1998 Lexus ES300 steering

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
74
serious injuries, it may also cause minor burns or abrasions and swellings.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard, front seats)\
may
be hot for several minutes, but the airbags themselves will not be hot. \
The
airbags are designed to inflate only once.
A crash severe enough to inflate the driver and front passenger airbags \
may
break
the windshield as the vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a front passeng\
er
airbag, the windshield may also be damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.
CAUTION
 The SRS is designed only as a supplement to the primary
protection of the driver side and front passenger side seat
belt systems. The front seat occupants can be killed or
seriously injured by an inflating airbag if they do not wear
the available seat belts. During sudden braking just before
a collision, an unrestrained driver or front passenger can
move forward into direct contact with or close proximity to
the airbag which may then deploy during the collision. To
obtain maximum protection in an accident, the driver and
all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts.
Wearing a seat belt during an accident reduces the chances
of death or serious injuries or being thrown out of the
vehicle. For instructions and precautions concerning the
seat belt system, see ºSeat beltsº on page 64.
 Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and children
can be killed or seriously injured by a deploying airbag. An
infant or child who is too small to use a seat belt should be
properly secured using a child restraint system. Lexus
strongly recommends that all infants and children be
placed in the rear seat of the vehicle and properly
restrained. The rear seat is the safest for infants and
children. For instructions concerning the installation of a
child restraint system, see ºChild restraintº on page 80 .

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT77
16E029
Do not allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front passenger
seat. The airbag inflates with considerable speed and force; the
child may be killed or seriously injured.
 Do not hold a child on your lap or in your arms. Use a child r estraint
system in the rear seat. For instructions concerning the installation
of a child restraint system, see ºChild restraintº on page 80.
16E030
 Do not put objects or your pets on or in front of the dashboard or
steering wheel pad that houses the driver and front passenger
airbag system. They might restrict inflation or cause death or
serious injury as they are projected rearward by the force of the
deploying airbags. Likewise, the driver and front passenger should
not hold things in their arms or on their knees.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
78
16E127
Do not attach a cup holder or any other device on or around the door.
When the side airbag inflates, the cup holder or any other device will
be thrown with great force, or the side airbag may not activate
correctly, resulting in death or serious injury. Likewise, the driver
and front passenger should not hold things in their arms or on their
knees.
 Do not use accessories for the seats which cover the parts where the
side airbags should inflate. Such accessories may prevent the side
airbags from activating correctly, causing death or serious injury.
 Do not modify or remove any wiring. Do not modify, remove, strike
or open any components, such as the steering wheel column cover,
front passenger airbag cover, front seats, airbag sensor assembly or
seat belt assemblies. Doing any of these may cause sudden SRS
operation or disable the system, which could result in death or
serious injury.
 Do not modify or replace the seats or surface of the front seats with
side airbags. Such changes may disable the system or cause the side
airbags to inflate, resulting in death or serious injury. Consult your
Lexus dealer.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or serious
injuries.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without consulting your
Lexus dealer. Such changes can interfere with proper operation of the
SRS in some cases.
 Installation of electronic items such as a mobile two±way radio,
cassette tape player or compact disc player.
 Modification of the suspension system.
 Modification of the front end structure and side structure of the
passenger compartment.
 Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow plow,
winches or any other equipment to the front end.
 Repairs made on or near the front fenders, front end structure,
console, steering column, steering wheel, dashboard near the front
passenger airbag, front seats or seat belt assembly.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
80

The front seat belt retractor assembly or surrounding area has been
damaged.
 The front part of the vehicle and portion of the doors (shaded in the
illustration) were involved in an accident that did not cause the SRS to
work.
 The surface of the seats with the side airbags or the pad section of the
steering wheel or front passenger airbag cover (shaded in the illustration)
is scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.
CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of child restraint systems for children small
enough to use them.
The laws of all fifty states in the U.S.A. and Canada now require the use o\
f
a child restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAE J1819.
If a child is too large for a child restraint system, the child should sit in the rear
seat and must be restrained using the vehicle's seat belt. See ºSeat beltsº on
page 64 for details.
CAUTION
For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, children must be properly restrained using a
seat belt or child restraint depending on age and size.
Holding a child in your arms is not a substitute for a child
restraint system. In an accident, the child can be crushed
against the windshield, or between you and the vehicle's
interior if you are unrestrained.
 Lexus strongly urges use of a proper child restraint which
conforms to the size of the child and is put on the rear seat.
According to accident statistics, the child is safer when
properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT97
CAUTION
Do not start the vehicle while the adjustments are being
made.
 Take care not to select the wrong button, or the seat could
strike the rear passenger or hit your body against the
steering wheel. If this happens, you can stop the movement
by pressing another driving position memory switch, or
depressing the brake pedal.

SECTION 3 ± 1
131
STARTING AND DRIVING
Three±way catalytic converter Warm up three±way catalytic converter132
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Engine exhaust caution 133
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Before starting the engine 134
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ignition switch with steering lock 134
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. . . . . . . .
Parking brake 135
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How to start the engine 136
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic transmission 137
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Cruise control 144
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Electronic modulated suspension 146
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. . . . . . . .
Traction control system 147
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake system 148
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brake pad wear limit indicators 150
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. . . . . . . . .
Types of tires 150
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STARTING AND DRIVING
134
To allow proper operation of your vehicle's ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the windshield clear of snow, leaves, or
other obstructions.
 If you smell exhaust fumes in the vehicle, drive with the windows
open and the trunk lid closed. Have the cause immediately located
and corrected.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Check the area around the vehicle before entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, head restraint height and steering
wheel angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts.
Remember to check that the service reminder indicators function when
turning the key to ºONº, and check the fuel gauge to see that you \
have
sufficient fuel.
IGNITION SWITCH WITH STEERING
LOCK
31E036
ºSTARTº ± Starter motor on. The key will return to the ºONº position
when released.
For starting tips, see page 136.
ºONº ± Engine on and all accessories on.
This is the normal driving position.
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ºONº position if the engine is not runni\
ng.
The battery will discharge and the electronic ignition system/distributo\
r
ignition system could be damaged.
ºACCº ± Accessories such as the radio operate, but the engine i\
s off.

STARTING AND DRIVING135
If you leave the key in the ºACCº or ºLOCKº position and open \
the driver's
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove the key.
31E037
ºLOCKº ± Engine is off and the steering wheel is locked. The ignition key
can be removed only at this position.
You must push in the key to turn it from ºACCº to the ºLOCKº po\
sition. The
selector lever must be put in the ºPº position before turning the key to t\
he
ºLOCKº position.
Once
you remove the key, the engine immobiliser system is automatically set.
See ºEngine immobiliser systemº on page 9.
When starting the engine, the key may seem stuck at the ºLOCKº positio\
n.
To free it, first be sure the key is pushed all the way in, and then rock \
the
steering wheel slightly while turning the key gently.
If, in an emergency, you must turn the engine off while the vehicle is moving,
turn the key only to ºACCº.
PARKING BRAKE
31E004
To set: Hold the regular brake pedal down with your right foot. Push
down the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
To release: Hold the regular brake pedal down with your right foot and
push the parking brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your le\
ft
foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the released position.
Before leaving your vehicle, firmly apply the parking brake.
CAUTION
Before driving, make sure the parking brake is fully released
and that the parking brake reminder light is off.