Roadside Assistance - Towing & Jump Starting
Roadside Assistance
Roadside assistance for the Lexus ES300h may be handled like conventional Lexus vehicles except as noted in the following pages.
Lexus Roadside Assistance is available during the basic warranty period by contacting: United States: (800) 255-3987, Canada: (800) 265-3987
Shift Lever
Similar to many Lexus vehicles, the ES300h uses a gated shift lever as shown in the illustration. However, the ES300h shift lever includes an S position for 6 levels of engine braking.
Towing
The ES300h is a front wheel drive vehicle and it must be towed with the front wheels off the ground. Failure to do so may cause serious damage to Lexus Hybrid Drive components.
A flat bed trailer is the preferred method of towing.
The vehicle may be shifted out of Park into Neutral by changing the power mode to ignition-on, depressing the brake, then moving the gated shift lever to N.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of Park, a shift lock release buttonis provided under the cover near the shift lever as shown in the illustration.
If a tow truck is not available, in an emergency the vehicle may be temporarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency towing eyelet or rear hooks. This should only be attempted on hard, paved roads for short distance at low speeds (below 18 mph (30 km/h)). The eyelet is located with the tools in the trunk, refer to the illustration
Electric Trunk Opener
The ES300h is equipped with an electric trunk opener. In the event of 12 Volt power loss, the trunk can be opened with the metal cut key hidden in the smart key
Fuel Filler Door Opening
The ES300h is equipped with an electric fuel door opener. In the event of 12 Volt power loss, the fuel door can only be opened using the manual release located inside the trunk
Spare Tire
The tools, jack, towing eyelet, and spare tire are provided as shown.
Jump Starting
The 12 Volt auxiliary battery may be jump started if the vehicle does not start and the instrument cluster gauges are dim or off after depressing the brake pedal and pushing the power button.
The 12 Volt auxiliary battery is located in the trunk. The trunk opener will not operate if the auxiliary battery is discharged. Instead use the metal cut key hidden in the smart key to open the trunk.
Open the trunk and remove the luggage compartment side trim cover on the passenger side.
Connect the positive jumper cable to the positive terminal following the numbered sequence.
Connect the negative jumper cable to the negative terminal following the numbered sequence.
Place the smart key in proximity to the interior of the vehicle, depress the brake pedal and push the power button.
NOTE:
If the vehicle does not recognize the smart key after connecting the booster battery to the vehicle, open and close the driver door when the vehicle is shut off. If the smart key internal battery is dead, touch the Lexus emblem side of the smart key to the power button during the start sequence. See the instructions and illustrations on page 9 for more details.
The high voltage HV battery pack cannot be jump started.
Immobilizer & Anti-Theft Alarm
The ES300h is equipped with a standard immobilizer system and an anti-theft alarm.
The vehicle can be started only with a registered smart key.
To disarm the anti-theft alarm, unlock the door by using the smart key button, hidden metal cut key, or door handle touch sensor. Changing the power button mode to ignition-on or starting the vehicle will also disarm the anti-theft alarm.