2015 LEXUS NX300h brake

173
4 Driving
NX300h_U_OM78007U 4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ....................... 174
Cargo and luggage .................... 182
Vehicle load limits ....................... 186
Trailer towing (vehicles with
towing package) ....................... 187
Trailer towing (vehicles
without towing package) ...... 199
Dinghy towing............................. 200
4-2. Driving procedures
Power (ignition) switch.............. 201
EV drive mode ........................... 206
Hybrid transmission ................. 208
Turn signal lever ........................... 212
Parking brake ................................ 213
Brake hold ...................................... 216
ASC
(Active Sound Control) ......... 218
4-3. Operating the lights
and wipers
Headlight switch .......................... 219
Automatic High Beam .............223
Fog light switch............................ 227
Windshield wipers and
washer..........................................228
Rear window wiper and
washer..........................................234 4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap ..... 236
4-5. Using the driving support
systems
Dynamic radar cruise
control ......................................... 240
Dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed
range ............................................ 253
Cruise control ..............................267
LDA (Lane Departure Alert
with steering control) ............ 270
Intuitive parking assist .............. 279
Lexus parking assist
monitor ........................................ 287
Driving mode select
switch ...........................................303
Driving assist systems...............305
PCS
(Pre-Collision System)........... 310
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) ...... 316
4-6. Driving tips
Hybrid vehicle driving
tips ................................................. 324
Winter driving tips ..................... 326
Utility vehicle precautions ......330

174 4-1. Before driving
NX300h_U_OM78007UDriving the vehicle  P. 2 0 1
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (  P. 2 0 8 )
Release the parking brake. (  P. 2 1 4 )If the parking brake is in automatic mode, the parking brake is released automatically
when shifting the shift lever to any position other than P. (  P. 2 1 3 )
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal
to accelerate the vehicle.
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake. (  P. 2 1 4 )If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift the shift lever to P.
(  P. 2 0 8 )
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Shift the shift lever to P. (  P. 2 0 8 )
Set the parking brake. (  P. 2 1 4 )If the parking brake is in automatic mode, the parking brake is set automatically when
shifting the shift lever to P. (  P. 2 1 3 )
Press the power switch to stop the hybrid system.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on your person. If parking on a hill, bloc k the wheels as needed.The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving:
Starting the hybrid system
Driving
Stopping
Parking the vehicle 1
2
3
1
2
1
2
3
4
5

1754-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NX300h_U_OM78007U With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (  P. 2 0 8 )
Pull the parking brake switch and parking brake is set manually. (  P. 2 1 4 )
Release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to acceler-
ate the vehicle.
Press the parking brake switch and parking brake is released manually.
(  P. 2 1 4 ) ■
When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist co ntrol will activate. (  P. 3 0 5 )■
For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles are similar to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary
to refrain from activities such as sudden acceleration. (  P. 3 2 4 )■
Driving in the rain ●
Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged-up, and th e road will be slippery.●
Drive carefully when it starts to rain, becau se the road surface will be especially slip-
pery. ●
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. ■
Restraining the hybrid system output (Brake Override System) ●
When the accelerator and brake pedals are de pressed at the same time, the hybrid sys-
tem output may be restrained. ●
A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is
operating. If a warning message is shown on the multi-information display, read the
message and follow the instructions.■
Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control) ●
When the following unusual op eration is performed, the hybrid system output may be
restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted from R to D, D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes S) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on
the multi-information display. If a warnin g message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display, read the message and follow the instructions.
• When the accelerator pedal is depresse d too while the vehicle is in reverse.●
While Drive-Start Control is being activate d, your vehicle may have trouble escaping
from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRAC (  P. 307) to cancel Drive-
Start Control so that the vehicle may become able to escape from the mud or fresh
snow.Starting off on a uphill 1
2
3
4

176 4-1. Before driving
NX300h_U_OM78007U ■
Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the ve hicle, observing the followin g precautions is recommended:●
For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops. ●
For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• 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. 
Vehicles with towing package ●
For the first 500miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer. ■
Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehi cle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. (  P. 6 1 8 )■
Eco-friendly driving
 P. 1 0 0
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the “READY” indicator is
illuminated. This prevents the vehicle from creeping. ■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator ped-
als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing th e accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal will
result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to difficulty in operat-
ing the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only
slightly. This allows you to depress th e brake and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your righ t foot. Depressing the brake pedal using
your left foot may delay response in an emergency, resulting in an accident. ●
The driver should pay extra attention to pedestrians when the vehicle is powered only
by the electric motor (traction motor). As there is no engine noise, the pedestrians
may misjudge the vehicle’s movement. ●
Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot parts may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.

1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NX300h_U_OM78007U WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
When driving the vehicle ●
During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid system off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, however, power assist
to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer smoothly, so you
should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in
the normal way:  P. 5 5 7●
Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a steep
hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause th e brakes to overheat and lose effective-
ness. (  P. 2 0 8 )●
Do not adjust the positions of the steering wh eel, the seat, or the inside or outside rear
view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control. ●
Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle. ●
AWD models: Do not drive the vehicle off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle designed for of f-road driving. Proceed with all due cau-
tion if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road. ●
Do not drive across a river or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic components to short circuit, damage the hybrid
system or cause other serious damage to the vehicle. ●
Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Ev en if the legal speed lim it 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.

178 4-1. Before driving
NX300h_U_OM78007U WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
When driving on slippery road surfaces ●
Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your
ability to control the vehicle. ●
Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid. ●
After driving through a puddle , lightly depress the brake pe dal to make sure that the
brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on only on e side are wet and not functioning properly,
steering control may be affected. ■
When shifting the shift lever ●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll
forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an acci dent or damage to the vehicle.●
Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Do not shift the shift lever to R wh ile the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Do not shift the shift lever to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Shifting the shift lever to N while the vehicl e is moving will disengage the hybrid sys-
tem. Engine braking is not available when N is selected. ●
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to any position other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid
acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious
injury.

1794-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NX300h_U_OM78007U WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer 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 shift lever is in any position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an accident. ●
In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep depressing
the brake pedal while stopped with the “R EADY” indicator is illuminated, 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. ■
When the vehicle is parked ●
Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, sp ray 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 mate-
rial 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 vehicle’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 windsh ield or windows. Do not place containers
such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs or con-
tainers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle. ●
Do not leave a door or window open if th e 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 shift the shift lever to P, apply the parking brake, stop the hybrid system and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended wh ile the “READY” indicator is illuminated.●
Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “R EADY” indicator is illuminated or imme-
diately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.

180 4-1. Before driving
NX300h_U_OM78007U WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
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 caus e 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, lead ing 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 function does not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is st ill possible, but the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distan ce will increase. Have your brakes fixed
immediately. ●
The brake system consists of 2 or more indi vidual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other(s) wi ll 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. ■
If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage th e driveline components or propel the vehi-
cle forward or backward, causing an accident.