2008 LEXUS RX400H stop start

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2-1. Driving procedures
RX400h_U
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. (→P. 4 3 3 )
■For efficient use of the hybrid battery
●Put the shift lever into D when driving
In the N position, the gasoline engine operates but electricity cannot be gener-
ated. The hybrid battery (traction battery) will be discharged requiring unnec-
essary engine power to recharge.
●Drive your vehicle smoothly
Avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration. Gradual acceleration and decel-
eration will make more effective use of the traction motor without having to use
gasoline engine power.
●Avoid repeated acceleration
Repeated acceleration consumes hybrid battery (traction battery) power,
resulting in poor acceleration. Battery power can be restored by driving with
the accelerator pedal slightly released.
●Put the shift lever into P when parking
In the N position, the hybrid battery (traction battery) does not recharge.
Leaving the shift lever in the N position for an extended period of the time may
discharge the hybrid battery. The vehicle cannot run if the hybrid battery is dis-
charged.
■Normal characteristics after turning off the hybrid system
Approximately five hours after the hybrid system is turned off, you may hear sound
coming from under the vehicle for several minutes. This is the sound of a fuel evapo-
ration leakage check and, it does not indicate a malfunction.
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the hybrid system
running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.

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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
RX400h_U
Engine (ignition) switch
■Engine switch
LOCK
The hybrid system is off and
the steering wheel is locked
and the key can be removed
from the engine switch.
ACC
The hybrid system is off and
some electrical components
such as the audio system can
be used.
ON
The hybrid system is on and
all electrical components can
be used.
START
■ Starting the hybrid system
Check that the parking brake is set.
Turn off unnecessary lights and accessories.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Sit in the driver’s seat and firmly depress the brake pedal.
Turn the engine switch to the
START position.
After a few seconds, the
READY light will flash and come
on with a beep sound.
The vehicle can move when the
READY light is on, even if the
hybrid system is stopped.
As the hybrid system starts only with the transmission in the P position, put
the selector lever in P whenever starting the system.
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2-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving
RX400h_U
Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following systems
operate 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.
■ 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 braking 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 suddenly or turning on
slippery road surfaces.
■Traction Control
Maintains drive power and prevents the front wheels (2WD models) or all
wheels (AWD models) from spinning wh en starting the vehicle or acceler-
ating on slippery roads.
■ EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel.
■VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management)
Provides integrated control of the ABS, brake assist, VSC, traction control
and EPS systems.
Maintains vehicle stability when swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes, engine output, and the movement of the front
wheels.

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2-4. Using other driving systems
RX400h_U
When the VSC/traction control are operatingIf the vehicle is in danger of slip-
ping, or if the front wheels (2WD
models) or all wheels (AWD mod-
els) spin, the slip indicator light
flashes to indicate that the VSC/
traction control have been
engaged.
A buzzer (intermittent) sounds to
indicate that VSC is operating.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, VSC and traction control
●A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the hybrid system is
started or just after the vehicle begins to move. This sound does not indicate that
a malfunction has occurred in any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are operat-
ing. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.
■Reduced effectiveness of EPS
The effectiveness of EPS is reduced to prevent the system from overheating when
there is frequent steering input over an extended period of time. The steering wheel
may feel heavy as a result. Should this occur, refrain from excessive steering input or
stop the vehicle and turn the hybrid system OFF. The system should return to nor-
mal within 10 minutes.

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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
RX400h_U
Trailer towing tipsYour vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. The 3 main
causes of vehicle-trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed and
improper trailer loading. Keep the following in mind when towing.
● Before starting out, check the trailer lights and the vehicle-trailer con-
nections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and rever sing with the trailer attached in an
area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel of the
vehicle.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to move the
trailer to right. (This is generally opposite to reversing without a trailer
attached.) Avoid sharp or prolon ged turning. Have someone guide
you when reversing to reduce the risk of an accident.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length.
NOTICE
■Safety chain
A safety chain must always be used between the towing vehicle and the trailer.
Leave sufficient slack in the chain for turns. The chain should cross under the trailer
tongue to prevent the tongue from dropping to the ground in the case that it
becomes damaged or separated. For the correct safety chain installation proce-
dure, ask your Lexus dealer.
■Do not directly splice trailer lights
Directly splicing trailer lights may damage your vehicle's electrical system and
cause a malfunction.

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2-5. Driving information
RX400h_U●
Avoid sudden braking as you may sk id, resulting in jackknifing and loss
of control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
● Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before making
turns.
● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making a
larger than normal turning radius.
● Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely affect handling of your
vehicle and trailer, causing sway. Periodically check the rear to prepare
for being passed by large trucks or buses, which may cause your vehi-
cle and trailer to sway. If swaying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel,
reduce speed immediately but gradually, and steer straight ahead.
Never increase speed. If you make no extreme correction with the
steering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer will stabilize.
● Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of your
trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changing lanes.
● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle's hybrid system may
overheat on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when driv-
ing up a long or steep grade. If the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates overheating, immediately turn off the air conditioning (if in use),
pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot. ( →P. 4 2 4 )

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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
RX400h_U●
Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and the trailer
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P. Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoidable, do so
only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and
trailer wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in place, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P and turn off the hybrid system.
● When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in the P position, start the hybrid system. Be
sure to keep the brake pedal pressed.
Shift into D or the R position (if reversing).
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION
■To avoid an accident
●Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) or the posted towing speed limit, whichever is
lower. As instability (swaying) of the towing vehicle-trailer combination increases
as speed increases, exceeding 45 mph (72 km/h) may cause loss of control.
●Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill grades. Do
not make sudden downshifts.
●Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes too fre-
quently.
This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced braking efficiency.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
RX400h_U
CAUTION
■When raising your vehicle:
Make sure to observe the following to reduce the possibility of death or serious
injury.
●Do not use the jack that was supplied with your vehicle.
●Do not put any part of your body or get underneath the vehicle supported only by
the floor jack.
Always use automotive jack stands on a solid, level, surface.
●Do not start the hybrid system while the vehicle is supported by the floor jack.
●Stop the vehicle on level firm ground, firmly set the parking brake and put the shift
lever in P.
●Make sure to set the floor jack properly at the jack point.
Raising the vehicle with an improperly positioned floor jack will damage the vehi-
cle and may cause the vehicle to fall off the floor jack.
●Do not raise the vehicle while someone is in the vehicle.
●When raising the vehicle, do not place any objects on top of or underneath the
floor jack.
●Lift up the vehicle using a floor jack such as
the one shown in the illustration.