1992 Lexus ES300 stop start

DRIVING TIPS
11 4
BREAK-IN PERIOD
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
You need not follow a break-in schedule with your new Lexus.
But following a few simple lips for the first 1600 km (1000 miles)
can add to the future economy and long life of your vehicle:

Do not drive over 88 km/h (55 mph).

Avoid overrevving. Maintain engine speed between 2000
and 4000 rpm.

Avoid full-throttle starts.

Try to avoid hard stops during the first 300 km (200 miles).

Do not drive slowly with the transmission in a high gear.

Do not drive for a long time at any single speed, either fast
or slow.

Do not tow a trailer during the first 800 km (500 miles).
OPERATION IN FOREIGN
COUNTRIES
If you plan to drive your Lexus in another country ...
First, comply with the vehicle registration laws.
Second, confirm the availability of the correct fuel (unleaded
and minimum octane rating).
TIPS FOR DRIVING IN VARIOUS
CONDITIONS

Always slow down in gusty crosswinds. This will allow you
much better control.

Drive slowly onto curbs and, if possible, at a right angle.
Avoid driving onto high, sharp-edged objects and other road
hazards. Failure to do so can lead to severe tire damage
resulting in tire bursts.

When parking on a hill, turn the front wheels until they touch
the curb so that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the parking
brake, and place the transmission in “P” (automatic) or in
first or reverse (manual). If necessary, block the wheels.

Washing your vehicle or driving through deep water may get
the brakes wet. To see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you and then press the pedal lightly.
If you do not feel a normal braking force, the brakes are
probably wet. To dry them, drive the vehicle cautiously while
lightly pressing the brake pedal with the parking brake
pulled. If they still do not work safely, pull to the side of the
road and call a Lexus dealer for assistance.
CAUTION:

Before driving off, make sure the parking brake is fully
released and the parking brake reminder light is off.

DRIVING TIPS
11 5
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
It can cause dangerous overheating, needless wear,
and poor fuel economy.

To drive down a long or steep hill, reduce your speed
and downshift. Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and not work properly.
See page 104.

Be careful when accelerating, upshifting, downshifting
or braking on a slippery surface. The abrupt change in
engine speed, such as sudden acceleration or engine
braking, could cause the vehicle to spin or skid.

Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do not drive over
140 km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle has high-speed
capability tires. Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control and possible injury.
Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the
tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.

Do not continue normal driving when the brakes are
wet. If they are wet, your vehicle will require a longer
stopping distance, and it may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the parking brake will not hold
the vehicle securely.
WINTER DRIVING TIPS
Make sure you have ethylene-glycol antifreeze in the
radiator.
NOTICE:
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
Check the condition of the battery and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of any battery, so it
must be in lop shape to provide enough power for winter
starting. Page 194 tells you how to visually inspect the battery.
Your Lexus dealer and most service stations will be pleased to
check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is suitable for the cold
weather.
See page 169 for recommended viscosity. Leaving a heavy
summer oil in your vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Lexus dealer − they will be pleased to help.
Check the ignition system for loose connections or
obvious damage.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de-icer or glycerine into the locks to keep them from
freezing. To open a frozen lock, try heating the key before
inserting it.

DRIVING TIPS
11 9
Break-in schedule

Lexus recommends that you do not tow a trailer with a new
vehicle or a vehicle with any new power train component
(engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearing, etc.) for
the first 800 km (500 miles) of driving.
Maintenance

If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional load. Refer to the
maintenance schedule under severe driving conditions
(Schedule A) in Section 5 for specific information.
Pre-towing safety check

Check that your vehicle remains level when a loaded or
unloaded trailer is hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has an
abnormal nose-up or nose-down condition, and check for
improper tongue load, overload, worn suspension or other
possible causes.

Be sure the trailer cargo is securely loaded so that it can not
shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors conform to any applicable
federal, state/provincial or local regulation. If they do not,
install required rear view mirrors appropriate for towing
purposes.
Trailer towing tips
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will handle differently
than when not towing. The three main causes of
vehicle-trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed
and improper trailer loading. Keep these in mind when
towing:

Before starting out, check operation of the lights and all
vehicle-trailer connections. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and connections. Practice
turning, stopping and backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you get the feel of it.

DRIVING TIPS
120
Left turnRight turn

Backing with a trailer is difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right
to move the trailer to the right. (This procedure is generally
opposite to that when backing without a trailer). Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at a time, avoiding sharp or
prolonged turning. Have someone guide you when backing
to reduce the risk of an accident.

