Lexus GS450h 2007 Do-it-yourself maintenance / LEXUS 2007 GS450H THROUGH JUNE 2006 PROD. OWNER'S MANUAL (OM30727U)

91
1-8. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■Do not use a seat belt extender
If a seat belt extender is used when installing a child restraint system, the seat belt
will not securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause death or serious
injury to the child or other passengers in the event of a collision.
■To correctly attach a child restraint system to the anchorages
When using the lower anchorages, be sure that there are no foreign objects around
the anchorages and that the seat belt is not caught behind the child seat. Make sure
the child restraint system is securely at tached, or it may cause death or serious
injury to the child in the even t of a sudden stop or accident.

92
1-8. Safety information

When driving2
93
2-1. Driving procedures .................. 94Driving the vehicle ....................... 94
Starting the hybrid system ....... 101
Transmission ................................. 104
Turn signal lever .......................... 108
Parking brake ............................... 109
2-2. Instrument cluster.................... 110 Gauges and meters ................... 110
Indicators and warning 
lights................................................ 114
Multi-information display.......... 117
2-3. Operating the lights and 
windshield wipers ................. 120
Headlight switch ......................... 120
Fog light switch............................ 123
Windshield wipers and 
washer........................................... 124
Headlight cleaner switch ........ 126 2-4. Using other driving

systems .................................... 127
Cruise control .............................. 127
Dynamic radar cruise 
control ........................................ 130
Intuitive parking assist ............. 139
Rear view monitor system ...... 158
AVS (Adaptive Variable 
Suspension System) ................. 161
Driving assist systems................ 162
PCS (Pre-Collision 
System) ........................................ 167
2-5. Driving information................ 170 Cargo and luggage.................... 170
Vehicle load limits ....................... 173
Winter driving tips ...................... 174
Trailer towing................................. 179
Dinghy towing ............................. 180

94
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
Starting on a steep incline
Firmly set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to “D”.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving.
■ Starting the hybrid system ( P. 101 )
■ Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to “D”. 
( P.
1 0 4 )
Release the parking brake. (P.
1 0 9 )
Gradually release the brake peda l and gently push the accel-
erator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■ Stopping
With the shift lever in “D”, push the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle is stopped for an extended period of time, shift the
shift lever to “P”. (
P. 1 0 4 )
■Parking the vehicle
With the shift lever in “D”, push the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (P. 1 0 9 )
Shift the shift lever to “P”. ( P. 1 0 4 )
Stop the hybrid system.
Lock the door, making sur
e that you have the electronic key on
your person.
STEP1
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STEP5
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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended to
obser
ve:
●For the first 186 miles (300 km): 
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 621 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the
co
rrect fuel. ( P. 4 8 2 )
■For efficient use
●Put the shift lever into “D” when driving 
In the “N” position, the gasoline engine operates but electricity cannot be gen -
erated. The hybrid ba tter
y (traction battery) will be discharged requiring unnec-
essary engine power to recharge.
●Drive your vehicle smoothly 
Avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration. Gradual acceleration and decel -
eration will make more effective use of the traction motor without having to use
g
asoline engine power.
●Avoid repeated acceleration 
Repeated acceleration consumes hybrid battery (traction battery) power,
r
esulting in poor acceleration. Battery power can be restored by driving with
the accelerator pedal slightly released.
●Put the shift lever into “P” when parking 
In the “N” position, the hybrid battery (traction battery) does not recharge. 
Leaving the shift lever in the “N” position for an extended period of the time may
di
scharge the hybrid battery. The vehicle cannot run if the hybrid battery is dis-
charged.
■When starting on an incline
The hill-start assist control may operate. ( P. 1 6 2 )

96
2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the hybrid system
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.
●The driver should pay attention to pedest rians when the vehicle is powered only
by the electric motor (traction motor). Because there is no engine noise, the
pedestrians may misjudge the vehicle’s movement.
●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 hybrid system not to operate 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.

97
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 hybrid system off while driving. 
The brake actuator will not operate properly if the hybrid system is off.
●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 6 )
●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.

98
2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an
accident and result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the hybrid system. 
If the vehicle is in any gear other than “P” or “N” the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, and may cause an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time. 
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and
check that exhaust fumes do no t enter the vehicle interior.
●Always keep a foot on the brake pedal while the hybrid system is operating to
prevent an accident caused by the vehicle moving.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehi-
cle when it is in the sun. 
Failure to do so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic
material of eye glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of
the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle's electrical com-
ponents.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the sh ift lever to “P”, stop the hybrid system
and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the hybrid system is operating.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipe while the hybrid system is operating or immedi-
ately after turning the hybrid system off. 
Doing so may cause burns.
●Do not leave the hybrid system operating in an area with snow build up, or where
snow is expected to fall. 
Exhaust gases may enter the vehicle and cause gas poisoning.

99
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. 
Otherwise, you may accidentally move the shift lever or press the accelerator
pedal, which could cause an accident or fi re due to abnormal hybrid system over-
heating. Additionally, if the vehicle is park ed in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
fumes may enter the vehicle and cause gas poisoning.
■When braking the vehicle
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously. 
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and may cause one side of
the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also the parking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the brake actuator does not operate, do not follow other vehicles closely and
avoid downhill or sharp turns that require making. 
In this case, braking is still possible, but it will require more force on the pedal than
usual. Braking distance may also increase.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the hybrid system is not operating. 
Each push on the pedal uses up yo ur reserved brake fluid pressure.
●The brake system consists of 3 individual hydraulic systems: if one of the systems
fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual and braking distance becomes longer. 
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.

100
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: 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 recommends that you
also have the thickness 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 5 9 )