steering LEXUS LS430 2006 User Guide

41
1-3. Adjustable components
1
Before driving
If the key is inserted into the
ignition switch:
Remove the key from the ignition
switch for auto tilt-away.
Pushing the ignition switch (if the smart access system is used) or reinserting
the k
ey will return the steering wheel to the memorized position.
*This feature can be deactivated. ( P. 3 8 4 )
■Steering column does not move
The steering column adjuster will not operate, if the ignition switch is left in the
l

ocked position for more than 30 minutes. To adjust the steering wheel position,
turn the ignition switch to ON or remove the key from the ignition switch and rein-
sert it.
CAUTION
■Caution while driving
Do not adjust the steering whee
l or column while driving. 
Doing so may cause the driver to mishandle the vehicle and an accident resulting in
de
ath or serious injury.

58
1-7. Safety information
Correct driving posture
Drive with good posture as follows:
Sit upright and well back in the
seat.
Adjust the position of the seat
forward or backward to ensure
the pedals can be r
eached and
easily depressed to the extent
required. ( P.
2 2 )
Adjust the seatback so that the
controls are easily operable.
Adjust the tilt and telescopic
positions of the steering wheel
do
wnward so the airbag is fac -
ing your chest. ( P.
4 0 )
Lock the head restraint in place
with the center of the head
r
estraint closest to the top of
your ears. ( P
.31)
Wear the seat belt correctly. 
( P.
3 4 )
1
2
3
4
5
6

62
1-7. Safety information
■If the SRS airbags deploy (inflate)
●Bruising and slight abrasions may result from contact with a deploying (inflating)
SRS airbag.
●A loud noise and white powder will be emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steering whee l hub, airbag cover and inflator), as
well as the front seats, apart from the front pillar and roof side rail may be hot for
several minutes, and the airbags themselves will be hot.
●The front windshield may crack.
■Operating conditions (front airbags)
●The SRS front airbags will deploy if the severity of the frontal impact is above the
designed threshold level, comparable to an approximate 15 mph (25 km/h) col -
lision, when the vehicle imp acts
straight into a fixed barrier that does not move
or deform.
However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higher, if the vehicle strikes
a

n object, such as a parked vehicle or sign pole, which can move or deform on
impact, or if the vehicle is involved in an underride collision (e.g., a collision in
which the front of the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under, the bed of a truck, etc.).
●It is possible that in some collisions where the forward deceleration of the vehi -
cle is very close to the designed thresh ol
d level, the SRS front airbags and the
seat belt pretensioners ma y not activate together.
●The SRS front passenger airbag will not activate, if there is no passenger sitting
in the front passenger seat. However, th e front passenger airbag may deploy, if
luggage is put in the seat or the seat belt is buckled up, regardless of the pres -
ence of an occupant in the seat.
■Operating conditions (side and curtain shield airbags)
●The SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags are designed to inflate, when
the passenger compartment is subjected to a severe impact from the side.
●The SRS side airbag on the passenger seat will not activate, if there is no passen -
ger sitting in the front passenger seat. Ho
wever, the side airbag on the passen-
ger seat may deploy, if luggage is put in the seat or the seat belt is buckled up,
r
egardless of the presence of the occupant in the seat.

65
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
■When to contact your Lexus dealer
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible. Do not dis-
connect the battery cables before contacting your Lexus dealer.
●Any of the SRS airbags have been
inflated.
●The front of the vehicle (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause the
SRS front airbags to inflate.
●The portion of the doors (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause the
SRS side airbags and curtain shield air-
bags to inflate.
●The pad section of the steering wheel,
front passenger airbag cover or lower
portion of instrument panel (shaded in the
illustration) is scratched, cracked or oth-
erwise damaged.
●The surface of the seats with the side air-
bag (shaded in the illustration) is
scratched, cracked or otherwise dam-
aged.
●The portion of the front pillars, rear pillars
or roof side rail garnishes (padding) con-
taining the curtain shield airbags inside
(shaded in the illustration) is scratched,
cracked or otherwise damaged.

