225
4Driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap...... 287
4-5. Using the driving
support systems
Lexus Safety System+ ............... 291
PCS (Pre-Crash Safety
system)........................................ 300
LKA
(Lane-Keeping Assist) ........... 313
RSA (Road Sign Assist)........... 324
Dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed
range ............................................329
Cruise control .............................. 341
Stop & Start system ...................345
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) .... 355
• BSM function .......................... 361
• RCTA function ......................365
Lexus parking
assist-sensor................................371
Intelligent Clearance Sonar
(ICS) ........................................... 380
Lexus parking assist
monitor......................................... 401
Driving mode select
switch ............................................. 417
All-wheel drive lock
switch .............................................421
Driving assist systems .............. 422
4-6. Driving tips
Winter driving tips ..................... 429
Utility vehicle
precautions................................ 433
226
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
4-1. Before driving
P. 246
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (P. 251)
Release the parking brake. ( P. 260)
If the parking brake is in automatic mode, the parking brake is released automatically when shifting the shift lever to any position other than P. ( P. 259)
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.
RX200t: If the Stop & Start system is en abled, depressing the brake pedal will stop the engine.
If necessary, set the parking brake. ( P. 260)
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift the shift lever to P or N. ( P. 251)
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake ( P. 260), and shift the shift lever to P (P. 251).
Press the engine switch to stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you ha ve the electronic key on your person.
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving:
Starting the engine
Driving
Stopping
Parking the vehicle
1
2
3
1
2
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.
2334-1. 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 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 park ed in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust gases
may collect and enter the vehicle, leading 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 notsecurely hold the vehicle.
●If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other vehiclesclosely and avoid hills or shar p 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 distance 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 immediately.
■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.
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.
2374-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
Trailer towing (vehicles without towing package)
Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Lexus also does
not recommend the installation of a tow hitch or the use of a tow hitch carrier
for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer
towing or for the use of tow hitch mounted carriers.
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
2444-1. Before driving
RX350/RX200t_EE_OM48F32E
■Important points regarding stability
Vehicle movement resulting from unev en road surfaces and strong cross-
winds will affect handling. The vehicle may also be rocked by passing buses or
large trucks. Frequently check behind when moving alongside such vehicles.
As soon as such vehicle movement occurs, immediately start to decelerate
smoothly by slowly applying the brakes. Always steer the vehicle straight
ahead while braking.
■Passing other vehicles
Consider the total combined length of your vehicle and trailer and ensure that
the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is sufficient before executing lane changes.
■Transmission information
To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system performance,
when using engine braking, do not use the transmission in D. If in the M mode,
the transmission shift range position must be in 4 or lower. ( P. 251)
■If the engine overheats
Towing a loaded trailer up a long, steep incline in temperatures exceeding
30 C (85F) may result in the engine overheating. If the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is overheating, turn the air condition-
ing off immediately, leave the road and stop the vehicle in a safe place.
( P. 718)
■When parking the vehicle
Always place wheel chocks under the wheels of both the vehicle and trailer.
Set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to P.