ESP Lexus ES300 2003 s (in English) Owner's Guide

AUDIO
192Use high−
quality cassettes:
 Low −quality cassette tapes can cause many problems,
including poor sound, inconsistent playing speed, and
constant auto− reversing. They can also get stuck or
tangled in the cassette player.
 Do not use a cassette if it has been damaged or tangled or
if its label is peeling off.
 Do not leave a cassette in the player if you are not listening
to it, especially if it is hot outside.
 Store cassettes in their cases and out of direct sunlight.
 Avoid using cassettes with a total playing time longer than
100 minutes (50 minutes per side). The tape used in these
cassettes is thin and could get stuck or tangled in the
cassette player. Caring for your compact disc player and discs

Your compact disc player is intended for use with 12 cm (4.7
in.) discs only.
 Extremely high temperature can keep your compact disc
player from working. On hot days, use air conditioning to
cool the vehicle interior before you listen to a disc.
 Bumpy roads or other vibrations may make your compact
disc player skip.
 If moisture gets into your compact disc player, you may not
hear any sound even though your compact disc player
appears to be working. Eject all discs from the player and
wait until the player dries.
CAUTION
Compact disc players use an invisible laser beam which
could cause hazardous radiation exposure if directed
outside the unit. Be sure to operate the player correctly.

AUDIO
194
Labeled discs
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the player or changer, do not use
special shaped, low quality or labeled discs such as
those shown in the illustrations.
Correct Wrong
 Handle compact discs carefully, especially when you set
them into the player. Hold them on the edge and do not bend
them. Avoid ge tting fingerprints on them, particularly on the
shiny side.
 Dirt, scrapes, warping, pin holes, or other disc damage
could cause the player to skip or to repeat a section of a
track. (To see a pin hole, hold the disc up to the light.)

AUDIO
200
Each time you push the “AUDIO CONTROL” knob, the
display changes as in the following. To adjust the tone
and balance or turn on or off the automatic sound
levelizer, turn the knob.
BAS: Adjusts low−pitched tones.
MID: Adjusts mid− pitched tones.
TRE: Adjusts high− pitched tones.
FAD: Adjusts the sound balance between the front and rear
speakers.
BAL: Adjusts the sound balance between the right and left
speakers.
ASL: Turns on or off the automatic sound levelizer.
Automatic sound levelizer: When the audio sound becomes
difficult to be heard due to road noise, wind noise, etc. during
driving, the system adjusts to the optimum volume and tone
quality according to the noise level. While the automatic sound
levelizer is on, “ASL” appears on the display. (c) Your radio antennas
The wire antenna is mounted inside the rear window.
NOTICE

When cleaning the inside of the rear window, be
careful not to scratch or damage the wire antenna.
 Putting a window tint (especially, conductive or
metallic type) on the rear window may affect the
reception of radio or mobile telephone. For the
installation of the window tint, consult with your
Lexus dealer.
(d) Your cassette player
When you insert a cassette, the exposed tape should face to
the right.
NOTICE
Do not oil any part of the cassette player, and do not
insert anything except a cassette tape into the slot.

AUDIO
208(c) Automatic program selection
“RPT” button: The repeat feature automatically replays the
current program.
Push
the “RPT” button while the program is playing. When the
program ends, it will automatically be rewound and replayed.
Push the button again to turn off the repeat feature.
There must be at least 3 seconds of blank space between
programs for the repeat feature to work correctly.
“SKIP” button: The skip feature allows you to fast forward
past long stretches of blank tape. This is especially useful at
the end of cassettes.
Push the “SKIP” button. The player will automatically skip any
blank portions of 15 seconds or more and play the next
program. To cancel it, push the button once again.
“Automatic program selection” button: The automatic
program selection feature allows you to program your cassette
player to skip forward or backward to locate the song you want
to hear. You can skip up to 9 programs at a time.
Push this button on the upper side to skip forward. “FF” and
the number will appear on the display . Push the button until the
number you want to skip appears on the display. After that, the
player will automatically skip forward.
When the end of the tape is reached, the player automatically
reverses sides and resumes normal play.

