power steering LEXUS ES350 2021 User Guide

1464-2. Driving procedures
1Stop the vehicle completely.
2 Set the parking brake ( P.154),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.150).
3 Press the engine switch.
4 Release the brake pedal and check
that “ACCESSORY” or “IGNI-
TION ON” is not shown on the
meter.
■Automatic engine shut off feature
●The vehicle is equipped with a feature
that automatically shuts off the engine
when the shift lever is in P with the engine
running for an extended period.
●The engine will automatically shut off
after approximately 1 hour if it has been
left running while the shift lever is in P.
●The timer for the automatic engine shut
off feature will reset if the brake pedal is
depressed or if the shif t lever is in a posi-
tion other than P.
●After the vehicle is parked, if the door is
locked with the door lock switch
(  P.97) from the inside or the mechani-
cal key from the outside, the automatic
engine shut off feature will be disabled.
The timer for the automatic engine shut
off feature will be re-enabled if the
driver’s door is opened.
■Locking the door from outside with the
engine running
1 With the driver’s door open, pull the
driver’s door hand le and insert the
mechanical key.
2 Turn the mechanical key counterclock-
wise.
3 Pull out the mechanical key and close
the door.NOTICE
■Symptoms indicating a malfunction
with the engine switch
If the engine switch seems to be operat-
ing somewhat differently than usual, such
as the switch sticking slightly, there may
be a malfunction. Contact your Lexus
dealer immediately.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
●If you want to stop the engine in an
emergency while driving the vehicle,
press and hold the engine switch for
more than 2 seconds, or press it briefly
3 times or more in succession.
(  P.352)
However, do not touch the engine
switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. 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.
●If the engine switch is operated while
the vehicle is running, a warning mes-
sage will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display and a buzzer sounds.

2114-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
mode is suitable for when agile driving
response is desired, such as when driving
on roads with many curves.
When not in SPORT mode, if the Driving
Mode Select switch is turned away from
you, the “Sport” indicator comes on.
Vehicles with Adaptive Variable
Suspension system
1 Normal mode/Custom mode
Normal mode and custom mode are
selected by pressing the Driving Mode
Select switch. Each time the switch is
pressed, the driving mode changes
between normal mode and custom mode.
When custom mode is selected, the “Cus-
tom” indicator comes on.
Press the switch to change the driving
mode to normal mode when not in normal
mode.
•Normal mode
Provides an optimal ba lance of fuel econ-
omy, quietness, and dynamic performance.
Suitable for city driving.
•Custom mode
Allows you to drive with the power train,
chassis and air conditioning system func-
tions set to your preferred settings.
Custom mode settings can only be
changed on the drive mode customization display of the Center Display. (
P.257)
2 Eco drive mode
Helps the driver acce lerate in an eco-
friendly manner and improve fuel economy
through moderate thro ttle characteristics
and by controlling the operation of the air
conditioning system (heating/cooling).
When not in Eco drive mode, if the Driving
Mode Select switch is turned toward you,
the “Eco” indicator comes on.
3 Sport mode
•SPORT S mode
Controls the transmission and engine to
provide quick, powerful acceleration. This
mode is suitable for when agile driving
response is desired, such as when driving
on roads with many curves.
When not in SPORT S mode, if the Driving
Mode Select switch is turned away from
you, the “Sport S” indicator comes on.
•SPORT S+ mode
Helps to ensure stee ring performance and
driving stability by simultaneously con-
trolling the steering and suspension in
addition to the transmission and engine.
Suitable for sportier driving.
When in SPORT S mode, if the Driving
Mode Select switch is turned away from
you, the “Sport S+” indicator comes on.
■Operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cool-
ing operations and fan speed of the air con-
ditioning system to enhance fuel efficiency.
To improve air condit ioning performance,
perform the following operations:
●Turn off eco air conditioning mode
(  P.268)
●Adjust the fan speed ( P.263, 266)
●Turn off Eco drive mode ( P.210)

2464-5. Using the driving support systems
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the
brakes are applied suddenly, or if the
brakes are applied while driving on a
slippery road surface
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of brak-
ing force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a
panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding
when swerving sudden ly or turning on
slippery road surfaces
■Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehi-
cle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of the
ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability
when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering perfor-
mance.
■Secondary Collision Brake
When the SRS airbag sensor detects a
collision and the system operates, the
brakes and brake lights are automati-
cally controlled to reduce the vehicle
speed and that help reduce the possi-
bility of further damage due to a sec-
ondary collision
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and
prevent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerat-
ing on slippery roads
■Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
Helps to prevent the vehicle from drift-
ing to the outer side by performing
inner wheel brake control when
attempting to accele rate while turning
■Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward move-
ment of the vehicle when starting on an
uphill
■Dynamic Torque Control AWD
system (AWD models)
Automatically switches from front-
wheel drive to all-wheel drive (AWD)
according to the driving conditions,
helping to ensure reliable handling and
stability. Examples of conditions where
the system will switch to AWD are
when cornering, going uphill, starting
off or accelerating, and when the road
surface is slippery due to snow, rain,
etc.
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce
the amount of effort needed to turn the
Driving assist systems
To keep driving safety and perfor-
mance, the following systems oper-
ate automatically in response to
various driving situations. Be
aware, however, that these systems
are supplementary and should not
be relied upon too heavily when
operating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving assist
systems

