brakes Lexus GS450h 2013 Owner's Manual

GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
1734-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on a uphill
The brake hold is available. (→P. 2 1 0 )
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be especially
slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because there
may be a layer of water between the tires and the road surface, preventing the
steering and brakes from operating properly.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:
●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 low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
Starting off on a steep uphill
1
2
3
GS450h_U.book Page 173 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

176
GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
4-1. Before driving
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
●During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid sys-
tem off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer
and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop
the vehicle in the normal way: →P. 7 0 3
●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. 199)
●Do not adjust the positions 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.
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do
not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-speed capability
tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) 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.
GS450h_U.book Page 176 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shift changing, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle, depress the brake pedal to make sure that the
brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from
functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or
roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the hybrid
system. Engine braking is not available when N is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. Shift-
ing the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid accel-
eration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious
injury.
GS450h_U.book Page 177 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

178
GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
4-1. Before driving
CAUTION
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brakes only: Moderate levels of brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced
front braking power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than conven-
tional 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
those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly
and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on, and apply the
parking brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause the
exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible material is
nearby.
GS450h_U.book Page 178 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

180
GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
4-1. Before driving
CAUTION
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to
hybrid system overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly venti-
lated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a
serious health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this 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 power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase.
●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 the braking distance will increase.
If this happens, do not continue to drive the vehicle. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
GS450h_U.book Page 180 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

210
GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
4-2. Driving procedures
Brake Hold
Turns the brake hold system on
The brake hold standby indicator
(green) comes on. While the system is
holding the brake, the brake hold
operated indicator (yellow) comes on.
■Brake hold system operating conditions
The brake hold system cannot be turned on in the following conditions:
●The trunk or hood is not closed.
●The driver’s door is not closed.
●The driver is not wearing the seat belt.
If any of the conditions above are detected when the brake hold system is enabled,
the system will turn off and the brake hold standby indicator light will go off. In addi-
tion, if any of the conditions are detected while the system is holding the brake, a
warning buzzer will sound and a message will be shown on the multi-information dis-
play. The parking brake will then be set automatically.
■Brake hold function
●If the brake pedal is left released for a period of about 3 minutes after the system
has started holding the brake, the parking brake will be set automatically. In this
case, a warning buzzer sounds and a message is shown on the multi-information
display.
●To turn the system off while the system is holding the brake, firmly depress the
brake pedal and press the button again.
●The brake hold function may not hold the vehicle when the vehicle is on a steep
incline. In this situation, it may be necessary for the driver to apply the brakes. The
multi-information display will inform the driver of this situation.
The brake hold system keeps the brak e applied when the shift lever is in
D, S or N with the system on and the brake pedal has been depressed to
stop the vehicle. The system releases the brake when the accelerator
pedal is depressed with the shift lever in D or S to allow smooth start off.
GS450h_U.book Page 210 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
2114-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■When the parking brake is set automatically while the system is holding the brakes
The parking brake will not be released automatically. Release the parking brake by
operating the parking brake switch, making sure that the parking brake indicator
light goes off. (→P. 2 0 7 )
■When there is a malfunction in the system
Warning lights and/or warning messages will turn on or flash. ( →P. 7 1 3 , 7 2 5 )
CAUTION
■When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a steep incline exercise caution. The brake
hold function may not hold the vehicle in such a situation.
■When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when the gripping ability of the tires has been
exceeded. Do not use the system when stopped on a slippery road.
NOTICE
■When parking the vehicle
The brake hold system is not designed for use when parking the vehicle for a long
period of time. Turning the power switch off while the system is holding the brake
may release the brake, which would cause the vehicle to move. When operating
the power switch, depress the brake pedal, set the parking brake and shift the shift
lever to P.
GS450h_U.book Page 211 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
2334-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
To change the set speed, operate the lever until the desired set speed is
obtained.Increases the speed
Decreases the speed
Fine adjustment: Momentarily move
the lever in the desired direction.
Large adjustment: Hold the lever in
the desired direction.
The set speed will be increased or decreased as follows:
Fine adjustment: By approximately 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time the lever is oper-
ated.
Large adjustment: The set speed can be increased or decreased continually until
the lever is released.
Pulling the lever toward you can-
cels the constant speed control.
The speed setting is also canceled
when the brakes are applied.
Pushing the lever up resumes the
constant speed control.
Resuming is available when the vehi-
cle speed is more than approximately
25 mph (40 km/h).
Adjusting the set speed
1
2
Canceling and resuming the constant speed control
1
2
GS450h_U.book Page 233 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

240
GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
4-5. Using the driving support systems
Pulling the lever toward you can-
cels the cruise control.
The speed setting is also canceled
when the brakes are applied.
Pushing the lever up resumes the
cruise control and returns vehicle
speed to the set speed.
Resuming is available when the vehi-
cle speed is more than approximately
25 mph (40 km/h).
Canceling and resuming the speed control
1
2
GS450h_U.book Page 240 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM

GS450h_U (OM30D01U)
2414-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
This mode employs a radar sensor to detect the presence of vehicles up to
approximately 400 ft. (120 m) ahead, determines the current vehicle-to-
vehicle following distance, and operates to maintain a suitable following
distance from the vehicle ahead.
Note that vehicle-to-vehicle distance will close in when traveling on long downhill
slopes.
Example of constant speed cruising
When there are no vehicles ahead
The vehicle travels at the speed set by the driver. The desired vehicle-to-vehicle
distance can also be set by operating the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control.
Example of deceleration cruising
When the vehicle ahead is driving slower than the set speed
When a vehicle is detected running ahead of you, the system automatically decel-
erates your vehicle. When a greater reduction in vehicle speed is necessary, the
system applies the brakes. A warning tone warns you when the system cannot
decelerate sufficiently to prevent your vehicle from closing in on the vehicle
ahead.
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
1
2
GS450h_U.book Page 241 Monday, January 23, 2012 10:20 AM