LEXUS IS300 2021 Owners Manual
Page 331 of 436
3317-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
7-2.Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be
towed
If towing is necessary, we recom-
mend having your vehicle towed by
your Lexus dealer or commercial
towing service, using a wheel-lift
type truck or flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all
towing, and abide by all state/pro-
vincial and local laws.
If towing your vehicle with a
wheel-lift type truck from the front,
the vehicle’s rear wheels and axles
must be in good conditions.
( P.332)
If they are damaged, use a towing
dolly or flatbed truck.
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
2WD models
Be sure to transport the vehicle with all
four wheels raised off the ground. If the
vehicle is towed with the tires contacting
the ground, the drivetrain and related
parts may be damaged or an accident
may occur due to a change in direction
of the vehicle.
AWD models
Be sure to transport the vehicle with all
four wheels raised off the ground. If the
vehicle is towed with the tires contacting
the ground, the driv etrain or related
parts may be damaged, the vehicle may
fly off the truck.
Page 332 of 436
3327-2. Steps to take in an emergency
The following may indicate a problem
with the drivetrain. Contact your Lexus
dealer or commercial towing service
before towing.
The engine is running but the vehi-
cle does not move.
The vehicle makes an abnormal
sound.
From the front
Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
WARNING
■While towing
●When towing using cables or chains,
avoid sudden starts, etc. which place
excessive stress on the towing eyelets,
cables or chains. The towing eyelets,
cables or chains may become dam-
aged, broken debris may hit people,
and cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the engine switch off.
There is a possibility that the steering
wheel is locked and cannot be oper-
ated.
■Installing towing eyelet to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelet is installed
securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelet
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 engine switch is off. The
steering lock mechanism is not strong
enough to hold the front wheels
straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure ade-
quate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle.
Without adequate clearance, the vehi-
cle could be damaged 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.
■Recreational towing (behind motor
home, etc.)
Never dinghy tow your vehicle to pre-
vent causing serious damage to the
AWD system and transmission.
( P.133)
Situations when it is necessary to
contact dealers before towing
Towing with a wheel-lift type
truck
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3337-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the front
wheels.
When using a flat-bed truck to trans-
port the vehicle, use tire strapping
belts. Refer to the owner's manual of
the flat-bed truck for the tire strapping
method.
In order to suppress vehicle movement
during transportati on, set the parking
brake and turn the engine switch off. If a tow truck is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using cables or chains
secured to the emergency towing eye-
lets. This should only be attempted on
hard surfaced roads for at most 50
miles (80 km) at under 18 mph (30
km/h).
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer
and operate the brakes. The vehicle’s
wheels, drive train, axles, steering and
brakes must be in good condition.
To have your vehicle towed by another
vehicle, the towing eyelet must be
installed to your vehicle. Install the tow-
ing eyelet using the following proce-
dure.
1
Take out the wheel bolt wrench,
flathead screwdriver and towing
eyelet. ( P.349)
2 Remove the eyelet cover using a
flathead screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a rag
between the screwdriver and the vehicle
body as shown in the illustration.
NOTICE
■Towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck to pre-
vent body damage.
Using a flatbed truck
NOTICE
■Using a flatbed truck
Do not overly tighten the tie downs or the
vehicle may be damaged.
Emergency towing
Emergency towing procedure
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3347-2. Steps to take in an emergency
3Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by hand.
4 Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel bolt wrench
or hard metal bar.
5 Securely attach cables or chains to
the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
6Enter the vehicle being towed and
start the engine.
If the engine does not start, turn the engine
switch to IGNITION ON mode.
7Shift the shift lever to N and release
the parking brake.
Turn automatic mode off. ( P.144)
When the shift lever cannot be shifted:
P.139
■While towing
If the engine is not running, the power assist
for the brakes and steering will not function,
making steering and braking more difficult.
■Wheel bolt wrench
Wheel bolt wrench is in stalled in the trunk.
( P.349)
Page 335 of 436
3357-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
Fluid leaks under the vehicle.
(Water dripping from the air condi-
tioning after use is normal.)
Flat-looking tires or uneven tire
wear
Engine coolant temperature gauge
needle continually points higher
than normal.
Changes in exhaust sound
Excessive tire squeal when corner-
ing
Strange noises related to the sus-
pension system
Pinging or other noises related to
the engine
Engine missing, stumbling or run-
ning 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 think something is
wrong
If you notice any of the following
symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Con-
tact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms
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3367-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Follow the procedure below to restart
the engine after the system is activated.
1Turn the engine switch to ACCES-
SORY mode or turn it off.
2 Restart the engine.
Fuel pump shut off system
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage
when the engine stalls or when an
airbag inflates upon collision, the
fuel pump shut off system stops the
supply of fuel to the engine.
Restarting the engine
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked onto the
ground, the fuel system has been dam-
aged and is in need of repair. Do not
restart the engine.
Page 337 of 436
3377-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
■Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)
■Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)
■High coolant temperature warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
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.
Actions to the warning lights or warning buzzers
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
or
(red)
(Canada)
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.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in the parking brake system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine coolant temperature is too high
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Handling method ( P.365)
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3387-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Charging system warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■Low engine oil pressure warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■Malfunction indicator lamp (warning buzzer)
■SRS warning light (warning buzzer)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
or
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
The electronic engine control system;
The electronic throttle control system; or
The electronic automatic transmission control system
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
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.
Page 339 of 436
3397-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
■ABS warning light (warning buzzer)
■Brake Override System warning light/Drive-Start Control warning light*
(warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
or
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
The ABS; or
The brake assist system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
When a buzzer sounds:
Indicates a malfunction in:
Brake Override System
Drive-Start Control
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Indicates that the shift position was changed and Drive-Start Control
was operated while depressing the accelerator pedal.
Momentarily release th e accelerator pedal.
Parking Support Brake function (for static objects) is operating (if
equipped)
Follow the instructions displayed on the multi-information display.
When a buzzer does not sound:
Indicates that the accelerator and brake pedals are being depressed
simultaneously, and the Brake Override System is operating.
Release the accelerator pedal and depress the brake pedal.
Page 340 of 436
3407-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Electric power steering system warning light (warning buzzer)
■Low fuel level warning light
■Driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt reminder light (warning buzzer)*
*: Driver’s seat belt warning buzzer:
The driver’s seat belt warning buzzer sounds to al ert the driver that his or her seat belt is not
fastened. Once the engine switch is turned to IGNITION ON mode, the buzzer sounds. If
the seat belt is still unfastened, the buzzer sounds intermittently for a certain period of time
after the vehicle reaches a certain speed.
Front passenger’s seat belt warning buzzer:
The front passenger’s seat belt warning buzzer sounds to alert the front passenger that his
or her seat belt is not fastened. If the seat be lt is unfastened, the buzzer sounds intermittenly
for a certain period of time after the vehicle reaches a certain speed.
■Rear passengers’ seat belt reminder lights*1 (warning buzzer)*2
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(red)
or
(yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in the EPS (Electric Power Steering) system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that remaining fuel is approximately 2.6 gal. (10 L, 2.2 Imp.
gal.) or less
Refuel the vehicle.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Warns the driver and/or front pass enger to fasten their seat belts
Fasten the seat belt.
If the front passenger’s seat is occupied, the front passenger’s seat
belt also needs to be fastened to make the warning light (warning
buzzer) turn off.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Warns the rear passengers to fasten their seat belts
Fasten the seat belt.