towing LEXUS LS430 2006 User Guide

154
2-5. Driving information
■Before towing
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. (P.283 )
●Trailer tires should be inflated according to the trailer manufacturer’s recom -
mendation.
●All trailer lights must work to be legal.
●Confirm all lights work each time you connect them.
●Check that your vehicle remains level when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle is not level, and check for improper tongue
load, overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.
●Make sure the trailer cargo is securely loaded.
●Check that your rear view mirrors conform to any federal, state/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, instal l rear view mirrors appropriate for towing
purposes.
■Break-in schedule
Lexus recommends that you do not use a new vehicle or a vehicle with any new
p

ower train components (engine, transmissi on, differential, wheel bearing, etc.) to
tow a trailer for the first 500 miles (800 km) of driving.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance due to
the additional load. (see “Owner’s Manual Supplement/ Scheduled Mainte -
nance”)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.

155
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
CAUTION
■To avoid accident or injury
●The total trailer weight (trailer weight plus the weight of cargo) must not exceed
2000 lb. (907 kg).
●Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight, gross axle
weight and trailer tongue load capacities.
●Never load more weight in the back than in the front of the trailer. About 60% of
the load should be in the front half of the trailer, and the remaining 40% in the
rear.
■Hitches
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities established by the hitch
ma

nufacturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of towing a
higher weight, the operator must never exceed the maximum weight rating speci -
fied for the trailer hitch.
• If you wish to install a trailer hitch, your Lexus dealer should be consulted.
• Use only a hitch that conforms to the total trailer weight requirement.
• Follow the directions supplied by the hitch manufacturer.
• Lubricate the hitch ball with a light coat of grease.
• Remove the trailer hitch whenever you are not towing a trailer. After r
emoving the hitch, seal any mounting holes in the vehicle body to prevent
entry of any substances into the vehicle.
■When towing a trailer
●If the total trailer weight exceeds 1000 lb . (450 kg), trailer brakes are required.
●Never tap into your vehicle's hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehicle's
braking effectiveness.
●Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both the
trailer and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball, there is
danger of the trailer wandering into another lane.

156
2-5. Driving information
Trailer towing tips
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. The three main
causes of vehicle-trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed and
improper trailer loading. Keep these in mind when towing.
• Before starting out, check the tra iler
’s lights and the vehicle-trailer
connections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
• Practice turning, stopping and reversi ng with the tr
ailer attached in an
area away from traffic until you be come accustomed to the feel of the
vehicle.
• Reversing with a trailer attached is dif
ficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move yo ur hand to the right to move the
trailer to the right. (This is gene rally opposite to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone
guide you when reversing to redu ce the risk of an accident.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
●Use only the position recommended by your Lexus dealer. Do not install the
trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
●Do not use axle-mounted hitches as they can cause damage to the axle housing,
wheel bearings, wheels or tires.
■Brakes
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable federal and
sta

te/provincial requlations.
■Do not directly splice trailer lights
Direct splicing may damage your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunc -
tion.

157
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
• As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-
vehicle distance should be increas ed. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length.
• Avoid sudden braking as you may sk id, r
esulting in jackknifing and loss
of control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
• Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
• Avoid jerky steering and sharp turn s, and slo
w down before making a
turn.
• Note that when making a turn, the tr ailer wheels will be closer than the
v
ehicle wheels to the inside of th e turn. Compensate by making a
larger than normal turning radius.
• Crosswinds and rough roads will ad v
ersely affect handling of your
vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Peri odically check the rear to prepare
for being passed by large trucks or buses, which may cause your vehi-
cle and trailer to sway. If s
waying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel,
reduce speed immediately but gradually, and steer straight ahead.
Never increase speed. If you make no extreme correction with the
steering or brakes, your vehi cle and trailer will stabilize.
• Take care when passing other vehicl es. P
assing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of your
trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changing lanes.
• In order to maintain efficient engine br
aking and electrical charging
performance, do not use overdrive. Transmission shift range position
must be in “4”, in the “S” mode.
• Due to the added load of the traile r
, your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when driving up a
long or steep grade. If the engine coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air conditioning (if in use), pull
your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot. See “If your vehicle
overheats” ( P.359 ).

159
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
CAUTION
■To avoid an accident
●Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) or the posted towing speed limit, whichever is
lower. As instability (swaying) of the towing vehicle-trailer combination increases
as speed increases, exceeding 45 mph (72 km/h) may cause loss of control.
●Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill grades. Do
not make sudden downshifts.
●Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat and result in reduced braking efficiency

160
2-5. Driving information
Dinghy towing
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with four wheels on the ground.
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.

320
5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Never tow your vehicle with a sling
type truck.

We recommend having your vehicle
t
owed with a wheel lift type truck or
flat bed truck by your Lexus dealer
or a commercial tow truck service.
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by the state/provincial and
loca
l laws. 
If towing from the rear, the vehicle’s fr
ont wheels and axles on the ground
must be in good condition. ( P.322)
If they are damaged, use a to wing dolly
or flat bed truck.
■Before towing
In the following cases, there may be a problem with your transmission. Con -
tact your Lexus dealer before towing.
• The engine is running, but the vehicle will not move.
• The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.

5
When trouble arises
321
5-1. Essential information
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available in an emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable or chain secur
ed to the emergency towing eye-
let(s). This should only attempted on har
d, surfaced roads for short
distance at low speeds. 
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and oper
ate the brakes. The vehi-
cle's wheels, drive train, axles, steer ing and br
akes must be in good con-
dition.
Towing eyelet
1
■Emergency towing proceduresRelease the parking brake.
Put the transmission in “N”.
The ignition switch must be in ACC (eng
ine off) or ON (engine running).
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehi cle. Avoid sudden starts or erratic
driving maneuvers which place excessive stress on the emergency towing eyelets
and the cable or chain.
●If the engine is not running, the power assi st for the brakes and steering will not
function, making steering and braking more difficult.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

322
5-1. Essential information
Towing with a wheel lift-type truck
Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
Place the key in the “ACC” posi-
tion so that the steering wheel is
unlock
ed.
NOTICE
■To prevent body damage
Do not tow with a sling type truck, either from the front or rear.
FROM FRONT
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.
FROM REAR

5
When trouble arises
323
5-1. Essential information
Transporting your Lexus on a flat bed truck
If your Lexus is transported by a
flat bed, it should be tied down at
locations A and B as shown.
If you use chains or cables to tie
do
wn your vehicle, the angles
shaded black must be at 45 .
Do not use excessive tension on
the tie do
wns or vehicle damage
may occur.
NOTICE
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow with the key removed or in the LOCK position. The steering lock
mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at the
opposite end of the raised vehicle. Wi thout adequate clearance, the vehicle
could be damaged while being towed.
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
Never tow a vehicle from the rear with four wheels on the ground. 
This may cause serious dama g
e to the transmission.