2011 LEXUS RX350 parking brake

151
2-1. Driving procedures
2

When driving
NOTICE
nWhen driving the vehicle
lDo not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving.
If the brake pedal is depressed while driving with the accelerator pedal
depressed, driving torque may be restrained.
lDo not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at
the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
nWhen parking the vehicle
Always shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
nAvoiding damage to vehicle parts
lDo 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.
lWhen driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damag-
ing the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
nIf you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replace the brake pads as soon as possible.
The rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.
nIf you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
lIt may be difficult to control your vehicle.
lThe vehicle will make abnormal sounds.
lThe vehicle will behave abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (→P. 5 6 4 )

153
2-1. Driving procedures
2

When driving
Engine (ignition) switch
Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic key on
your person starts the engine or changes “ENGINE START STOP” switch
modes.
nStarting the engine
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Firmly depress the brake pedal.
The “ENGINE START STOP” switch indicator will turn green. If the
indicator does not turn green, the engine cannot be started.
Press the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch.
The engine will crank until it
starts or for up to 30 seconds,
whichever is less.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the engine is com-
pletely started.
The engine can be started from
any mode.
nStopping the engine
Stop the vehicle.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Set the parking brake. (→P. 1 6 4 )
Press the “ENGINE START STOP” switch.
Release the brake pedal and check that the indicator on the
“ENGINE START STOP” switch is off.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

155
2-1. Driving procedures
2

When driving
When stopping the engine with the shift lever in a position other than P
If the engine is stopped with the shift lever in a position other than P, the
“ENGINE START STOP” switch will not be turned off but instead be
turned to ACCESSORY mode. Perform the following procedure to turn
the switch off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Check that the indicator on the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
is illuminated in amber and then press the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch once.
Check that the indicator on the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
is off.
nAuto power off function
When the shift lever is in P, if the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON
mode with the engine not running for more than 20 minutes (ACCESSORY mode)
or one hour (IGNITION ON mode), the “ENGINE START STOP” switch will auto-
matically turn off. However, this function cannot entirely prevent battery discharge.
Do not leave the vehicle with the “ENGINE START STOP” switch in ACCESSORY
or IGNITION ON mode for long periods of time when the engine is not running.
nOperation of the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
When operating the “ENGINE START STOP” switch, one short, firm press is
enough. If the switch is pressed improperly, the engine may not start or the
“ENGINE START STOP” switch mode may not change. It is not necessary to press
and hold the switch.
nElectronic key battery depletion
→P. 3 9
nConditions affecting operation
→P. 3 6
nNote for the entry function
→P. 3 1
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4

159
2-1. Driving procedures
2

When driving
Automatic transmission
Select a shift position appropriate for the driving conditions.
nShifting the shift lever
While the “ENGINE START STOP” switch is in IGNITION
ON mode, depress the brake pedal and move the shift lever.
nShift position purpose
*1:Shifting to the D position allows the system to select a gear suitable for the
driving conditions. Setting the shift lever to the D position is recommended
for normal driving.
*2: Selecting shift ranges using S mode restricts the upper limit of the possible
gear ranges, controls engine braking forces, and prevents unnecessary
upshifting.
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 (→P. 161)

164
2-1. Driving procedures
Parking brake
nUsage in winter time
See “Winter driving tips” for parking brake usage in winter time. (→P. 2 5 4 )
NOTICE
nBefore driving
Fully release the parking brake.
Driving the vehicle with the parking brake set will lead to brake components over-
heating, which may affect braking performance and increase brake wear.
To set the parking brake, fully
depress the parking brake pedal
with your left foot while
depressing the brake pedal with
your right foot.
(Depressing the pedal again
releases the parking brake.)
CanadaU.S.A.

187
2-3. Operating the lights and windshield wipers
2

When driving
Press the “ENTER” switch to
change to “OFF”.
The “AFS OFF” indicator will be
displayed.
Each pressing of the switch turns
“A F S ” o n a n d o f f .
Press the menu switch to change to
the normal display.
STEP2
nDaytime running light system
lTo make your vehicle more visible to other drivers, the daytime running lights
turn on automatically whenever the engine is started and the parking brake is
released. Daytime running lights are not designed for use at night.
For the U.S.A.: Daytime running lights can be turned off by operating the switch.
lCompared to turning on the headlights, the daytime running light system offers
greater durability and consumes less electricity, so it can help improve fuel
economy.
nHeadlight control sensor
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on the sensor, or anything
that blocks the sensor is affixed to the wind-
shield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor detecting
the level of ambient light and may cause the
automatic headlight system to malfunction.

238
2-4. Using other driving systems
Hill-start assist control
nHill-start assist control can be operated when
lThe shift lever is in a position other than P.
lThe parking brake is not applied.
lThe accelerator pedal is not depressed.
nHill-start assist control
lWhile hill-start assist control is operating, the brakes remain automatically
applied after the driver releases the brake pedal. The stop lights and the high
mounted stoplight turn on.
lHill-start assist control operates for about 2 seconds after the brake pedal is
released.
lIf the slip indicator does not flash and the buzzer does not sound when the brake
pedal is further depressed, slightly reduce the pressure on the brake pedal (do
not allow the vehicle to roll backward) and then firmly depress it again. If the sys-
tem still does not operate, check if the operating conditions explained above
have been met.
Hill-start assist control helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards
when starting on an incline or slippery slope.
To engage hill-start assist con-
trol, further depress the brake
pedal when the vehicle is
stopped completely.
A buzzer will sound once to
indicate the system is activated.
The slip indicator will also start
flashing.

255
2-5. Driving information
2

When driving
Selecting tire chains
Use the correct tire chain size when mounting the tire chains. Chain size
is regulated for each tire size.
Side chain:
0.12 in. (3 mm) in diameter
0.98 in. (25 mm) in length
0.43 in. (10.8 mm) in width
Cross chain:
0.15 in. (3.9 mm) in diameter
1.00 in. (25.3 mm) in length
0.54 in. (13.8 mm) in width
Regulations on the use of tire chains
Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary depending on location
and type of road. Always check local regulations before installing chains.
nWhen driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly and drive at a reduced speed suitable to the
road conditions.
nWhen parking the vehicle
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P without setting the
parking brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from
being released. If necessary, block the wheels to prevent inadvert-
ent sliding or creeping.