brake lexus LS400 1995 Gauges, Meters and Service Reminder Indicators / 1995 LS400: STARTING AND DRIVING

SECTION 3 – 1
125
STARTING AND DRIVING
Starting and driving
Three−way catalytic converter126 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Engine exhaust caution 127. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Before starting the engine128 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ignition switch with steering lock128 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Parking brake129 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to start the engine130 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission131 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cruise control136 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Electronically modulated air suspension139 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Traction control system141 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake system142 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Types of tires145 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

STARTING AND DRIVING
129 If you leave the key in the “ACC” or “LOCK” position and open
the driver’s door, a buzzer will remind you to remove the key.
“LOCK” − Engine is off and the steering wheel is locked.
The ignition key can be removed only at this position.
To turn the key from “ACC” to the “LOCK” position, you must
put the transmission selector lever in the “P” position.
When starting the engine, the key may seem stuck at the
“LOCK” position. To free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering wheel slightly while
turning the key gently.
If, in an emergency, you must turn the engine off while the
vehicle is moving, turn the key only to “ACC”.
PARKING BRAKE
1
To set: Fully depress the parking brake pedal.
2
To release: Pull the parking brake release lever.
Before leaving your vehicle, firmly apply the parking brake.
CAUTION
Before driving, make sure the parking brake is fully
released and that the parking brake reminder light is off.

STARTING AND DRIVING
130
HOW TO START THE ENGINE
Before cranking
1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
3. Put the selector lever in “P”. If you need to restart the engine
while the vehicle is moving, put the selector lever in “N”. A
starter safety device will prevent the starter from operating if
the selector lever is in any drive position.
4. Depress the brake pedal and hold it to the floor until you are
ready to drive off.
Starting the engine
Before starting the engine, be sure to follow the instructions in
“Before cranking”.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system / sequential multiport fuel
injection system in your engine automatically controls the
proper air−fuel mixture for starting. You can start a cold or hot
engine as follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, crank the engine by
turning the key to “START”. Release it when the engine starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10 seconds, you are ready
to drive.If the weather is below freezing, let the engine warm up for a
few minutes before driving. Do not leave the vehicle while the
engine is warming up.
If the engine stalls ...
Simply restart it, using the correct procedure given in normal
starting.
If the engine will not start
See “If your vehicle will not start” on page 160.
NOTICE

Do not crank for more than 15 seconds at a time. This
may overheat the starter and wiring systems.

Do not race a cold engine.

If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls
frequently, have the engine checked immediately.

STARTING AND DRIVING
131
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Your automatic transmission has a shift lock system to
minimize the possibility of incorrect operation. This
means you can only shift out of “P” position when the
brake pedal is depressed with the ignition switch in “ON”
position. ()
The shift position is displayed on the instrument
cluster.
P:Parking, engine starting and key removal position
R:Reverse position
N:Neutral position
D:Normal driving position (Shifting into overdrive possible)
3:Position for engine braking (Shifting into overdrive not
possible)
2:Position for engine braking
L:Position for stronger engine braking than that in “2” position
Correct use of the automatic transmission is explained in
the following parts.
(a) Normal driving
(b) Using engine braking
(c) Backing up
(d) Parking
(e) Good driving practice
(f) If you cannot shift the selector lever
(g) If the “ECT PWR” indicator light flashes

STARTING AND DRIVING
133
 1
“D” (Drive) position 2
Brake pedal
4. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the
selector lever to “D”.
Always use the “D” position to improve fuel economy and quiet
driving. Only in this position, shifting into the overdrive gear is
possible. However, while the engine coolant temperature is
low, the transmission will not shift into the overdrive gear even
in the “D” position. (See “(b) Using engine braking” and “(e)
Good driving practice” for exceptions.)
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while
shifting.
5. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the
accelerator pedal slowly for smooth starting.
In normal cruising, the vehicle will start in the first gear and
automatically shift to the most suitable gear for the running
conditions.
In “3” position, the automatic transmission system will select
the most suitable gear for the running conditions such as hill
climbing, hard towing, etc.
If you need to accelerate rapidly while driving, depress the
accelerator pedal to the full throttle position. This provides
more acceleration by automatically downshifting the
transmission to the next lower gear or beyond, depending on
the vehicle speed.
If engine braking is needed, such as in descending a long hill,
see “(b) Using engine braking”.

STARTING AND DRIVING
135
(c) Backing up
 1
“R” (Reverse) position 2
Brake pedal
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the
selector lever to the “R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the vehicle is moving.
(d) Parking
 1
“P” (Park) position 2
Brake pedal
3
Parking brake pedal
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal fully.
3. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the
selector lever to the “P” position.
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, never attempt to move the
selector lever into “P” under any circumstances.
Serious mechanical damage and loss of vehicle control
may result.

STARTING AND DRIVING
136
(e) Good driving practice

If the transmission repeatedly upshifts and downshifts
between the third and overdrive gears when climbing a
gentle slope, shift the selector lever to the “3” position. Be
sure to shift the selector lever to the “D” position after
climbing the slope.

