Lexus GX470 2008 Scheduled Maintenace Guide / LEXUS 2008 GX470 OWNER'S MANUAL (OM60D82U)

When trouble arises5
371
5-1. Essential information .... 372If your vehicle needs to be towed ...................................... 372
If you think something is wrong ....................................... 377
Fuel pump shut off system ... 378
Event data recorder.............. 379
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency .................... 381
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds... ... 381
If you have a flat tire................ 391
If the engine will not start .... 402
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P ....................... 403
If you lose your keys .............. 404
If the vehicle battery is discharged ............................ 405
If your vehicle overheats ..... 408
If the vehicle becomes stuck......................................... 410

372
5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Before towingThe following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Lexus dealer before towing.
● The engine is running, but the vehicle will not move.
● The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available, in an emergency your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency towing
eyelet. This should only attempted on hard, surfaced roads for short dis-
tances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to s teer and operate the brakes. The vehi-
cle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in good condi-
tion.
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by your
Lexus dealer or a commercial towing se rvice, using a lift-type truck or a flat
bed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towi ng, and abide by all state/provincial
and local laws.
The wheels and axle on the ground must be in good condition.
If they are damaged, use a to wing dolly or flat bed truck.

5
When trouble arises
373
5-1. Essential information
Towing eyelets
■Emergency towing procedureRelease the parking brake.
Put the shift lever in “N”.
The engine switch must be in the “ACC” position (engine off) or the “ON”
position (engine on).
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive stress on
the emergency towing eyelet and the cable or chain.
●If the engine is not running, the power assi st for the brakes and steering will not
function, making steering and braking more difficult.
●Put the vehicle height in the “N” (normal) mode and push the height control
“OFF” switch to turn off rear height co ntrol air suspension. Otherwise the auto-
matic leveling function may adjust the vehicle height unexpectedly, resulting in an
accident.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
Never tow this vehicle from the rear with four wheels on the ground.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

374
5-1. Essential information
Towing with a sling-type truck
Towing with a wheel lift-type truckFrom front Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
NOTICE
■To prevent body damage
Do not tow with a sling type truck, either from the front or rear.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.

5
When trouble arises
375
5-1. Essential information
From rearUse a towing dolly under the front
wheels.
NOTICE
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow the vehicle with the engi ne switch in the “LOCK” position.
The steering lock mechanism is not st rong enough to hold the front wheel
straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at the
opposite end of the raised vehicle. Wi thout adequate clearance, the vehicle
could be damaged while being towed.

376
5-1. Essential information
Using a flat bed truckIf your Lexus is transported by flat
bed truck, it should be tied down at
the locations shown in the illustra-
tion.
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45 .
Do not overly tighten the tie downs
or the vehicle may be damaged.
Front

5
When trouble arises
377
5-1. Essential information
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 temper ature 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

378
5-1. Essential information
Fuel pump shut off system
■Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is activated.Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Restart the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked on to th e ground, the fuel system has been damaged
and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or an airbag
inflates upon collision, the fuel pump shut off system stops supplying fuel to
the engine.
STEP1
STEP2

5
When trouble arises
379
5-1. Essential information
Event data recorder
In a crash or a near car crash eventThe EDR may record some or all of the following information.
● Engine speed
● Whether the brake pedal was applied or not
● Vehicle speed
● To what extent the accelerator pedal was depressed
● Position of the transmission shift lever
● Whether the driver and front passenger wore seat belts or not
● Driver’s seat position
● Front passenger’s occupant classification
● SRS airbag deployment data
● SRS airbag system diagnostic data
Your Lexus’ Electronic Control U nit (ECU) may contain another EDR.
There are a variety of driving situation s which include activating the vehi-
cle stability control (VSC) under whic h the VSC EDR will record certain
information. The VSC EDR may record so me or all of the following infor-
mation:
● Behavior of the vehicle
● Steering wheel angle
Your vehicle has computers that monitor and control certain aspects of
your vehicle. These computers assist in driving and maintaining optimal
vehicle performance.
Besides storing data useful for troubles hooting, there is a system to record
data in a crash or a near car crash event. This is called an Event Data
Recorder (EDR).

380
5-1. Essential information
●Vehicle speed
● To what extent the accelerator pedal was depressed
● To what extent the brake pedal was applied
● To what extent the ECU controlled the condition of the 4 wheels
● Vehicle stability control system diagnostic data
The information abov e is intended to be used for the purpose of improv-
ing vehicle safety performance. Unlike general da ta recorders, the EDR
does not record sound data such as conversation between passengers.
Disclosure of the data
Lexus will not disclose the data re corded in an EDR to a third party
except when:
● An agreement from the vehicle’s ow ner (or the leasing company for a
leased vehicle) is obtained
● Officially requested by the police or other authorities
● Used as a defense for Lexus in a law suit
● Ordered by a court
However, if necessary Lexus will:
● Use the data for research on Le xus vehicle safety performance
● Disclose the data to a third party for research purposes without dis-
closing details of the vehicle owner, and only when it is deemed neces-
sary
● Disclose summarized data cleared of vehicle identification information
to a non-Lexus organization for research purposes