
ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)
1394-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. (P. 2 5 5 )
■Driving in the rain or adverse weather conditions
●Drive carefully, because visibility may be reduced, the windows may become fogged-
up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it gets we t or icy, because the road surface will be especially slip-
pery.
●Slow down when water is present on the roadway, because there may be a layer of
water between the tires and the road surface, preventing the steering and brakes from
operating properly.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving. This is due
to automatic up-shifting control or down-shi fting implementation to meet driving condi-
tions. It does not indica te sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
●When the accelerator pedal is released
■Restraining the engine output (Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the engine
output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is
operating. If a warning message is shown on the multi-information display, read the
message and follow the instructions.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the ve hicle, observing the followin g precautions is recommended:
●For the first 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 621 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of brake system
needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Lexus dealer perform the bedding down
operation.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehi cle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. ( P. 5 2 1 )
■Eco-friendly driving
P. 8 2
■Customization
Setting of Eco Driving Indicator Light can be changed.
(Customizable features: P. 5 3 3 )

140
ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)4-1. Before driving
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal
while stopped with the engine running. This
prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator ped-
als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing th e accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal will
result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a difficulty in oper-
ating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress th e brake and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your righ t foot. Depressing the brake pedal using
your left foot may delay response in an emergency, resulting in an accident.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot parts may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off while driving
will not cause loss of steering or braking co ntrol, but the power assist to these systems
will be lost. This will make it more difficul t to steer and brake, so you should pull over
and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way: P. 4 6 9
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a steep
hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause th e brakes to overheat and lose effective-
ness. ( P. 1 5 7 )
●Do not adjust the positions of the steering wh eel, the seat, or the inside or outside rear
view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Ev en if the legal speed limit permits it, do not
drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-speed capability tires.
Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire failure, loss of control and possible
injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on your vehicle
are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at such speeds.

ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)
1414-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your
ability to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.
●After driving through a puddle , lightly depress the brake pedal to make sure that the
brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on only on e side are wet and not functioning properly,
steering control may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll
forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an acciden t or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the engine from
the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. Shifting the
shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of
the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those
of the brake discs are exceeded.

144
ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)4-1. Before driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake peda
ls at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain the engine output.
●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. 4 8 5 )
■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, automatic trans-
mission, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the bearings and susp ension joints (where possible), and the
function of all joints, bearings, etc.

ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)
1474-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WA R N I N G
■Things that must not be carried in the trunk
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the trunk:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed properly, may block the
driver’s vision, or may result in items hittin g the driver or passengers, possibly causing
an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the trunk whenever possible.
●Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the package tray
• On the instrument panel
•On the dashboard
• In front of the navigation system screen or Lexus Display Audio system screen
●Secure all items in th e occupant compartment.
■Capacity and distribution
●Do not exceed the maximum axle weight ra ting or the total vehicle weight rating.
●Even if the total load of occupant’s weight and the cargo load is less than the total load
capacity, do not apply the load unevenly. Improper loading may cause deterioration
of steering or braking control which may cause death or serious injury.

148
ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)4-1. Before driving
Vehicle load limits
◆Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight):
P. 5 1 2
Total load capacity means the combined weight of occupants, cargo and lug-
gage.
◆Seating capacity: 5 occupants (Front 2, Rear 3)
Seating capacity means the maximum number of occupants whose estimated
average weight is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person.
◆To w i n g c a p a c i t y
Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.
◆Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or decrea se depending on the weight and the
number of occupants.
■Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading information label. (P. 444)
Vehicle load limits include total load capacity, seating capacity, towing capac-
ity and cargo capacity.
WA R N I N G
■Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tires, but also degrade steering and braking ability,
resulting in an accident.

ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)
1534-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
If the engine is stopped with the shift lever in a position other than P, the engine
switch will not be turned off but inst ead be turned to ACCESSORY mode. Per-
form 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 engine 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 IGNITION ON
mode (the engine is not running) for more than an hour with the shift lever in P, the engine
switch will automatically turn off. However, this function cannot entirely prevent battery
discharge. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine switch in ACCESSORY or IGNI-
TION ON mode for long periods of ti me when the engine is not running.
■Electronic key battery depletion
P. 9 1
■Conditions affe cting operation
P. 1 0 8
■Notes for the entry function
P. 1 0 9
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. ( P. 6 5 )
Contact your Lexus dealer.
●Check that the shift lever is securely set in P. The engine 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 engine switch off and opening and closing the doors, the steering wheel
will be locked due to the stee ring lock function. Operating the engine switch again auto-
matically cancels the steering lock.
When stopping the engine with the shift lever in a position other than P
1
2
3
4

154
ES350_OM_OM33B64U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
■When the steering lock cannot be released
■Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from overheating, the motor may be suspended if the
engine is turned on and off repeatedly in a sh
ort period of time. In this case, refrain from
operating the engine. After about 10 seconds, the steering lock motor will resume func-
tioning.
■When “Check Access System with Elec. Key” is displayed on the multi-information dis-
play
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
■If the electronic key battery is depleted
P. 4 5 1
■Operation of the engine switch
●When operating the engine switch, one short, firm press is enough. If the switch is
pressed improperly, the engine may not start or the engine switch mode may not
change. It is not necessary to press and hold the switch.
●If attempting to restart the engine immediat ely after turning the engine switch off, the
engine may not start in some cases. After tu rning the engine switch off, please wait a
few seconds before re starting the engine.
■If the smart access system with push-butto n start has been deactivated in a customized
setting
P. 4 9 9
■Odometer and trip meter display
When the engine switch is tu rned off, the odometer or trip meter display will extinguish
after approximately 30 seconds. “Steering Lock active” will be displayed on the
multi-information display.
Check that the shift lever is set in P. Press the
engine switch while turning the steering wheel
left and right.