
2004-2. Driving procedures
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise, shift the shift lever to D for normal driv-
ing.
*2: Any gear range can be fixed when driving in M mode.
■Sport mode/Eco drive mode
P. 2 7 8
■Snow mode
Snow mode can be selected to suit th e conditions when driving on slippery
road surfaces, such as snow.
Press the switch.
Press the switch again to return to
normal mode.
Shift position purpose
Shift positionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
(Condition in which the power is not transmitted)
DNormal driving*1
MM mode driving*2 ( P. 2 0 2 )
Selecting the driving mode

2034-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
■Automatic deactivation of shift range selection in the D position
Shift range selection in the D position will be deactivated in the following situations:
●When the vehicle comes to a stop
●If the accelerator pedal is depressed for more than a certain period of time
●When the shift lever is shifted to a position other than D
■To protect the automatic transmission
If the automatic transmission fluid temperatur e is high, “Transmission Fluid High Temper-
ature” will be displayed on th e multi-information display and the vehicle will go into trans-
mission protection mode automatically. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
■Downshifting restriction warning buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving performa nce, downshifting operation may sometimes
be restricted. In some circumstances, downshifting may not be possible even when the
shift lever or paddle shift switch is operated. (A buzzer will sound twice.)
■Snow mode automatic deactivation
Snow mode is automatically deactivated if the engine switch is turned off after driving in
snow mode.
■When driving with cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control activated
Even when performing the following actions with the intent of enabling engine braking,
engine braking will not activate because cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control
will not be canceled.
●8-speed models: While driving in the D posi tion, downshifting to 7, 6, 5 or 4.
( P. 229, 233)
●6-speed models: While driving in the D position, downshifting to 5 or 4.
( P. 229, 233)
●When switching the driving mode to sp ort mode while driving in D position.
( P. 2 7 8 )
■If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
P. 5 8 9
■AI-SHIFT
●The AI-SHIFT automatically selects the suitab le gear according to driver performance
and driving conditions.
The AI-SHIFT automatically operates when the sh ift lever is in D. (Shifting the shift lever
to the M position cancels the function.)
●8-speed models: G AI-SHIFT automatically se lects a suitable gear for sporty driving
according to driver’s input and driving co nditions. G AI-SHIFT operates automatically
when the shift lever is in D and sport mode is selected for the driving mode. (Selecting
normal mode with the driving mode select sw itch or shifting the shift lever to the M
position cancels this function.)
WA R N I N G
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
Be careful of downshifting and sudden accele ration, as this could result in the vehicle
skidding to the side or spinning.

2134-3. Operating the lights and wipers
4
Driving
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
■The Automatic High Beam can be operated when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode.
■Camera sensor detection information
●High beam may not be automatically tu rned off in the following situations:
• When oncoming vehicles sudd enly appear from a curve
• When the vehicle is cut in front of by another vehicle
• When oncoming or preceding vehicles are hidden from sight due to repeated
curves, road dividers or roadside trees
●High beam may be turned off if an oncoming vehicle that is using fog lights without
using the headlights is detected.
●House lights, street lights, red traffic signals, and illuminated billboards or signs may
cause the high beam to turn off.
●The following factors may affect the amount of time taken to turn high beam on or off:
• The brightness of headlights, fog lights, and tail lights of oncoming and preceding
vehicles
• The movement and direction of oncoming and preceding vehicles
• When an oncoming or preceding vehicle only has operational lights on one side
• When an oncoming or preceding vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle
• The condition of the road (gradient, curve, condition of the road surface etc.)
• The number of passengers and amount of luggage
●High beam may be turned on or off when unexpected by the driver.
●Small vehicles, such as bicy cles, may not be detected.
●In the situations below, the system may not be able to correctly detect the surrounding
brightness levels, and may flash or expose nearby pedestrians to the high beam. There-
fore, you should consider turning the high be ams on or off manually rather than relying
on the Automatic High Beam system.
• In bad weather (rain, snow, fog, sandstorms etc.)
• The windshield is obscured by fog, mist, ice, dirt etc.
• The windshield is cracked or damaged.
• The camera sensor is deformed or dirty.
• Surrounding brightness levels are equal to those of headlights, tail lights or fog lights.
• Vehicles ahead have headlights or tail lights that are either switched off, dirty, chang-
ing color, or have improperly adjusted aim.
• When driving through an area of intermit tently changing brightness and darkness.
• When frequently and repeatedly driving ascending/descending roads, or roads with
rough, bumpy or uneven surfaces (such as stone-paved roads, gravel tracks etc.).
• When frequently and repeat edly taking curves or driving on a winding road.
• There is a highly reflective object ahead of the vehicle, such as a sign or a mirror.
• The vehicle’s headlights are damaged or dirty.
• The vehicle is listing or titling, due to a flat tire, a trailer being towed etc.
• The driver believes that the high beam may be causing problems or distress to other
drivers or pedestrians nearby.

