2015 LEXUS RX450h steering wheel

1802-1. Driving procedures
■
Note for the entry function
 P. 6 3■
If the hybrid system does not start
The immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (  P. 1 2 4 )
Contact your Lexus dealer.■
Steering lock
After turning the “POWER” switch off and opening and closing the doors, the
steering wheel will be locked due to th e steering lock function. Operating the
“POWER” switch again automatically cancels the steering lock.■
When the steering lock cannot be released
■
Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from overheating, the motor may be suspended
if the hybrid system is turned on and off re peatedly in a short period of time. In this
case, refrain from operating the hybrid sy stem. After about 2 seconds, the steering
lock motor will resume functioning.■
When the “POWER” switch indicator flashes in amber
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus
dealer immediately.■
If the “READY” indicator does not come on
If the “READY” indicator does not come on when you press the “POWER” switch
with the shift lever in P and the brake pe dal depressed, contact your Lexus dealer
immediately.
■
If the hybrid system is malfunctioning
 P. 74 4
■
If the electronic key battery is depleted
 P. 6 8 7 The green indicator light on the “POWER”
switch will flash and a message will be shown
on the multi-information display. Press the
“POWER” switch again while turning the
steering wheel left and right.

2472-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving CAUTION■
Conditions under which the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control may not function
correctly
Apply the brakes as necessary in the foll owing 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 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 co rrectly 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 your Lexus dealer.●
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.

2642-4. Using other driving systems
■
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 imag es 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.

2712-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving 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
■ TRAC (Traction Control) Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
■ Hill-start assist control  P. 2 76
■ EPS (Electric Power Steering) Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel
■ VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) Provides integrated control of the ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC, hill-start
assist control, and EPS systems.
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling the brakes and hybrid system output.
■ PCS (Pre-Collision System) (if equipped)
 P. 2 7 8
■ BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if equipped)
 P. 2 8 6

2732-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving ■ Turning off both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC sys-
tems off, press and hold the switch
for 3 seconds or more while the
vehicle is stopped. A message will be shown on the
multi-information display and VSC
off indicator light will come on.
Press the switch again to turn the
systems back on.■
When the message is displayed on the multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if the VSC off switch has not been pressed
TRAC and hill-start assist control cannot be operated. Contact your Lexus dealer.■
Sounds and vibrations caused by th e ABS, VSC, TRAC and brake assist ●
A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the hybrid system 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 s lightly 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 TRAC /VSC systems
Turning off the hybrid system after turning off the TRAC/VSC systems will automat-
ically reactivate them.

2742-4. Using other driving systems
■
Reactivation of the TRAC sy stem linked to vehicle speed
When only the TRAC system is turned off, the TRAC system will turn on when vehi-
cle speed increases. However, when both TRAC 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 in put 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 hybrid system off. The EPS system
should return to normal within 10 minutes.
CAUTION■
The ABS does not operate effectively when ●
The limits of tire gripping performance have been exceeded (such as excessively
worn tires on a snow covered road).●
The vehicle hydroplanes while driving at high speed on a wet or slick road.■
Stopping distance when the ABS is operating may exceed that of normal condi-
tions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the vehicle’s stopping dist ance. Always main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in fron t of you, especially in the following situa-
tions: ●
When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-covered roads●
When driving with tire chains●
When driving over bumps in the road●
When driving over roads with potholes or roads with uneven surfaces■
TRAC may not operate effectively when
Directional control and power may not be ac hievable while driving on slippery road
surfaces, even if the TRAC system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in conditions where stability and power may be lost.

2942-5. Driving information
■
Additional information for off-road driving
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your vehicle off-road, consult
the following organizations. ●
State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments●
State Motor Vehicle Bureau●
Recreational Vehicle Clubs●
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
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 wh en 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 te rrain, 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.

3162-5. Driving information
Trailer towing tips
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid an
accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when towing:
● Speed limits for towing a trailer va ry by state or province. Do not
exceed the posted towing speed limit.
● Lexus recommends that the vehicle-trailer speed limit is 65 mph (104
km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this limit, the posted
towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your
trailer owner’s manual, whichever is lowest. Instability of the towing
vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increases as speed increases.
Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of control.
● Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-trailer
connections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with th e trailer attached in an
area away from traffic until you be come accustomed to the feel of the
vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move yo ur hand to the right to move the
trailer to the right. (This is gene rally opposite to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone
guide you when reversing to redu ce the risk of an accident.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-
vehicle distance should be increas ed. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length.
● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jackknif-
ing and a loss of vehicle control. Th is is especially true on wet or slip-
pery surfaces.
● Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.