1998 Lexus ES300 Owner's Manuals (in English)

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY169
40E004±1
To remove the spare tire:
1Loosen the nut and remove it.
2Remove the spare tire cover.
3Loosen the bolt and remove it.
When storing the spare tire, place it with the outer side of the wheel facing\
up.
Then bolt the tire in place and install the spare tire cover to prevent the \
tire
from flying forward during a collision or sudden braking.
40E005±1
3. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire to keep the vehicle
from rolling when it is jacked up. When blocking the wheel, place a wheel block in front of the front wheels or
behind the rear wheels.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
170
40E006
4. Loosen all the wheel nuts.
Always loosen the wheel nuts before raising the vehicle.
Turn the nuts counterclockwise to loosen them. To get maximum leverage,
fit the wrench to the nut so that the handle is on the right side, as shown\
above.
Grab the wrench near the end of the handle and pull up on the handle. Be
careful that the wrench does not slip off the nut.
Do not remove the nuts yet ± just unscrew them about one±half turn\
.
40E007
5. Position the jack at the jack points as shown.
Make sure the jack is positioned on a level and solid surface.
40E008±1
6. After making sure no one is in the vehicle, raise it high enough so that
the spare tire can be installed.
Allow for the fact that you need more ground clearance when putting on the
spare tire than when removing the flat tire.
To raise the vehicle, insert the jack handle into the jack (it is a loos\
e fit) and
turn it clockwise. As the jack touches the vehicle and begins to lift,
double±check that it is properly positioned.
CAUTION
Never get under the vehicle when the vehicle is supported by
the jack alone.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY171
40E009±1
7. Remove the wheel nuts and remove the flat tire.
Lift the flat tire straight off and put it aside.
40E010
Before putting on the wheel, remove any corrosion on the mounting surfaces
with a wire brush or such. Installation of wheels without good metal±to±metal
contact at the mounting surface can cause wheel nuts to loosen and eventually
cause a wheel to come off while driving.
40E011
8. Reinstall all the wheel nuts finger tight.
Align the holes in the wheel with the bolts. Then lift up the wheel and get \
at
least the top bolt started through its hole. Wiggle the tire and press it back over
the other bolts.
Reinstall the wheel nuts and tighten them as much as you can by hand. Press
the tire back and see if you can tighten them more.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
172
40E012
9. Lower the vehicle completely and tighten the wheel nuts.
Turn the jack handle counterclockwise to lower the vehicle.
Use only the wheel nut wrench to tighten the nuts. Do not use other tools \
or
any additional leverage other than your hands, such as a hammer, pipe or your
foot. Make sure the wrench is securely engaged over the nut.
Tighten each nut a little at a time in the order shown. Repeat the process unti\
l
all the nuts are tight.
CAUTION
 When lowering the vehicle, make sure all portions of your
body and all other persons around will not be injured as the
vehicle is lowered to the ground.
 As soon as possible after changing wheels, have the wheel
nuts tightened by torque wrench at 103 N´m (10.5 kgf´m, 76
ft´lbf.).
10. After changing the wheel, check the air pressure of the replaced tire.
Stow all the tools, jack and flat tire securely.
If the pressure of the replaced tire is low, drive slowly to the nearest service
station and fill to the correct pressure.
Do not forget to reinstall the tire valve cap as dirt and moisture could get into
the valve core and possible cause air leakage. If the cap is missing, put a new
one on as soon as possible.
This is the same procedure for changing or rotating your tires.
CAUTION
Before driving, make sure all the tools, jack and flat tire are
securely in place in their storage location to reduce the
possibility of personal injury during a collision or sudden
braking.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY173
IF YOUR VEHICLE NEEDS TO BETOWED
If towing is necessary, we recommend you to have it done by your Lexus
dealer or a commercial tow truck service. In consultation with them, have
your vehicle towed using either (a) or (b).
(a) Towing with a wheel lift type truck
(b) Using a flat bed truck
(c) Never tow with a sling type truck
Only when you cannot receive a towing service from a Lexus dealer or
commercial tow truck service, tow your vehicle carefully in accordance
with the instructions given in º(d) Emergency towingº on page 17\
6.
Proper equipment will help ensure that your vehicle is not damaged while
being towed. Commercial operators are generally aware of the
state/provincial and local laws pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is towed incorrectly. Although most
operators know the correct procedure, it is possible to make a mistake. To
avoid damage to your vehicle, make sure the following few precautions are
observed. If necessary, show this page to the tow truck driver.
TOWING PRECAUTIONS:
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by the state/provincial\
and
local laws. The wheels and axle on the ground must be in good condition. If\
they are damaged, use a towing dolly.
(a) Towing with a wheel lift type truck
 From front
40E018±2
Release the parking brake.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care to ensure adequate ground clearance for
towing at the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Otherwise, the bumper
and/or underbody of the towed vehicle will be damaged during towing.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
174

From rear
40E019±1
Use a towing dolly under the front wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the rear with
front wheels on the ground, as this may cause serious damage to the
transmission.
(b) Using a flat bed truck
40E013
Tie down points
40E014

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY175
40E015
If your Lexus is transported by a flat bed, it should be tied down at
locations A and B as shown above.
40E016

Rear emergency towing eyelets
NOTICE
Do not use the rear emergency towing eyelets.
 Tie down angle
40E017
If you use chains or wires to tie down your vehicle, the angles shaded black
must be at 45.
(c) Towing with a sling type truck
40E020±1
NOTICE
Do not tow with a sling type truck, either from the front or rear. This may
cause body damage.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
176
(d) Emergency towing
40E021
If towing is necessary, we recommend you to have it done by your Lexus
dealer or a commercial tow truck service.
If towing service is not available in an emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed by a cable or chain secured to the emergency towing
eyelet. Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only on hard±surfaced roads for a sh\
ort
distance and at low speeds. Also, the wheels, axles, drive train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle. Avoid sudden
starts or erratic driving maneuvers which would place
excessive stress on the emergency towing eyelet and towing
cable or chain. The eyelet and towing cable or chain may
break and cause serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifically intended for use in towing vehicles.\
Securely fasten the cable or chain to the towing eyelet provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake and put the transmission in ºNº. The
ignition key must be in ºACCº (engine off) or ºONº (engine running).
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering and braking will be much
harder than usual.