OK, I've owned my LS460 for 24 hours and have a few questions. I did glance in the manual but hopefully someone can give me some quick answers without wading thru all of that:

1. The HOLD feature is very valuable here on the steep hills of Pittsburgh. Can/should you leave it on all the time so that it engages at every stop?

2. There are straps behind the passenger tail light in the trunk. Are these for the thick owners manuals?

3. Early this morning I carefully put 33 pounds of air into all 4 tires (40 pounds into the spare, so I won't have to fool with it for a long time) using a very good tire gauge. (I use an expensive one with a dial, not a cheapie that just pops out a bar). The dash shows the tires to be inflated to 36 pounds. Again, this is all without the car moving (before the tires heat up). Is there a way to recalibrate the dash? I could, of course, just remember that it shows 3 pounds more than the real gauge, but if it can be corrected that would be preferable.

4. Which of the tire pressure displays is for which tire? The top one is for the spare...I know this because I put more air in and it reflects that. I could figure out the others by playing with the inflation, etc, but I'll bet someone knows. Why does it not just list "FRONT DRIVERS, FRONT PASSENGER, REAR DRIVERS, REAR PASSENGER"? Or is there some listing that needs to be turned on somehow?

 

i dont own the car but i can address number2

those straps are for your first aid kit...which should have been given to you at the time of purchase

 

I don't think so. The first aid kid hangs nicely from the sides using velcro.

 

1) no, you can't. i haven't seen a way to do so yet. also when the car is stopped, you can't disengage it neither

2) that should be where the first aid kit is. you don't have it? get it back from lexus

3) no idea on this one

4) coz' once you rotates tires they start going around and the order will change. someone else posted about this already, each sensor has their own "id", but there is no way for the car to know where the sensor is. at least that's how i think it works

 

The first Aid kit is Velcro'ed to the side of the trunk, so you are right. Those straps are somewhat redundant, but I use them to hold emergency flares in place.

The tire monitoring display does not correlate with the actual tire pressure, and since the pressure in the tire varies acording to atmospheric pressure, dynamic loading, and outside temperature, it will always display conflicting data. It is a monitor after all, and the only time I'm concerned with it is when there is a sudden pressure drop causing an alarm on the dash display.

Each TPMS transmits its own signature, so if you move the tire around, its position will change on the display. There is no set order. When you increase the tire pressure higher than normal or change the valves onto new rims, you must re-initialize the warning system. The instructions can be found in your Owner's Manual, starting on page 512.

 

Thanks for the answers guys. The only thing I disagree with is the fact that there should be a way to recalibrate air pressure readings to reflect what a good gauge reads. But I can live with just knowing that it should read 36 pounds cold (which my gauge has proven means it's really the manufacturer's recommended 33 pounds cold). And I alternatively overinflated each wheel by a few pounds and figured out which reading is for which wheel...at least until they get rotated. Thanks for letting me know why it doesn't say on the dash which reading is for which wheel. Sort of makes sense.

 

By the way, the trunk strap holds the thick owner's manuals (there are multiple books in one thick leather portfolio) well. I do have the first aid kit and it definitely, nicely, holds onto the interior trunk "fuzzy" sidewall stuff with velcro. Once you read thru the manuals to familarize yourself with the car, putting it in the trunk, thus freeing up the glove box for, well, gloves! etc. makes sense to me.

 

My former Acura was broken into last year, and one of the first things they took was the car manuals (Ebay?). I replaced them for $120. Thereafter, I no longer kept my "valuable" manuals in the car. I find they are much more useful in the house.

 

The straps are also used as first aid kit holder in my car. It's always been there.

 

I completely disagree about leaving the manuals at home. Particularly on a car as complicated as the LS...the "book" should always be in the car. Your situation was very unusual...normally a thief is looking for the car itself or whatever other valuables you have. Most could give a rat's tailpipe about the manual. The risk of having a manual stolen is remote, and the consequences small enough ($120 is not exactly gonna bust the budget) compared to the much greater risk of breaking down and needing to know how to operate something. Or even NOT breaking down, but just being out and wanting to all-of-the-sudden use the defroster (just for example) or what a dummy light means etc.

 

Seems silly to use straps if velcro is there ANYWAY. Why not free up your glove box?

 

lol i can never understand why keep the manuals in the car you would stop on the road side to learn it?

 

No, the learning is mainly done when you get the car and peruse the manual. But you want them in the car in case of emergency...how to jump the battery, how to jack the car, what to watch for if towed, where to call for roadside assistance etc. No one remembers that stuff but something is needed sooner or later.

 

But you want them in the car in case of emergency...how to jump the battery, how to jack the car, what to watch for if towed, where to call for roadside assistance etc.

None of that is a problem, I know how to do all that without a manual. My only concern was if I forgot how to program in the nearest Italian restaurant!

Actually, I don't keep my manuals in the car either. It took me awhile, but I pretty much know the whole operation of the vehicle.

 

hahhaaa, it depends, first thing i do after buying a car is study the manuals and make sure i remember most of the details. the next time i see the manual is probably when i sell the car, haha