1998 Lexus ES300 Transmission

STARTING AND DRIVING
138
Correct use of the automatic transmission is explained in the following
parts.
(a) Normal driving
(b) Using engine braking
(c) Using the º2º and ºLº positions
(d) Backing up
(e) Parking
(f) Good driving practice
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
(h) If you cannot shift the selector lever out of ºPº position
(a) Normal driving
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1
ºPº (Park) position 2ºNº (Neutral) position
1. Start the engine as instructed in ºHow to start the engineº on page 136.
The transmission must be in ºPº or ºNº. The engine will not st\
art in ºRº, º2º,
ºLº or ºDº position even if the ignition key is turned to ºSTARTº.

STARTING AND DRIVING139
31E007±1

1On 2Off
2. 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 º(b) Using engine brakingº and º(f)\
Good driving
practiceº for exceptions.)
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1 Brake pedal 2ºDº (Drive) position
3. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever
to ºDº.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelerator pedal while shifting.
4. 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 mos\
t
suitable gear for the running conditions, such as the vehicle speed, hill
climbing, hard towing, etc. However, while the engine coolant temperature
is low and the vehicle is traveling at low speed, the transmission will no\
t shift
into the overdrive gear even with the overdrive switch on.

STARTING AND DRIVING
140
In ºDº position, the automatic transmission system will select the most
suitable
gear for the running conditions such as hill climbing, hard towing, etc.\
If you need to accelerate rapidly while driving, push the accelerator pe\
dal all
the way to the floor. The transmission will automatically downshift to the
third, second or first gear, according to the vehicle speed.
If engine braking is needed, such as in descending a long hill, see º(\
b) Using
engine brakingº.
(b) Using engine braking
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To use the braking power of the engine, downshift the transmission in the way
described below:
1 Turn off the overdrive switch. (This is effective only when you are
driving in the ºDº position.) The ºO/D OFFº indicator light in th\
e
instrument cluster will come on and the transmission will downshift to
the third gear and engine braking will be obtained.
When the cruise control is being used, even if you downshift the
transmission by t urning off the overdrive switch, engine braking will not
be applied because the cruise control is not cancelled. If you need to
decrease the vehicle speed, see page 146.
2 Shift into the º2º position. The transmission will downshift to t\
he
second gear when the vehicle speed is lower than 122 km/h (76 mph) and
more powerful engine braking will be obtained.

STARTING AND DRIVING141
3Shift into the ºLº position. The transmission will downshift to t\
he first
gear when the vehicle speed is lower than 55 km/h (34 mph) and
maximum engine braking will be applied.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a slippery surface. The
abrupt change in engine speed could cause the vehicle to spin
or skid.
(c) Using the º2º and ºLº positions
The º2º and ºLº positions are used for strong engine braking\
as described
previously.
With the selector lever in º2º or ºLº, you can start the vehicle\
in motion as with
the lever in ºDº.
With the selector lever in º2º, the vehicle will start in the first\
gear and
automatically shift to the second gear.
With the selector lever in ºLº, the transmission is engaged in the \
first gear.
NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the engine. Watch the tachometer to keep
engine rpm from going into the red zone. The approximate maximum
allowable speed for each position is given above for your reference.
º2º 128 km/h (80 mph) . . . .
ºLº 70 km/h (43 mph) . . .
 Do not continue hill climbing or hard towing for a long time in the º2º
or ºLº position. This may cause severe automatic transmission
damage from overheating. To prevent such damage, ºDº position
should be used in hill climbing or hard towing.

STARTING AND DRIVING143
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly upshifts and downshifts between the third\
and overdrive gears when climbing a gentle slope, turn off the overdrive
switch. Be sure to turn the switch on immediately after climbing the slope.
 When towing a trailer, in order to maintain efficient engine braking and
electrical charging performance, do not use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with
the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an upgrade with the accelerator pedal. This
can cause the transmission to overheat. Always use the brake pedal or
parking brake.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., then
you may attempt to rock the vehicle free by moving it forward
and backward. Do not attempt this procedure if people or
objects are anywhere near the vehicle. During the rocking
operation the vehicle may suddenly move forward or back as
it becomes un±stuck, causing injury or damage to nearby
people or objects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the following precautions to prevent
damage to the transmission and other parts.
Do not depress the accelerator pedal while shifting the selector lever
or before the transmission is completely shifted to forward or reverse
gear.
 Do not race the engine and avoid spinning the wheels.
 If your vehicle remains stuck after rocking the vehicle several times,
consider other ways such as towing.
(h) If you cannot shift the selector lever out of ºPº
position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from ºPº position even though\
the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock override button. For instructions, se\
e ºIf
you cannot shift automatic transmission selector leverº on page 177.

STARTING AND DRIVING
144
CRUISE CONTROL
The cruise control allows you to cruise the vehicle at a desired speed over
40 km/h (25 mph) with your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained although a slight speed change may
occur when driving up or down a gradient, within the limits of engine
performance. On steeper hills, a great speed change will occur so it is better
to drive without the cruise control.
CAUTION
To help maintain maximum control of your vehicle, do not
use the cruise control when driving in heavy or varying
traffic, or on slippery (rainy, icy or snow±covered) or
winding roads.
 Avoid vehicle speed increases when driving downhill. If the
vehicle speed is too fast in relation to the cruise control set
speed, cancel the cruise control then downshift the
transmission to use engine braking to slow down.
Turning on the system
31L013
To operate the cruise control, push the main switch. This turns the syste\
m on.
The indicator light in the instrument cluster shows that you can now set yo\
ur
desired cruising speed. Another push on the switch will turn the system
completely off.
When the ignition key is turned off, the main switch is also automatically
turned off. To use the cruise control again, push the main switch again to turn
it on.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control engagement, keep the main
switch off when not using the cruise control.

STARTING AND DRIVING145
Setting at a desired speed
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The transmission must be in ºDº before you set the cruise control spe\
ed.
Bring the vehicle to the desired speed, press the control lever downward in th\
e
ºSET/COASTº direction and release it. This sets the vehicle at that speed.
Now you may take your foot off the accelerator pedal. If you need
acceleration ± for example, when passing ± depress the accelerator pedal
enough for the vehicle to exceed the set speed. When you release the
accelerator pedal, the vehicle will return to the speed set prior to the
acceleration.
Cancelling the preset speed
You can cancel the preset speed by either of the following:
a. Pulling the control lever in the ºCANCELº direction.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset spee\
d will
be automatically cancelled.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10 mph) below the preset speed, the \
preset
speed will also automatically be cancelled.
If the preset speed automatically cancels out for other than these reasons\
, have
your vehicle checked by your Lexus dealer at the earliest opportunity.
Resetting to a faster speed
Press the control lever upward in the ºRES/ACCº direction and hold it.
Release the lever when the desired speed is attained. While the lever is held
upward, the vehicle will gradually gain speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 5 km/h (3 mph), the set speed can be increased 1.6 km/h (1 mph) eac\
h
time by pressing the control lever upward in the ºRES/ACCº direction
quickly.
However, a quicker way to reset is to accelerate the vehicle and then press the
control lever downward in the ºSET/COASTº direction.

DRIVING TIPS
152
BREAK±IN PERIOD
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
You need not follow a break±in schedule with your new Lexus. But follow\
ing
a few simple tips for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can add to the fu\
ture
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 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 ºPº. 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 applied. If they still
do not work safely, pull to the side of the road and call a Lexus dealer for
assistance.