2002 Lexus ES300 ABS

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
50
(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light comes on in the following cases when the ignition key
is in the “ON” position.
 When the parking brake is applied...
This light comes on for a few seconds when the ignition key is
turned to the “ON” position even after the parking brake is
released.
 When the brake fluid level is low...
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving normally when the
brake fluid level is low.
Have your vehicle checked at your Lexus dealer in the
following cases.
The light does not come on even if the parking brake is
applied when the ignition key is in the “ON” position.
 The light does not come on even if the ignition key is turned
on with the parking brake released.
A warning light turning on briefly during operation does not
indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If either of the following conditions occurs, immediately
stop your vehicle at a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
 The light does not turn off even after the parking
brake is released while the engine is running.
In this case, the brakes may not work properly and
your stopping distance will become longer. Depress
the brake pedal firmly and bring the vehicle to an
immediate stop.
 The brake system warning light remains on together
with the “ABS” warning light.
In this case, not only the antilock brake system will
fail but also the vehicle will become extremely
unstable during braking.
(b) Driver’s Seat Belt Reminder Light and
Buzzer
This light and buzzer remind you to buckle up the driver’s seat
belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to “ON” or “START”, the
reminder light and buzzer come on if the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened. Unless the driver fastens the belt, the light stays on
and the buzzer stops after about 4 to 8 seconds.

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
53
If the lamp will not go off even after the several trips, contact
your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
If the fuel tank is not empty or the fuel tank cap is not
loose...

There is a problem somewhere in the engine, emission
control system, electronic throttle control system, automatic
transmission electrical system or warning light system itself.
Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible to service the
vehicle.
If the engine speed does not increase with the accelerator
pedal depressed down, there may be a problem somewhere
in your electronic throttle control system.
At this time, vibration may occur. However, if you depress the
accelerator pedal more firmly and slowly, you can drive your
vehicle at low speeds. Have your vehicle checked by your
Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Even if the abnormality of the electronic throttle control system
is corrected during low speed driving, the system may not be
recovered until the engine is stopped and the ignition key is
turned to “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
CAUTION
Be especially careful to prevent erroneous pedal
operation.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) programs
Your vehicle may not pass a state emission inspection if the
malfunction indicator lamp remains on. Contact your Lexus
dealer to check your vehicle’s emission control system and
OBD (OnBoard Diagnostics) system before taking your
vehicle for the inspection.
For details, see “Emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I/M)
programs” on page 285.
(i) “ABS” Warning Light
Vehicles without vehicle skid control system—
The light comes on with the ignition key turned to the “ON”
position. If the antilock brake system works properly, the light
turns off after a few seconds. Thereafter, if the system
malfunctions, the light comes on again.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system does not
operate, but the brake system still operates conventionally.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system does not
operate so that the wheels could lock up during a sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfaces.

GAUGES, METERS AND SERVICE REMINDER INDICATORS
54If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates
a malfunction somewhere in the parts monitored by the
warning light. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible to service the vehicle.

The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the “ON” position, or remains on.
 The light comes on while you are driving.
A warning light turning on briefly during operation does not
indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If the “ABS” warning light remains on together with the
brake system warning light, immediately stop your
vehicle at a safe place and contact your Lexus dealer.
In this case, not only the antilock brake system will fail
but also the vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking.
Vehicles with vehicle skid control system—
The light comes on with the ignition key turned to the “ON”
position. If the antilock brake system and the brake assist
system work properly, the light turns off after a few seconds.
Thereafter, if the system malfunctions, the light comes on
again. When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system, the brake
assist
system, the traction control system and the vehicle skid
control system do not operate, but the brake system still
operates conventionally.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system does not
operate so that the wheels could lock up during a sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfaces.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates
a malfunction somewhere in the parts monitored by the
warning light. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible to service the vehicle.
 The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the “ON” position, or remains on.
 The light comes on while you are driving.
A warning light turning on briefly during operation does not
indicate a problem.CAUTION
If the “ABS” warning light remains on together with the
brake system warning light, immediately stop your
vehicle at a safe place and contact your Lexus dealer.
In this case, not only the antilock brake system will fail
but also the vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking.

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 .

STARTING AND DRIVING
233
ELECTRONIC MODULATEDSUSPENSION
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.
1 For 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
5Soft
6Firm
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
The traction control system automatically helps prevent
the spinning of front wheels when the vehicle is started or
accelerated on slippery road surfaces.
When the ignition key is turned to “ON”, the system
automatically turns on.
CAUTION
Under certain slippery road conditions, full traction of
the vehicle and power against front wheels cannot be
maintained, even though the traction control system is
in operation. Do not drive the vehicle under any speed
or maneuvering conditions which may cause the
vehicle to lose traction control. In situations where the
road surface is covered with ice or snow, your vehicle
should be fitted with snow tires or tire chains. Always
drive at an appropriate and cautious speed for the
present road conditions.