Because stopping distance may be increased,
vehicle-to-vehicle distance should be increased when
towing a trailer. For each 1.6 km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow
at least one vehicle and trailer length between you and the
vehicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as you may skid,
resulting in jackknifing and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration. If your vehicle has
a manual transmission, prevent excessive clutch slippage
by keeping engine rpm low and not racing the engine.
Always start out in first gear.

Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns. The trailer could hit
your vehicle in a tight turn. Slow down before making a turn
to avoid the necessity of sudden braking.

Remember that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will
be closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn.
Therefore, compensate for this by making a larger than
normal turning radius with your vehicle.

Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely affect handling
of your vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention to the
rear from time to time to prepare yourself for being passed
by large trucks or buses, which may cause your vehicle and
trailer to sway. If swaying happens, firmly grip the steering
wheel and reduce speed immediately but gradually. Never
increase speed. Steer straight ahead. If you make no
extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle
and trailer will stabilize.

Be careful when passing other vehicles. Passing requires
considerable distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget
the length of your trailer and he sure you have plenty of room
before changing lanes.

In order to maintain efficient engine braking and electrical
charging performance, do not use fifth gear (manual
transmission) or overdrive (automatic transmission).

DRIVING TIPS
121
Because of the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s
engine may overheat on hot days (at temperatures over
30C [85F]) when going up a long or steep grade with a
trailer. If the engine temperaure gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air conditioner (if in
use), pull off the road and stop in a safe spot. See “If your
vehicle overheats” on page 126 of this manual.

Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and trailer
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly. Put
the transmission in “P” (automatic) or in first or reverse
(manual). Avoid parking on a slope with a trailer, but if it
cannot be avoided, do so only after performing the
following:
1. Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle
and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes
slowly until the blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or “P” (automatic) and turn
off the engine.
When restarting out after parking on a slope:
1. With the transmission in “P” range (automatic) or the clutch
pedal depressed (manual), start the engine. (With an
automatic transmission, be sure to keep the brake pedal
depressed.)
2. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or “2”, “L” or “R” range
(automatic).3. Release the parking brake (also foot brake on automatic
transmission vehicles) and slowly pull or back away from the
wheel blocks. Stop and apply your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION:

Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower. Because instability
(swaying) of a towing vehicle-trailer combination
usually increases as the speed increases, exceeding 72
km/h (45 mph) may cause loss of control.

Slow down and downshift before descending steep or
long downhill grades. Do not make sudden downshifts.

Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too
frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.
HOW TO SAVE FUEL AND MAKE
YOUR VEHICLE LAST LONGER
Getting more kilometers/mileage from a liter/gallon of fuel is
easy−just take it easy. It will help make your vehicle last longer,
too. Here are some specific tips on how to save money on both
fuel and repairs:

Keep your tires inflated at the correct pressure. Check
the pressure every two weeks, or at least once a month.
Underinflation causes tire wear and wastes fuel.

DRIVING TIPS
122
Do not carry unneeded weight in your vehicle. Excess
weight puts a heavier load on the engine, causing greater
fuel consumption.

Avoid lengthy warm-up idling. Once the engine is running
smoothly, begin drivinq−but gently. Remember, however,
that on cold winter days this may take a little longer.

Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Avoid jackrabbit starts.
Get into high gear as quickly as possible.

Avoid long engine idling. If you have a long wait and you
are not in traffic, it is better to turn off the engine and start
again later.

Avoid engine overrevving. Use gear range suitable for the
road on which you are traveling.

Avoid continuous speeding up and slowing down.
Stop-and-go driving wastes fuel.

Avoid unnecessary stopping and braking. Maintain a
steady pace. Try to time the green traffic signals so you
need to stop as little as possible or take advantage of
through streets to avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper distance
from other vehicles to avoid sudden braking. This will also
reduce wear on your brakes.

Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams whenever possible.

Do not rest your foot on the clutch or brake pedal. This
causes needless wear, overheating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on highways. The faster you
drive, the greater the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel consumption.

Keep the front wheels in proper alignment. Avoid hitting
the curb and slow down on rough roads. Improper alignment
not only causes faster tire wear but also puts an extra load
on the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.

Keep the bottom of your vehicle free from mud, etc. This
not only lessens weight but also helps prevent corrosion.

Keep your vehicle tuned-up and in top shape. A dirty air
cleaner, improper valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil and
grease, brakes not adjusted, etc. all lower engine
performance and contribute to poor fuel economy. For
longer life of all parts and lower operating costs, perform all
maintenance work on schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle receives more
frequent maintenance (See Section 5).
CAUTION:
Never turn off the engine to coast down hills. Your power
steering and brake booster will not function without the
engine running. Also, the emission control system
operates properly only when the engine is running.