2000 Lexus ES300 Owner's Manuals (in English)

STARTING AND DRIVING
293
(g) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up and down
between the third and overdrive gears when climbing
a gentle slope, the overdrive should be turned off. 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 thetransmission to overheat. Always use the brakepedal or parking brake.
(h) 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 backward as it becomes un±stuck,
causing injury or damage to nearby people or objects.

STARTING AND DRIVING
294
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the followingprecautions to prevent damage to thetransmission and other parts.
Do not depress the accelerator pedal whileshifting the selector lever or before thetransmission is completely shifted to forwardor reverse gear.
Do not race the engine and avoid spinning thewheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck after rocking thevehicle several times, consider other wayssuch as towing.
(i) If you cannot shift the selector lever out of ªPº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from ªPº position
even though the brake pedal is depressed, use the shift
lock override button. For instructions, see ªIf you cannot
shift automatic transmission selector leverº on page
369.

STARTING AND DRIVING
295
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.

STARTING AND DRIVING
296
Turning on the system
31L013
To operate the cruise control, push the main switch. This
turns the system on. The indicator light in the instrument
cluster shows that you can now set your 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 DRIVING
297
Setting operation
31E084

Each function is described below.
1. Setting at a desired speed
The transmission must be in ªDº before you set the
cruise control speed.
Bring the vehicle to the desired speed, press the control
lever downward in the ªSET/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. 2. Cancelling the preset speed
You can cancel the preset speed by either of the
following:
a. Pulling the control lever in the ªCANCELº direction.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40 km/h (25 mph),
the preset speed 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.

STARTING AND DRIVING
2983. Resetting to a faster speed
Press the control lever upward in the ªRES/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) each time by
pressing the control lever upward in the ªRES/ACCº
direction quickly.
However, a quicker way to reset is to accelerate the
vehicle and then press the control lever downward in the
ªSET/COASTº direction. 4. Resetting to a slower speed
Press the control lever downward in the ªSET/COASTº
direction
and hold it. Release the lever when the desired
speed is attained. While the lever is held downward, the
vehicle speed will gradually decrease.
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 lowered 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time by
pressing the control lever downward in the
ªSET/COASTº direction quickly.
However, a quicker way to reset is to depress the brake
pedal and then press the control lever downward in the
ªSET/COASTº direction.
Even if you turn off the overdrive switch with the cruise
control on, engine braking will not be applied because
the cruise control is not cancelled. To decrease the
vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed with the cruise
control lever or depress the brake pedal. If you use the
brake pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
5. Resuming the preset speed
If the preset speed is cancelled by pulling the control
lever or by depressing the brake pedal, pushing the lever
up in the ªRES/ACCº direction will restore the speed set
prior to cancellation. However, once the vehicle speed
falls below about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will
not be resumed.

STARTING AND DRIVING
299
Cruise control failure warning
If the ªCRUISEº indicator light in the instrument cluster
flashes five times and then goes out when using the
cruise control, it means that there is trouble in the cruise
control system. Contact your Lexus dealer.
ELECTRONIC MODULATED SUSPENSION
This electronic modulated suspension adjusts the
damping effect on the shock absorbers with the
control switch. Select one of the 4 modes which is
suited to the driving conditions with the control
switch to provide good riding comfort and stability.
31E044a
1For sporty type driving such as on winding
mountain roads and high speed driving
2For moderate high speed driving
3For ordinary driving such as in the city traffic
4For driving on a bumpy road
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The traction control system automatically helps
control the spinning of the front wheels which may
occur when accelerating on slippery road surfaces,
thus assisting driver to control the driving power of
the front wheels.
31E013±1

STARTING AND DRIVING
300When you turn the ignition switch on, this system
always turns on. Leave the system on during
ordinary
driving so that it can operate when needed.
When traction control is applied, the slip indicator
light blinks.
31E067