66
1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the airbags. Failure to do so may
ca
use death or serious injury:
●The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts properly. 
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with seat belts.
●The SRS driver airbag deploys by a cons iderable force and can cause death or
serious injury especially, if the driver is very close to the airbag. The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) advises: 
Since the risk zone for driver airbag is th e fi
rst 2 - 3 in. (50 - 75 mm) of inflation,
placing yourself 10 in. (250 mm) from your driver airbag provides you with a
clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the center of the steering
wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 10 in. (250 mm) away now, you can
change your driving position in several ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the pedals
co
mfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Alt
hough vehicle designs vary, many driv-
ers can achieve the 10 in. (250 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the
w
ay forward, simply by reclining the back of the seat somewhat. If reclining
the back of your seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a
firm, non-slippery cushion or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, ti lt it do
wnward. This points the airbag
toward your chest instead of your head and neck.

71
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●If the vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS knee airbag will deploy, be sure
to remove it.
●Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side airbags
inflate as this may interfere with inflation of these airbags.
●Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS airbag
components shown on P. 61. Doing so could cause a SRS airbag to malfunction.
●Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS airbag has
deployed (inflated) as they become hot.
●If breathing becomes difficult, open a d oor or window to allow fresh air in, or
leave the vehicle if it is safe to do so. Wash off any residue as soon as possible to
prevent skin irritation.
●If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel pad and
front pillar garnish, are damaged or cracked, have them replaced by your Lexus
dealer.
●Do not attach any heavy, sharp or hard
objects such as keys or accessories to the
ignition key. The obje cts may restrict the
SRS knee airbag inflation or be thrust into
the driver's seat area by the force of the
deploying airbag, thus causing a danger.

72
1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■Modifications and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not perform any of the following modifications to o
r dispose of the vehicle with -
out consulting your Lexus dealer. The SRS airb
ag may malfunction and may deploy
(inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
• Installation, removal, disassembl y and r
epair of the SRS airbags.
• Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel, instru -
ment panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholste
ry, front, side and rear pillars or
roof side rail.
• Repair or modification of the front fender , fr
ont bumper or side of the occupant
compartment.
• Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars, kangaroo ba
r, etc.).
• Modifications to the vehi cle
’s suspension system.
• Installation of electronic devices such as a mobile two-way radio, cassette tape pl
ayer or CD player.

89
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfaniliar 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
r
esult in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
●Do not let the vehicle roll backwards while the selector lever is in a driving posi -
tion, or roll forward while the selector lever is in R. 
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lea
d to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●If you smell exhaust fumes in the vehicle, open the windows and close the trunk lid
to ensure plenty of fresh air enters the vehicle.
If you can smell exhaust fumes even through there are no other vehicle in sur -
rounding area, have your vehicle checke d b
y you Lexus dealer. Continued inhala-
tion of exhaust fumes can lead to death by gas poisoning.
●Do not shift the selector lever to P, R or N while the vehicle is moving under any
circumstances. 
Doing so can cause significant damage to the tr
ansmission system and may result
in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not turn the engine off while driving. 
The power steering and brake booster systems will not operate properly if the
eng
ine is not running.
●Use the 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.98 )
●Do not shift the selector lever to N. 
Doing so may cause the engine brake to not operate properly and lead to an
acc
ident.
●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.

90
2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■While driving the vehicle
●Be careful when driving on slippery surfaces, as the vehicle may skid or spin when
downshifting, rapidly accelerating, braking or turning.
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, seat, or mirror while driving.
Doing so may result in losing control of th
e vehicle and cause an accident, which
may cause death or serious injury.
●Always check that passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their bodies are not
outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
■When shifting the selector lever
Use caution if accelerating while shifting. 
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an
ac
cident.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine. 
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P 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
che
ck that exhaust fumes do no t enter the vehicle interior.
●Always keep a foot on the brake pedal while the engine is running to prevent an
accident caused by the vehicle moving.

93
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
NOTICE
■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 pump.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damag-
ing the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping no ise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replace the brake pads as soon as possible.
Exp
ensive rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
■If a malfunction is detected while driving
A flat or damaged tire may c
ause 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.
3 4 7 )