engine Lexus IS250 2007 Basic Functions / LEXUS 2007 IS350/250 OWNER'S MANUAL (OM53578U)

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5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Before towing
The 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(s). This should only attempted on hard, surfaced roads for short
distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The vehi-
cle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in good condi-
tion.
Towing eyelets
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by your
Lexus dealer or a commercial towing service, using a lift-type truck or a flat
bed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by all state/provincial
and local laws.
If towing from the rear, the vehicle’s front wheels and axles must be in good
condition. (P. 332)
If they are damaged, use a towing dolly or flat bed truck.

5
When trouble arises
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5-1. Essential information
■Emergency towing procedure
Release the parking brake.
Put the transmission in N.
Put the engine switch in ACC mode (engine off ) or IG-ON mode (engine
running).
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 eyelets and the cables or chains.
●If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering will not
function, making steering and braking more difficult.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
(for vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious damage to the transmission.
■When towing a vehicle without using a towing dolly
(for vehicles with a manual transmission)
The engine switch must not be OFF.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

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5-1. Essential information
Towing with a wheel lift-type truck
From front
Vehicles with an automatic trans-
mission: Use a towing dolly under
the rear wheels.
Vehicles with a manual transmis-
sions: We recommend to use a
towing dolly under the rear wheels.
When not using a towing dolly, turn
the engine switch to ACC mode
and shift the shift lever to N.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
(for vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.
■When towing a vehicle without using a towing dolly
(for vehicles with a manual transmission)
The engine switch must not be OFF.

5
When trouble arises
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5-1. Essential information
Switch to ACC mode so that the
steering wheel is unlocked.
From the rear (2WD models)
Use a towing dolly under the front
wheel.
From the rear (AWD models)
NOTICE
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow the vehicle with the engine switch OFF.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong 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. Without adequate clearance, the vehicle
could be damaged while being towed.

5
When trouble arises
335
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 temperature 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, spongy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor

336
5-1. Essential information
Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is acti-
vated.
Switch to ACC mode or OFF.
Restart the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked on to the 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

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When trouble arises
337
5-1. Essential information
Event data recorder
In a crash or a near car crash event
The SRS airbag sensor assembly contains the EDR. In a crash or a near
car crash event, this device may record some or all of the following infor-
mation:
●Engine speed
●Whether the brake pedal was applied or not
●Ve h i c l e s p e e d
●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
●SRS airbag deployment data
●SRS airbag system diagnostic data
If your vehicles is equipped with a vehicle stability control (VSC) system
The VSC Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may contain another EDR. In
case the VSC or Brake Assist system is activated, or the lateral accelera-
tion is beyond a certain valve, this device may record some or all of the
following information:
●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 troubleshooting, there is an event data
recorder (EDR) that records data in a crash or a near car crash event.

340
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Stop the vehicle immediately.
The following warnings indicate the possibility of damage to the vehicle
that may lead to an accident. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place
and contact your Lexus dealer.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to the
system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident. Have the
vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
Charging system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)

(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The electronic automatic transmission control system.
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system.

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When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■If the electronic engine control system warning light comes on while driving
First check the following:
●Is the fuel empty?
If it is, fill the fuel tank immediately.
●Is the fuel tank cap loose?
If it is, tighten it securely.
The light will go off after taking several driving trips.
If the light does not go off even after several trips, contact your Lexus dealer as soon
as possible.
■Front passenger detection sensor and passenger seat belt reminder
●If luggage is placed on the front passenger seat, the front passenger detection
sensor may cause the warning light to flash, even if a passenger is not sitting in
the seat.
●If a cushion is placed on the seat, the sensor may not detect a passenger, and the
warning light may not operate properly.

344
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning message is displayed
Stop the vehicle immediately.
A buzzer sounds and a warning message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display. The following warnings indicate the possibility of damage to
the vehicle that may lead to an accident. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and contact your Lexus dealer.
Wa r n i n g m e s s a g eDetails
(Flashing)
Indicates an abnormal engine oil pressure.
The warning light may turn on if the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If a warning is shown on the multi-information display, stay calm and per-
form the following actions:
Master warning light
The master warning light also
comes on or flashes in order to
indicate that a message is cur-
rently being displayed on the
multi-information display.
Multi-information display
If any of the warning light turns on again after performing the following
actions, contact your Lexus dealer.