parking Lexus IS250 2008 User Guide

When driving2
107
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
2-1. Driving procedures ....... 108Driving the vehicle................. 108
Engine (ignition) switch .......... 117
Automatic Transmission ........ 122
Manual Transmission.............. 126
Turn signal lever ....................... 128
Parking brake ........................... 129
2-2. Instrument cluster ......... 130 Gauges and meters ................ 130
Indicators and warning lights ......................................... 136
Multi-information display ...................................... 139
2-3. Operating the lights and windshield wipers......... 143
Headlight switch...................... 143
Fog light switch ........................ 146
Windshield wipers and washer ..................................... 147
Headlight cleaner switch....... 151 2-4. Using other driving
systems .......................... 152
Cruise control.......................... 152
Dynamic radar cruise control ..................................... 155
Intuitive parking assist ........... 164
Driving assist systems ............ 170
PCS (Pre-Collision System) ........ 176
2-5. Driving information........ 179 Cargo and luggage ................. 179
Vehicle load limits ................... 182
Winter driving tips .................. 183
Trailer towing ........................... 187
Dinghy towing (vehicles with an automatic
transmission) ......................... 188
Dinghy towing (vehicles with a manual
transmission) ......................... 189

108
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving.
■Starting the engine ( →P. 117)
■ Driving
Automatic transmission
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (→P. 122)
Release the parking brake. (→P. 1 2 9 )
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently push the accel-
erator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
Manual transmission
With the clutch pedal fully depressed, shift the shift lever into 1. (→P. 1 2 6 )
Release the parking brake. (→P. 1 2 9 )
Gradually release the clutch pedal. At the same time, gently
depress the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■ Stopping
Automatic transmission
With the shift lever in D, push the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle is stopped for an extended period of time, shift the
shift lever to P or N. (
→P. 122)
Manual transmission
With the clutch pedal fully depressed, push the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle is stopped for an extended period of time, shift the
shift lever into N. (
→P. 1 2 6 )
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP1
STEP2

109
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Starting on a steep uphillAutomatic transmission Firmly set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
Manual transmission
With the parking brake firmly set and the clutch pedal fully
depressed, shift the shift lever into 1.
Lightly depress the accelerator pedal at the same time as gradu-
ally releasing the clutch pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■Parking the vehicle
Automatic transmission
With the shift lever in D, push the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (→P. 1 2 9 )
Shift the shift lever to P. (→ P. 122)
Press the “ENGINE START STOP” switch and stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on
your person.
Manual transmission
With the clutch pedal fully depressed, push the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (→P. 1 2 9 )
Shift the shift lever into N. (→P. 1 2 6 )
Press the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on
your person.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

110
2-1. Driving procedures
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be especially
slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because
there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road surface, preventing
the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended to
observe:
●For the first 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 621 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of brake sys-
tem needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or whenever the parking
brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Lexus dealer perform the bed-
ding down.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. (
→P. 4 0 9 )
■Normal characteristics after turning off the engine
Approximately five hours after the engine is turned off, you may hear sound coming
from under the vehicle for several minutes. This is because fuel evaporation leakage
check is performed. It does not indicate a malfunction.

112
2-1. Driving procedures
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
●Do not turn the engine off while driving.
The brake booster system will not operate properly if the engine is not running.
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a
steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose effec-
tiveness. (→P. 1 2 3 )
●When stopped on an inclined surface, use the brake pedal and parking brake to
prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or forward and causing an accident.
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside
rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents that may
result in death or serious injury.
●Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their bodies are
not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
●Do not drive the vehicle off-road.
This is not a AWD vehicle designed for real off-road driving. Proceed with all due
caution if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road.
●Do not drive across river crossings or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic components to short circuit, damage the
engine or cause other serious damage to the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do
not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-speed capability
tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire failure, loss of control and
possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on
your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
●Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-shifting
or down-shifting, may cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make sure that
the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from
functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in an accident.

113
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
■When shifting the shift lever
With automatic transmission vehicles, 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.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P (vehicles with an automatic transmission
only) or N the vehicle may accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly, and may cause
an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and
check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
●With automatic transmission vehicles, always keep a foot on the brake pedal
while the engine is running to prevent an accident caused by the vehicle moving.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehi-
cle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following.
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic
material of eye glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle's electrical com-
ponents.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P (vehicles with an auto-
matic transmission only), stop the engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipe while the engine is running or immediately after
turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.

114
2-1. Driving procedures
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
●Do not leave the engine running in an area with snow build-up, or where it is
snowing. If snowbanks build up around the vehicle while the engine is running,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may lead to death or a seri-
ous health hazard.
■Exhaust gases
Exhaust gases include harmful carbon monoxide (CO) that is colorless and odor-
less. Inhaling exhaust gases may lead to death or a serious health hazard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area, stop the engine. In a closed area, such
as a garage, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may lead to
death or a serious health hazard.
●The exhaust should be checked occasionally. If there is a hole or crack caused by
corrosion, damage to a joint or abnormal exhaust noise, be sure to have the vehi-
cle inspected and repaired by your Lexus dealer. Failure to do so may allow
exhaust gases to enter the vehicle, resulting in death or a serious health hazard.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, you may accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, which could cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a serious health hazard.
■When braking the vehicle
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and may cause one side of
the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also the parking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid downhills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but it will require more force on the pedal than
usual. Braking distance may also increase.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted brakes.

115
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
●The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems: if one of the systems
fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual and braking distance becomes longer.
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck or bogged (AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels recklessly when any of the tires is up in the air, or stuck in
sand or mud, etc. This may damage the drive system components or propel the
vehicle forward (or in another direction) and cause an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●With manual transmission vehicles, do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while
driving.
Doing so may cause clutch trouble.
●With manual transmission vehicles, do not use any gears other than the first gear
when starting off and moving forward.
Doing so may damage the clutch.
●With automatic transmission vehicles, do not use the accelerator pedal or
depress accelerator and brake pedals together to hold the vehicle on a hill.
●With manual transmission vehicles, do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle when
stopping on an uphill grade.
■When parking the vehicle
With automatic transmission vehicles, always put the shift lever in P. Failure to do so
may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accel-
erator pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for a long
time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damag-
ing the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.

117
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Engine (ignition) switch
Modes can be switched by pressing the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
when carrying the electronic key on your person. (The engine can be
started in any mode by operating the switch at the same time as depressing
the brake pedal or clutch pedal.)
■Starting the engine
Automatic transmission
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Sit in the driver’s seat and firmly depress the brake pedal.
The “ENGINE START STOP” switch indicator turns green.
Press the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4

118
2-1. Driving procedures
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
Manual transmissionCheck that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in N.
Firmly depress the clutch pedal.
The “ENGINE START STOP” switch indicator turns green.
Press the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4