2016 Lexus ES300h brake

ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
1594-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain driving torque.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is ac cidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damaging
the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the follo wing situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire ( P. 5 0 8 )
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to have
your Lexus dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid transmis-
sion, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the bearings and susp ension joints (where possible), and the
function of all joints, bearings, etc.

166
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
Power (ignition) switch
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is in P.
Firmly depress the brake pedal.
will be displayed on the
multi-information display.
If it is not displayed, the hybrid system cannot be started.
Press the power switch.
If the “READY” indicator turns on, the
hybrid system will operate normally.
Continue depressing the brake pedal
until the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated.
The hybrid system can be started from
any power switch mode.
Check that the “READY” indicator is
illuminated.
The vehicle will not move when the
“READY” indicator is off.
Performing the following op erations when carrying the electronic key on your
person starts the hybrid system or changes power switch modes.
Starting the hybrid system
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2
3
4
5

ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
1674-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Stop the vehicle completely.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Set the parking brake. (P. 1 7 7 )
Press the power switch.
Release the brake pedal and check that “POWER ON” on the multi-informa-
tion display is off.
Modes can be changed by pressing the po wer switch with brake pedal released.
(The mode changes each time the switch is pressed.)
Off*
The emergency flashers can be used.
ACCESSORY mode
Some electrical components such as the
audio system can be used.
“POWER ON” will be displayed on the
multi-information display.
ON mode
All electrical components can be used.
“POWER ON” will be displayed on the
multi-information display.
*: If the shift lever is in a position other than P when turning off the hybrid system,
the power switch will be turned to
ACCESSORY mode, not to off.
Stopping the hybrid system
Changing power switch modes
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2
3
4
5

168
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
If the hybrid system is stopped with the shift lever in a position other than P, the
power switch will not be turned off but instead be turned to ACCESSORY
mode. Perform the following procedure to turn the switch off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” is displayed on the multi-information display
and then press the power switch once.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” on the multi-information display is off.
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY mode for more than 20 minutes or ON mode (the
hybrid system is not operating) for more than an hour with the shift lever in P, the power
switch will automatically turn off. However, this function cannot entirely prevent 12-volt
battery discharge. Do not leave the vehicle with the power switch in ACCESSORY or
ON mode for long periods of time when the hybrid system is not operating.
■Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
 P. 7 0
■Electronic key battery depletion
P. 1 0 6
■When the ambient temperature is low, such as during winter driving conditions
When starting the hybrid system, the flas hing time of the “READY” indicator may be
long. Leave the vehicle as it is until the “REA DY” indicator is steady on, as steady means
the vehicle is able to move.
■Conditions affe cting operation
 P. 1 2 3
■Notes for the entry function
P. 1 2 4
■If the hybrid system does not start
●The immobilizer system may no t have been deactivated. (P. 76 )
Contact your Lexus dealer.
●Check that the shift lever is se curely set in P. The hybrid system may not start if the shift
lever is displaced out of P. “Shift to P position to Start” will be displayed on the multi-
information display.
■Steering lock
After turning the power switch off and opening and closing the doors, the steering wheel
will be locked due to the stee ring lock function. Operating the power switch again auto-
matically cancels the steering lock.
When stopping the hybrid system with the shift lever in a position other
than P
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2
3
4

173
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Hybrid transmission
While the power switch is in ON mode, move the shift lever with the brake
pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noises, set the shift lever in D for normal driving.
*2: By selecting shift ranges using S mode, you can control engine braking forces.
Shifting the shift lever
Shift position purpose
Shift positionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 (
 P. 1 74 )

ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
1754-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■S mode
●When the shift range is 4 or lower, holding the shift lever toward “+” sets the shift range
to 6.
●To prevent excessive engine speed, a function was adopted that automatically selects a
higher shift range before the engine speed becomes too high.
■When driving with cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control activated
Even when performing the following actions with the intent of enabling engine braking,
the engine brake will not operate in the S mo de, even when downshifting to 5 or 4.
(  P. 2 3 4 )
■Downshifting restrictions warning buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving performa nce, downshifting operation may sometimes
be restricted. In some circumstances, downshifting may not be possible even when the
shift lever is operated. (A buzzer will sound twice.)
■If the S indicator does not come on ev en after shifting the shift lever to S
This may indicate a malfunct ion in the hybrid transmission system. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
(In this situation, the transmission will operat e in the same manner as when the shift lever
is in D.)
■If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
 P. 5 2 0
■AI-SHIFT
AI-SHIFT automatically select s the suitable gear according to driver performance and
driving conditions.
AI-SHIFT automatically operates when the shift lever is in D. (Shifting the shift lever to S
cancels the function.)
WA R N I N G
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
Do not accelerate or shift gears suddenly.
Sudden changes in engine braking may cause th e vehicle to spin or skid, resulting in an
accident.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction battery) charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid batter y (traction battery) will not be charged even
when the engine is running. Therefore, if the ve hicle is left with the shift lever in N for a
long period of time, the hybrid battery (tr action battery) will discharge, and this may
result in the vehicle not being able to start.

177
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Parking brake
To set the parking brake, fully depress
the parking brake pedal with your left
foot while depressing the brake pedal
with your right foot.
(Depressing the pedal again releases
the parking brake.)
■Parking brake engaged warning buzzer
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven
with the parking brake engaged. “Release
Parking Brake” is displayed on the multi-information display.
■Usage in winter time
 P. 2 8 1
U.S.A. Canada
NOTICE
■Before driving
Fully release the parking brake.
Driving the vehicle with the parking brake set will lead to brake components overheat-
ing, which may affect braking perf ormance and increase brake wear.

ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
1794-3. Operating the lights and wipers
4
Driving
With the headlights on, push the
lever away from you to turn on the
high beams.
Pull the lever toward you to the center
position to turn the high beams off.
Pull the lever toward you and release
it to flash the high beams once.
You can flash the high beams with the
headlights on or off.
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) improves visibility at intersections and on
curves by automatically adjusting the lateral angle of the headlights according to
vehicle speed and the degree of the tire angle that are controlled by steering
input.
Operates at speed of 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher.
■Deactivating AFS
Select “AFS” on the (settings display) of the multi-information dis-
play. ( P. 9 2 )
Press the meter control switch.
■Daytime running light system
●To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers during daytime driving, the daytime
running lights turn on automatically whenever the hybrid system is started and the park-
ing brake is released. (Illum inate brighter than the parking lights.) Daytime running
lights are not designed for use at night.
For the U.S.A.: Daytime running lights can be turned off by operating the switch.
●Compared to turning on the headlights, the daytime running light system offers greater
durability and consumes less electricity, so it can help improve fuel economy.
■Headlight control sensor
Turning on the high beam headlights
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2
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) (if equipped)
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on the sensor, or anything that
blocks the sensor is affixed to the windshield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor detecting
the level of ambient light and may cause the
automatic headlight system to malfunction.
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