When towing a trailer, in order to maintain efficient engine
braking and electrical charging performance, do not use
overdrive. The selector lever must be in the “3” position.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped
with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from
creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an upgrade with the
accelerator pedal. This can cause the transmission to
overheat. Always use the brake pedal or parking brake.
(f) If you cannot shift the selector lever
If you cannot shift the selector ever even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock override button. For
instructions, see “If you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector lever” on page 175.
(g) If the “ECT PWR” indicator light flashes
If the “ECI PWR” indicator light flashes, contact your Lexus
dealer as soon as possible. There may be trouble in the
transmission system.
CRUISE CONTROL
The cruise control allows you to cruise the vehicle at a
desired speed over 40 km / h (25 mph) with your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or down a gradient, within
the limits of engine performance. On steeper hills, a great
speed change will occur so it is better to drive without the cruise
control.
When the cruse control is on, the driving pattern of the
automatic transmission is fixed in the normal position,
regardless of the position of the selector switch.

STARTING AND DRIVING
138
Setting at a desired speed
Bring the vehicle to the desired speed, press the control lever
downward in the “SET / COAST” direction and release it. This
sets the vehicle at that speed. Now you may take your foot off
the accelerator pedal. If you need acceleration − for example,
when passing − depress the accelerator pedal enough for the
vehicle to exceed the set speed. When you release the
accelerator pedal, the vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
Cancelling the preset speed
You can cancel the preset speed by either of the following:
a. Pulling the control lever in the “CANCEL” direction.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below 40 km / h (25 mph), the preset
speed will be automatically cancelled.If the vehicle speed drops 16 km / h (10 mph) below the preset
speed, the preset speed will also automatically be cancelled.
If the preset speed automatically cancels out for other than
these reasons, have your vehicle checked by your Lexus
dealer at the earliest opportunity.
Resetting to a faster speed
Press the control lever upward in the “RES / ACC” direction and
hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed is attained.
While the lever is held upward, the vehicle will gradually gain
speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km / h (3 mph), the set speed can be
increased 1.6 km / h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever upward in the “RES / ACC” direction quickly within 0.6
seconds.
However, a quicker way to reset is to accelerate the vehicle
and then press the control lever downward in the
“SET / COAST” direction.
Resetting to a slower speed
Press the control lever downward in the “SET / COAST”
direction and hold it. Release the lever when the desired speed
is attained. While the lever is held downward, the vehicle
speed will gradually decrease.

STARTING AND DRIVING
139 When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km / h (3 mph), the set speed can be
lowered 1.6 km / h (1 mph) each time by pressing the control
lever downward in the “SET / COAST” direction quickly within
0.6 seconds.
However, a quicker way to reset is to depress the brake pedal
and then press the control lever downward in the
“SET / COAST” direction.
Resuming the preset speed
Press the control lever upward in the “RES / ACC” direction.
The vehicle will resume the speed set prior to cancellation
unless the vehicle speed is less than 40 km / h (25 mph) or is
16 km / h (10 mph) below the preset speed.
Cruise control failure warning
If the “CRUISE” indicator light in the instrument cluster flashes
when using the cruise control, push the main switch to turn the
system off and then push it again to turn it on.
If any of the following conditions then occurs, there is some
trouble in the cruise control system.

The indicator light does not come on.

The indicator light flashes again.

The indicator light goes out after it comes on.
If this is the case, contact your Lexus dealer and have your
Lexus inspected.
ELECTRONICALLY MODULATED
AIR SUSPENSION
(U.S.A. ONLY)
This electronically modulated air suspension adjusts the
damping effect on the shock absorbers and the vehicle
height. This adjustment is automatically made in
response to the driving conditions to provide good riding
comfort and stability in all driving conditions.
(a) Vehicle height adjustment
This system maintains a stable vehicle height, regardless
of occupants and luggage weight. You can select one of
the following modes using a selector switch.

STARTING AND DRIVING
141
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The traction control system automatically controls
spinning of the rear wheels which may occur when
accelerating on slippery road surfaces, thus assisting
driver control and driving power to the rear wheels.
When you turn the ignition switch on, this system always
turns on. Leave the system on during ordinary driving so
that it can operate when needed. When traction control is
applied, the slip indicator light blinks.
You can turn off the traction control system by pushing
the “TRAC−OFF−” switch. The “TRAC OFF”
indicator / warning light will then come on. Pushing the
“TRAC−OFF−” switch a second time turns the system
back on and extinguishes the “TRAC OFF”
indicator / warning light.
You may hear a slight clicking noise in the engine compartment
when the engine is started. This means that the traction control
system is in the self−check mode, and does not indicate
malfunction. When the traction control system is operating,
you may feel vibration of your vehicle, caused by operation of
the brakes. This indicates the system is functioning properly.
When getting the vehicle out of mud or new snow, etc. the
traction control system will operate to prevent the wheels from
spinning. Even though the accelerator pedal is fully depressed,
the engine speed will be restrained to a certain level.