2274-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (P. 251)
Pull the parking brake switch and parking brake is set manually. (P. 260)
Release the brake pedal and gently depr ess the accelerator pedal to acceler-
ate the vehicle.
Press the parking brake switch and pa rking brake is released manually.
( P. 260)
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist co ntrol will activate. (P. 422)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows may become fogged-up, and the 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.
■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 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 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.
■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 warnin g message is shown on the multi-informa- tion display, read the messag e and follow the instructions. • When the accelerator pedal is depressed too while the vehicle is in reverse.
●While Drive-Start Control is being activated, your vehicle may have trouble escapingfrom the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRC (P. 424) to cancel Drive-
Start Control so that the vehicle may become able to escape from the mud or fresh snow.
Starting off on a uphill
1
2
3
4
2294-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
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 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 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 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 the brake and accelerator pedals properly.• Depress the brake pedal using your right 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 control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult 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. 657
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a steep
hill. Using the brakes continuously may caus e the brakes to overheat and lose effec- tiveness. ( P. 251)
●Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, 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 o ff-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.
2304-1. Before driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
WARNING
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 brak e pads may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning 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 cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an accident 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 othe r 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.
2344-1. Before driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, as this may restrain driving torque.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at thesame time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift the sh ift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal isaccidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for anextended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road, driv e as slowly as possible to avoid damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
●RX200t: Make sure to idle the engine immediately after high speed driving or hillclimbing. Stop the engine only after the turbocharger has cooled down.Failure to do so may cause damage to the turbocharger.
■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. 679, 693)
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after 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 dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped pro-
fessional check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, transaxle, transfer
(AWD models), rear differential (AWD models), etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft (AWD models), bearings and suspension joints (where possible), and the func tion of all joints, bearings, etc.
2354-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following information about storage precautions, cargo
capacity and load.
WARNING
■Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compartment:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed properly, may block the driver’s vision, or may result in items hitting the driver or passengers, possibly causing
an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever possible.
●Do not stack cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment higher than the
seatbacks.
●When you fold down the rear seats, long items should not be placed directly behind the front seats.
●Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed for pas- sengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts properly fastened.
●Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver • On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)•On the luggage cover
• On the instrument panel • On the dashboard
●Secure all items in the occupant compartment.
■Load and distribution
●Do not overload your vehicle.
●Do not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control which may cause death or serious injury.
2434-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. In order to avoid acci-
dent, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when towing:
■Checking connections between trailer and lights
Stop the vehicle and check the operation of the connection between the
trailer and lights after driving for a brief period as well as before starting off.
■Practicing driving with a coupled trailer
●Get the feel for turning, stopping an d reversing with the trailer coupled by
practicing in an area with no or light traffic.
●When reversing with a coupled trailer, hold the section of the steering
wheel nearest to you and rotate clockwise to turn the trailer left or
counterclockwise to turn it right. Always rotate a little at a time to prevent
steering error. Have someone guide you when reversing to lessen the risk
of an accident.
■Increasing vehicle-to-vehicle distance
At a speed of 10 km/h (6 mph), the distance to the vehicle running ahead of
you should be equivalent to or greater than the combined length of your vehi-
cle and trailer. Avoid sudden braking that may cause skidding. Otherwise, the
vehicle may spin out of control. This is especially true when driving on wet or
slippery road surfaces.
■Sudden acceleration/steering input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing may result in the trailer colliding with your
vehicle. Decelerate well in advance when approaching turns and take them
slowly and carefully to avoid sudden braking.
■Important points regarding turning
The wheels of the trailer will travel clos er to the inside of the curve than the
wheels of the vehicle. To make allowance for this, take the turns wider than you
would normally do.
Guidance
2484-2. Driving procedures
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY mode for more than 20 minutes or IGNITION ON mode (the engine is not running) for more than an hour with the shift lever in P, the engineswitch will automatically turn off. However, this function cannot entirely prevent battery
discharge. Do not leave the vehicle with the engine switch in ACCESSORY or IGNI- TION ON mode for long periods of time when the engine is not running.
■Electronic key battery depletion
P. 137
■Conditions affecting operation
P. 170
■Note for the entry function
P. 171
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (P. 77) Contact any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified andequipped professional.
●Check that the shift lever is securely set in P. The engine may not start if the shift lever is displaced out of P. “To Start Vehicle, Put Shift Lever into P” will be displayed on themulti-information display.
■Steering lock
After turning the engine switch off and opening and closing the doors, the steering wheel will be locked due to the steering lock functi on. Operating the engine switch again auto-
matically cancels the steering lock.
■When the steering lock cannot be released
■Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from over heating, operation of the motor may be sus-
pended if the engine is turned on and off repeat edly in a short period of time. In this case, refrain from operating the engine switch. After about 10 seconds, the steering lockmotor will resume functioning.
■When “Smart Entry & Start System Malfunction See Owner’s Manual” is displayed onthe multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by any authorized Lexus
dealer or repairer, or another duly qua lified and equipped professional immediately.
“Steering Wheel Lock Press Engine Switch while Turning Wheel” will be displayed on themulti-information display.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the engine switch while turning the steering wheelleft and right.
2494-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
■If the electronic key battery is depleted
P. 638
■Operation of the engine switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly and firmly, the engine switch mode may not change or the engine may not start.
●If attempting to restart the engine immediately after turning the engine switch off, the
engine may not start in some cases. After turning the engine switch off, please wait a few seconds before restarting the engine.
■If the smart entry & start system has been deactivated by a customized setting
P. 710
WARNING
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress the accelerator pedal while starting the engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resu lting in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If engine failure occurs while the vehicle is moving, do not lock or open the doors until
the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activation of the steering lock in this cir- cumstance may lead to an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop the engine in an emer gency while driving the vehicle, press and hold the engine switch for more than 2 seconds, or press it briefly 3 times or more in succes- sion. ( P. 657)
However, do not touch the engine switch while driving except in an emergency. Turning the engine off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost. Th is will make it more difficult to steer and
brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.