2014 LEXUS RX270 steering

184
2-1. Driving procedures
RX350/270_EE
CAUTION
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver's seat. Do not depress the acceler-
ator pedal while starting the engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If the vehicle begins to slide due to engine failure or other circumstances, do not
lock or open the doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activa-
tion of the steering lock in this circumstance may lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop the engine in an emergency while driving the vehicle, press and
hold the “ENGINE START STOP” switch for more than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in succession. (→P. 6 0 3 )
However, do not touch the “ENGINE START STOP” switch while driving except in
an emergency. Turning the engine 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.
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219
2-3. Operating the lights and windshield wipers
2
When driving
RX350/270_EE
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting system) (if equipped)
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) improves visibility at intersections
and on curves by automatically adjusting the direction of the light axis of
the headlights according to vehicle speed and the degree of the tire
angle that are controlled by steering input.
AFS operates at speeds of 10 km/h (6 mph) or higher.
■Deactivating AFS
Press the menu switch.
The multi-information display will
change modes to electronic fea-
tures control mode.
Press the “∧” or “∨” switch until
“AFS” appears.
Press the “ENTER” switch to
change to “OFF”.
The “AFS OFF” indicator will be
displayed.
Each pressing of the switch turns
“AFS” on and off.
Press the menu switch to change
to the normal display.
STEP1
STEP2
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247
2-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving
RX350/270_EE
CAUTION
■Conditions under which the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control may not function
correctly
Apply the brakes as necessary in the following conditions as the radar sensor may
not be able to correctly detect vehicles ahead, and a fatal or serious accident may
result:
●When water or snow thrown up by the surrounding vehicles hinders the function-
ing of the radar sensor
●When your vehicle is pointing upwards (caused by a heavy load in the luggage
compartment etc.)
●When the road curves or when the lanes are narrow
●When steering wheel operation or your position in the lane is unstable
●When the vehicle ahead of you decelerates suddenly
■Handling the radar sensor
Observe the following to ensure the cruise control system can function effectively.
Otherwise, the system may not function correctly and could result in an accident.
●Keep the sensor and grille cover clean at all times.
Clean the sensor and grille cover with a soft cloth so you do not mark or damage
them.
●Do not subject the sensor or surrounding area to a strong impact.
If the sensor moves even slightly off position, the system may malfunction. If the
sensor or surrounding area is subject to a strong impact, always have the area
inspected and adjusted by any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another
duly qualified and equipped professional.
●Do not disassemble the sensor.
●Do not attach accessories or stickers to the sensor, grille cover or surrounding
area.
●Do not modify or paint the sensor and grille cover.
●Do not replace them with non-genuine parts.
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269
2-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving
RX350/270_EE
■Flicker effect
When the camera is used under fluorescent light, sodium lights, or mercury lights
etc., the lights and the illuminated areas may appear to flicker.
CAUTION
■When using the rear view monitor system, observe the following precautions to
avoid an accident that could result in death or serious injuries:
●Never depend solely on the monitor system when reversing.
●Always check visually and with the mirrors to confirm your intended path is clear.
●Use your own eyes to confirm the vehicle’s surroundings, as the displayed image
may become faint or dark, and moving images will be distorted, or not entirely
visible when the outside temperature is low. When backing up, be sure to check
behind and all around the vehicle visually and with the mirrors before proceeding.
●Always check the vehicle surrounding area, because the guide lines are ancillary
lines.
●The guide lines are ancillary lines and do not change even if the steering wheel is
turned.
●Depicted distances between objects and flat surfaces differ from actual dis-
tances.
●Do not use the system if the back door is open.
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271
2-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving
RX350/270_EE
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
■TRC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent any of the drive wheels from
spinning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
■Hill-start assist control
→P. 2 7 8
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel
■Active Torque Control 4WD system (AWD models)
Automatically switches from front-wheel drive to AWD (All-Wheel Drive)
according to driving conditions, helping to ensure reliable handling and
stability. Examples of conditions where the system will switch to AWD are
when cornering, going uphill, starting off or accelerating, and when the
road surface is slippery due to snow or rain etc.
■VSC+ (Vehicle Stability Control +) (if equipped)
Provides cooperative control of the ABS, TRC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering performance
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274
2-4. Using other driving systems
RX350/270_EE
■When the message is displayed on the multi-information display showing that
TRC has been disabled even if the VSC off switch has not been pressed
TRC and hill-start assist control cannot be operated. Contact your any authorized
Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, VSC, TRC and brake assist
●A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the engine 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.
■EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Reactivation of the TRC/VSC systems
Turning off the engine after turning off the TRC/VSC systems will automatically
reactivate them.
■Reactivation of the TRC system linked to vehicle speed
When only the TRC system is turned off, the TRC system will turn on when vehicle
speed increases. However, when both TRC and VSC systems are turned off, the
systems will not turn on even when vehicle speed increases.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS system
The effectiveness of the EPS system is reduced to prevent the system from over-
heating 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 engine off. The EPS system should
return to normal within 10 minutes.
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291
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
RX350/270_EE●Stay on established roads. When conditions are wet, driving tech-
niques should be changed or travel delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
CAUTION
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death or serious
injury or damage to your vehicle:
●Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving in
dangerous places.
●Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump could
jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and especially your
thumbs on the outside of the rim.
●Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud, water or snow.
●After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, water, etc., check that there is no
grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped to the underbody.
Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these
materials trapped or adhering to the underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive speeds,
jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss of control or vehi-
cle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive dam-
age to your vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
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2-5. Driving information
RX350/270_EE
CAUTION
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever possible.
●Do not stack cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment higher than the
seatbacks.
Such items may be thrown about and possibly injure people in the vehicle in the
event of sudden braking or in an accident.
●Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations as the items may
get under the brake or accelerator pedal and prevent the pedals from being
depressed properly, block the driver’s vision, or hit the driver or passengers,
causing an accident:
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
●Secure all items in the occupant compartment, as they may shift and injure some-
one in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
●Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed for
passengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts properly fastened.
Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer death or serious bodily injury, in
the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
■Load and distribution
●Do not overload your vehicle.
●Do not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control which
may cause death or serious injury.
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