STARTING AND DRIVING
238
Even if the power assist is completely lost, the brakes
will still work. But you will have to push the pedal
hard, much harder than normal. And your braking
distance will be longer.
Antilock brake system
The antilock brake system is designed to help prevent
lockup of the wheels during a sudden braking or braking
on slippery road surfaces. This assists in providing
directional stability and steering performance of the
vehicle under these circumstances.
Effective way to press the ABS brake pedal: When the
antilock brake system function is in action, you may feel the
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise. In this situation, to
let the antilock brake system work for you, just hold the
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not pump the brake in a
panic stop. This will result in reduced braking performance.
The antilock brake system becomes operative after the
vehicle has accelerated to a speed in excess of approximately
10 km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the vehicle
decelerates to a speed below approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).
Depressing the brake pedal on slippery road surfaces such as
on the manhole cover, the steel plate under the construction,
joints in the bridge, etc. on a rainy day tends to activate the
antilock brake system. You may hear a click or motor sound in the engine
compartment for
a few seconds when the engine is started or
just after the vehicle is started. This means that the antilock
brake system is in the selfcheck mode, and does not indicate
a malfunction.
When the antilock brake system is activated, the
following conditions may occur. They do not indicate a
malfunction of the system:
 You may hear the antilock brake system operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsating and the vibrations of the vehicle
body and steering wheel. You may also hear the motor
sound in the engine compartment even after the vehicle is
stopped.
 At the end of the antilock brake system activation, the
brake pedal may move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the antilock brake system:
Although the antilock brake system assists in
providing vehicle control, it is still important to drive
with all due care and maintain a moderate speed and
safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, because
there are limits to the vehicle stability and effectiveness
of steering wheel operation even with the antilock
brake system on.

STARTING AND DRIVING
239
If tires grip performance exceeds its capability, or if
hydroplaning occurs during high speed driving in the
rain, the antilock brake system does not provide
vehicle control.
Antilock brake system is not designed to shorten the
stopping distance: Always drive at the moderate speed
and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of
you. Compared with vehicles without an antilock
brake system, your vehicle may require a longer
stopping distance in the following cases:
 Driving on rough, gravel or snowcovered roads.
 Driving with tire chains installed.
 Driving over the steps such as the joints on the road.
 Driving on roads where the road surface is pitted or
has other differences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at appropriate
pressure: The antilock brake system detects vehicle
speeds using the speed sensors for respective wheels’
turning speeds. The use of tires other than specified
may fail to detect the accurate turning speed resulting
in a longer stopping distance.“ABS” warning light
 1 U.S.A. 2 Canada
Vehicles without vehicle skid control system—
The light comes on when the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position. If the antilock brake system works properly, the light
turns off after a few seconds. Thereafter, if either of the
systems malfunctions, the light comes on again.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system does not
operate, but the brake system still operates conventionally.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system does not
operate so that the wheels could lock up during a sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfaces.

STARTING AND DRIVING
240If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates
a malfunction somewhere in the parts monitored by the
warning light. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible to service the vehicle.

The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the “ON” position, or remains on.
 The light comes on while you are driving.
A warning light turning on briefly during operation does not
indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If the “ABS” warning light remains on together with the
brake system warning light, immediately stop your
vehicle at a safe place and contact your Lexus dealer.
In this case, not only the antilock brake system will fail
but also the vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking.
Vehicles with vehicle skid control system—
The light comes on when the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position. If the antilock brake system and the brake assist
system work properly, the light turns off after a few seconds.
Thereafter, if either of the systems malfunctions, the light
comes on again. When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system, the brake
assist
system, the traction control system and the vehicle skid
control system do not operate, but the brake system still
operates conventionally.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the antilock brake system does not
operate so that the wheels could lock up during a sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfaces.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates
a malfunction somewhere in the parts monitored by the
warning light. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible to service the vehicle.
 The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the “ON” position, or remains on.
 The light comes on while you are driving.
A warning light turning on briefly during operation does not
indicate a problem.CAUTION
If the “ABS” warning light remains on together with the
brake system warning light, immediately stop your
vehicle at a safe place and contact your Lexus dealer.
In this case, not only the antilock brake system will fail
but also the vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking.