Page 226 of 1014

223
4Driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle............ 224
Cargo and luggage ............ 235
Trailer towing (vehicles
without towing package). 236
Trailer towing (vehicles with
towing package) .............. 237
4-2. Driving procedures
Power (ignition) switch ..... 246
EV drive mode .................. 253
Hybrid transmission .......... 256
Turn signal lever ............... 264
Parking brake .................... 266
Brake Hold ........................ 269
Horn .................................. 271
4-3. Operating the lights
and wipers
Headlight switch............... 272
Automatic High Beam ...... 277
Fog light switch ................ 283
Windshield wipers
and washer ...................... 285
Headlight cleaner switch ... 292
4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap . 2934-5. Using the driving support
systems
Cruise control ................... 298
Dynamic radar cruise
control ............................. 302
Dynamic radar cruise control
with full-speed range ...... 318
LKA
(Lane-Keeping Assist) .... 335
Lexus
parking assist-sensor....... 345
Lexus
parking assist monitor..... 358
Driving mode select
switch.............................. 388
Driving assist systems ...... 393
PCS (Pre-Crash
Safety system) ................ 402
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) 414
• The Blind Spot Monitor
function......................... 420
• The Rear Crossing Traffic
Alert function ............... 423
Lexus night view .............. 426
4-6. Driving tips
Hybrid vehicle driving tips 432
Winter driving tips ............ 434
Page 227 of 1014
2244-1. Before driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)
Driving the vehicle
P. 246
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (P.
256)
If the parking brake is in manual mode, release the parking
brake.
(P. 266)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the acceler-
ator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
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. (P. 256)
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Shift the shift lever to P. (P. 256)
If the parking brake is in manual mode, set the parking brake.
(P. 266)
Press the power switch to stop the hybrid system.
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driv-
ing:
Starting the hybrid system
Driving
Stopping
Parking the vehicle
1
2
3
1
2
1
2
3
4
Page 229 of 1014

2264-1. Before driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to
D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
When starting off on a uphill
The brake hold is available. (P. 269)
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 espe-
cially 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 sur-
face, 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 rec-
ommended:
For the first 300 km (186 miles):
Avoid sudden stops.
For the first 800 km (500 miles):
Do not tow a trailer.
For the first 1000 km (621 miles):
• 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.
Starting off on a steep uphill
1
2
3
Page 230 of 1014

2274-1. Before driving
4
Driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)
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 when-
ever the parking brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have any authorized
Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional
perform the bedding down operation.
Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availabil-
ity of the correct fuel. (P. 929)
For efficient use
Shift the shift lever to D when driving.
In the N position, the gasoline engine operates but electricity cannot be gen-
erated. The hybrid battery (traction battery) will discharge, 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 electric motor (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.
Shift the shift lever to 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 time may
discharge the hybrid battery (traction battery). The vehicle cannot run if the
hybrid battery (traction battery) is discharged.
Page 234 of 1014

2314-1. Before driving
4
Driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)
CAUTION
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by any authorized Lexus dealer
or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional as soon as
possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Moderate levels of brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced front braking
power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional
brake discs. Therefore, when replacing the brake pads, Lexus recommends
that you also have the thickness of the discs measured.
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 gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on, and 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.
Page 235 of 1014

2324-1. Before driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)
CAUTION
When the vehicle is parked
Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and
plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehi-
cle’s electrical components.
Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehi-
cle.
Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid
system and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the hybrid system is operating.
Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the hybrid system is operating or
immediately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
Page 236 of 1014

2334-1. Before driving
4
Driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)
CAUTION
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 ventilated 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 electronically controlled brake system does not operate, do not fol-
low other vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require brak-
ing.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will
increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
The brake system consists of 2 or more individual hydraulic systems; if
one of the systems fails, the other(s) will still operate. In this case, the
brake pedal should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking
distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
Page 237 of 1014

2344-1. Before driving
GS450h_300h_OM_OM30D53E_(EE)
NOTICE
When driving the vehicle
Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain driving torque.
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake ped-
als at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
When 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.
Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
Do 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.
When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
If 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 vehi-
cle.
It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (P. 870, 884)