AUDIO
215
FM
Fading and drifting stations
− Generally, the ef fective range
of FM is about 40 km (25 miles). Once outside this range, you
may notice fading and drifting, which increase with the
distance from the radio transmitter. They are often
accompanied by distortion.
Multipath − FM signals are reflective, making it possible for
two signals to reach your antenna at the same time. If this
happens, the signals will cancel each other out, causing a
momentary flutter or loss of reception.
Static and fluttering − These occur when signals are blocked
by buildings, trees, or other large objects. Increasing the bass
level may reduce static and fluttering.
Station swapping − If the FM signal you are listening to is
interrupted or weakened, and there is another strong station
nearby on the FM band, your radio may tune in the second
station until the original signal can be picked up again. AM
Fading
− AM broadcasts are reflected by the upper
atmosphere − especially at night. These reflected signals can
interfere with those received directly from the radio station,
causing the radio station to sound alternately strong and weak.
Station interference − When a reflected signal and a signal
received directly from a radio station are very nearly the same
frequency, they can interfere with each other, making it dif ficult
to hear the broadcast.
Static − AM is easily affected by external sources of electrical
noise, such as high tension power lines, lightening, or electrical
motors. This results in static.
Caring for your cassette player and tapes
For the best performance for your cassette player and tapes:
Clean the tape head and other parts regularly.
 A dirty tape head or tape path can decrease sound quality
and tangle your cassette tapes. The easiest way to clean
them is by using a cleaning tape. (A wet type is
recommended.)

AUDIO
216Use high−
quality cassettes:
 Low −quality cassette tapes can cause many problems,
including poor sound, inconsistent playing speed, and
constant auto− reversing. They can also get stuck or
tangled in the cassette player.
 Do not use a cassette if it has been damaged or tangled or
if its label is peeling off.
 Do not leave a cassette in the player if you are not listening
to it, especially if it is hot outside.
 Store cassettes in their cases and out of direct sunlight.
 Avoid using cassettes with a total playing time longer than
100 minutes (50 minutes per side). The tape used in these
cassettes is thin and could get stuck or tangled in the
cassette player. Caring for your compact disc player and discs

Your compact disc player is intended for use with 12 cm (4.7
in.) discs only.
 Extremely high temperature can keep your compact disc
player from working. On hot days, use air conditioning to
cool the vehicle interior before you listen to a disc.
 Bumpy roads or other vibrations may make your compact
disc player skip.
 If moisture gets into your compact disc player, you may not
hear any sound even though your compact disc player
appears to be working. Eject all discs from the player and
wait until the player dries.
CAUTION
Compact disc players use an invisible laser beam which
could cause hazardous radiation exposure if directed
outside the unit. Be sure to operate the player correctly.

AUDIO
218
Labeled discs
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the player or changer, do not use
special shaped, low quality or labeled discs such as
those shown in the illustrations.
Correct Wrong
 Handle compact discs carefully, especially when you set
them into the player. Hold them on the edge and do not bend
them. Avoid ge tting fingerprints on them, particularly on the
shiny side.
 Dirt, scrapes, warping, pin holes, or other disc damage
could cause the player to skip or to repeat a section of a
track. (To see a pin hole, hold the disc up to the light.)