2474-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
steering wheel
■AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspen-
sion System) (if equipped)
By independently controlling the
damping force of the shock absorbers
for each of the 4 wheels according to
the road and driving conditions, this
system helps riding comfort with supe-
rior vehicle stabilit y, and helps good
vehicle posture.
Also, the damping force changes
depending on the selected driving
mode. ( P.210)
■When the TRAC/VSC systems are
operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC systems are operating.
■Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow,
the TRAC system may reduce power from
the engine to the wheels. Pressing the
switch to turn the system off may
make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in
order to free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release the switch.
“Traction Control Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch again to turn the
system back on.
■Turning off both TRAC and VSC sys-
tems
To turn the TRAC and VSC systems off,
press and hold the switch for more
than 3 seconds while the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on
and the “Traction Control Turned Off” will
be shown on the multi-information display.
*
Press the switch again to turn the
system back on.
*: PCS (Pre-Collision System) will also be disabled (only Pre-Collision warning is
available). The PCS warning light will
come on and a message will be displayed
on the multi-information display.
( P.183)
■When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if the
switch has not been pressed
TRAC is temporary deactivated. If the
information continues to show, contact your
Lexus dealer.
■Operating conditions of hill-start assist
control
When the following four conditions are met,
the hill-start assist control will operate:
●The shift lever is in a position other than P
or N (when starting off forward/back-
ward on an up ward incline).
●The vehicle is stopped.
●The accelerator pedal is not depressed.
●The parking brake is not engaged.

3537-1. Essential information
7
When trouble arises
seconds or more, or press it briefly
3 times or more in succession.
5 Stop the vehicle in a safe place by
the road. 
Remove the seat belt first.
 If the door can be opened, open the
door and exit the vehicle.
 If the door can not be opened, open
the window using the power win-
dow switch and exit the vehicle
through the window.
 If the window can not be opened
using the power window switch,
remain calm, wait until the water
level inside the vehicle rises to the
point that the water pressure inside
of the vehicle equals the water pres-
sure outside of the vehicle, and then
open the door and exit the vehicle.
WARNING
■If the engine has to be turned off while
driving
Power assist for the brakes and steering
wheel will be lost, making the brake
pedal harder to depress and the steering
wheel heavier to turn. Decelerate as
much as possible before turning off the
engine.
If the vehicle is trapped in
rising water
In the event the vehicle is sub-
merged in water, remain calm and
perform the following.
WARNING
■Using an emergency hammer*1 for
emergency escape
The rear side windows and rear window
of this vehicle can be shattered by an
emergency hammer
*1 used for emer-
gency escape, however, since the wind-
shield and front side windows
*2 are
laminated glass they can not be shat-
tered by an emergency hammer
*1.
*1: Contact your Lexus dealer or after-
market accessory manufacturer for
further information about an emer-
gency hammer.
*2: Vehicles with laminated glass

3587-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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 nut wrench and
towing eyelet. ( P.376)
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.
3Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by hand.
4 Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut 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.155)
When the shift lever cannot be shifted:
 P.150
■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.
Emergency towing procedure
(vehicles with a towing eyelet)

3637-2. 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.
■Electric power steering system warning light (warning buzzer)
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:
Brake Override System is malfunctioning;
 Drive-Start Control is operating; or
 Drive-Start Control is malfunctioning
 Follow the instructions displayed on the multi-information display.
When a buzzer does not sound:
Brake Override System is operating
 Release the accelerator pedal and depress the brake pedal.
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.

3687-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Brake hold operated indicator (warning buzzer)
■Master warning light (warning buzzer)
■Warning buzzer
In some cases, the bu zzer may not be heard
due to being in a noisy location or audio
sound.
■Front passenger detection sensor, seat
belt reminder and warning buzzer
●If luggage is placed on the front passen-
ger seat, the front passenger detection
sensor may cause th e warning light to
flash and the warning buzzer to sound
even if a passenger is not sitting in the
seat.
●If a cushion is placed on the seat, the sen-
sor may not detect a passenger, and the
warning light may not operate properly.
■SRS warning light
This warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, fr ont impact sensors,
side impact sensors (front door), side
impact sensors (front), side impact sensors
(rear), driver’s seat position sensor, driver’s
seat belt buckle switch, front passenger
occupant classification system (ECU and
sensors), “AIR BAG ON” indicator light,
“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light, front pas-
senger’s seat belt buc kle switch, seat belt
pretensioners, airbags, interconnecting wir-
ing and power sources. ( P.28)
■Electric power steering system warning
light (warning buzzer)
When the battery charge becomes insuffi-
cient or the voltage temporarily drops, the electric power steering system warning
light may come on and the warning buzzer
may sound.
■When the tire pressure warning light
comes on
Inspect the tires to check if a tire is punc-
tured.
If a tire is punctured:  P.375
If none of the tires are punctured:
Turn the engine switch off then turn it to
IGNITION ON mode. Check if the tire
pressure warning light comes on or blinks.
If the tire pressure warning light blinks for
approximately 1 minute then stays on
There may be a malfunction in the tire pres-
sure warning system. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
If the tire pressure warning light comes
on
1 After the temperature of the tires has
lowered sufficiently, check the inflation
pressure of each tire and adjust them to
the specified level.
2 If the warning light does not turn off
even after several minutes have
elapsed, check that the inflation pres-
sure of each tire is at the specified level
and perform initialization. ( P.332)
■The tire pressure warning light may
come on due to natural causes
The tire pressure wa rning light may come
on due to natural causes such as natural air
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(flashes)
Indicates a malfunction in the brake hold system
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
A buzzer sounds and the warning ligh t comes on and flashes to indicate
that the master warning system has detected a malfunction.
 P.371

