2002 Lexus ES300 Windshield

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
123
In a severe frontal impact, the front airbag sensors detect
deceleration
and the system triggers the front airbag inflators.
In a severe side impact, the side and curtain shield airbag
sensor and/or the curtain shield airbag sensor trigger(s) the
side and curtain shield airbag inflators and/or the curtain shield
airbag inflator. At this time, a chemical reaction in the inflators
quickly fills the airbags with nontoxic gas to help restrain the
forward or lateral motion of the occupants.
When the SRS airbag operates, it produces a fairly loud noise
and release some smoke and residue along with nontoxic
gas. This does not indicate a fire. This gas is normally
harmless; however, for those who have delicate skin, it may
cause a minor skin irritation. Be sure to wash off any residue
as soon as possible to prevent any potential skin irritation.
Deployment of the airbags happens in a fraction of a second,
so the airbags must inflate with considerable force. While the
system is designed to reduce serious injuries, it may also
cause minor burns or abrasions and swelling.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard,
front seats, parts of the front and rear pillars and roof side) 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 passenger airbag, the windshield may
also be damaged by absorbing some of the force of the
inflating airbag.
CAUTION
 The SRS airbag system is designed only as a
supplement to the primary protection of the driver
side and front and rear outside passenger side seat
belt systems. The front and rear outside seat
occupants can be killed or seriously injured by the
inflating airbags if they do not wear the available seat
belts properly. During sudden braking just before a
collision, an unrestrained driver, front passenger or
rear outside passenger can move forward or
sideways into direct contact with or close proximity
to the airbag which may then deploy during the
collision. To ensure maximum protection in an
accident, the driver and all passengers in the vehicle
must wear their seat belts properly. Wearing a seat
belt properly during an accident reduces the chances
of death or serious injury or being thrown out of the
vehicle. For instructions and precautions
concerning the seat belt system, see “Seat belts” on
page 106.
 Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and
children can be killed or seriously injured by the
deploying airbags. 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 “Child restraint” on page 131 .

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
128
Do not attach a microphone or any other device or
object around the part where the curtain shield airbag
activates such as on the windshield glass, side door
glass, front and rear pillars and roof side or assist
grips. When the curtain shield airbag inflates, the
microphone or other device or object will be hurled
with great force or the curtain shield airbag may not
activate correctly, resulting in death or serious injury.
 Do not hook a hanger, heavy or sharp pointed objects
on the coat hook. If the curtain shield airbag inflates,
those items will be hurled away with great force or the
curtain shield airbag may not activate correctly.
When you hang clothes, hang them on the coat hook
directly.
 Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts
where the side airbags inflate. Su ch 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 pad, steering wheel, column cover,
front passenger airbag cover or airbag sensor
assembly. Doing so may cause sudden front airbags
inflation or disable the system, which could result in
death or serious injury.
 Do not modify or replace the seats or upholstery of
front seats with side airbags. Such changes may
disable the system or cause the side airbags to inflate
accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
 Do not disassemble or repair the front and rear pillars
and roof side rail containing the curtain shield
airbags. Such changes may disable the system or
cause the curtain shield airbags to inflate
accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death
or serious injury. Consult your Lexus dealer about any
repairs and modifications.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
131
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 50 states in the U.S.A. and Canada now require
the use of 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 “Seat belts” on page 106 for details.
CAUTION
 For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, a child must be properly restrained,
using a seat belt or child restraint system 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
system which conforms to the size of the child,
installed on the rear seat. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat.
 Never install a rearfacing child restraint system on
the front seat. In the event of an accident, the force
of the rapid inflation of the airbag can cause death or
serious injury if a rearfacing child restraint system
is installed on the front seat.
 Unless it is unavoidable, do not install a
forwardfacing child restraint system on the front
seat.
 A forwardfacing child restraint system should be
allowed to be installed on the front passenger seat
only when it is unavoidable. Always move the seat as
far back as possible, because the force of the
deploying front passenger airbag could cause death
or serious injury to the child.
 Make sure you have complied with all installation
instructions provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and that the system is properly
secured. On vehicles with side airbags and curtain
shield airbags, do not allow the child to lean over the
front door or around the front door even if the child
is seated in a child restraint system. It is dangerous
if the side airbag and curtain shield airbag inflate,
because the impact could cause death or serious
injury to the child.

AIR CONDITIONING
159
The automatic air conditioning automatically maintains
the set temperature.
In the automatic operation mode, the air conditioning selects
the most suitable fan speed, air flow, air intake and onoff the
air conditioning according to the temperature.
The ignition key must be in the “ON” position.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being discharged, do not
leave the air conditioning on longer than necessary
when the engine is not running.
1
“TEMP” (driver side temperature control) button
2 Driver side temperature display (in degrees
Fahrenheit or Centigrade)
3 Fan speed display
4 Outside temperature display
5 Air flow display
6 Passenger side temperature display (in degrees
Fahrenheit or Centigrade)
7 “PASSENGER TEMP” (passenger side temperature
control) button
8 “DUAL” (temperature setting mode change) button
9 Windshield air flow button
10 “MODE”(air flow control) button
11 Air intake control button
12 Fan speed control button
13 “OFF” button
14 “AUTO” button
15 “A/C” button

