
193
4Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle ...................... 194
Cargo and luggage ...................202
Trailer towing (vehicles without a towing
package) .....................................203
Trailer towing (vehicles with a towing package) ..................204
4-2. Driving procedures Power (ignition) switch.............. 212
EV drive mode ..............................217
Hybrid transmission ................... 219
Turn signal lever ..........................225
Parking brake............................... 227
ASC (Active Sound Control) ........228
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ......................... 229
Automatic High Beam ............. 232
Fog light switch............................ 236
Windshield w ipers and washer.................................238
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap...... 246 4-5. Using the driving support
systems
Cruise control .............................250
Dynamic radar cruise control ......................................... 254
LDA (Lane Departure Alert) ........ 270
Lexus parking assist-sensor............................... 276
Rear view monitor system .......................................... 283
Driving mode select switch ........................................... 293
Driving assist systems............... 296
PCS (Pre-Crash Safety system) ........................................ 302
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) ...... 310 •The Blind Spot Monitor function ..................................... 315
•The Rear Crossing Traffic Alert function .............317
4-6. Driving tips Hybrid vehicle driving tips..................................320
Winter driving tips ..................... 322

1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. (→P. 2 9 6 )
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, becaus e visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, beca use 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.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving. This is due
to automatic up-shifting control or down-shi fting implementation to meet driving condi-
tions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
●When the accelerator pedal is released
●When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected
■Restraining the hybrid system output (Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the hybrid sys-
tem output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the mult i-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.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recommended:
●For the first 300 km (186 miles):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 800 km (500 miles):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 km (621 miles):
• 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.
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parkin g brake system. This type of brake system
needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified and equipped professional, perform the bedding down operation.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. ( →P. 5 8 0 )

2174-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
Turns EV drive mode on/off
When EV drive mode is turned on, “EV
MODE” will be displayed on the multi-
information display. Pressing the switch
when in EV drive mode will return the
vehicle to normal driving (using the gas-
oline engine and electric motor [traction
motor]).
■Situations in which EV drive mode cannot be turned on
It may not be possible to turn EV drive mode on in the following situations. If it cannot be
turned on, a buzzer will sound and a message will be shown on the multi-information dis-
play.
●The temperature of the hybrid system is high.
The vehicle has been left in the sun, driven on a hill, driven at high speeds, etc.
●The temperature of the hybrid system is low.
The vehicle has been left in temperatures lower than about 0 °C (32 °F) for a long
period of time etc.
●The gasoline engine is warming up.
●The hybrid battery (traction battery) is low.
The remaining battery level indicated in the “Energy monitor” display is low.
(→ P. 1 2 2 )
●Vehicle speed is about 45 km/h (28 mph) or more.
●The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly or the vehicle is on a hill, etc.
●The windshield defogger is in use.
EV drive mode
In EV drive mode the electric motor (traction motor), powered by the hybrid
battery (traction battery), is used to drive the vehicle.
This mode allows you to drive in residential areas early in the morning and late
at night, or in indoor parking lots etc. without concern for noises and gas emis-
sions.

2304-3. Operating the lights and wipers
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
This system allows the headlights and front position lights to be turned on for 30
seconds when the power switch is off.
Pull the lever toward you and release it
with the light switch is in or
after turning the power switch off.
Pull the lever toward you and release it
again to turn off the lights.
■Daytime running light system
To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers during daytime driving, the daytime
running lights turn on automatically whenever the hybrid system is started with the head-
light switch off or in the “AUTO” position and the parking brake is released. (Illuminate
brighter than the front position lights.) Dayt ime running lights are not designed for use at
night.
■Headlight control sensor
■Automatic light off system
●When the light switch is in or : The he adlights and front fog lights turn off auto-
matically if the power switch is turned to ACCESSORY mode or turned off.
●When the light switch is in : The headlights and all lights turn off automatically if the
power switch is turned to ACCESSORY mode or turned off.
To turn the lights on again, turn the power swit ch to ON mode, or turn the light switch off
once and then back to or .
Follow me home system
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on the sensor, or anything that
blocks the sensor is affixed to the windshield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor detecting
the level of ambient light and may cause the
automatic headlight system to malfunction.

2344-3. Operating the lights and wipers
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
■The Automatic High Beam can be operated when
The power switch is in ON mode.
■Camera sensor detection information
●High beam may not be automatically turned off in the following situations:
• When oncoming vehicles suddenly 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 repeatedcurves, road dividers or roadside trees
●High beam may be turned off if an oncomi ng vehicle that is using fog lights without
using the headlights is detected.
●House lights, street lights, red traffic sign als, 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 bicycles, 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 th ose 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 intermittently 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 repeatedly 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.
• The vehicle is used in a territory in which vehicles travel on the opposite side of the
road of the country for which the vehicle is approved, for example using a vehicle
designed for right-hand traffic in a left-hand traffic territory, or vice versa.