2020 Lexus IS300 Owner’s Manual

The 2020 Lexus IS300 is a sleek and sporty compact luxury sedan that combines style, speed, and high-tech features. The IS300 looks elegant and athletic thanks to its unique outer design, which has sharp lines and an aggressive front grille. Under the hood is a powerful and efficient 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that is quick to respond. The IS300’s cabin is made of high-quality materials and is a comfy and stylish place to be. Features like a high-resolution entertainment system, smartphone integration, and driver-assistance systems make the car easier to use and safer. The 2020 Lexus IS300 is fun to drive because it handles well, rides smoothly, and has nice interior features. It is a good choice for people who want both performance and luxury in a compact car.

Driving the vehicle

The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving:

Starting the engine P. 186

Driving

1. With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (P. 191)
2. Release the parking brake. (P. 200)
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. 191)

Parking the vehicle

1. With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
2. Set the parking brake (P. 200), and shift the shift lever to P (P. 191).
   If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
3. Press the engine switch to stop the engine.
4. Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on your person.

Starting off on a steep uphill

1. Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
2. Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
3. Release the parking brake.

• When starting off on an uphill
  The hill-start assist control will activate. (P. 301)
• 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 especially slippery.
  • Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because there may be a layer of water 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 driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.

   

  • The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
  • When the accelerator pedal is released
  • When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected
• 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.
  • A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is operating. (P. 547)
• 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 M) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on the multi-information display. (P. 537)
  • When the accelerator pedal is depressed too much while the vehicle is in reverse.
  •  While Drive-Start Control is being activated, your vehicle may have trouble escaping from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRAC (P. 303) 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.
• Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
  Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of brake system needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Lexus dealer perform the bedding-down operation.
• Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
  Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the correct fuel. (P. 598)

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 stopping with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
• When driving the vehicle
  • Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator ped-als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
    • Accidentally depressing the accelerator 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 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 emergency, 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 flammable 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 emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 515
  • 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. 191)
  • Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside rearview mirrors while driving.
    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.
  • 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 permits 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 failure, 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.

Cargo and luggage

Take notice of the following information about storage precautions, cargo capacity and load:

Capacity and distribution
Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capacity) — (Total weight of occupants) Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit —

1. Locate the statement “The combined 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 (5150) = 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 luggage 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 luggage load capacity of your vehicle. (P. 183)
   Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing.

FAQ