tgergen

My wife just called and said she has a warning light that just popped up. Obviously, i am not in the car, so I cant RTFM. It is raining here today and she drives a lot. i need your help if you know what this is.

Car: 2004 GX470

She said the light is amber and below the fuel gauge. She said it looks like an exlamation point with two brackets around it and one underneath it connecting them,

I envision it like this (( ! )) with a line under it.

Can somebody whip our their manual and let me know? I would appreciate it. I was thinking traction control, but am not sure. i dont want her driving around if it is low coolant, low tire pressure, or something that is going to do damage/be unsafe.

TIA! Tim

BobsGX

That's the low tire pressure light. Check all 4 tires along with the spare since most people forget about that one and many times the spare is the low tire due to never being ckecked.

tgergen

Thanks a million man! I think it is one of the 4 in service as she said her car swerved a bit on the freeway! I just checked all the tires YESTERDAY, so maybe she picked up a nail.

Thanks again, i will have her park it until i get back home!

edit: great, she is like 30 miles from home right now. I told her to find a gas station asap and get them checked ASAP! I hope she listens.

tgergen

Thanks again BobsGX, I directed her to a Big O tire that was close to her! I made her pull over first and she said the RR tire looked low! At least she called me when the light came on! I am surprised she did....many people owuld just keep driving, thinking "the car runs fine, screw the light". lol.

Thanks again...Tim

SilverLady

Tgeren-
I always carried a portable air compressor (the small 12V type that plugs in) for those situations where I had a slow leak - used it a bunch of times over the years, too. Your wife might want to get one if she drives so much. I still have to put that and a bunch of my other "stuff" into my new GX.

For anybody who doesn't know - You can download the Lexus Manual (in parts) from the Lexus website. You have to register with your specific vehicle, and files for it should become available - or at least they were for my 2006 model.

They are mostly PDF format, and if you zoom in some of the little pictures are actually easier to see. I keep them right on my computer for recreational reading.

lonewolf69

Tgergen,

Glad the problem was resolved, but for future reference, the 5th wheel (spare) also has the pressure sensor, so if the four normal tires are fine, be sure to check the 5th one as well...


-Alex

tgergen

Thanks all for the suggestions/advice. I did know that hte spare had a sensor, and that could be the culprit at times, but I do check it regularly.

When I did get home I fired up the car and looked at the light... how in the world does that NOT look like a tire? LOL. Sometimes I wonder about my wife. lol. I am just glad she called and glad that BobsGX responded so quickly and I was able to locate a tire shop near her location. Thanks for the owners manual online info too, that is great to know and i will bookmark it now.

Thanks again all, Tim

jacksonian

Tim,
Glad she's safe, but don't be too hard on her. I couldn't figure out what that icon was either. It doesn't look like a tire to me

Does anyone think it's silly that the technology doesn't tell us WHICH tire it is and what the pressure actually is?

It seems like with all the technology we have, you'd be able to pull up a "Vehicle Status" screen that showed the actual tire pressure, actual fuel level, actual oil level, etc...

r210

Now there's an idea!

lexite

Its great that it all worked out this time. For future you may want to tell your wife about lexus roadside assitence 1-800-25-lexus (if I remember it correctly). As far as I can recall, it is even free for 1st four years.

tgergen

Thanks. I am aware of that and also have AAA. I told her she had a few options....

1. Pull over and chage the tire herself.

2. Pull over and wait for AAA or Roadside Asst.

3. Drive 1/4 mile to the Big O Tire and have them patch it.

She decided on #3. lol. She did end up having a nail in it, and luckily, due to the tire pressure warning light, was able to get somewhere before it went flat on her.

tgergen

RE: Individual tire pressures

I travel a bit for work and rent cars all the time. I noticed that most of the American cars DO HAVE a display for pressure of each tire! I have noticed this on the more "luxury" cars like Buicks and Cadis, but you would think LEXUS could do it too! lol. Oh well, maybe for the 08 model? lol

lexite

Seems like you didn't get what I meant. To troubleshoot an urgent problem one way is to post a message on message board, wait for someone's response, and take action. When in such a rush calling up lexus emergency or nearest dealer directly could be worth while.