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1842-1. Driving procedures
■
Situations in which EV driv e mode cannot be turned on
It may not be possible to turn EV drive mode on in the following situations. If it can-
not be turned on, a buzzer will sound and a message will be shown on the multi-
information display. ●
The temperature of the hybrid system is high.
The vehicle has been left in the sun, driv en on a hill, driven at high speeds, etc.●
The temperature of the hybrid system is low.
The vehicle has been left in extremely low temperatures for a long period of
time etc.●
The gasoline engine is warming up.●
The hybrid battery (traction battery) is low.●
Vehicle speed is about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more.●
The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly or the vehicle is on a hill etc.●
The windshield defogger is in use.■
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 mo de is canceled, a buzzer will sound and
the EV drive mode indicator will flash and go off. ●
The hybrid battery (traction battery) becomes low.●
Vehicle speed becomes more than about 25 mph (40 km/h).
If engine coolant temperature is low, EV drive mode may be canceled when
vehicle speed is below 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
In EV drive mode, it is possible to drive up about 1 /2 mile (1 km) if driving at a speed
of about 25 mph (40 km/h) or less.
(The distance that is possible depends on the hybrid battery [traction battery] level
and driving conditions.)
■
Fuel economy
RX450h is designed to achieve the best po ssible fuel economy during normal driv-
ing (using the gasoline engine and electric motor [traction motor]). Driving in EV
drive mode more than necessary may lower fuel economy.
Page 197 of 878
1972
When driving 2-2. Instrument cluster
Gauges and meters
Hybrid System Indicator Displays hybrid system power output and regenerative charging level
ECO lamp and SPORT lamp Changes colors according to driving mode
Speedometer Displays the vehicle speed
Fuel gauge Displays the quantity of fuel remaining in the tank
Multi-information display Presents the driver with a variety of driving-related data ( P. 2 0 6 )
Odometer and trip meter
Odometer: Displays the total distance the vehicle has been driven
Trip meter: Displays the distance the vehicle has been driven since the
meter was last reset. Trip meters “A” and “B” can be used to
record and display different distances independently.
Shift position and shift range display
Displays the selected shift position or selected shift range ( P. 1 8 6 )
Engine coolant temperature gauge
Displays the engine coolant temperature
Page 200 of 878
2002-2. Instrument cluster
NOTICE■
To prevent damage to the engine and its components
The engine may be overheating if the engi ne coolant temperature gauge is in the
red zone (H). In this case, immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place, and check
the engine after it has cooled completely. ( P. 7 8 8 )
Page 302 of 878

3022-5. Driving information
Winter driving tips Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before driving the
vehicle in winter. Always drive the ve hicle in a manner appropriate to the
prevailing weather conditions.
■ Pre-winter preparations
● Use fluids that are appropria te to the prevailing outside tempera-
tures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Power control unit coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have a service technician inspect the condition of the 12-volt bat-
tery.
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set of
tire chains for the front tires. Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains match
the size of the tires.
■ Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following accord ing to the driving conditions:
● Do not try to forcibly open a w indow or move a wiper that is fro-
zen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice. Wipe
away the water immediately to prevent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of the climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumu lated on the air inlet vents in
front of the windshield.
● Check for and remove any exce ss ice or snow that may have
accumulated on the exterior lights, vehicle's roof, chassis, around
the tires or on the brakes.
● Remove any snow or mud from the bottom of your shoes before
getting in the vehicle.
Page 317 of 878

3172-5. Driving information
2
When driving ● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before making a
turn.
● Note that when making a turn, the tr ailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of th e turn. Compensate by making a
wider than normal turning radius.
● Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery sur-
faces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
● Take care when passing other vehi cles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of your
trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changing lanes.
● To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not put the transmission in D.
● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or long
downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long downhill
grades.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes
too frequently. This could cause th e brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when driving up a
long or steep grade. If the eng ine coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off th e air conditioning (if in use), pull
your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot. ( P. 7 8 8 )
Page 643 of 878
6434-2. Maintenance
4
Maintenance and care General maintenance
Engine compartment Items Check points
Brake fluid Is the brake fluid at the correct level?
( P. 6 6 2 )
Coolant Is the coolant at the correct level?
( P. 6 5 9 )
Engine oil Is the engine oil at the correct level?
( P. 6 5 6 )
Exhaust system There should not be any fumes or
strange sounds.
Radiator/condenser/hoses The radiator and condenser should
be free from foreign objects.
( P. 6 6 1 )
Wa s h e r f l u i d Is there sufficient washer fluid?
( P. 663)Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be performed
at the intervals specified in the “Warranty and Service Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”. It is recomme nded that any problem you notice
should be brought to the attention of your Lexus dealer or qualified service
shop for advice.
Page 648 of 878
6484-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions If you perform maintenance by yourself, be sure to follow the correct pro-
cedures as given in these sections.
Items Pa r t s a n d t o o l s
12-volt battery condition ( P. 664
) •Grease
• Conventional wrench
(for terminal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level ( P. 6 6 2 ) • FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE
J1703 brake fluid
•Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake
fluid)
Engine/power control unit coolant
level ( P. 6 5 9 ) • “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or a similar high quality ethylene
glycol based non-silicate, non-
amine, non-nitrite and non-borate
coolant with long-life hybrid
organic acid technology.
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
is pre-mixed with 50% coolant and
50% deionized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
is pre-mixed with 55% coolant and
45% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding cool-
ant)
Page 650 of 878

6504-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
CAUTIONThe engine compartment contains many mechanisms and fluids that may move sud-
denly, become hot, or become electrically energized. To avoid death or serious injury,
observe the following precautions: ■
When working on the engine compartment ●
Make sure that the indicator on the “POWER” switch and the “READY” indicator
are both off.●
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fans and engine drive belt.●
Be careful not to touch the engine, power control unit, radiator, exhaust manifold,
etc. right after driving as they may be hot. Oil and other fluids may also be hot.●
Do not leave anything that may burn easi ly, such as paper and rags, in the engine
compartment.●
Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel. Fuel fumes are flam-
mable■
When working near the electric cooling fans or radiator grille
Be sure the “POWER” switch is off.
With the “POWER” switch in ON mode, the electric cooling fans may automati-
cally start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature is high.
( P. 6 6 1 )■
Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc. from getting
in your eyes.
NOTICE■
If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive engine wear due to
dirt in the air.