transmission Lexus GX470 2004 Engine / LEXUS 2004 GX470 THROUGH OCT. 2003 PROD. (OM60A46U) Owner's Guide

STARTING AND DRIVING
376
(b) Shifting procedure
To shift between unlock and lock modes in Hº, push the
center differential lock button.
To shift between unlock and lock modes in Lº, push the
center differential lock button.
To shift between Hº and Lº, stop the vehicle, put the
transmission into Nº and move the four-wheel drive control
lever.CAUTION
Never move the four-wheel drive control lever if wheels
are slipping. Stop the slipping or spinning before
shifting.
NOTICE
For normal driving on dry and hard surface roads,
unlock the center differential. To prevent damage to the
center differential lock system, do not push the center
differential lock button when the vehicle is cornering or
when its wheels are spinning freely off the ground. If the
indicator light does not go off when unlocking the
center differential, drive straight ahead while
accelerating or decelerating, or drive in reverse.

STARTING AND DRIVING
377
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
378
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.

STARTING AND DRIVING
379
4Resetting to a slower speed
Press the control lever downward in the - SETº direction and
hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed is attained.
While the lever is held downward, the vehicle speed will
gradually decrease.
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
lowered 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever downward in the - SETº direction quickly within 0.6
seconds.
However, a quicker way to reset is to depress the brake pedal
and then press the control lever downward in the - SETº
direction.
Even if you downshift the transmission from the Dº position to
4º position with the cruise control on, engine braking will not
be applied because the cruise control is not cancelled. To
decrease the vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed with the
cruise control lever or depress the brake pedal. If you use the
brake pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
5Resuming the preset speed
If the preset speed is cancelled by pulling the control lever or
by depressing the brake pedal, pushing the lever up in the +
RESº direction will restore the speed set prior to cancellation.
However, once the vehicle speed falls below about 40 km/h (25
mph), the preset speed will not be resumed.
Cruise control failure warning
If the CRUISEº indicator light in the instrument cluster flashes
when using the cruise control, push the main switch to turn the
system off and then push it again to turn it on.
If any of the following conditions then occurs, there is some
trouble in the cruise control system.
The indicator light does not come on.
The indicator light flashes again.
The indicator light goes out after it comes on.
If this is the case, contact your Lexus dealer and have your
Lexus inspected.

STARTING AND DRIVING
393
DOWNHILL ASSIST CONTROL
SYSTEM
The downhill assist control system is a system that
assists the deceleration of the engine brake when you
drive down a steep hill. When you are driving down a hill
with the four-wheel drive control lever in the Lº position,
push the DACº switch to limit the vehicle's acceleration.
If the vehicle is traveling at a speed of 25 km/h (15 mph) or
less, you can descend at a constant speed.
CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the downhill assist control
system. It may not be able to maintain a low speed over
road surfaces or off-road surfaces on which sliding can
easily occur, such as extremely steep slopes or icy or
muddy roads.
Turning on the system
1. Shift the four-wheel drive control lever to the Lº
position.
The system will not operate if the four-wheel drive control lever
is in the Hº position.
2. In order to make full use of the engine brake, putting the
transmission in Lº or 2º is recommended.
The system will operate even if the transmission selector lever
is in Dº, 4º, 3º or Nº. However, when it is in Lº or 2º the
engine brake can also be utilized enabling the system to
operate more effectively.
3. Push the DACº switch to turn the system on. The
downhill assist control system indicator light on the
instrument panel will come on.
If the downhill assist control system indicator light flashes, the
transmission selector lever may be in Nº or four-wheel drive
control lever may be in the Hº position.

STARTING AND DRIVING
396
HILL-ST ART ASSIST CONTROL
SYSTEM
The hill-start assist control system assists you in starting
to move up a steep or slippery hill. When you start to move
up the hill slope, the system helps to prevent the vehicle
from rolling backward in the interval while you move your
foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal.
CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the hill-start assist control
system. The vehicle may not be able to start
smoothly on road surfaces or off-road surfaces such
as extremely steep slopes or icy roads, on which
sliding can occur very easily.
Do not use the hill-start assist control system to stop
the vehicle. This system is not designed as a function
for stopping the vehicle on a uphill slope.
The hill-start assist control system will operate for 5
seconds maximally when all of the following conditions
apply.
When the transmission is in any of positions Dº, 4º,
3º, 2º or Lº
When the brake pedal is not depressed
The system is designed to operate when the vehicle is starting
on an uphill slope; therefore, if the transmission is in Pº or Nº
it will not operate. It will not operate either if the vehicle starts
to move in reverse on a slope with the transmission in the Rº.

