LEXUS ES350 2021 Owners Manual

1313-5. Opening and closing the windows and moon roof
3
Before driving
■Panoramic moon roof open warning
buzzer
A buzzer sounds and a message is shown
on the multi-information display when the
engine switch is turned off and the driver’s
door is opened with the panoramic moon
roof open.
■Customization
Settings (e.g. linked door lock operation)
can be changed. (Customizable fea-
tures: P.419)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failing to do so may cause death or seri-
ous injury.
■Opening and closing the electronic
roof sunshade
●Check to make sure that all passen-
gers do not have any part of their body
in a position where it could be caught
when the electronic sunshade is being
operated.
●Do not let a child operate the elec-
tronic sunshade. Closing the elec-
tronic roof sunshade on someone can
cause death or serious injury.
■Opening the panoramic moon roof
●Do not allow any passengers to put
their hands or heads outside the vehi-
cle while it is moving.
●Do not sit on top of the panoramic
moon roof.
■Opening and closing the panoramic
moon roof
●The driver is responsible for pan-
oramic moon roof opening and closing
operations. In order to prevent acci-
dental operation, especially by a child,
do not let a child operate the pan-
oramic moon roof. It is possible for
children and other pa ssengers to have
body parts caught in the panoramic
moon roof.
●Check to make sure that all passen-
gers do not have any part of their body
in a position where it could be caught
when the panoramic moon roof is
being operated.
●When using the wireless remote con-
trol or mechanical key and operating
the panoramic moon roof, operate the
panoramic moon r oof after checking
to make sure that there is no possibility
of any passenger ha ving any of their
body parts caught in the panoramic
moon roof. Also, do not let a child
operate panoramic moon roof by the
wireless remote control or mechanical
key. It is possible for children and other
passengers to get caught in the pan-
oramic moon roof.

1323-5. Opening and closing the windows and moon roof
WARNING
●When exiting the vehicle, turn the
engine switch off, carry the key and
exit the vehicle along with the child.
There may be accidental operation,
due to mischief, etc., that may possibly
lead to an accident.
■Jam protection function
●Never use any part of your body to
intentionally activate the jam protec-
tion function.
●The jam protection function may not
work if something gets caught just
before the panoramic moon roof or
electronic roof sunshade is fully
closed. Also, the jam protection func-
tion is not designed to operate while
the switch is being pressed. Take care
so that your fingers, etc. do not get
caught.
■To prevent burns or injuries
Do not touch the area between the
underside of the panoramic moon roof
and the electronic sunshade. Your hand
may get caught and you could injure
yourself. Also, if the vehi cle is left in direct
sunlight for a long time, the underside of
the panoramic moon roof could become
very hot and could cause burns.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the panoramic
moon roof
●Before opening the panoramic moon
roof, make sure that there are no for-
eign objects, such as stones or ice,
around the opening.
●Do not hit the surface or edge of the
panoramic moon roof with hard
objects.
■After the vehicle has been washed or
rained on
Before opening the panoramic moon
roof, wipe any water off the panoramic
moon roof. Otherwise, water may enter
the cabin when the panoramic moon
roof is opened.

133
4
4
Driving
Driving
4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle ..................... 134
Cargo and luggage ................... 139
Vehicle load limits ....................... 141
Trailer towing ............................... 142
Dinghy towing ............................. 142
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch ........... 144
Automatic transmission........... 149
Turn signal lever.......................... 153
Parking brake .............................. 154
Brake Hold.................................... 156
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers Headlight switch ......................... 158
Automatic High Beam .............. 161
Windshield wipers and washer ......................................................... 164
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap...... 169
4-5. Using the driving support sys- tems
Lexus Safety System + 2.0 ...... 171
PCS (Pre-Collision System).. 177
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)...... 184
RSA (Road Sign Assist) ........... 193
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range....................... 195
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) .... 205
Driving Mode Select switch .. 210PKSA (Parking Support Alert)
......................................................... 212
Intuitive parking assist .............. 213
RCTA (Rear cross traffic alert) function....................................... 220
RCD (Rear Camera Detection) function........................................ 224
PKSB (Parking Support Brake) ........................................................ 227
Parking Support Brake function (static objects) ......................... 233
Parking Support Brake function (rear-crossing vehicles) ...... 239
Parking Support Brake function (rear pedestrians) .................. 243
Driving assist systems.............. 246
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips ..................... 251

