2002 Lexus IS 300 Owners Manual - Page 262

STARTING AND DRIVING ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM The electronic throttle control system always maintains appropriate engine output in relation to the accelerator opening in all driving conditions. BRAKE SYSTEM The tandem master cylinder brake system is a hydraulic system with two separate sub-systems. If either sub-system should fail, the other will still work. However, the pedal will be harder to press, and your stopping distance will be longer. Also, the brake system warning light may come on. CAUTION SV31038 Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your brakes fixed immediately. Brake booster The brake booster uses engine vacuum to power-assist the brakes. If the engine should quit while you are driving, you can bring the vehicle to a stop with normal pedal pressure. There is enough reserved vacuum for one or two stops but no more! You can select the snow mode by pushing the "SNOW" switch. The "SNOW" indicator light will come on. Snow mode: Decreases the engine output to minimize rear wheel spinning on snowcovered or slippery roads. To return to the normal mode, push the "SNOW" switch again. The "SNOW" indicator light will go off. When you turn the ignition switch off in the snow mode, the mode automatically changes to the normal mode. CAUTION D Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls. Each push on the pedal uses up your reserved vacuum. D Even if the power assist is completely lost, the brakes will still work. But you will have to push the pedal hard, much harder than normal. And your braking distance will be longer. 246