STARTING AND DRIVING
243
You may hear a click or motor sound in the engine
compartment for
a few seconds when the engine is started or
just after the vehicle is started. This means that the anti −lock
brake system is in the self− check mode, and does not indicate
a malfunction.
When the antilock brake system is activated, the
following conditions may occur. They do not indicate a
malfunction of the system:
 You may hear the anti− lock brake system operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsating and the vibrations of the vehicle
body and steering wheel. You may also hear the motor
sound in the engine compartment even after the vehicle is
stopped.
 At the end of the anti−lock brake system activation, the
brake pedal may move a little forward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the antilock brake system:
Although the antilock brake system assists in
providing vehicle control, it is still important to drive
with all due care and maintain a moderate speed and
safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, because
there are limits to the vehicle stability and effectiveness
of steering wheel operation even with the antilock
brake system on.
If tires grip performance exceeds its capability, or if
hydroplaning occurs during high speed driving in the
rain, the antilock brake system does not provide
vehicle control.
Antilock brake system is not designed to shorten the
stopping distance: Always drive at the moderate speed
and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of
you. Compared with vehicles without an antilock
brake system, your vehicle may require a longer
stopping distance in the following cases:
 Driving on rough, gravel or snowcovered roads.
 Driving with tire chains installed.
 Driving over the st eps such as the joints on the road.
 Driving on roads where the road surface is pitted or
has other differences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at appropriate
pressure: The antilock brake system detects vehicle
speeds using the speed sensors for respective wheels’
turning speeds. The use of tires other than specified
may fail to detect the accurate turning speed resulting
in a longer stopping distance.

DRIVING TIPS
257
Brakes and safety chains
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to
any applicable federal and state/provincial regulations.
 A safety chain must always be used between the towing
vehicle and the trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross under the
trailer tongue to prevent the tongue from dropping to
the ground in case it becomes damaged or separated.
For correct safety chain procedures, follow the hitch or
trailer manufacturer’s recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight exceeds 500 kg (1102 lb.),
trailer brakes are required.
 Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system as it
will lower its braking effectiveness.
 Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain
securely attached to both the trailer and the vehicle.
If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball,
there is possible danger of the trailer wandering over
into another lane.
Tires
Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. Adjust
the tire pressure to the recommended cold tire pressure
indicated below:
Tire pressure, kPa (kgf/cm
2 or bar, psi)
Front 200 (2.0, 29)
Rear 200 (2.0, 29)
 The trailer tires should be inflated to the pressure
recommended by the trailer manufacturer in respect to the
total trailer weight.
Trailer lights
 Trailer lights must comply with federal, state/provincial and
local regulations. See your local recreational vehicle dealer
or rental agency for the correct type of wiring and relays for
your trailer. Check for correct operation of the turn signals
and stop lights each time you hitch up. Direct splicing may
damage your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a
malfunction of your lights.
Breakin schedule
 Lexus recommends that you do not tow a trailer with a new
vehicle or a vehicle with any new power train component
(engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearing, etc.) for
the first 800 km (500 miles) of driving.

DRIVING TIPS
258
Maintenance
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional load. For this
information, please refer to the scheduled maintenance
information in the “Owner’s Manual Supplement/
Scheduled Maintenance”.
 Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after
approximately 1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
Pretowing safety check
 Check that your vehicle remains level when a loaded or
unloaded trailer is hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose −up or nose− down condition, and check
for improper tongue load, overload, worn suspension or
other possible causes.
 Make sure the trailer cargo is securely loaded so that it
cannot shift.
 Check that your rear view mirrors conform to any federal,
state/provincial or local regulations. If they do not, install
required rear view mirrors appropriate for towing purposes.
Trailer towing tips
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will handle differently
than when not towing. The three main causes of
vehicletrailer accidents are driver error , excessive speed
and improper trailer loading. Keep these in mind when
towing:
 Before starting out, check the operation of the lights and all
vehicle −trailer connections. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and connections. Practice
turning, stopping and backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you learn the feel.
 Backing with a trailer is difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right
to move the trailer to the right. (This procedure is generally
opposite to that when backing without a trailer.) Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at a time, avoiding sharp or
prolonged turning. Have someone guide you when backing
to reduce the risk of an accident.
 Because stopping distance may be increased,
vehicle −to −vehicle distance should be increased when
towing a trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow
at least one vehicle and trailer length between you and the
vehicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as you may skid,
resulting in jackknifing and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.