2003 Lexus ES300 mirror

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
101
OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS
Adjust the mirror so that you can just see the side of your
vehicle in the mirror.
Be careful when judging the size or distance of any object seen
in the outside rear view mirror on the passenger’s side. It is a
convex mirror with a curved surface. Any object seen in a
convex mirror will look smaller and farther away than if seen in
a normal flat mirror.
When the inside rear view mirror darkens in AUTO mode, the
outside rear view mirrors also darken to reduce the reflection
of the headlights of the following vehicle. For details, see
“Inside rear view mirror” on page 103. When you push the rear window and outside rear view mirror
defogger switch, the heater panels in the outside rear view
mirrors
will quickly clear the mirror surface. (See “Rear window
and outside rear view mirror defogger switch” on page 39.)
CAUTION
 Do not adjust the mirror while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so may cause the driver to mishandle the
vehicle and an accident may occur resulting in death
or serious injuries.
 Since the mirror surfaces can get hot, do not touch
them when the rear window and outside rear view
mirror defogger switch is on.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
102
Power rear view mirror control
 1Control switch 2Master switch
To adjust the power rear view mirror, first place the master
switch at “L” (left) or “R” (right), and push the contro\
l
switch on the desired side.
The power rear view mirror can be adjusted when the key is in
the “ACC” or “ON” position.
NOTICE
If ice should jam the mirror, do not operate the control
or scrape the mirror face. Use a spray deicer to free the
mirror.
Folding rear view mirrors
To fold the rear view mirror, push backward.
The rear view mirrors can be folded backward for parking in
restricted areas.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the mirrors folded backward. Both the
driver and passenger side rear view mirrors must be
extended and properly adjusted before driving.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
103
INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR
Adjust the mirror so that you can just see the rear of your
vehicle in the mirror.
Pushing the “MIRROR” switch changes the mode
between AUTO and DAY.
The indicator comes on when the AUTO mode is selected.
DAY mode: The mirror surface is normal.
AUTO mode: If the mirror detects light from the headlights
of the vehicle behind you, the mirror surface darkens
slightly to reduce the reflected light.
When the inside rear view mirror surface changes, the outside
rear view mirror surfaces will also become darker.
When the ignition key is inserted and turned on, the inside rear
view mirror always turns on in the AUTO mode. When the outside air temperature is low, it may take a little
longer for the mirror to darken in response to the detection of
headlights.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the mirror while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so may cause the
driver to mishandle the vehicle
and an accident may occur resulting in death or serious
injuries.
To ensure correct functioning of an antiglare mirror
sensor located on the back side of the mirror, do not touch
or cover the sensor with your finger or a piece of cloth, etc.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
104
Compass
The compass indicates the direction in which the vehicle
is heading. The illustration shown above indicates the
vehicle is heading north.
Push the “COMP” switch to turn the compass system on
and off.
If the ignition switch was turned off with the system on, the
system will automatically turn back on when the ignition switch
is turned on. Displays
Directions
N
NE E
SE S
SW W
NWNorth
Northeast East
Southeast South
Southwest West
Northwest
The compass may not show the correct direction in the
following conditions:
 The vehicle is stopped immediately after turning.
The compass does not adjust while the vehicle is stopped.
 The ignition switch is turned off immediately after turning.
 The vehicle is on an inclined surface.
 The vehicle is in a place where the earth’s magnetic field is
subject to interference by artificial magnetic fields
(underground parking, under a steel tower, between
buildings, roof parking, near a crossing, near a large
vehicle, etc.).
 The vehicle is magnetized. (There is a magnet or a metal
object on or near the inside rear view mirror.)
 The battery has been disconnected.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
105
Your vehicle is out of the set zone. Refer to the “Calibrating the
compass” in this section to set the zone number.
The compass works to calibrate the direction automatically
while the vehicle is in motion, if deviation is small.
For additional precision or for complete calibrating, see
“Calibrating the compass” below.
If the direction is not indicated or the system does not operate
properly, contact your Lexus dealer.

Compass sensor
NOTICE
Do not put magnets or a metal object on or near the
inside rear view mirror of the vehicle. Doing so may
cause malfunction of the compass sensor in the mirror.
Calibrating the compass (deviation calibration)
The direction display on the compass deviates from the true
direction determined by the earth’s magnetic field. The angle
of deviation varies according to the geographic position of the
vehicle.
To adjust this deviation, stop the vehicle, then push and hold
the “COMP” switch until the zone number appears on the
display. Then push the “COM P” switch, referring to the
following map to select the number of the zone where the
vehicle is.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
152
CAUTION
When using the lower anchorages for the child
restraint system, be sure that there are no irregular
objects around the anchorages or that the seat belt is
not caught.
 Push and pull the child restraint system in different
directions to be sure it is secure. Follow all the
installation instructions provided by its
manufacturer.
 Do not install a child restraint system on the rear seat
if it interferes with the lock mechanism of the front
seats. This can cause death or serious injury to the
child and front passenger in case of sudden braking
or a collision.
DRIVING POSITION MEMORY SYSTEM
The microcomputer can memorize the positions of the driver’s
seat and outside rear view mirrors. Two different driving
position profiles can be entered into the computer’s memory.
Recording a driving position in the computer’s memory can
only be done when the ignition key is in the “ON” position and
the selector lever is in the “P” position.
Setting the driving position
1. Adjust the driver’s seat and outside rear view mirrors
to the desired position.
2. While pushing the “SET” button, push button “1” or “2”
until the signal beeps.
The beep sound means that the positions are recorded in the
computer’s memory.

STARTING AND DRIVING
224
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, seat cushion angle,
seat cushion height, head restraint height and steering wheel
angle.
3. Vehicles with power adjustable pedals—Adjust the position
of the accelerator and brake pedals.
4. Adjust the inside and outside rear view mirrors.
5. Lock all doors.
6. Fasten seat belts.
Remember to check that the service reminder indicators
function when turning the key to “ON”, and check the fuel
gauge to see that you have sufficient fuel.

DRIVING TIPS
258
Maintenance
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional load. For this
information, please refer to the scheduled maintenance
information in the “Owner’s Manual Supplement/
Scheduled Maintenance”.
 Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after
approximately 1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
Pretowing safety check
 Check that your vehicle remains level when a loaded or
unloaded trailer is hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose −up or nose− down condition, and check
for improper tongue load, overload, worn suspension or
other possible causes.
 Make sure the trailer cargo is securely loaded so that it
cannot shift.
 Check that your rear view mirrors conform to any federal,
state/provincial or local regulations. If they do not, install
required rear view mirrors appropriate for towing purposes.
Trailer towing tips
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will handle differently
than when not towing. The three main causes of
vehicletrailer 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 −trailer 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.