2018 Lexus ES300h parking brake

ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(U)
1594-1. Before driving
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Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehicle
when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cau se the plastic lenses and plastic mate-
rial of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circui t in the vehicle’s electrical components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a place such as
the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when luggage is loaded or the
seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the windsh ield or windows. Do not place containers
such as air fresheners on th e instrument panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs or con-
tainers may act as lenses, ca using a fire in the vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window open if th e curved glass is coated with a metallized
film such as a silver-colored one. Reflecte d sunlight may cause the glass to act as a
lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shif t lever to P, stop the hybrid system and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended whil e the “READY” indicator is illuminated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift leve r in P but the parking brake is not set, the
vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “R EADY” indicator is illuminated or imme-
diately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to hybrid system
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the vehicle, lead ing to death or a serious health hazard.

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ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(U)4-1. Before driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause one side of
the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the parking brake may not
securely hold the vehicle.
●If the electronically controlled brake system does not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills or
sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, bu t the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distan ce will increase. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2 or more indi vidual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other(s) will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual and the braking distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.

ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(U)
1614-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, the
hybrid system output may be restrained.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depre ss the accelerator and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift the sh ift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause
the vehicle to move or the vehicle may acce lerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is
accidentally 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 following 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. 513)
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded af ter 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 su spension joints (where possible), and the
function of all joints, bearings, etc.

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ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(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 shortly and
firmly.
When operating the power switch, one
short, firm press is enough. It is not nec-
essary to press and hold the 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 operations wh en carrying the electronic key on your
person starts the hybrid system or changes power switch modes.
Starting the hybrid system
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ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(U)
1694-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Stop the vehicle completely.
Set the parking brake (→P. 181), and shift the shift lever to P.
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 power 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 le ver 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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ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
If the hybrid system is stopped with the sh
ift 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 proc edure to turn the switch off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” is disp layed on the multi-information display
and then press the power switch once.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” on th e 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, th is 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. 70
■Electronic key battery depletion
→P. 106
■When the ambient temperature is low, su ch as during winter driving conditions
When starting the hybrid system, the flashing 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. 123
■Notes for the entry function
→P. 124
■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 positi on to Start” will be displayed on the multi-
information display.
■Steering lock
After turning the power switch off and openin g and closing the doors, the steering wheel
will be locked due to the steering lock func tion. 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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ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(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. 176)

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ES300h_OM_OM33D45U_(U)4-2. Driving procedures
■If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
First, check whether the brak
e pedal is being depressed.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your foot on the brake pedal, there may be a prob-
lem with the shift lock system. Have the vehi cle inspected by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
The following steps may be used as an emergency measure to ensure that the shift lever
can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
Set the parking brake. (→ P. 181)
Turn the power switch to off.
Depress the brake pedal.
■AI-SHIFT
AI-SHIFT automatically selects 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.) Pry the cover up with
a flathead screwdriver
or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover, cover the tip
of the screwdriver with a rag.
Press the shift lock override button.
The shift lever can be shifted while the button
is pressed.
WARNING
■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.
■To prevent an accident wh en releasing the shift lock
Before pressing the shift lock override butto n, make sure to set the parking brake and
depress the brake pedal.
If the accelerator pedal is accidentally depres s instead of the brake pedal when the shift
lock override button is pressed and the shif t lever is shifted out of P, the vehicle may
suddenly start, possibly leading to an acci dent resulting in death or serious injury.
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