1674-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (P. 1 9 8 )
Pull the parking brake switch and parking brake is set manually. ( P. 2 0 5 )
Release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to acceler-
ate the vehicle.
Press the parking brake switch and parking brake is released manually.
( P. 2 0 5 )
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist co ntrol will activate. (P. 2 9 7 )
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged-up, and th e road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, becau se 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 indica te 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 engine output (Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the engine
output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the multi-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.
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control)
●When the following unusual operation is performed, the engine 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 M) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on
the multi-information display. If a warning message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display, read the message and follow the instructions.
• When the accelerator pedal is depresse d too while the vehicle is in reverse.
●While Drive-Start Control is being activate d, your vehicle may have trouble escaping
from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRAC ( P. 299) to cancel Drive-
Start Control so that the vehicle may become able to escape from the mud or fresh
snow.
Starting off on an uphill
1
2
3
4
1694-1. Before driving
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Driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
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 engine running. 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 difficulty in operat-
ing 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.
●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 engine. Turning the engine off while driving
will not cause loss of steering or braking co ntrol, but the power assist to these systems
will be lost. This will make it more difficul t to steer and brake, so you should pull over
and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way: P. 5 4 1
●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 9 8 )
●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.
●AWD models: Do not drive the vehicle off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle designed for of f-road driving. Proceed with all due cau-
tion if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road.
●Do not drive across a river or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic components to short circuit, damage the engine or
cause other serious damage to 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.
1704-1. Before driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your
ability to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle , lightly depress the brake pedal to make sure that the
brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on only on e side are wet and not functioning properly,
steering control may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll
forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an acciden t or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the engine.
Engine braking is not available when N is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to any position other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid
acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious
injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those
of the brake discs are exceeded.
1724-1. Before driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
WA R N I N G
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to engine over-
heating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust gases
may collect and enter the vehicle, leadin g to death or a serious health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause one side of
the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the parking brake may not
securely hold the vehicle.
●If the power brake assist system does not op erate, do not follow other vehicles closely
and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is st ill possible, but the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distan ce will increase. Have your brakes fixed
immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2 individual hy draulic systems; if one of the systems fails,
the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual and the braking distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed imme-
diately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage th e driveline components or propel the vehi-
cle forward or backward, causing an accident.
1794-1. Before driving
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Driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
Trailer towing (vehicles with towing package)
Contact your Lexus dealer for further information about additional requirements
such as a towing kit, etc.
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger-and-load-carrying vehicle.
Towing a trailer can have an adverse impact on handling, performance, brak-
ing, durability, and fuel consumption. Fo r your safety and the safety of others,
you must not overload your vehicle or trailer. You must also ensure that you
are using appropriate towing equipment, that the towing equipment has been
installed correctly and used properly, and that you employ the requisite driv-
ing habits.
Vehicle-trailer stability and braking pe rformance are affected by trailer sta-
bility, brake performance and setting, tr ailer brakes, the hitch and hitch sys-
tems (if equipped).
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme ca re and drive the vehicle in accordance
with your trailer’s characteristics and operating conditions.
Lexus warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction caused by towing a
trailer for commer cial purposes.
1814-1. Before driving
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Driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
■TWR (Trailer Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross trailer
weight. The gross trailer weight is
the sum of the trailer weight and the
weight of the cargo in the trailer.
TWR is calculated assuming base
vehicle with one driver, one front
passenger, towing package (if avail-
able), hitch and hitch systems (if
required).
Additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the vehicle will reduce the
trailer weight rating so as not to exceed GCWR, GVWR and GAWR.
■Unbraked TWR (Unbraked Trailer Weight Rating)
The trailer weight rating for towing a
trailer without a trailer service brake
system.
■To n g u e We i g h t
The load placed on the trailer hitch
ball. ( P. 1 8 3 )
(With brakes)
(Without brakes)
1824-1. Before driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
●The gross trailer weight must never exceed 2000 lb. (910 kg).
●The gross combination weight must never exceed the following:
2WD models: 6306 lb. (2860 kg)
AWD models: 6416 lb. (2910 kg)
●The gross vehicle weight must never
exceed the GVWR indicated on the
Certification Label.
●The gross axle weight on each axle
must never exceed the GAWR indi-
cated on the Certification Label.
●If the gross trailer weight is over the unbraked TWR, trailer service brakes are
required.
Confirm that the gross trailer weight, gross combination weight, gross vehicle
weight, gross axle weight and tongue weight are all within the limits.
■GCWR*
2WD models: 6306 lb. (2860 kg)
AWD models: 6416 lb. (2910 kg)
■TWR*
2000 lb. (910 kg)
■Unbraked TWR*
1000 lb. (450 kg)
*: These models meet the tow-vehicle traile ring requirement of SAE International per
SAE J2807.
Weight limits
GCWR, TWR and Unbraked TWR
1854-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NX200t_OM_USA_OM78081U
●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 your hand to the right to move the trailer to right. (This
is generally opposite to reversing without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or
prolonged turning. Have someone guid e you when reversing to reduce the
risk of an accident.
●As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to vehicle dis-
tance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of speed, allow at least
one vehicle and trailer length.
●Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, re sulting in the trailer jackknifing and a
loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
●Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before making turn.
●Note that when making a turn, the traile r wheels will be closer than the vehicle
wheels to the inside of the turn. Comp ensate by making a wider than normal
turning radius.
●Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery surfaces,
etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
●Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires considerable dis-
tance. 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 performance
when using engine braking, do not put th e transmission in D. If in the M mode,
the transmission shift range position must be in 4 or lower. ( P. 1 9 8 )
●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 fre-
quently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced braking
efficiency.
●Due to the added load of the trailer, yo ur 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 engine coolant temperat ure gauge indicates overheating, imme-
diately turn off the air cond itioning (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. ( P. 5 8 4 )