1998 Lexus ES300 head restraint

BE0018
Seat positionSeat cushion angle
Seat cushion height
Seatback agnle
Lumbar support
Head restraint height
Head restraint angle
BASIC OPERATION ± QUICK REFERENCE
2
1. DRIVER'S SEAT 2. STEERING WHEEL

TILT STEERING WHEEL
BE002±1
To tilt the steering wheel up or down to the desired angle:
1. Pull the lever up while holding the steering wheel.
2. Push or pull the steering wheel to the desired angle.
3. Release the lever.

SECTION 1 ± 6
56
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
Comfort adjustment
Front seats57
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Trunk storage extension 60
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Head restraints 61
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Tilt steering wheel 62
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Outside rear view mirrors 62
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Inside rear view mirror 64
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Seat belts 64
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Supplemental restraint system (SRS) 69
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Child restraint 80
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Driving position memory system 95
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COMFORT ADJUSTMENT61
HEAD RESTRAINTS
Front seats
16E007
To raise the head restraint, pull it up. To lower it, press the lock release
button and push the head restraint down. To move the head restraint
forward or rearward, pull or push on the top.
The head restraint is most effective when it is close to your head. Therefore,
using a cushion on the seatback is not recommended.
CAUTION
Adjust the top of the head restraint so that it is closest to the
top of your ears.
 After adjusting the head restraint, make sure it is locked in
position.
 Do not drive with the head restraints removed.
Rear seats
16E049±2
To raise the head restraint, pull it up. To lower it, press the lock release
button and push the head restraint down.
The head restraint is most effective when it is close to your head. Therefore,
using a cushion on the seatback is not recommended.
CAUTION
Adjust the top of the head restraint so that it is closest to the
top of your ears.
 After adjusting the head restraint, make sure it is locked in
position.
 Do not drive with the head restraints removed.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
64
INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR
16E013

1Day 2Night
When driving at night, pull the lever toward you to reduce the glare from
the headlights of vehicles behind you.
Before adjusting the mirror to the position with most clarity, push the
day±night change lever forward (daylight driving position).
Remember that by reducing glare you also lose some rear view clarity.
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt precautions
Lexus strongly urges that the driver and passengers in the vehicle be properly
restrained at all times with the seat belts provided. Failure to do so could
increase the chance of injury and/or the severity of injury in accidents.
Child. Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child until the child
becomes large enough to properly wear the vehicle's seat belts. See ºChild
restraintº for details.
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. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained in the rear seat than in the\
front seat.
If a child must sit in the front seat, the seat belts should be worn properl\
y. Do
not let the child sit on your lap. It does not provide sufficient restraint. If an
accident occurs and the seat belts are not worn properly, the force of the rapid
inflation of the airbag may cause severe injury to the child.
Do not allow the child to stand up or kneel on either rear or front seats. An
unrestrained child could suffer serious injury during emergency braking or a
collision.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT69
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM(SRS)
The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) consists of driver and front
passenger airbags, side airbags and seat belt pretensioners. The
combination of these 3 systems is designed to provide further protection
for the driver and front passenger when added to the primary pr otection
provided by the seat belts.
16E124

Driver and front passenger airbags, and seat belt pretensioners
Driver and front passenger airbags:
In response to a severe frontal impact, the driver and front passenger
airbags work together with the seat belts to help preventing or reduce
injury by inflating, in order to decrease the likelihood of the driver's or
front passenger's heads or chests from directly hitting the steering wheel
or dashboard. Seat belt pretensioners:
In response to a severe frontal impact, the seat belts are quickly drawn
back in by the retractors so that the belts snugly restrain the driver and
front passenger.
The front passenger airbag is activated even with no passenger in the front\
seat.
The seat belt pretensioners are activated together with the driver and fron\
t
passenger airbags, even with no passenger in the front seat.
Be sure to wear your seat belt.
CAUTION
The driver or front passenger too close to the steering wheel
or dashboard during airbag deployment can be killed or
seriously injured. Lexus strongly recommends that:

The driver sit as far back as possible from the steering
wheel while still maintaining control of the vehicle.
 The front passenger sit as far back as possible from the
dashboard.
 All vehicle occupants be properly restrained using the
available seat belts.

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.

MAINTENANCE
182
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500 miles). See page 208 for additional
information.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, water or other fluid after the vehicl\
e
has been parked for a while. If you smell fuel fumes or notice any leak, h\
ave
the cause found and corrected immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check
that all doors, including trunk lid, operate smoothly and all latches lo\
ck
securely. Make sure the engine hood secondary latch secures the hood when
the primary latch is released.
Vehicle interior
Items listed below should be checked regularly, e.g. while performing
periodic services, cleaning the vehicle, etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlight, stop lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and o\
ther
lights are working. Check headlight aim.
Service reminder indicators and warning buzzers
Check that all service reminder indicators and warning buzzers function
properly.
Steering wheel
Check that it has the specified freeplay. Be alert for changes in steering
condition, such as hard steering, excessive freeplay or strange noise.
Seats
Check that all front seat controls such as seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc.
operate smoothly. Check that the head restraints move up and down smoothly
and that the locks hold securely in any latched position.
Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as buckles, retractors and anchors operat\
e
properly and smoothly. Make sure the belt webbing is not cut, frayed, worn
or damaged.