2016 Lexus GS450h traction control

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11
The SRS airbag and seat belt pretensioner devices in your Lexus contain explosive
chemicals. If the vehicle is scrapped with the airbags and seat belt pretensioners left as
they are, this may cause an accident such as fire. Be sure to have the systems of the SRS
airbag and seat belt pretensioner removed an d disposed of by a qualified service shop or
by your Lexus dealer before you scrap your vehicle.
Special handling may apply, See www.dts c.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Your vehicle has components that may contain perchlorate. These components may
include airbag, seat belt pretensioners, and wireless remote control batteries.
Scrapping of your Lexus
Perchlorate Material
WA R N I N G
■General precautions while driving
Driving under the influence: Never drive your vehicle when under the influence of
alcohol or drugs that have im paired your ability to operate your vehicle. Alcohol and
certain drugs delay reaction time, impair judgment and reduce coordination, which
could lead to an accident that could result in death or serious injury.
Defensive driving: Always drive defensively. Anticipate mistakes that other drivers or
pedestrians might make and be ready to avoid accidents.
Driver distraction: Always give your full atte ntion to driving. Anything that distracts the
driver, such as adjusting controls, talking on a cellular phone or reading can result in a
collision with resulting death or serious in jury to you, your occupants or others.
■General precaution regarding children’s safety
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle, and never allow children to have or use
the key.
Children may be able to start the vehicle or sh ift the vehicle into neutral. There is also a
danger that children may injure themselves by playing with the windows, the moon
roof, or other features of the vehicle. In addition, heat build-up or extremely cold tem-
peratures inside the vehicl e can be fatal to children.

701-2. Hybrid system
GS450h_OM_OM30E99U_(U)
Hybrid system precautions
The illustration is an example for explanation and may differ from the actual item.
There are air intake vents on the both
sides of the rear seatback for the pur-
pose of cooling the hybrid battery
(traction battery). If the vents become
blocked, the hybrid battery may over-
heat, leading to a reduction in hybrid
battery output.
Take care when handling the hybrid system, as it is a high voltage system
(about 650 V at maximum) as well as contains parts that become extremely
hot when the hybrid system is operating. Obey the warning labels attached to
the vehicle.
Warning label
Power control unit
Electric motor (traction motor)
Hybrid battery (traction battery) Service plug
High voltage cables (orange)
Air conditioning compressor
Hybrid battery (traction battery) air intake vents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

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2. Instrument cluster
■Remote Touch screen
Press the “MENU” button on the Remote Touch, then select on the
“Menu” screen, and then select “Fuel Consumption”.
If the “Trip Information” or “Past Record” screen is displayed, select “Energy”.
■Multi-information display
Press or of the meter control switches and select , and then press
or to select the energy monitor display.
Energy monitor
Remote Touch screen Multi-information display
When the vehicle is powered by the electric motor (traction motor)
When the vehicle is powered by both the gasoline engine and the electric motor (trac-
tion motor)
When the vehicle is powered by the gasoline engine

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1694-1. Before driving
4
Driving
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 a difficulty in oper-
ating 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.
●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. 3 9 3
●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. 1 8 7 )
●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.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Ev en if the legal speed limit 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.

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1914-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■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 other than D
■Downshifting restrictions 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 th e power switch is turned off after driving in
snow mode.
■When driving with cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range
activated
Even when performing the following actions with the intent of enabling engine braking,
engine braking will not activate because cruise control, dynamic radar cruise control or
dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range will not be canceled.
●While driving in the D position or S mode, downshifting to 7, 6, 5 or 4. ( P. 2 4 1 , 2 5 3 )
●When switching the driving mode to sport mode while driving in D position. ( P. 2 5 6 )
■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. ( P. 4 0 6 )
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed to o much while the vehicle is in reverse.
■If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
P. 448
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.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction battery) charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid batter y (traction battery) will not be charged even
when the engine is running. Therefore, if the ve hicle is left with the shift lever in N for a
long period of time, the hybrid battery (tr action battery) will discharge, and this may
result in the vehicle not being able to start.

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4-5. Using the driving support systems
Driving assist systems
◆ECB (Electronically Controlled Brake System)
The electronically controlled system generates braking force corresponding
to the brake operation
◆ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the brakes are applied suddenly, or if the
brakes are applied while drivin g 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
◆Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control) (if equipped)
Provides cooperative control of the ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering performance.
◆TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following systems oper-
ate 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.

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4-5. Using the driving support systems
The slip indicator light will flash while
the TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are
operating.
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow, the TRAC system may reduce
power from the hybrid system to the wheels. Pressing to turn the system off
may make it easier for rock the vehicle in order to free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly
press and release .
The “Traction Control Turned Off” will
be shown on the multi-information dis-
play.
Press again to turn the system back
on.
When the TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are operating
Disabling the TRAC system

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2694-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
■Turning off both TRAC/VSC systems
To turn the TRAC/VSC systems off, press and hold for more than 3 seconds while
the vehicle is stopped.The VSC OFF indicator light will come on an d the “Traction Control Turned Off” will
be shown on the multi-information display.
*
Press again to turn the systems back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision System), pre-collision brake assist and pre-col-
lision braking steering control (perform ed through cooperative control of PCS
[Pre-Collision System] and LDH) (if equipped) will also be disabled. The PCS (Pre-
Collision System) warning light will come on and a message will be displayed on the
multi-information display. ( P. 4 0 6 )
■When the message is displayed on the mu lti-information display showing that TRAC
has been disabled even if has not been pressed
TRAC and hill-start assist control cannot be operated. Contact your Lexus dealer.
■VGRS is disabled when
VGRS may stop operating in the following situations.
In this event, the steering wheel may move fr om its straight forward position, but it will
return when the system restarts.
●The steering wheel is operated for an extended period of time while the vehicle is
stopped or is moving very slowly.
●When force is continuously app lied for a long time with the steering wheel turned as far
as it will go.
The center position of the steering wheel may change when VGRS is disabled. However,
the position will return to normal after VGRS is reactivated.
■When the 12-volt battery is disconnected
The steering wheel may move fr om its straight forward position, but this will be corrected
automatically when driving.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, VSC, Hill-start assist control,
TRAC and VGRS systems
Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are operating. 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 slight ly after the ABS is activated.
●The brake pedal may move down slig htly after the ABS is activated.