Lexus IS F 2008 Do-It-Yourself Maintenance /

5
When trouble arises
391
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
CAUTION
■Avoiding battery fires or explosions
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidentally igniting the flammable
gas that may be emitted from the battery.
●Make sure the jumper cable is connected to the correct terminal and that it is not
unintentionally in contact with any pa rt other than the intended terminal.
●Do not allow the jumper cables to come into contact with the “+” and “-” termi-
nals.
●Do not allow open flame or use matches, cigarette lighters or smoke near the
battery.
■Battery precautions
The battery contains poisonous and corrosive acidic electrolyte, while related parts
contain lead and lead compounds. Observe the following precautions when han-
dling the battery.
●When working with the battery, always we ar safety glasses and take care not to
allow any battery fluids (acid) to come into contact with skin, clothing or the vehi-
cle body.
●Do not lean over the battery.
●In the event that battery fluid comes into contact with the skin or eyes, immedi-
ately wash the affected area with water and seek medical attention.
Place a wet sponge or cloth over the affected area until medical attention can be
received.
●Always wash your hands after handling the battery support, terminals, and other
battery-related parts.
●Do not allow children near the battery.
NOTICE
■When handling jumper cables
Be careful that the jumper cables do not become tangled in the cooling fan or any
of the belts when connecting or disconnecting them.

392
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine overheats:
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the automatic air
conditioning system.
Check to see if steam is coming out from under the hood.
If you see steam: Stop the engine. Carefully lift the hood after the steam sub-
sides and then restart the engine.
If you do not see steam: Leave the engine running and carefully lift the hood.
Remove the engine compartment cover. ( P. 283)
Check to see if the cooling fan is operating.
If the fan is operating: Wait until the temperature of the engine (shown on the
instrument cluster) begins to fall and then stop the engine.
If the fan is not operating: Stop the engine immediately and call your local Lexus
dealer.
After the engine has cooled
down sufficiently, check the
engine coolant level and inspect
the radiator core (radiator) for
any leaks.STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

5
When trouble arises
393
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Overheating
If you observe the following, your vehicle may be overheating.
●The engine coolant temperature gauge enters the red zone or a loss of power is
experienced.
●Steam is coming from under the hood.
CAUTION
■To prevent an accident or injury when in specting under the hood of your vehicle
●If steam is seen coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until the
steam has subsided. The engine compartm ent may be very hot, causing serious
injury such as burns.
●Keep hands and clothing away from the fa n and belt while the engine is running.
●Do not loosen the coolant reservoir cap while the engine and radiator are hot.
Serious injury, such as burns, may resu lt from hot coolant and steam released
under pressure.
Add engine coolant if neces-
sary.
Water can be used in an emer-
gency measure if engine coolant
is unavailable. ( P. 4 0 3 )
Have the vehicle checked at your nearest Lexus dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
STEP6

394
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
NOTICE
■When adding engine coolant
Wait until the engine has cooled down before adding engine coolant.
When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot engine too quickly
can cause damage to the engine.

5
When trouble arises
395
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the vehicle becomes stuck
CAUTION
■When attempting to free a stuck vehicle
If you choose to rock the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure the surround-
ing area is clear, to avoid striking other vehicles, objects or persons. The vehicle
may also lunge forward or lunge back suddenly as it becomes free. Use extreme
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.
NOTICE
■To avoid damaging the transmission and other components
●Avoid spinning the wheels and do not rev the engine.
●If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may require
towing to be freed.
Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle becomes
stuck in mud, dirt, or snow.
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and shift the shift lever
to P.
Remove the mud, snow, or sand from around the stuck tire.
Place wood, stones or some ot her material to help provide
traction under the tires.
Restart the engine.
Shift the shift lever to the D or R position and carefully apply
the accelerator to free the vehicle.
Turn off TRAC and VSC if these functions are hampering your
attempts to free the vehicle. (  P. 1 6 8 )
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

396
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency

Vehicle specifications6
397
6-1. Specifications................. 398Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .............. 398
Fuel information ..................... 409
Tire information....................... 412
6-2. Customization................ 424 Customizable features ........ 424
6-3. Initialization ................... 429 Items to initialize .................... 429

398
6-1. Specifications
Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.)
Dimensions and weight
*: Unladen vehicle
Overall length183.4 in. (4660 mm)
Overall width71.4 in. (1815 mm)
Overall height *55.7 in. (1415 mm)
Wheelbase107.4 in. (2730 mm)
Tr e a dFront61.4 in. (1560 mm)
Rear59.6 in. (1515 mm)
Vehicle capacity weight
(Occupants + luggage)660 lb. (300 kg)

399
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Vehicle identification■ Vehicle identification number
The vehicle identification number (V IN) is the legal identifier for your
vehicle. This is the primary identification number for your Lexus. It is used
in registering the ownership of your vehicle.
This number is stamped on the top left of the instrument panel and in the engine
compartment.
This number is also on the Certifica-
tion Label.

400
6-1. Specifications
■Engine number
The engine number is stamped on the engine block as shown.