Those shapes and the one in the very center are very specific. It must be a cutout for another market. If it were just cutouts for the manufacturing process one would expect them to both be the same shape. Frankly, I would be more interested in seeing what kind of tool/adapter/fishhook fits in that center spot?
Those shapes and the one in the very center are very specific. It must be a cutout for another market. If it were just cutouts for the manufacturing process one would expect them to both be the same shape. Frankly, I would be more interested in seeing what kind of tool/adapter/fishhook fits in that center spot?
Good point. I didn’t notice. Could someone else, who has an item in that slot, please tell us what the item is. Could be important.
Good point. I didn’t notice. Could someone else, who has an item in that slot, please tell us what the item is. Could be important.
Just Googled it. That middle slot is customarily empty on all 350 ES. Must hold something for another model and they used the same shelf for both cars.
Good point. I didn’t notice. Could someone else, who has an item in that slot, please tell us what the item is. Could be important.
U.S. built ESes don't have the towing eyelet feature. The empty central slot in the photo is where the towing eyelet is stowed in ESes built with the towing eyelet feature. The Lexus ES350 Owner's Manual has the detailed information on the towing eyelet and in the 2019 version on page 363 in the "Location of the spare tire, jack and tools" section there is a figure showing that's the slot where the towing eyelet is stored.
P.S. If you look closely in the various ES videos and photos you can discern towing eyelet ES versions from non-towing eyelet versions by noting the presence (or non-presence) of two rhomboid access panel seams in the front bumper - one on each side of and close to the front grill.
U.S. built ESes don't have the towing eyelet feature. The empty central slot in the photo is where the towing eyelet is stowed in ESes built with the towing eyelet feature. The Lexus ES350 Owner's Manual has the detailed information on the towing eyelet and in the 2019 version on page 363 in the "Location of the spare tire, jack and tools" section there is a figure showing that's the slot where the towing eyelet is stored.
P.S. If you look closely in the various ES videos and photos you can discern towing eyelet ES versions from non-towing eyelet versions by noting the presence (or non-presence) of two rhomboid access panel seams in the front bumper - one on each side of and close to the front grill.
Wow, are you knowledgeable! Any idea why the two empty rectangular recesses?
... Any idea why the two empty rectangular recesses?
I have no clue as to the purpose of the rectangular recesses. I also checked a few non-USA pdf download versions (from the UK and Australia) and they also show the same "Location of the spare tire, jack and tools" section figure as the USA version of the Owner's Manual including the empty rectangular recesses.
It is different arrangement for "emergency tire puncture repair kit" (no spare tire) equipped ESes. Copied from the UK Owner's manual version:
Trunk stowage configuration for 'Emergency tire puncture repair kit' equipped ES
B - Emergency tire puncture repair kit (compressor)
E - Emergency tire puncture repair kit (bottle) [contains the puncture sealant]
As can be seen, the arrangement is different. There are empty recesses; however, the recesses aren't shaped the same as spare tire equipped vehicles. So, if Lexus intended those empty recesses to be used for anything other than end user storage hidey-holes Lexus would have to have some spare tire/non-spare tire specific usage in mind.
