2017 LEXUS RC300H Owners Manual

5298-1. Essential information
8
When trouble arises
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
Steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet and firmly depress it.
Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort required to slow the vehicle.
Shift the shift lever to N.
If the shift lever is shifted to N
After slowing down, stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Stop the hybrid system.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted to N
Keep depressing the brake pedal with both feet to reduce vehicle speed as
much as possible.
To stop the hybrid system, press and
hold the power switch for 2 consec-
utive seconds or more, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in succes-
sion.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency
Only in an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in
the normal way, stop the vehicle using the following procedure:
1
2
3
4
3
Press and hold for 2 seconds or more
or press briefly 3 times or more
4
WARNING
■If the hybrid system has to be turned off while driving
Power assist for the steering wheel will be lost, making the steering wheel heavier to turn. Decelerate as much as possible before turning off the hybrid system.
5

530
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
The following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact any
authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped pro-
fessional or commercial towing service before towing.
●A warning message for the hybrid system is shown on the multi-information
display and the vehicle does not move.
●The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
If your vehicle needs to be towed
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by any
authorized Lexus dealer or repairer , or another duly qualified and equipped
professional or commercial towing se rvice, using a wheel-lift type truck or
flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towing , and abide by all state/provincial and
local laws.
Situations when it is necessary to contact dealers before towing

5318-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
Do not tow with a sling-type truck to
prevent body damage.
Towing with a sling-type truck
Towing with a wheel -lift type truck
From the frontFrom the rear
Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
Use a towing dolly under the front
wheels.

5328-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
If your vehicle is transported by a flat-
bed truck, it should be tied down at the
locations shown in the illustration.
If you use chains or cables to tie down
your vehicle, the angles shaded in black
must be 45 .
Do not overly tighten the tie downs or
the vehicle may be damaged.
If a tow truck is not available in an emergency, your vehicle may be temporarily
towed using cables or chains secured to the emergency towing eyelets. This
should only be attempted on hard surfaced roads for short distances at under 30
km/h (18 mph).
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The vehicle’s
wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in good condition.
Using a flatbed truck
Emergency towing

5338-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
Take out the towing eyelet. (P. 565)
Remove the eyelet cover using a flathead screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a rag betw een the screwdriver and the vehicle body as shown in the illustration.
Insert the towing eyelet into the hole
and tighten partially by hand.
Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench
or hard metal bar.
Securely attach cables or chains to the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
Enter the vehicle being towed and start the hybrid system.
If the hybrid system does not start, turn the power switch to ON mode.
Shift the shift lever to N and release the parking brake.
When the shift lever cannot be shifted: P. 227
Emergency towing procedure
1
2
Except F SPORT modelsF SPORT models
3
4
5
6
7

5348-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
■While towing
If the hybrid system is off, the power assist for the brakes and steering will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench
Wheel nut wrench is installed in trunk. ( P. 565)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
■While towing
●When towing using cables or chains, avoid sudden starts, etc. which place excessivestress on the towing eyelets, cables or ch ains. The towing eyelets, cables or chains may become damaged, broken debris ma y hit people, and cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the power switch off. There is a possibility that the steering wheel is locked and cannot be operated.
■Installing towing eyelets to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelets are installed securely. If not securely installed, towing ey elets may come loose during towing.
Be sure to transport the vehicle with all four wheels raised off the ground. If the vehicle is
towed with the tires contacting the ground, the drivetrain and related parts may be damaged,an accident may occur due to a change in
direction of the vehicle or electricity generated by the operation of the motor may cause a fireto occur depending on the nature of the dam-
age or malfunction.

5358-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing using a wheel-lift type truck
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear when the power switch is off. The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at the oppo-site end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the vehicle could be dam-aged while being towed.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the suspension components.

5368-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle.
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●Engine coolant temperature gauge continually points higher than normal.
●Changes in exhaust sound
●Excessive tire squeal when cornering
●Strange noises related to the suspension system
●Pinging or other noises related to the hybrid system
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
●Appreciable loss of power
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy fe eling, pedal almost touches the floor
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably needs
adjustment or repair. Contact any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified an d equipped professional as soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms