1998 Lexus ES300 ESP

DRIVING TIPS157
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 the operation of the lights and all vehicle±trai\
ler
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 learn the feel.
 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 16 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.
 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 need of sudde\
n
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 th\
is
by making a larger than normal turning radius with your vehicle.

MAINTENANCE
180
MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
Your Lexus vehicle has been designed to have fewer maintenance
requirements with longer service intervals to save both your time and money.
However, each regular maintenance as well as day±to±day care is more
important than ever before to ensure smooth, trouble±free, safe, and
economical driving.
It is the owner's responsibility to make sure the specified maintenance,
including general maintenance services, is performed. Note that both the new
vehicle and emission control system warranties specify that proper
maintenance and care must be performed. See the Owner's Guide, Owner's
Manual Supplement or Warranty Booklet for complete warranty information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those day±to±day care practices that are
important to your vehicle for proper operation. It is the owner's responsibility
to ensure that the general maintenance items are performed regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done either by yourself or your Lexus
dealer.
Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed in the ºOwner's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº are those required to be serviced at
regular intervals. For details of your maintenance schedule, read the separate ºOwner's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
It is recommended that any replacement parts used for maintenance or
for the repair of the emission control system be Lexus supplied.
The owner may elect to use non±Lexus supplied parts for replacement
purposes without invalidating the emission control system warranty.
However, use of replacement parts which are not of equivalent quality
may impair the effectiveness of the emission control systems.
You may also elect to have maintenance, replacement, or repair of the
emission
control devices and system performed by any automotive r epair
establishment or individual without invalidating this warranty. See
Owner's Guide, Owner's Manual Supplement or Warranty Booklet for
complete warranty information.
Where to go for service?
Lexus technicians are well±trained specialists and are kept up to date wit\
h the
latest service information through technical bulletins, service tips, and
in±dealership training programs. They are well informed about the operation
of all the systems on your vehicle.
You can be confident that your Lexus dealer's service department performs
the best job to meet the maintenance requirements of your vehicle.

INTRODUCTION
188
DO±IT±YOURSELF SERVICEPRECAUTIONS
If you perform maintenance yourself, be sure to follow the correct
procedure given in this Section.
You should be aware that improper or incomplete servicing may result in
operating problems.
Performing do±it±yourself maintenance during the warranty period may
affect your warranty coverage. Read the separate Lexus Warranty statement
for details and suggestions.
This Section gives instructions only for those items that are relatively eas\
y for
an owner to perform. As explained in Section 5, there are still a number \
of
items that must be performed by a qualified technician with special tools.
For information on tools and parts for do±it±yourself maintenance, se\
e ºParts
and toolsº.
Utmost care should be taken when working on your vehicle to prevent
accidental injury. Here are a few precautions that you should be especially
careful to observe:
CAUTION

When the engine is running, keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from the moving fan and engine drive belt.
(Removing rings, watches, and ties is advisable.)

Right after driving, the engine compartment ± the engine,
radiator, exhaust manifold and power steering fluid
reservoir, etc. ± will be hot. So be car eful not to touch them.
Oil and other fluids may also be hot.

Do not smoke, cause sparks or allow open flames near fuel
or the battery. Their fumes are flammable.

Be extremely cautious when working on the battery. It
contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.

Do not get under your vehicle with just the body jack
supporting it. Always use automotive jack stands or other
solid supports.

Use eye protection whenever you work on or under your
vehicle where you may be exposed to flying or falling
material, fluid spray, etc.

CHASSIS
210
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straigh\
t
ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature A, B, C
± The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and
C, representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of
the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can \
lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performan\
ce
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade of this tire established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Tire selection
When replacing a tire, use only the same size and construction as
originally installed and with the same or greater load capacity.
Using any other size or type of tire may seriously affect handling, ride,
speedometer/odometer calibration, ground clearance, and clearance between
the body and tires or snow chains.
Do not mix radial, belted, or conventional tires on your vehicle.
Do not use tires or wheels other than the manufacturer's recommended
size.
It can cause dangerous handling characteristics, resulting in loss of co\
ntrol.
If you need to change from conventional tires to radial tires or vice ve\
rsa,
replace them as a set.
INSTALLING SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
When to use snow tires or chains
Snow tires or chains are recommended when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional or radial tires provide better traction \
than
snow or studded tires.
Snow tire selection
If you need snow tires, select the same size, construction and load capacity
as the original tires on your Lexus.
Do not use tires other than stated above. Since your vehicle has radial t\
ires
as original equipment, make sure your snow tires also have radial
construction. Do not install studded tires without first checking local
regulations for possible restrictions.
Snow tire installation
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front wheels only can lead to an excessive
difference in road grip capability between the front and rear tires which could
cause loss of vehicle control.

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
218
No.FUSEAMPERECIRCUIT
27 M/HTR10Outside rear view mirror defogger
28 ECU±IG15
Cruise control system, Anti±lock brake
system, Shift lock system, Power antenna,
Theft deterrent system, Electronic modulated
suspension, Wireless remote control
29 IGN5SRS, Multiport fuel injection
30 STOP15
Stop lights, High mounted stoplight, Cruise
control system, Electronic modulated
suspension, Anti±lock brake system, Shift
lock system, Power seat system, Multiport
fuel injection
31 TAIL10Tail light, Side marker lights, License plate
lights
32 PWR
OUTLET15Power outlet
33 OBD7.5On±board diagnosis system
34 FOG15Fog lights
35 ST5Starting system
36 DOOR25Door courtesy light, Theft deterrent system,
Power door lock system, Trunk lid opener,
Fuel filler door opener
No.FUSEAMPERECIRCUIT
37 PANEL7.5Instrument panel lights, Glovebox light
38 TURN7.5Emergency flashers, Turn signal lights
39 RAD NO.27.5Audio system
40 CIG15Cigarette lighter, Clock, SRS
41 DEF40Rear window defogger, Outside rear view
mirror defogger
42 PWR30Power window, Electronic moon roof, Power
seat system
43 AM140No circuit
SPARESpare fuse

BODY
234
PROTECTING YOUR VEHICLE FROMCORROSION
Proper care of your Lexus can help ensure long±term corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corrosion to your vehicle are:

The accumulation of road salt, dirt and moisture in hard±to±reach are\
as
under the vehicle.

