1996 Lexus GS 300 Owners Manual - Page 133

STARTING AND DRIVING ! CAUTION Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while shifting. 6. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal slowly for smooth starting. The vehicle will start in the first gear and automatically shift to the most suitable gear for the running conditions, such as the vehicle speed, hill climbing, etc. However, while the engine coolant temperature is low and the vehicle is traveling at low speed, the transmission will not shift into the overdrive gear even with the overdrive switch on. In "D" position, the automatic transmission system will select the most suitable gear for the running conditions such as hill climbing, etc. If you need to accelerate rapidly while driving, depress the accelerator pedal to the full throttle position. This provides more acceleration by automatically downshifting the transmission to the next lower gear or beyond, depending on the vehicle speed. If engine braking is needed, such as in descending a long hill, see "(b) Using engine braking". 4. Set the overdrive switch to the ON position. Always set the overdrive switch to the ON position to improve fuel economy and quiet driving. (See "(b) Using engine braking" and "(f) Good driving practice" for exceptions.) 5. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to "D". 119