3697-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
leaks and tire inflation pressure changes
caused by temperature. In this case, adjust-
ing the tire inflation pressure will turn off the
warning light (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
The compact spare tire is not equipped with
a tire pressure warning valve and transmit-
ter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warn-
ing light will not turn off even though the flat
tire has been replaced with the spare tire.
Replace the spare tire with the repaired tire
and adjust the tire inflation pressure. The
tire pressure warning lig ht will go off after a
few minutes.
■Conditions that the tire pressure warn-
ing system may not function properly
 P.329
WARNING
■If both the ABS and the brake system
warning lights remain on
Stop your vehicle in a safe place immedi-
ately and contact your Lexus dealer.
The vehicle will become extremely
unstable during braking, and the ABS
system may fail, which could cause an
accident resulting in death or serious
injury.
■When the electric power steering
system warning light comes on
When the light comes on yellow, the
assist to the power steering is restricted.
When the light comes on red, the assist
to the power steering is lost and handling
operations of the steering wheel become
extremely heavy.
When steering wheel operations are
heavier than usual, grip the steering
wheel firmly and operate it using more
force than usual.
■If the tire pressure warning light
comes on
Be sure to observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so could cause a loss of
vehicle control and result in death or
serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as
soon as possible. Check and adjust the
tire inflation pre ssure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes
on even after tire inflation pressure
adjustment, it is prob able that you have
a flat tire. Check the tire s. If a tire is flat,
change it with the spare tire and have
the flat tire repaired by the nearest
Lexus dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and brak-
ing.
If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you
could lose control of the steering
wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage
should occur
The tire pressure warning system may
not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if pro-
vided), should be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle pl acard or tire infla-
tion pressure label (tire and load
information label). (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indi-
cated on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label [tire and load
information label], you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.)

3737-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
*: A buzzer sounds the first time a message is shown on the multi-information display.
In some situations, the master warning light and warning buzzer may not oper-
ate as specified. In this case, follow the instructions displayed in the warning
message.
 If a warning light comes on or flashes at the same time that a warning message is
displayed, take corrective actio n according to the warning light. ( P.361)
■Warning messages
The warning messages explained below
may differ from the actual messages
according to operation conditions and vehi-
cle specifications.
■Warning buzzer
In some cases, the bu zzer may not be heard
due to being in a noisy location or audio
sound.
■If “Engine Oil Level Low Add or
Replace” is displayed
The engine oil level is low. Check the level
of the engine oil, and add if necessary.
This message may appear if the vehicle is
stopped on a slope. Move the vehicle to a
level surface and check to see if the mes-
sage disappears.
■If “Engine Stoppe d Steering Power
Low” is displayed
This message is displa yed if the engine is
stopped while driving.
When steering wheel operations are
heavier than usual, grip the steering wheel
firmly and operate it using more force than
usual.
■If “Auto Power Off to Conserve Bat-
tery” is displayed
Power was turned off due to the automatic
power off function. Next time when starting
the engine, increase the engine speed
slightly and maintain that level for approxi-
mately 5 minutes to recharge the battery.
■If “High Power Cons umption Power to
Climate Temporarily Limited” is dis-
played
Turn off unnecessary electronic equipment
to reduce power consumption.
Please wait until the power supply returns
to normal.
■If “Headlight System Malfunction Visit
Your Dealer” is displayed
The following systems may be malfunction-
ing. Have the vehicle inspected by your
Lexus dealer immediately.
●The LED headlight system
●AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System)
●The automatic headlight leveling system
(if equipped)
●Automatic High Beam
■If “Radar Cruise Control Unavailable
See Owner’s Manual” is shown
The dynamic radar cruise control with full-
Comes onDoes not sound
Indicates a condition, such as malfunction of electri-
cal components, their condition, or indicates the
need for maintenance
FlashesDoes not sound
Indicates a situation, such as when an operation has
been performed incorrectly, or indicates how to
perform an operation correctly
Warning buzzer*Warning