engine Lexus IS250C 2010 Do-It-Yourself Maintenance / LEXUS 2010 IS350C/250C (OM53A20U) Owner's Guide

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1
1-6. Theft deterrent system
Before driving
Alarm
The system sounds the alarm and flashes the lights when forcible entry is
detected.
■ Triggering of the alarm
The alarm is triggered in the following situations.
●A locked door or trunk is unlocked or opened in any way other
than using the entry function, wi reless remote door lock function
or mechanical key with the alarm being set.
● The hood is opened with the alarm being set.
■ Setting the alarm system
If the retractable hardtop is
open, close it.
Close the doors, trunk and
hood, and lock both side doors.
The system will be set automati-
cally after 30 seconds.
The indicator light changes from
being on to flashing when the
system is set.
■Deactivating or stopping the alarm
Do one of the following to deactivate or stop the alarm.
●Unlock the doors or trunk using the entry function, wireless
remote door lock function or mechanical key.
● Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to ACCESSORY or
IGNITION ON mode. (The alarm will be deactivated or stopped
after a few seconds.)

When driving2
131
2-1. Driving proceduresDriving the vehicle.................. 132
Engine (ignition) switch ......... 142
Automatic transmission ........ 147
Manual transmission .............. 154
Turn signal lever ....................... 156
Parking brake ........................... 157
Horn ............................................ 159
2-2. Instrument cluster Gauges and meters ................ 160
Indicators and warning lights ......................................... 166
Multi-information display ..... 169
2-3. Operating the lights and windshield wipers
Headlight switch....................... 174
Fog light switch ........................ 177
Windshield wipers and washer ..................................... 178
Headlight cleaner switch...... 183 2-4. Using other driving
systems
Cruise control.......................... 184
Dynamic radar cruise control ..................................... 187
Intuitive parking assist ........... 198
Driving assist systems ........... 204
Hill-start assist control .......... 210
PCS (Pre-Collision System) ................................... 212
2-5. Driving information Cargo and luggage ................ 216
Vehicle load limits ................... 219
Winter driving tips ................. 220
Trailer towing .......................... 224
Dinghy towing (vehicles with an
automatic transmission).... 225
Dinghy towing (vehicles with a manual
transmission) ........................ 226

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2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving.
■Starting the engine ( P. 142)
■ Driving
Automatic transmission
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (P. 1 4 7 )
Release the parking brake. ( P. 1 5 7 )
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
Manual transmission
While depressing the clutch pedal, shift the shift lever into 1. (P. 1 5 4 )
Release the parking brake. ( P. 1 5 7 )
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, depress 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. 1 4 7 )
Manual transmissionWhile depressing the clutch pedal, depress 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 5 4 )
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
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STEP2
STEP3
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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
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, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. ( P. 1 5 7 )
Shift the shift lever to P. ( P. 1 4 7 )
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 While depressing the clutch pedal, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (P. 1 5 7 )
Shift the shift lever into N. ( P. 1 5 4 )
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
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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
With automatic transmission vehicles, always keep your foot on the brake pedal
while stopped with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator
pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal will
result in sudden acceleration that may le ad to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your bo dy around, leading to a difficulty in
operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly, allowing you to depress the brake and accelerator pedals prop-
erly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, resulting in an acci-
dent.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
●With automatic transmission vehicles, do not let the vehicle roll backwards while
the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and check
that the trunk is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause driver
drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a serious health hazard. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
●Do not under any circumstance s shift the shift lever to P, R or N (vehicles with an
automatic transmission) or R (vehicles with a manual transmission) while the vehi-
cle is moving.
Doing so can cause significant damage to the transmission system and may result
in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so may cause the engine brake to not operate properly and lead to an
accident.

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2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
●Do not turn the engine off while driving.
The power steering and 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 4 8 )
●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 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.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■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 vehicl e 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 on ly one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be af fected, resulting in an accident.
■When shifting the shift lever
With automatic transmission vehicles, be ca reful 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 no t 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.

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2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■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 unattend ed 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.
●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 vehi cle. This may lead to death or a seri-
ous health hazard.
■Exhaust gases
Exhaust gases include harmfu l 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 ar ea, 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, result ing in death or a serious health hazard.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■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, lead ing 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.
●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.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
NOTICE
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replac e the brake pads as soon as possible.
The rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brake only: Moderate levels of the brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced
front braking power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional
brake discs. Therefore, when replacing the brake pads, Lexus recommends that you
also have the thickness of the discs measured.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually press the brak e pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds.
●The vehicle will behave abnormally.
Replace a flat tire with a new one. ( P. 4 9 4 )
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle.
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to
have your Lexus dealer check the following.
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil an d fluid used for the engine, transmission,
differential, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.