Page 496 of 600
4968-2. Steps to take in an emergency
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
Take out the towing eyelet. (P. 5 0 9 )
Remove the eyelet cover using a flat-
head screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a rag
between the screwdriver and the vehi-
cle body as shown in the illustration.
Insert the towing eyelet into the hole
and tighten partially by hand.
Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench.
Securely attach cables or chains to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
Enter the vehicle being towed and start the hybrid system.
If the hybrid system does not start, turn the power switch to ON mode.
Shift the shift position to N and release the parking brake.
When the shift lever cannot be shifted: P. 5 2 0
Emergency towing procedure
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Page 497 of 600

4978-2. Steps to take in an emergency
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
■While towing
If the hybrid system is off, the power assist for the brakes and steering will not function,
making steering and br aking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench
Wheel nut wrench is installed in trunk. ( P. 5 0 9 )
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
■While towing
●When towing using cables or chains, avoid sudden starts, etc. which place excessive
stress on the eyelet, cables or chains. The towing eyelet, cables or chains may
become damaged, broken debris may hit people and cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the power switch off.
There is a possibility that the steering wheel is locked and cannot be operated.
■Installing towing eyelet to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelet is installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing ey elets may come loose during towing.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing using a wheel-lift type truck
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear when the power switch is off. The steering lock
mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at the oppo-
site end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the vehicle could be dam-
aged while being towed.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the suspension components.
Be sure to transport the vehicle with the front
wheels raised or with all four wheels raised off
the ground. If the vehicle is towed with the front
wheels contacting the ground, the drivetrain
and related parts may be damaged or electric-
ity generated by the operation of the motor
may cause a fire to occur depending on the
nature of the damage or malfunction.
Page 498 of 600
498
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you think something is wrong
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle.
(Water dripping from the air co
nditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●Engine coolant temperature gauge needle continually points higher than nor-
mal.
●Changes in exhaust sound
●Excessive tire squeal when cornering
●Strange noises related to the suspension system
●Pinging or other noises related to the hybrid system
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
●Appreciable loss of power
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling, pedal almost touches the floor
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably needs
adjustment or repair. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms
Page 499 of 600

499
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer
sounds
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights comes on or
flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, bu
t then goes off, this does not necessar-
ily indicate a malfunction in the system. However, if this continues to occur,
have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
Warning light and warning buzzer list
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning light (red indicator) and warning buzzer Indicates that:
• The brake fluid level is low; or
• The brake system is malfunctioning
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
Lexus dealer. Continuing to drive the vehicle may be dangerous.
Brake system warning light (yellow indicator)
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The regenerative brake system; or
• The electronically controlled brake system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lamp Indicates a malfunction in:
• The hybrid system;
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The electronic hybrid transmission control system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
ABS warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS; or
• The brake assist system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Page 503 of 600

5038-2. Steps to take in an emergency
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
WA R N I N G
■If both the ABS and the brake system warning lights remain on
Stop your vehicle in a safe place immediat ely and contact your Lexus dealer. The vehi-
cle will become extremely unstable during braking, and the ABS system may fail, which
could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■When the electric power steering system warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes heavier than us ual when operating, hold firmly and oper-
ate using more force than usual.
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could cause a loss of
vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire inflation pressure
immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pressure adjust-
ment, it is probable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires. If a tire is flat, change it
with the spare tire and have the flat tire repaired by the nearest Lexus dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you could lose
control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning system may not activate immediately.
Page 508 of 600
508
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you have a flat tire
●Stop the vehicle on a hard, flat surface.
●Set the parking brake.
●Shift the shift lever to P.
●Stop the hybrid system.
●Turn on the emergency flashers. (
P. 4 9 2 )
Your vehicle is equipped with a spare ti re. The flat tire can be replaced with
the spare tire.
For details about tires: P. 4 5 9
WA R N I N G
■If you have a flat tire
Do not continue driving with a flat tire.
Driving even a short distance with a flat ti re can damage the tire and the wheel beyond
repair, which could result in an accident.
Before jacking up the vehicle
Page 514 of 600

5148-2. Steps to take in an emergency
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
WA R N I N G
■Replacing a flat tire
●Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in serious injury:
• Do not try to remove the wheel ornament by hand. Take due care in handling the
ornament to avoid unexpected personal injury.
• Do not touch the disc wheels or the area around the brakes immediately after the vehicle has been driven.
After the vehicle has been driven the disc wheels and the area around the brakes
will be extremely hot. Touching these areas with hands, feet or other body parts
while changing a tire, etc. may result in burns.
●Failure to follow these precautions could cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the tire
to fall off, resulting in death or serious injury.
• Never use oil or grease on the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
Oil and grease may cause the wheel nuts to be excessively tightened, leading to
bolt or disc wheel damage. In addition, the oil or grease can cause the wheel nuts
to loosen and the wheel may fall off, caus ing a serious accident. Remove any oil or
grease from the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
• Have the wheel nuts tightened with a torque wrench to 76 ft•lbf (103 N•m, 10.5 kgf•m) as soon as possible after changing wheels.
• Do not attach a heavily damaged wheel ornament, as it may fly off the wheel while
the vehicle is moving.
• When installing a tire, only use wheel nuts that have been specifically designed for
that wheel.
• If there are any cracks or deformations in the bolt screws, nut threads or bolt holes
of the wheel, have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
Page 517 of 600

5178-2. Steps to take in an emergency
ES300h_OM_OM33B71U_(U)
8
When trouble arises
WA R N I N G
■When using the compact spare tire
●Remember that the compact spare tire provid ed is specifically designed for use with
your vehicle. Do not use your compact spare tire on another vehicle.
●Do not use more than one compact spare tire simultaneously.
●Replace the compact spare tire with a standard tire as soon as possible.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, ab rupt steering, sudden braking and shifting operations
that cause sudden engine braking.
■When the compact spare tire is attached
The vehicle speed may not be correctly detected, and the following systems may not
operate correctly:
■Speed limit when using the compact spare tire
Do not drive at speeds in excess of 50 mph (80 km/h) when a compact spare tire is
installed on the vehicle.
The compact spare tire is not designed for driving at high speeds. Failure to observe
this precaution may lead to an accident causing death or serious injury.
■After using the tools and jack
Before driving, make sure all the tools and jack are securely in place in their storage
location to reduce the possibility of personal injury during a collision or sudden brak-
ing.
NOTICE
■Driving with tire chains and the compact spare tire
Do not fit tire chains to the compact spare tire.
Tire chains may damage the vehicle body and adversely affect driving performance.
■When replacing the tires
When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning valve and trans-
mitter, contact your Lexus dealer as the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter
may be damaged if not handled correctly.
• ABS & Brake assist
•VSC
•TRAC
•Cruise control
• Dynamic radar cruise control
(if equipped)
• PCS (if equipped)
•EPS • LDA (Lane Departure Alert with
steering control) (if equipped)
• Rear view monitor system
(if equipped)
• Intuitive parking assist (if equipped)
• Navigation system (if equipped)