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197
Driving4
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ......................198
Cargo and luggage .................. 209
Vehicle load limits ....................... 213
Trailer towing ................................. 214
Dinghy towing............................... 215
4-2. Driving procedures Power (ignition) switch.............. 216
EV drive mode ............................. 221
Hybrid transmission ..................223
Turn signal lever .......................... 227
Parking brake ...............................228
Brake Hold ..................................... 231
Horn.................................................233
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch .........................234
Automatic High Beam ............ 238
Fog light switch............................ 243
Windshield wipers and washer.......................................... 244
Headlight cleaner switch ........248 4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap....................................... 249
4-5. Using the driving support systems
Cruise control ............................. 253
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed
range ............................................ 257
LKA (Lane-Keeping Assist) ...........273
Driving mode select switch ........................................... 283
Electronically modulated air suspension ........................... 287
Driving assist systems............... 289
PCS (Pre-Collision System).......... 296
BSM (Blind Spot Moni tor)............. 308
• The Blind Spot Monitor function ..................................... 312
• The Rear Cross Traffic Alert function.......................... 315
Lexus night view .......................... 318
4-6. Driving tips Hybrid vehicle driving tips ................................................. 323
Winter driving tips ..................... 325
Page 202 of 620

2004-1. Before driving
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)
■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 peri odically or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Lexus dealer perform the bedding
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 5 0 )
■For efficient use
●Shift the shift lever to D when driving.
In the N position, the gasoline engine oper ates but electricity cannot be generated.
The hybrid battery (traction battery) will discharge, requiring unnecessary engine
power to recharge.
●Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and decelerati on. Gradual acceleration and decelera-
tion will make more effective use of the electric motor (traction motor) without hav-
ing to use gasoline engine power.
●Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes hybrid ba ttery (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 dis-
charge the hybrid battery (traction batter y). The vehicle cannot run if the hybrid
battery (traction battery) is discharged.
Page 224 of 620

2224-2. Driving procedures
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)
■Automatic cancelation of EV drive mode
When driving in EV drive mode, the gasoline engine may automatically restart in the
following situations. When EV drive mode is canceled, a buzzer will sound and the
EV drive mode indicator will flash and go off.
●The hybrid battery (traction battery) becomes low.
The remaining battery level indicated in the “Energy Monitor” display is low.
( P. 113)
●Vehicle speed becomes more than about 25 mph (40 km/h).
●The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly or the vehicle is on a hill etc.
When it is possible to inform the driver of automatic cancelation in advance, a prior
notice screen will appear on the multi-information display.
■Possible driving distance when driving in EV drive mode
EV drive mode’s possible driving distan ce ranges from a few hundred meters to
approximately 0.6 mile (1 km). Driving is possible at speeds of less than approxi-
mately 25 mph (40 km/h). However, depend ing on vehicle conditions, there are sit-
uations when EV drive mode cannot be used. (The distance that is possible depends
on the hybrid battery [traction ba ttery] level and driving conditions.)
■Fuel economy
Your Lexus is designed to achieve the best possible fuel economy during normal
driving (using the gasoline engine and electric motor [traction motor]). Driving in EV
drive mode more than necessary may lower fuel economy.
CAUTION
■Caution while driving
When driving in EV drive mode no engi ne noise is made. As such, pedestrians,
people riding bicycl es or other people and vehicles in the surrounding area may
not be aware of the vehicle starting off or approaching them. Therefore, take extra
care while driving even if the vehicle proximity notification system is active.
Page 225 of 620
2234-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)
While the power switch is in ON mode, move the shift lever with the
brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the vehicle is
completely stopped.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noises, set the shift lever in D for normal
driving.
*2: By selecting shift ranges using S mode, you can control accelerating forces andengine braking forces.
Hybrid transmission
Shifting the shift lever
Shift position purpose
Shift positionPurpose and condition
PParking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NCondition in which the power is not transmitted
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 ( P. 2 2 4 )
Page 238 of 620

