info Lexus IS250 2008 Owners Manual

352
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Installing towing eyeletsRemove the eyelet cover using a
flat head screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a
rag between the screwdriver and
the vehicle body, as shown in the
illustration.
Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by hand.
Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
■Location of the emergency towing eyelet
→P. 3 8 2

5
When trouble arises
353
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Towing with a sling-type truck
CAUTION
■Installing towing eyelets to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelets are installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelets may come loose during towing. This may
lead to accidents that cause serious injury or even death.
NOTICE
■To prevent body damage
Do not tow with a sling type truck, either from the front or rear.

354
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Towing with a wheel lift-type truckFrom the 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,
release the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to N.
From the rear (2WD models)Switch to ACCESSORY mode so
that the steering wheel is
unlocked.
From the rear (AWD models) Use a towing dolly under the front
wheel.

5
When trouble arises
355
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Using a flat bed truckIf your Lexus is transported by a
flat bed truck, it should be tied
down at the locations shown in the
illustration.
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.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
(vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear with the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
OFF.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheel
straight.
●When raising the vehicle from the rear, 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 from the rear.

356
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
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, sp ongy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor

5
When trouble arises
357
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is acti-
vated.Switch to ACCESSORY 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

358
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Event data recorder
In a crash or a near car crash eventThe 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.

5
When trouble arises
359
5-1. Essential information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)●
Ve h i c l e s p e e d
● 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 above is intended to be used for the purpose of improv-
ing vehicle safety performance. Unlike general data recorders, the EDR
does not record sound data such as conversation between passengers.
Disclosure of the data
Lexus will not disclose the data recorded in an EDR to a third party
except when:
● An agreement from the vehicle's owner (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 law
However, if necessary Lexus will:
● Use the data for research on Lexus 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

5
When trouble arises
367
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold
and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label (tire and loading information
label). (If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the vehi-
cle placard or tire inflation pressure label [tire and loading information label], you
should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS-tire pressure warning system) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale (tire pressure warning light) when one or more of your tires is sig-
nificantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale (tire pres-
sure warning light) illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's handling
and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warning light).
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunction indicator is combined with the
low tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warning light). When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction indicator is illumi-
nated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea-
sons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) malfunction tell-
tale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire pressure warning
system) to continue to function properly.

5
When trouble arises
369
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
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.