the engine is started and the parking brake
is
released. Daytime running lights are not designed for use at night.
■Headlight control sensor
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on the sensor, or anything
that blocks the sensor is affixed to the wind-
shield. 
Doing so interferes with the sensor detecting
the level of ambient light and may cause the
automatic headlight control system to mal-
function.