Lexus ES 250 Owner's Manual page 175

174
4-1. Before driving
WARNING
During normal driving, do not turn off
●
the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, however,
power assist to the steering will be lost.
This will make it more difficult to steer
smoothly, so you should pull over and
stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if
it becomes impossible to stop the vehi-
cle in the normal way: P.424
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
effectiveness. (P.183)
● Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Always check that all passengers'
arms, heads or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
■ When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
● Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
● Sudden acceleration, engine braking
due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could 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 prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.
When shifting the shift lever
■
Do not let the vehicle roll backward
●
while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, 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
performance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
Do not shift the shift lever to P while
●
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
● Do not shift the shift lever to a driving
position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
Shifting the shift lever to N while the
●
vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine
braking is not available when N is
selected.
Be careful not to shift the shift lever
●
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other
than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that
may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.
If you hear a squealing or scraping
■
noise (brake pad wear indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when needed. It is
dangerous to drive the vehicle when the
wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.