2324-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
WA R N I N G
■To avoid operating the cruise control by mistake
Switch the cruise control off using th e “ON/OFF” button when not in use.
■Situations unsuitable for cruise control
Do not use cruise control in any of the following situations.
Doing so may result in loss of control and could cause an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
●In heavy traffic
●On roads with sharp bends
●On winding roads
●On slippery roads, such as thos e covered with rain, ice or snow
●On steep hills
Vehicle speed may exceed the set speed when driving down a steep hill.
●During emergency towing

2404-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
■Automatic cancelation of vehicle- to-vehicle distance control mode
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance control driving is automatically canceled in the following situ-
ations:
●Actual vehicle speed falls below approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
●VSC is activated.
●TRAC is activated for a period of time.
●When the VSC or TRAC system is turned off by pressing the VSC OFF switch.
●The sensor cannot detect correctly because it is covered in some way.
●The windshield wipers are operating at high speed (when the wipers are in AUTO
mode or the high speed wiper operation).
●When snow mode is set.
●Pre-collision braking is activated.
If vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode is automatically canceled for any other rea-
son, there may be a malfunction in the system. Contact your Lexus dealer.
■Automatic cancelation of constant speed control mode
Constant speed control mode is automatica lly canceled in the following situations:
●Actual vehicle speed is more than approximately 10 mph (16 km/h) below the set vehi-
cle speed.
●Actual vehicle speed falls below approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
●VSC is activated.
●TRAC is activated for a period of time.
●When the VSC or TRAC system is turned off by pressing the VSC OFF switch.
●Pre-collision braking is activated.
■Radar sensor and grille cover
Always keep the sensor and grille cover clean to ensure that the vehicle-to-vehicle dis-
tance control mode operates properly. (Some obstructions, such as snow, ice and plastic
objects, cannot be detected by the obstruction sensor.)
Dynamic radar cruise control is cancel ed if an obstruction is detected.
■Operation guide display
When the dynamic radar cruise control switch is operated, a guidance display is shown
on the meters for a few seconds as to how to operate the dynamic radar cruise control
switch or distance switch. ( P. 1 0 8 , 1 1 9 )
■Warning messages and buzzers for dynamic radar cruise control
Warning messages and buzzers are used to indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need fo r caution while driving. (P. 5 4 5 )
Grille cover
Radar sensor
1
2

2434-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
WA R N I N G
■Situations unsuitable for dynamic radar cruise control
Do not use dynamic radar cruise control in any of the following situations.
Doing so may result in inappropriate speed control and could cause an accident result-
ing in death or serious injury.
●Roads where there are pedestrians, cyclers, etc.
●In heavy traffic
●On roads with sharp bends
●On winding roads
●On slippery roads, such as thos e covered with rain, ice or snow
●On steep downhills, or where there are sudden changes between sharp up and down
gradients
Vehicle speed may exceed the set speed when driving down a steep hill.
●At entrances to freeways and highways
●When weather conditions are bad enough that they may prevent the sensors from
detecting correctly (fog, snow, sandstorm, heavy rain, etc.)
●When an approach warning buzzer is heard often
●During emergency towing

2454-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
WA R N I N G
●When water or snow thrown up by the surrounding vehicles hinders the detecting of
the sensor
●Motorcycles traveling in the same lane
●When your vehicle is pointing upwards
(caused by a heavy load in the trunk, etc.)

2524-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RCF_U (OM24636U)
●When sunlight or the headlights of oncoming vehicles are shining directly into the cam-
era lens
●When driving on roads that are branching or merging
●When driving on a road surface that is wet du e to rain, previous rainfall, standing water,
etc.
●When the vehicle experiences strong up-and -down motion such as when driving on an
extremely rough road or on a seam in the pavement
●When headlight brightness at nighttime is reduced due to dirt on the lenses, or when
the headlights are misaligned
●When driving on winding roads or roads that are uneven
●When driving on rough or unpaved roads
■When changing the tires
Depending on the tires used, sufficient performance may not be maintainable.
■Warning messages for the LDA system
Warning messages are used to indicate a syst em malfunction or to inform the driver of
the need for caution while driving. ( P. 545)
WA R N I N G
■Before using the LDA system
Do not rely solely on the LDA system. The LDA system does not drive the vehicle auto-
matically, nor does it reduce the amount of care you need to take. As such, the driver
must always assume full responsibility for understanding his/her surroundings, for
operating the steering wheel to correct the driving line, and for driving safely.
Inappropriate or negligent drivin g could lead to an accident.
■To avoid operating the LDA by mistake
Switch the LDA system off using the LDA switch when not in use.
■Situations unsuitable for LDA system
Do not use the LDA system in any of the following situations.
Otherwise, the system may not function correctly and could result in an accident.
●When driving with tire chains, a spare tire, or similar equipment
●When there are objects or structures along the roadside that might be misinterpreted
as lane markers (such as guardrails, a curb, reflector posts, etc.)
●When driving on snowy roads
●When pavement lane markers are difficult to see due to rain, snow, fog, sand, dirt, etc.
●When there are visible lines on the pavement from road repairs, or if the remains of
old lane markers are still visible on the road
●When driving on a road with lane closures due to maintenance, or when driving in a
temporary lane