automatic transmission Lexus GX470 2004 Audio System / LEXUS 2004 GX470 FROM AUG. 2004 THROUGH SEP. 2004 PROD. (OM60B55U) User Guide

STARTING AND DRIVING
390
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ONº position if the engineis not running. The battery will discharge and theelectronic ignition system could be damaged.
ACCº Ð Accessories such as the radio operate, but the
engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ACCº or LOCKº position and open
the driver's door, a buzzer will remind you to remove the key.
LOCKº Ð Engine is off and the steering wheel is locked.
The ignition key can be removed only at this position.
To turn the key from ACCº to the LOCKº position, you must
put the transmission selector lever in the Pº position.
Once you remove the key, the engine immobilizer system is
automatically set. See Engine immobilizer systemº on page
14.
When starting the engine, the key may seem stuck at the
LOCKº position. To free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering wheel slightly while
turning the key gently.
If, in an emergency, you must turn the engine off while the
vehicle is moving, turn the key only to ACCº.

STARTING AND DRIVING
393
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Your automatic transmission has a shift lock system to
minimize the possibility of incorrect operation. This
means you can only shift out of Pº position when the
brake pedal is depressed with the ignition switch in ONº
position. ()
31PY039

The shift position is displayed beside the selector lever
and on the instrument cluster.
P: Parking, engine starting and key removal position
R: Reverse position
N: Neutral position
D: Normal driving position (Shifting into overdrive possible)
4: Position for engine braking (Shifting into overdrive not
possible)
When the cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift from Dº to 4º, engine braking will not be
enabled because the cru ise control is not cancelled. For
the operation to decrease the vehicle speed, see page
411.
3, 2: Position for more powerful engine braking
L: Position for maximum engine braking

STARTING AND DRIVING
394Correct use of the automatic transmission is explained in
the following parts.
(a) Normal driving
(b) Using engine braking
(c) Using the 3º, 2º and Lº positions
(d) Backing up
(e) Parking
(f) Good driving practice
(g) If you cannot shift the selector lever
(h) Driving in second start mode
(a) Normal driving

1Pº (Park) position2Nº (Neutral) position
1. Start the engine as instructed in How to start the
engineº on page 392.
The transmission must be in Pº or Nº. The engine will not start
in any drive position even if the ignition key is turned to
STARTº.

STARTING AND DRIVING
395

1Brake pedal2Dº (Drive) position
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the
selector lever to Dº.
Always use the Dº position to improve fuel economy and quiet
driving. Only in this position, shifting into the overdrive gear is
possible. However, while the engine coolant temperature is
low, the transmission will not shift into the overdrive gear even
in the Dº position. (See (b) Using engine brakingº and (f)\
Good driving practiceº for exceptions.)
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while
shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress
the accelerator pedal slowly for smooth starting.
In normal cruising, the vehicle will start in first gear and
automatically shift up to the most suitable gear. On inclines,
declines or winding roads, etc., the vehicle shifts up and down
automatically according to the running conditions to obtain the
suitable driving power and engine braking.
When the lever is in the 4º position, the automatic
transmission system will select the most suitable gear for the
running conditions such as hill climbing, hard towing, etc.
If you need to accelerate rapidly while driving, depress the
accelerator pedal to the full throttle position. This provides
more acceleration by automatically downshifting the
transmission to the next lower gear or beyond, depending on
the vehicle speed.
If engine braking is needed, such as in descending a long hill,
see (b) Using engine brakingº.

STARTING AND DRIVING
397
(c) Using the 3º, 2º and Lº positions
The 3º, 2º and Lº positions are used for strong engine braking
as described previously.
With the selector lever in 3º, 2º or Lº, you can start the vehicle
in motion as with the lever in Dº.
With the selector lever in 3º or 2º, the vehicle will start in f\
irst
gear and automatically shift to second gear.
With the selector lever in Lº, the transmission is engaged in
first gear.
NOTICE
Be careful not to over-rev the engine. Watch the tachometer to keep engine rpm from going into thered zone. The approximate maximum allowablespeed for each position is given below for yourreference:
Transmission Transfer Lº Hº
3º 53 km/h (33 mph) 136 km/h (85 mph) 2º 36 km/h (22 mph) 93 km/h (58 mph)Lº 21 km/h (13 mph) 54 km/h (33 mph)
Do not continue hill climbing or hard towing for a long time in the 3º, 2º or Lº position. This may causesevere automatic transmission damage from
overheating. To prevent such damage, 4º positionshould be used in hill climbing or hard towing.

STARTING AND DRIVING
401
(g) If you cannot shift the selector lever
If you cannot shift the selector lever even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock override button. For
instructions, see If you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector leverº on page 513.
(h) Driving in second start mode
In the second start mode, the transmission system shifts up
from second gear. Use this mode when starting your vehicle
in sand, mud, ice or snow.
To set the second start mode, push the 2nd STRTº switch. In
the second start mode, the 2nd STRTº indicator light comes
on. To cancel the second start mode, push the 2nd STRTº
switch once again.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM
(a) Four-wheel drive control
Use the four-wheel drive control lever and center
differential lock button to select the following transfer and
center differential modes.
The Hº and Lº position of the four-wheel drive control lever
provides either lock or unlock mode of the center differential
depending on the center differential lock button position.
Use the center differential lock system if your wheels get stuck
in a ditch, or when you are driving on a slippery or bumpy
surface. When the center differential is locked, the vehicle
stability control system is automatically turned off and the
center dif ferential lock and VSC OFFº indicator lights come on
because the function that controls engine performance
interferes with the process of freeing your wheels.

