Lexus ES 300h Owner's Manual page 201

200
4-1. Before driving
WARNING
Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
●
the "READY" indicator is illuminated
or immediately after turning the hybrid
system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
When taking a nap in the vehicle
■
Always turn the hybrid system off. Other-
wise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal,
this could cause an accident or fire due
to hybrid system overheating. Addition-
ally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may col-
lect 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 differently
than the other side. Also, the parking
brake may not securely hold the vehi-
cle.
● 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, but
the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
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 distance will
increase. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
NOTICE
When driving the vehicle
■
● Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at the same time while
driving, as this may restrain the hybrid
system 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.460)
■ 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