2012 Lexus HS250h brakes

40
1-1. Hybrid system
HS250h_U_75050U
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological driving, pay attention to the following
points:
■Using Eco drive mode
When using Eco drive mode, the torque corresponding to the accelerator
pedal depression amount can be generated more smoothly than it is in
normal conditions. In addition, the operation of the air conditioning system
(heating/cooling) will be minimized, improving the fuel economy.
(→ P. 1 6 2 )
■Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Eco-friendly driving is possible by keeping the indicate of Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( →P. 171)
■When braking the vehicle
Make sure to operate the brakes gently and in good time. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be retained when slowing down.
■Delays
Repeated acceleration and deceleration, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fuel consumption. Check traffic reports before leav-
ing and avoid delays as much as po ssible. When encountering a delay,
gently release the brake pedal to allow the vehicle to move forward slightly
while avoiding overuse of the accelera tor pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
■ Highway driving
Control your speed and keep at a constant speed. Also, before stopping at
a toll booth or similar, allow plenty of time to release the accelerator and
gently apply the brakes. A greater amount of electrical energy can be
retained when slowing down.

143
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
Starting off on a steep uphillMake sure that the parking brake is set securely, and then select
shift position D.
Check that the shift position indicator shows D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■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.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:
●For the first 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 994 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• 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 sys-
tem 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 bed-
ding 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. 5 6 2 )

146
2-1. Driving procedures
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
●Do not shift the shift position to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Moving the shift position to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
hybrid system. Engine braking is not available with the hybrid system disengaged.
●During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid sys-
tem 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. 5 5 8
●Use engine braking (shift position B) to maintain a safe speed when driving down
a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose effec-
tiveness. ( →P. 160)
●Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside
rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents, resulting
in death or serious injury.
●Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
●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.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
●Abrupt changes from shift position D to B and rapid changes in the engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.

147
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
●After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make sure that
the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from
functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in an accident.
■When changing the shift position
Be careful not to change the shift position with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Changing the shift position to any positions other than P or N may cause the vehicle
to accelerate abruptly, causing an accident and resulting in death or serious injury.
After changing the shift position, make sure to confirm the current shift position dis-
played on the shift position indicator inside the meter.
■If 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.
Rotor damage may 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.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any shift position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and
check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on. Apply the parking
brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause the
exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible material is
nearby.

149
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
■Exhaust gases
Exhaust gases include harmful carbon monoxide (CO), which is colorless and
odorless. Inhaling exhaust gases may lead to death or a serious health hazard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area, stop the hybrid system. In a closed
area, such as a garage, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may
lead to death or a serious health hazard.
●The exhaust system should be checked occasionally. If there is a hole or crack
caused by corrosion, damage to a joint or abnormal exhaust noise, be sure to
have the vehicle inspected and repaired by your Lexus dealer. Failure to do so
may allow exhaust gases to enter the vehicle, resulting in death or a serious health
hazard.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to
hybrid system overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly venti-
lated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a
serious health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause one side
of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the parking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.
●If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid downhill or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but it will require more force on the pedal than
usual. Braking distance may also increase.
●The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems; if one of the systems
fails, the others will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual and the braking distance will increase. If this happens, do
not continue to drive the vehicle. If the brake system warning light (red indicator)
comes on while driving, immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact
your Lexus dealer.

214
2-4. Using other driving systems
HS250h_U_75050U
■Cruise control can be set when
●The shift position is in D.
●Vehicle speed is above approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
■Accelerating after setting the vehicle speed
●The vehicle can be accelerated normally. After acceleration, the set speed
resumes.
●Even without canceling the cruise control, the set speed can be increased by
first accelerating the vehicle to the desired speed and then pushing the lever
down to set the new speed.
■Automatic cruise control cancelation
Cruise control will stop maintaining the vehicle speed in any of the following situa-
tions.
●Actual vehicle speed falls more than approximately 10 mph (16 km/h) below the
preset vehicle speed.
At this time, the memorized set speed is not retained.
●Actual vehicle speed is below approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
●Enhanced VSC is activated.
■Canceling and resuming the constant speed control
Pulling the lever toward you
cancels the constant speed
control.
The speed setting is also can-
celed when the brakes are
applied.
Pushing the lever up resumes
the constant speed control.
Resuming is available when the
vehicle speed is more than
approximately 25 mph (40
km/h).

220
2-4. Using other driving systems
HS250h_U_75050U
■Canceling and resuming the speed control
Pulling the lever toward you
cancels the cruise control.
The speed setting is also can-
celed when the brakes are
applied.
Pushing the lever up resumes
the cruise control and returns
vehicle speed to the set
speed.
Resuming is available when the
vehicle speed is more than
approximately 25 mph (40
km/h).

221
2-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving
HS250h_U_75050U
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
This mode employs a radar sensor to detect the presence of vehicles up
to approximately 400 ft. (120 m) ahead, determines the current vehicle-
to-vehicle following distance, and operates to maintain a suitable follow-
ing distance from the vehicle ahead.
Note that vehicle-to-vehicle distance will close in when traveling on long
downhill slopes.
Example of constant speed cruising
When there are no vehicles ahead
The vehicle travels at the speed set by the driver. The desired vehicle-to-vehi-
cle distance can also be set by operating the vehicle-to-vehicle distance con-
trol.
Example of deceleration cruising
When the vehicle ahead is driving slower than the set speed
When a vehicle is detected running ahead of you, the system automatically
decelerates your vehicle. When a greater reduction in vehicle speed is nec-
essary, the system applies the brakes. A warning tone warns you when the
system cannot decelerate sufficiently to prevent your vehicle from closing in
on the vehicle ahead.