Slip indicator light
When the hill-start assist control system is operating, the slip
indicator light flashes and an alarm sounds intermittently. At
the same time, the stop lamps and high mounted stoplight are
lit.

DRIVING TIPS
408
OPERATION IN FOREIGN
COUNTRIES
If you plan to drive your Lexus in another country...
First, comply with the vehicle registration laws.
Second, confirm the availability of the correct fuel (unleaded
and minimum octane rating).
TIPS FOR DRIVING IN VARIOUS
CONDITIONS
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds. This will allow you
much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if possible, at a right angle.
Avoid driving onto high, sharp-edged objects and other
road hazards. Failure to do so can lead to severe tire
damage such as a tire burst.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps or travelling on a
bumpy road. Otherwise, the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.
When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels until they touch
the curb so that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the parking
brake, and place the transmission in Pº. If necessary, block
the wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through deep water may get
the brakes wet. To see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you and then press the pedal lightly.
If you do not feel a normal braking force, the brakes are
probably wet. To dry them, drive the vehicle cautiously while
lightly pressing the brake pedal with the parking brake
applied. If they still do not work safely, pull to the side of the
road and call a Lexus dealer for assistance.

DRIVING TIPS
413
NOTICE
If driving through water, such as when crossing
shallow streams, first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the river bed for firmness. Drive
slowly and avoid deep water.
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that
water damage to the engine or other components
does not occur.
Water entering the engine air intake will cause severe
engine damage.
Water can wash the grease from wheel bearings,
causing rusting and premature failure, and may also
enter the differentials, transmission and transfer
case, reducing the gear oil's lubricating qualities.
Sand and mud that has accumulated in brake drums
and around brake discs may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system components.
Always perform a maintenance inspection after each
day of off-road driving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For scheduled
maintenance information, refer to the Owner's
Manual Supplement/Scheduled Maintenanceº.

DRIVING TIPS
415 Use a washer fluid containing an antifreeze solution.
This product is available at your Lexus dealer and most auto
parts stores. Follow the manufacturer's directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute
because it may damage your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake when there is a possibility
it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into Pº and block the front
wheels. Do not use the parking brake, or snow or water
accumulated in and around the parking brake mechanism may
freeze the parking brake, making it hard to release.Keep ice and snow from accumulating under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders can make steering
difficult. During bad winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving, we recommend you
carry some emergency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the vehicle are tire chains,
window scraper, bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.

DRIVING TIPS
426
Trailer lights
Your vehicle is equipped with a wire harness stored in the rear
end underbody. Use either of them to connect and operate the
trailer lights. However, the trailer lights must comply with
federal, state/provincial and local regulations. See your local
recreational vehicle dealer or rental agency for the correct type
of wiring and relays for your trailer. Check for correct operation
of the turn signals and stop lights each time you hitch up. Direct
splicing may damage your vehicle's electrical system and
cause a malfunction of your lights.
Break-in schedule
Lexus recommends that you do not tow a trailer with a new
vehicle or a vehicle with any new power train component
(engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearing, etc.) for the
first 800 km (500 miles) of driving.
Maintenance
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional load. For this
information, please refer to the scheduled maintenance
information in the Owner's Manual Supplement/Scheduled
Maintenanceº.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after
approximately 1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
Connecting a trailer
Stop your vehicle and a trailer in line and perform the following:
1. Put the rear height control air suspension in the LOº (low)
mode. Turn the ignition switch off or push the HEIGHT
CONTROL OFFº switch to turn off the rear height control air
suspension.
2. Connect a trailer.
3. Turn the ignition switch on or push the HEIGHT CONTROL
OFFº switch to turn on the rear height control air suspension.
Select the Nº (normal) mode with the height select switch.
Disconnecting a trailer
Stop your vehicle and a trailer in line and perform the following:
1. Put the rear height control air suspension in the LOº (low)
mode. (Make sure the vehicle height is in the LOº (low) mode
by pushing the height select switch on the º side.)
2. Turn the ignition switch off or push the HEIGHT CONTROL
OFFº switch to turn off the rear height control air suspension.
3. Set the supporting leg of a trailer on the ground and raise the
hitch by 100 mm (4 in.).
4. Turn the ignition switch on or push the HEIGHT CONTROL
OFFº switch to turn on the rear height control air suspension.
5. Wait for about 20 seconds until the rear vehicle height is
lowered by the automatic leveling function.
6. Make sure the hitch is disconnected. If not, raise the hitch
higher and repeat steps 2 through 5.