Page 201 of 692

201
4Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle .....................202
Cargo and luggage ...................209
Trailer towing (vehicles
without a towing
package) ...................................... 210
Trailer towing (vehicles with
a towing package) ..................... 211
4-2. Driving procedures
Power (ignition) switch ............. 219
EV drive mode ............................ 224
Hybrid transmission .................. 226
Turn signal lever .........................233
Parking brake ..............................235
ASC
(Active Sound Control)........ 236
4-3. Operating the lights
and wipers
Headlight switch ......................... 237
Automatic High Beam .............240
Fog light switch ........................... 244
Windshield wipers and
washer .........................................245
4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap......253
4-5. Using the driving support
systems
Lexus Safety System+ .............. 257
PCS (Pre-Collision
System) ....................................... 265
LDA (Lane Departure Alert
with steering control) ............ 279
RSA (Road Sign Assist) ..........288
Dynamic radar cruise
control ......................................... 293
Cruise control .............................305
Lexus parking
assist-sensor..............................309
Lexus parking assist
monitor ......................................... 318
BSM
(Blind Spot Moni tor) ............. 334
• BSM function.........................340
• RCTA function...................... 343
Driving mode select
switch ...........................................348
Driving assist systems .............. 352
4-6. Driving tips
Hybrid vehicle
driving tips..................................358
Winter driving tips ...................... 361
Page 202 of 692

202
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
4-1. Before driving
P. 219
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. ( P. 226)
Release the parking brake. ( P. 235)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal
to accelerate the vehicle.
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift the shift lever to P. ( P. 226)
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake ( P. 235), and shift the shift lever to P (P. 226).
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
Press the power switch to stop the hybrid system.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on your person.
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving:
Starting the hybrid system
Driving
Stopping
Parking the vehicle
Starting off on a steep uphill
1
2
3
1
2
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
Page 203 of 692

2034-1. Before driving
4
Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. ( P. 352)
■For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles are simila r to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary
to refrain from activities su ch as sudden acceleration. (P. 358)
■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, because 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.
■Restraining the hybrid system ou tput (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 displaye d 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 S) with the acce lerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on the multi-information display. ( P. 595)
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed t oo much while the vehicle is in reverse.
●While Drive-Start Control is being activated, your vehicle may have trouble escaping
from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRC ( P. 354) to cancel Drive-
Start Control so that the vehicle may become able to escape from the mud or fresh snow.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observin g 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.
Page 204 of 692

2044-1. Before driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
■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 peri odically or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have any au thorized Lexus retailer or Lexus authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer, perform the bedding down operation.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehi cle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. ( P. 646)
WARNING
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 the 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 po sture even when moving the vehicle only
slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay re sponse 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 v ehicle’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. 567
●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. 226)
Page 205 of 692

2054-1. Before driving
4
Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
●Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside rearview mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Always check that all passeng ers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body are not outside the vehicle.
■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, depress the brake pedal to make sure that the brakes
are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from functioning
properly. If the brakes on only one 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 result in an acci dent 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 D 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 hybrid sys- tem. Engine braking is not av ailable 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 accelera- tion of the vehicle that may cause an accide nt and result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by any authorized Lexus retailer or Lexus authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Moderate levels of brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced braking power. As a
result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional brake discs. Therefore, when replacing the brake pads, Lexus recommends that you also have the thickness of the
discs measured.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.
Page 206 of 692

2064-1. Before driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.If the shift lever is in any position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the ve hicle rolling away, always keep depressing the brake pedal while stopped with the “REA DY” indicator is illuminated, and apply
the parking brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or r acing the engine. Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause the exhaust
system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehicle
when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may ca use the plastic lenses and plastic mate-
rial of glasses to deform or crack. • Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the
vehicle, and may also cause a short circui t in the vehicle’s electrical components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a place such as
the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when luggage is loaded or the
seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place containers
such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs or con-
tainers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window open if th e curved glass is coated with a metallized
film such as a silver-colored one. Reflecte d sunlight may cause the glass to act as a
lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid system and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended whil e the “READY” indicator is illuminated. If the vehicle is parked with the shift leve r in P but the parking brake is not set, the
vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “R EADY” indicator is illuminated or imme-
diately after turning the hybrid system off. Doing so may cause burns.
Page 207 of 692

2074-1. Before driving
4
Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
WARNING
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 hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to hybrid system
overheating. Additiona lly, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the vehicle, lead ing 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 electronically controlled brake system does not operate, do not follow other vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, bu t the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distan ce will increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2 or more indi vidual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other(s) 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 immediately.
Page 208 of 692

2084-1. Before driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D89E)
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain the hybrid system output.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is
accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damaging
the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (P. 610, 625)
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded af ter heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to have
any authorized Lexus retailer or Lexus auth orized repairer, or any reliable repairer
check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid transmis-
sion, differential, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the pr opeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.