AIR CONDITIONING
162
20E396
Driver side setting
Passenger side setting
Mixed settingSETTING OPERATION manual control
When one of the manual control buttons is depressed
while operating in automatic mode, the mode relevant to
the depressed button is set. Other conditions continue to
be adjusted automatically.
If manual air flow selection is desired
The outlets from which air is delivered can be selected
manually by pushing the button. The function of each mode is
as follows:
1
Panel Air flows mainly from the instrument panel vents.
2
Bilevel Air flows from both the floor vents and the
instrument panel vents.
3 Floor Air flows mainly from the floor vents.
4Floor/Windshield Air flows mainly from the floor vents
and windshield vents.

AIR CONDITIONING
163
If quick heating or cooling is desired
Push the “TEMP” or “PASSENGER TEMP” button on either
side
and hold it until “MAX. HOT” or “MAX. COLD” appears on
the display.
If manual fan speed control is desired
 1 Fan speed at low 2Fan speed at high
The fan speed can be set to your desired speed by pushing the
appropriate side of fan speed control button. The higher the
fan speed is, the more air is delivered. Pushing the “OFF”
button turns off the fan.
To remove exterior windshield frost, use the high speed
setting. If manual switching of air intake is desired
The air intake control button is used to switch the air intake
between the OUTSIDE AIR mode and RECIRCULATED AIR
mode.
To turn the air source to the RECIRCULATED AIR mode, press
the button. The indicator will come on. To turn the air source
to OUTSIDE AIR mode, press
the button again. The indicator
will go off.
To prevent fogging up of the windshield, the air intake mode
may change automatically to the OUTSIDE AIR mode
depending on the condition of the air conditioning system.
For example, when the ambient temperature is low, the air
intake mode may change automatically to the OUTSIDE AIR
mode. This is not a malfunction.
If quick circulation of cooled air is desired, push the air intake
control button for RECIRCULATED AIR. The indicator light will
come on.

AIR CONDITIONING
164For normal use, it is best to keep the air intake control button
set to OUTSIDE AIR mode. If recirculated air is used during
heating, the windows will fog up more easily.
If manual onoff of the air conditioning is desired
Push the “A/C”
button to turn the air conditioning on and push
it again to turn the air conditioning off.
The air conditioning does not work if the outside temperature
is lowered down to around 0 C (32F).
If the system is used for ventilation, heating in dry weather or
removing frost or exterior fog on the windshield, turn the air
conditioning off once it is no longer required. This will improve
fuel economy. The air conditioning can be used for yearround
automatic temperature control including cooling and
dehumidifying operation.
If the air conditioning compressor does not operate, the
indicator of the “A/C” button will blink. If the indicator of the
“A/C” button blinks even when the “A/C” button is pushed
again, have the compressor checked by your nearest Lexus
dealer.
Displaying the outside temperature
The temperature display ranges from 30 C (22F) up to
50 C (122 F).
(b) Windshield defogging and defrosting
To remove interior fog on the windshield
Push the windshield air flow button.
To remove frost or exterior fog on the windshield
1. Push the “TEMP” button to set the maximum temperature.
2. Push the windshield air flow button.
3. Push the fan speed control button on the right side to obtain
a maximum air flow.
4. Leave the “A/C” button off.
When the windshield air flow button is pushed, air flows mainly
from the windshield vents and turns on the defogging function
with the purpose of clearing the front view.
Pushing this button once again returns the air flow mode to the
last one used.

AIR CONDITIONING
165
This
button allows the air intake to select OUTSIDE AIR mode
automatically. This is to clean up the front view more quickly.
If you want to return the setting to RECIRCULATED AIR mode,
push the air intake control button once again.
Push the “A/C” button for dehumidified heating or cooling. This
setting clears the front view more quickly.
CAUTION
Do not use the windshield air flow button during cooled
air operation in extremely humid weather. The
difference between the temperature of the outside air
and that of the windshield could cause the outer surface
of the windshield to fog up blocking your vision.
(c) Operating tips
 To help cool down the interior after parking in the hot sun,
drive for the first few minutes with the windows open. After
the excess heat has blown away, close the windows.
 Make sure the air inlet grilles in front of the windshield are
not blocked by leaves or other obstructions.
 If air flow control is not satisfactory, check the side vents and
rear vents. (See “(d) Side vents and rear vents”.)
 On humid days, do not blow cold air on the windshield. The
windshield could fog up because of the difference in air
temperature on the inside and outside of the windshield.
 Keep the area under the front seats clear to allow air to
circulate throughout the vehicle.
 On cold days, set the fan speed to high for a minute to help
clear the intake ducts of snow or moisture. This can reduce
the amount of fogging on the windows.
 When driving on dusty roads, close all windows. If dust
thrown up by the vehicle is still drawn into the vehicle after
closing the windows, it is recommended that the air intake
control button be left to the OUTSIDE AIR mode and the fan
speed control button be pressed to anywhere except the
“OFF” button.