Chipping of paint or undercoating caused by minor accidents or by stones
and gravel.
The following conditions will cause or accelerate corrosion of your
vehicle, so it is important to keep your vehicle, particularly the underside,
as clean as possible and to repair any damage to paint or protective
coatings as soon as possible.

The presence of road salt or dust control chemicals, salt in the air near t\
he
sea coast, industrial air pollution.

High humidity, especially at temperatures just above freezing point.

Certain parts of your vehicle are wet or damp for an extended period of
time, even though other parts of the vehicle are dry.

Components of the vehicle which are prevented from quick±drying due to
lack of proper ventilation are exposed to high temperature. To help prevent corrosion on your Lexus, follow these guidelines:
Keep your vehicle clean by regular washing.
In addition, observe the
following points.

If you drive on salted roads in the winter or if you live near the ocean, \
you
should hose off the undercarriage at least once a month to minimize
corrosion.

High pressure water or steam is effective for cleaning the vehicle's
underside and wheel housings. Pay particular attention to these areas as
it is difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It will do more harm than good to
simply wet the mud and debris without removing them. The lower edge
of doors, rocker panels and frame members have drain holes which should
not be allowed to clog with dirt as trapped water in these areas can cause
corrosion.

Wash the underside of the vehicle thoroughly when winter is over.
See ºWashing and waxingº for more tips.
Check the condition of your vehicle's paint and trim. If you find any chips
or scratches in the paint, touch them up immediately to prevent corrosion f\
rom
starting. If the chips or scratches have gone through the bare metal, have a
qualified body shop make the repair.

BODY
236
2. Wash with a mild car±wash soap, mixed according to the manufacturer's
instructions. Use a soft cotton mitt and keep it wet by dipping it frequently
into the wash water. Do
not rub hard ± let the soap and water remove the dirt.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent.
Urethane bumpers and side moldings: Wash carefully. Do not scrub with
abrasive cleaners. The bumper and side molding faces are soft.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or cleaners that are marked safe for
painted surfaces.
NOTICE
Do not use gasoline or strong solvents, which may be toxic or cause
damage.
3. Rinse thor oughly ± dried soap can cause streaking. In hot weather you may
need to rinse each section right after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle using a clean soft cotton towel. D\
o
not rub or press hard ± you might scratch the paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an automatic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of brushes, unfiltered washing water, or
the washing process itself. Scratching reduces paint durability and gloss,
especially on darker colors. The manager of the car wash should be able to
advise you whether the process is safe for the paint on your vehicle.
Waxing your Lexus
Polishing and waxing is recommended to maintain the original beauty of
your Lexus' finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle does not repel water well, apply wax.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle before you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely
weathered, use a car±cleaning polish, followed by a separate wax. Carefully
follow the manufacturer's instructions and precautions. Be sure to polish and
wax the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on the surface
in large patches.

BODY237
CLEANING THE INTERIOR
CAUTION

Be careful not to splash water or spill liquid on the floor.
This may prevent the side airbags from activating
correctly, resulting in serious injury.

Do not wash the vehicle floor with water, or allow water to
get onto the floor when cleaning the vehicle interior or
exterior. Water may get into audio components or other
electrical components above or under the floor carpet (or
mat) and cause a malfunction; and it may cause body
corrosion.
Leather Interior
The selected leather is used in your Lexus. Due to a leather product, some\
parts of leather may be rough, uneven or scratched originally.
To keep good appearance, we recommend you to clean it periodically twice
a year.
Remove dirt on the leather in the following ways:
1. Wipe it off lightly using a soft cloth (e.g. gauze) dampened with 5%
solution of neutral detergent for wool.
2. Wring water from a clean cloth and thoroughly wipe off all traces of
detergent with it.
3. Wipe off the surface of the leather with a dry soft cloth. Allow the leather
to dry in a ventilated shaded area. Excess of wet may cause the hardeni\
ng or
shrinking of the leather.
NOTICE

Dirt or sand adhered to the leather may damage the treated surface
and cause it to wear earlier. Remove dirt or sand using a vacuum
cleaner.

If a stain should fail to come out with a neutral detergent, apply a
cleaner that does not contain an organic solvent.

Never use organic substances such as benzine, alcohol or gasoline, or
alkaline or acid solutions for cleaning the leather as these could cause
discoloring.

Use of a nylon brush or synthetic fiber cloth, etc. may scratch the fine
grained surface of the leather.

Mildew may develop on soiled leather upholstery. Be especially
careful to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your upholstery always clean.

Long exposure to direct sunlight may cause the leather surface to
harden and shrink. Keep your vehicle in a shaded area, especially in
the summer.

The interior of your vehicle is apt to heat up on hot summer days, so
avoid placing on the upholstery items made of vinyl or plastic or
containing wax as these tend to stick to leather when warm.

Improper cleaning of the leather upholstery could result in
discoloration or staining.