2364-3. Operating the lights and wipers
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)
■Daytime running light system
●To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers, the parking lights turn on auto-
matically (at an increased intensity) whenever the hybrid system is started and the
parking brake is released. Daytime running lights are not designed for use at night.
●Compared to turning on the headlights, the daytime running light system offers
greater durability and consumes less electricity, so it can help improve fuel econ-
omy.
■Headlight control sensor
■Automatic light off system
●When the headlights are on: The headlights and tail lights turn off 30 seconds after
a door is opened and closed if the power switch is turned to ACCESSORY mode
or turned off. (The lights turn off immediat ely if on the key is pressed after all the
doors are closed.)
●When only the tail lights are on: The tail lights turn off automatically if the power
switch is turned to ACCESSORY mode or turned off and the driver’s door is
opened.
To turn the lights on again, turn the power switch to ON mode, or turn the light
switch off once and then back to or .
If any of the doors or trunk lid is kept op en, the lights automatically turn off after 20
minutes.
■Light reminder buzzer
A buzzer sounds when the power switch is turned off or turned to ACCESSORY
mode and the driver’s door is opened while the lights are turned on.
■Automatic headlight leveling system
The level of the headlights is automatically adjusted according to the number of pas-
sengers and the loading conditio n of the vehicle to ensure that the headlights do not
interfere with other road users. The sensor may not func tion 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.
Page 251 of 620
249
4
Driving
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)
4-4. Refueling
●Close all the doors and windows, and turn the power switch off.
●Confirm the type of fuel.
■Fuel types
Premium unleaded gasoline (Octane rating 91 [Research Octane Number 96] or
higher)
Opening the fuel tank cap
The fuel tank of your vehicle has a special structure, which requires a
reduction in fuel tank pressure before refueling. After the opener
switch has been pressed, it will take several seconds until the vehicle is
ready for refueling.
Before refueling the vehicle
Page 252 of 620

2504-4. Refueling
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)
CAUTION
■When refueling the vehicle
Observe the following precautions while refueling the vehicle. Failure to do so may
result in death or serious injury.
●After exiting the vehicle and before opening the fuel door, touch an unpainted
metal surface to discharge any static electricity. It is important to discharge static
electricity before refueling because sparks resulting from static electricity can
cause fuel vapors to ignite while refueling.
●Always hold the grips on the fuel tank cap and turn it slowly to remove it.
A whooshing sound may be heard when the fuel tank cap is loosened. Wait until
the sound cannot be heard before fully removing the cap. In hot weather, pressur-
ized fuel may spray out the filler neck and cause injury.
●Do not allow anyone that has not discharged static electricity from their body to
come close to an open fuel tank.
●Do not inhale vaporized fuel.
Fuel contains substances that are harmful if inhaled.
●Do not smoke while refueling the vehicle.
Doing so may cause the fuel to ignite and cause a fire.
●Do not return to the vehicle or touch any person or object that is statically
charged.
This may cause static electricity to build up, resulting in a possible ignition hazard.
■When refueling
Observe the following precautions to prevent fuel overflowing from the fuel tank:
●Securely insert the fuel nozzle into the fuel filler neck.
●Stop filling the tank after the fuel nozzle automatically clicks off.
●Do not top off the fuel tank.
NOTICE
■Refueling
Do not spill fuel during refueling.
Doing so may damage the vehicle, such as causing the emission control system to
operate abnormally or damaging fuel syst em components or the vehicle’s painted
surface.
Page 253 of 620
2514-4. Refueling
4
Driving
LS600hL_U(OM50E41U)
Press the opener switch.
The fuel filler door will open within
about 10 seconds of the switch being
pressed. Before refueling is possible, a
message will be shown on the multi-
information display in the instrument
cluster to indicate the progress of the
fuel filler door opener.
Turn the fuel tank cap slowly to
open.
Hang the fuel tank cap on the
back of the fuel filler door.
Opening the fuel tank cap
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2
3