1344-1. Before driving
4-1.Before driving
■Starting the engine
 P.144
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.150)
2 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, release the parking brake.
(P.154)
3 Gradually release the brake pedal
and gently depress the accelerator
pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■Stopping
1 With the shift lever in D, depress
the brake pedal.
2 If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an
extended period of time, shift the shift lever
to P or N. ( P.150)
■Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress
the brake pedal.
2 Set the parking brake ( P.154),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.150).
3 Press the engine switch to stop the
engine.
4 Lock the door, making sure that
you have the electronic key on your
person.
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as
needed.
■Starting off on a steep uphill
1 Make sure that the parking brake is
set with the brake pedal depressed,
and then shift the shift lever to D.
2 Release the brake pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal.
3 Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate.
(  P.246)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road
will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain,
because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on
an expressway in the rain, because there
may be a layer of wa ter 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-shifting implementation to meet driv-
ing conditions. It does not indicate sudden
acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill
or downhill
●When the accelerato r pedal is released
●When the brake pedal is firmly or quickly
depressed
■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.
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure

1354-1. Before driving
4
Driving
●A warning message is displayed on the
multi-information display while the sys-
tem is operating. ( P.363)
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
●When the following unusual operation is
performed, the engine output may be
restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted from R to
D, D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes S) with the accelerator pedal
depressed, a warning message appears
on the multi-information display. If a
warning message is shown on the multi-
information display, read the message
and follow the instructions.
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed
too much while the vehicle is in reverse.
●While Drive-Start Control is being acti-
vated, your vehicle may have trouble
escaping from the mud or fresh snow. In
such case, deactivate TRAC ( P.247)
to cancel Drive-Start Control so that the
vehicle may become able to escape from
the mud or fresh snow.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing
the following 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.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registra-
tion laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. ( P.400)
WARNING
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 run-
ning. This prevents the vehicle from
creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with
the location of the brake and accelera-
tor pedals to avoid depressing the
wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelera- tor 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
operating 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
the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal
using your left foot may delay
response in an emer gency, 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 flamma-
ble 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 control, but the
power assist to these systems will be
lost. This will make it more difficult 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 emer-
gency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
 P.352

1364-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (P.149)
●Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
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.
●AWD models: Do not drive the vehicle
off-road. This is not an AWD vehicle
designed for off-road driving. Proceed
with all due caution if it becomes
unavoidable to drive off-road.
●Do not drive across a river or through
other bodies of water. This may cause
electric/electronic components to
short circuit, damage the engine or
cause other serious damage to the
vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits 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 fail-
ure, 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.
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
●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 prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If
the brakes on only one 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 posi-
tion 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
performance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shif t lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●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 con-
trol.
●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 con-
trol.
●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.

1374-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●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 indica-
tors)
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.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P
or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the
engine is running, and apply the park-
ing brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or back-
ward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake
as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which
could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette light-
ers, 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 cause the plastic lenses and plas-
tic material 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 circuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the
vehicle. If a cigare tte 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
windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on
the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act
as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window open if
the curved glass is coated with a met-
allized film such as a silver-colored
one. Reflected sunlight may cause the
glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, stop the engine and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.

1384-1. Before driving
WARNING
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if
you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is
parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard.
■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 differ-
ently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold
the vehicle.
●If the brake booster device 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, but
the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up
the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2 or
more individual hydraulic systems; if
one of the systems fails, the other(s)
will still operate. In this case, the brake
pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual and the braking dis-
tance will increase. Have your brakes
fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD
models)
Do not spin the wheels excessively when
any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may
damage the driveline components or
propel the vehicle forward or backward,
causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at th e same time while
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.
■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 fol-
lowing situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the
brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehi-
cle.
●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.375)

1394-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Cargo capacity depends on the total
weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capac-
ity)  (Total weight of occupants)
NOTICE
■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 vehi-
cle:
●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 fol-
lowing:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil
and fluid used for the engine, auto-
matic transmission, transfer (AWD
models), rear differential (AWD mod-
els), etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller
shaft (AWD models), bearings and
suspension joints (where possible),
and the function of all joints, bearings,
etc.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift
the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle
may accelerate sudden ly if the accelera-
tor pedal is accidentally depressed.
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following infor-
mation about storage precautions,
cargo capacity and load:
WARNING
■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 hitting 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 Center Display
●Secure all items in the occupant com-
partment.
Capacity and distribution

1404-1. Before driving
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit 
(1) Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX
lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 − 750
(5  150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity calculated in Step
4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity of your vehicle.
(  P.141)
Lexus does not recommend towing a
trailer with your vehicle. Your vehicle is not
designed for trailer towing.
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle capac-
ity weight) ( P.398)
When 2 people with the combined
weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in your
vehicle, which has a total load capacity
(vehicle capacity weight) of B lb. (kg),
the available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity will be C lb. (kg) as
follows:
B
*2 lb. (kg) - A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb. (kg)
*1: A = Weight of people
*2: B = Total load capacity
*3: C = Available cargo and luggage load
WARNING
■Capacity and distribution
●Do not exceed the maximum axle
weight rating 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.
Calculation formula for your
vehicle
A
B