flat tire Lexus GS350 2008 Owner's Guide

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect tire inflation pressure may result in the following:
●Reduced fuel efficiency
●Reduced driving comfort and tire life
●Reduced safety
●Damage to the drive train
If a tire needs frequent refilling, have it checked by your Lexus dealer.
■Instructions for checking tire inflation pressure
When checking tire inflation pressure, observe the following:
●Check only when the tires are cold.
If your vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours and has not been driven for
more than 1 mile or 1.5 km, you will get an accurate cold tire inflation pressure
reading.
●Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of the tire can be misleading. In addition, tire inflation pressures
that are even just a few pounds off can degrade ride and handling.
●Do not bleed or reduce tire inflation press ure after driving. It is normal for the
tire inflation pressure to be higher after driving.
●Never exceed the vehicle capacity weight.
Passengers and luggage weight should be placed so that the vehicle is bal-
anced.
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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CAUTION
■Proper inflation is critical to save tire performance
Keep your tires properly inflated. Otherwise, the following conditions may occur
and result in an accident causing death or serious injury.
●Excessive wear
●Uneven wear
●Poor handling
●Possibility of blowouts resulting from overheated tires
●Poor sealing of the tire bead
●Wheel deformation and/or tire separation
●A greater possibility of tire damage from road hazards
NOTICE
■When inspecting and adjusting tire inflation pressure
Be sure to reinstall the tire valve caps.
Without the valve caps, dirt or moisture could get into the valve and cause air leak-
age, which could result in an accident. If the caps have been lost, replace them as
soon as possible.
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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■When replacing wheels
The wheels of your Lexus are equipped with tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters that allow the tire pressure warning system to provide advanced warning in
the event of a loss in tire inflation pressure. Whenever wheels are replaced, the tire
pressure warning valves and transmitters must be installed. (→P. 422)
CAUTION
■When replacing wheels
●Do not use wheels that are a different size from those recommended in the
Owner’s Manual, as this may result in loss of handling control.
●Never use an inner tube in a leaking wheel which is designed for a tubeless tire.
Doing so may result in an accident, causing death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■Replacing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
●Because tire repair or replacement may affect the tire pressure warning valves
and transmitters, make sure to have tires serviced by your Lexus dealer or other
qualified service shop. In addition, make sure to purchase your tire pressure
warning valves and transmitters at your Lexus dealer.
●Ensure that only genuine Lexus wheels are used on your vehicle.
Tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not work properly with non-
genuine wheels.
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When trouble arises5
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5-1. Essential information..... 478If your vehicle needs to be towed ............................ 478
If you think something is wrong ..................................... 484
Fuel pump shut off system .................................... 485
Event data recorder .............. 486 5-2. Steps to take in an
emergency ................... 488
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds... .. 488
If a warning message is displayed................................. 497
If you have a flat tire (Vehicles with standard tires) .............. 512
If you have a flat tire (Vehicles with run-flat tires)................ 522
If the engine will not start .... 523
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from “P”.................... 524
If you lose your keys .............. 525
If the electronic key does not operate properly.......... 526
If the 12 volt battery is discharged ............................ 529
If your vehicle overheats ..... 533
If the vehicle becomes stuck........................................ 536
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5-1. Essential information
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If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably needs
adjustment or repair. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
■Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● Engine coolant temperature gauge needle continually points
higher than normal
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, sp ongy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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Have the malfunction repaired immediately.After taking the specified steps to correct the suspected problem, check
that the warning light turns off.
Warning lightWarning light/DetailsCorrection procedure
Open door warning light
(warning buzzer)*3
A door or the trunk is not
fully closed.
Check that all doors and the
trunk are closed.
Low fuel level warning light Remaining fuel
(Approximately 3.2 gal. [12
L, 2.6 Imp.gal.] or less)
Refuel the vehicle.
Driver’s seat belt reminder
light (warning buzzer)*4
Warns the driver to fasten
his/her seat belt.Fasten the seat belt.
Front passenger’s seat belt
reminder light
(warning buzzer)*
4
Warns the front passenger to
fasten his/her seat belt.
Fasten the seat belt.
Tire pressure warning light
When the light comes on:
Low tire inflation pressure.Adjust the tire inflation pres-
sure.
When the light comes on after
blinking for 1 minute:
Malfunction in the tire pres-
sure warning system.
Have the system checked by
your Lexus dealer.
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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■Front passenger detection sensor and passenger seat belt reminder
●If luggage is placed on the front passenger seat, the front passenger detection
sensor may cause the warning light to flash, even if a passenger is not sitting in
the seat.
●If a cushion is placed on the seat, the sensor may not detect a passenger, and the
warning light may not operate properly.
■SRS warning light
This warning light system monitors the following:
●The airbag sensor assembly
●Front airbag sensors
●The curtain shield and rear side airbag sensors
●The side and curtain shield airbag sensors
●The front passenger occupant classification ECU
●“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” indicator lights
●The pressure sensor
●The belt tension sensor
●The seat belt buckle switches
●The driver’s seat position sensor
●The inflators
●The warning light
●The interconnecting wiring and power sources
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on after blinking for 1 minute frequently
If the tire pressure warning light comes on after blinking for 1 minute frequently
when the “ENGINE START STOP” switch is turned to IGNITION ON mode, have
it checked by your Lexus dealer.
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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■When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate level. Pushing the tire
pressure warning reset switch does not turn off the tire pressure warning light.
■If the tire pressure warning system is inoperative
The tire pressure warning system will be disabled in the following conditions:
(When the condition becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If tires not equipped with tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are used.
●If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters is not regis-
tered in the tire pressure warning computer.
●If the tire pressure warning select switch is set to a different tire setting.
●If the tire inflation pressure is 73 psi (500 kPa, 5.1 kgf/cm2 or bar) or higher.
The tire pressure warning system may be disabled in the following conditions:
(When the condition becomes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If electronic devices or facilities using similar radio wave frequencies are nearby.
●If a radio set at similar frequencies is in use in the vehicle.
●If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed.
●If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehicle, in particular around the wheels or
wheel housings.
●If non-genuine Lexus wheels are used. (Even if you use Lexus wheels, the tire
pressure warning system may not work properly with some types of tires.)
●If tire chains are used.
■The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes
The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes such as natural air
leaks or tire inflation pressure changes caused by temperature. In this case, adjust-
ing the tire inflation pressure will turn off the warning light (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
The compact spare tire is not equipped with the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning light will not turn off even
though the flat tire is replaced with the spare tire. Replace the spare tire with the
repaired tire and adjust the proper tire inflation pressure. The tire pressure warning
light will turn off after a few minutes.
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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CAUTION
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could cause loss of
vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Vehicles with standard tires:
• Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire inflationpressure immediately.
• If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pressure adjustment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires. If the tire is
flat, change to the spare tire and have the flat tire repaired by the nearest
Lexus dealer.
• Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
●Vehicles with run-flat tires:
• Decelerate to the lowest appropriate speed as soon as possible. Do not driveover 55 mph (90 km/h).
• Check and adjust the tire inflation pressure immediately.
• If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pressure adjustment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Have the tire replaced by
the nearest Lexus dealer.
• Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning system may not activate immediately.
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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CAUTION
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label (tire and load information label).
(If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label [tire and load information label], you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS-tire pressure warning system) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale (tire pressure warning light) when one or more of your tires is sig-
nificantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale (tire pres-
sure warning light) illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warning light).
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warning light). When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction indicator is illumi-
nated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea-
sons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunction tell-
tale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) to continue to function properly.
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