STARTING AND DRIVING
403
The indicator light tells when the differential lock is engaged.
Note that the differential is not still locked as long as the
indicator light remains off.
When
the operation is not completed, the indicator blinks. If the
indicator light does not go off when you push out the center
differential lock switch, drive straight ahead while accelerating
or decelerating, or drive in reverse.
The center differential lock system operation is not completed
within 5 seconds while the cruise control system is set, cancel
the cruise control system. To cancel the cruise control system,
see Cruise controlº on page 409. If the indicator light does not go off when you push out the
center differential lock button, drive straight ahead while
accelerating or decelerating, or drive in reverse.
See (b) Shifting procedureº for further instructions.
Advice for driving on slippery roads in Lº (low speed
position) mode
If you shift the four-wheel drive control lever to Lº, the
automatic transmission lever to 2º when you drive in steep
off-road areas, the output of the brake can be controlled
effectively by the active traction control system, which assists
the driver to control the driving power of 4 wheels.
Use the Lº position of the automatic transmission lever for
maximum power and traction when your wheels get stuck or
when you drive down a steep incline. In the following cases,
the out put of the brake can be controlled by the active traction
control
system if the engine speed is under 3000 rpm (normally
engine speed is under 3000 rpm when the wheels get unstuck).
 The four-wheel drive control lever in the Lº position and the
automatic transmission lever in the Lº position or the
automatic transmission lever in the Dº or 2º with the
transmission downshifting to the first gear.
 The four-wheel drive control lever in the Lº position and the
automatic transmission lever in the Rº position
(As for the automatic transmission lever positions, see
Automatic transmissionº on page 393.)

STARTING AND DRIVING
409
CRUISE CONTROL
The cruise control allows you to cruise the vehicle at a
desired speed over about 40 km/h (25 mph) with your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or down a gradient, within
the limits of engine performance. On steeper hills, a greater
speed change will occur so it is better to drive without the cruise
control.
When the cruise control is on, the driving pattern of the
automatic transmission is fixed in the normal position,
regardless of the position of the driving pattern selector switch.
CAUTION
 To help maintain maximum control of your vehicle,
do not use the cruise control when driving in heavy
or varying traffic, or on slippery (rainy, icy or
snow-covered) or winding roads.
 Avoid vehicle speed increases when driving
downhill. If the vehicle speed is too fast in relation to
the cruise control set speed, cancel the cruise
control then downshift the transmission to use
engine braking to slow down.
Turning the system on
To operate the cruise control, push the main switch. This turns
the system on. The indicator light in the instrument cluster
shows that you can now set your desired cruising speed.
Another push on the switch will turn the system completely off.
When the ignition key is turned off, the main switch is also
automatically turned off. To use the cruise control again, push
the main switch again to turn it on.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control engagement, keep
the main switch off when not using the cruise control.

STARTING AND DRIVING
410
Setting operation

Each function is described below.
1Setting at a desired speed.
The transmission must be in Dº before you set the cruise
control speed.
Bring the vehicle to the desired speed, press the control lever
downward in the - SETº direction and release it. This sets the
vehicle at that speed. Now you may take your foot off the
accelerator pedal. If you need acceleration Ð for example,
when passing Ð depress the accelerator pedal enough for the
vehicle to exceed the set speed. When you release the
accelerator pedal, the vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
2Cancelling the preset speed
You can cancel the preset speed by either of the following:
a. Pulling the control lever in the CANCELº direction.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40 km/h (25 mph), the
preset speed will be automatically cancelled.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10 mph) below the preset
speed, the preset speed will also automatically be cancelled.
If the preset speed automatically cancels out for other than
these reasons, have your vehicle checked by your Lexus
dealer at the earliest opportunity.
3Resetting to a faster speed
Press the control lever upward in the + RESº direction and
hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed is attained.
While the lever is held upward, the vehicle will gradually gain
speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km/h (3 mph), the set speed can be
increased 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever upward in the + RESº direction quickly within 0.6
seconds.
However, a quicker way to reset is to accelerate the vehicle and
then press the control lever downward in the - SETº direction.

DRIVING TIPS
472
HOW TO SAVE FUEL AND MAKEYOUR VEHICLE LAST LONGER
Improving fuel economy is easy Ð 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.
 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 driving Ð but gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this may take a little
longer.
 Always keep the automatic transmission selector lever
in the Dº position when engine braking is not required.
Driving with the overdrive off will reduce the fuel economy.
(For details, see Automatic transmissionº on page 393.)
 Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Avoid jackrabbit starts.
 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 over-revving. Use a gear position 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 traffic si gnals so you only 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 brake pedal. This causes
premature wear, overheating and poor fuel economy.
 Maintain a m oderate 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.