2018 LEXUS LS500 brake

2954-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 4
Driving ■
Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem (if equipped)
By independently controlling the
damping force of the shock absorbers
for each of the 4 wheels according to
the road and driving conditions, this
system helps riding comfort with supe-
rior vehicle stabilit y, and helps good
vehicle posture.
Also, the damping force changes
depending on the selected driving
mode. ( → P.289)■
LDH (Lexus Dynamic Handling
system) (if equipped)
Provides integrated control of the
VGRS, DRS and EPS. Contributes to
turning characteristics at low speeds,
responsiveness at medium speeds and
safety at high speeds by controlling the
steering angle of the front and rear
wheels in accordance with the steering
wheel operation and vehicle speed. ■
VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Inte-
grated Management)
Provides integrated control of the
ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC,
hill-start assist control, EPS, VGRS (if
equipped), DRS (if equipped), active
stabilizer suspension system (if
equipped) and Adaptive Variable Sus-
pension System (if equipped)
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when
swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes, engine output,
steering assist, and steering ratio ■
When the TRAC/VSC systems are
operating (vehicles without Lexus
Safety System+A)
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC systems are operating.
■
When the TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are
operating (vehicles with Lexus Safety
System+A)
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are operating.
■
Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow,
the TRAC system may reduce power from
the engine to the wheels. Pressing the
switch to turn the system off may make it
easier for you to rock the vehicle in order to
free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release the switch.
The “Traction Co ntrol Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch ag ain to turn the sys-
tem back on.

296 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) ■
Disabling both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC systems off,
press and hold the switch for more
than 3 seconds while the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on
and the “Traction Cont rol Turned Off” will
be shown on the mult i-information display. *
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on. *
: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision
System), PCS will also be disabled (only
Pre-Collision warning is available). The
PCS warning light will come on and a
message will be displayed on the
multi-information display. ( → P.210, 217)■
When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if the
switch has not been pressed
TRAC cannot be operated. Contact your
Lexus dealer. ■
Operating conditions of hill-start assist
control
When the following four conditions are met,
the hill-start assist control will operate:
●
The shift position is in a position other
than P or N (when stating off for-
ward/backward on an upward incline)
●
The vehicle is stopped
●
The accelerator pedal is not depressed
●
The parking brake is not engaged
■
Automatic system cancelation of
hill-start assist control
The hill-start assist control will turn off in any
of the following situations: ●
Shift the shift position to P or N ●
The accelerator pedal is depressed ●
The parking brake is engaged ●
2 seconds at maximum elapsed after the
brake pedal is released ■
VGRS is disabled when
VGRS may stop operat ing in the following
situations.
In this event, the steering wheel may move
from its straight forward position, but it will
return when the system restarts. ●
When the steering wheel is operated for
an extended period of time while the
vehicle is stopped or is moving very
slowly (on vehicles with LDH, DRS is dis-
abled together with VGRS) ●
When the steering wheel has been held
fully to the left or right
The center position of the steering wheel
may change when VGRS is disabled. How-
ever, the position will return to normal after
VGRS is reactivated. ■
When the battery is disconnected (vehi-
cles with VGRS)
The steering wheel may move from its
straight forward position, but this will be
corrected automatically when driving. ■
Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VSC, TRAC, hill-start
assist control and VGRS systems ●
A sound may be heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed repeatedly, when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to
move. This sound does not indicate that a
malfunction has occurred in any of these
systems.
●
Any of the following conditions may
occur when the above systems are oper-
ating. None of these indicates that a mal-
function has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle
body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also after
the vehicle comes to a stop.
• Vehicles without Lexus Safety Sys-
tem+A: The brake pedal may pulsate
slightly after the ABS is activated.

2974-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 4
Driving • Vehicles without Lexus Safety Sys-
tem+A: The brake pedal may move down
slightly after the ABS is activated.■
ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in the
following cases, but it does not indicate that
a malfunction has occurred. ●
Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
operated.●
Motor sound of the brake system heard
from the front part of the vehicle when
the driver’s door is opened.●
Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when one or two minutes
passed after the stop of the engine.■
EPS, VGRS and DRS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a
motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction. ■
Automatic reactivation of TRAC and
VSC systems
After turning the TRAC and VSC systems
off, the systems will be automatically
re-enabled in the following situations: ●
When the engine switch is turned off●
If only the TRAC system is turned off, the
TRAC will turn on when vehicle speed
increases
If both the TRAC and VSC systems are
turned off, automatic re-enabling will not
occur when vehicle speed increases.■
Reduced effectiveness of the EPS sys-
tem
The effectiveness of the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from over-
heating when there is frequent steering
input over an extended period of time. The
steering wheel may feel heavy as a result.
Should this occur, re frain from excessive
steering input or stop the vehicle and turn
the engine off. The EPS system should
return to normal within 10 minutes.
■
Secondary Collision Brake operating
conditions
The vehicle speed is approximately 6 mph
(10 km/h) or more and the airbag sensor detects a collision. (The Secondary Colli-
sion Brake will not operate when the vehicle
speed is below approximately 6 mph [10
km/h].) ■
Secondary Collision Brake automatic
cancellation
The Secondary Collision Brake is automati-
cally canceled in the following situations: ●
The vehicle speed drops below approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h) ●
A certain amount of time elapses during
operation ●
The accelerator pedal is depressed a
large amount ■
When “Check VGRS System” or
“CHECK DRS” is displayed on the
multi-information display
The VGRS or DRS may not operate prop-
erly. Have the vehicle inspected by your
Lexus dealer.
WARNING■
The ABS does not operate effectively
when ●
The limits of tire gripping performance
have been exceeded (such as exces-
sively worn tires on a snow covered
road).
●
The vehicle hydroplanes while driving
at high speed on wet or slick roads.
■
Stopping distance when the ABS is
operating may exceed that of normal
conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the
vehicle’s stopping di stance. Always main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, especially in the following
situations:
●
When driving on dirt, gravel or
snow-covered roads
●
When driving with tire chains
●
When driving over bumps in the road
●
When driving over roads with potholes
or uneven surfaces

298 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) WARNING■
TRAC/VSC may not operate effec-
tively when
Directional control and power may not
be achievable while driving on slippery
road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC
system is operating. Drive the vehicle
carefully in conditions where stability and
power may be lost. ■
Hill-start assist control does not oper-
ate effectively when●
Do not overly rely on hill-start assist
control. Hill-start assist control may
not operate effectively on steep
inclines and roads covered with ice.●
Unlike the parking brake, hill-start
assist control is not intended to hold
the vehicle stationary for an extended
period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehi-
cle on an incline, as doing so may lead
to an accident.■
When the TRAC/VSC is activated
(vehicles without Lexus Safety Sys-
tem+A)
The slip indicator light flashes. Always
drive carefully. Re ckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular
care when the indicator light flashes.
■
When the TRAC/ABS/VSC is acti-
vated (vehicles with Lexus Safety Sys-
tem+A)
The slip indicator light flashes. Always
drive carefully. Re ckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular
care when the indicator light flashes.
■
When the TRAC/VSC systems are
turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed
appropriate to the road conditions. As
these are the system s to help ensure
vehicle stability and driving force, do not
turn the TRAC/VSC systems off unless
necessary. ■
Secondary Collision Brake
Do not overly rely on the Secondary Col-
lision Brake. This system is designed to
help reduce the possibility of further
damage due to a secondary collision,
however, that effect changes according
to various conditions. Overly relying on
the system may result in death or serious
injury. ■
Replacing tires
Make sure that all ti res are of the speci-
fied size, brand, tread pattern and total
load capacity. In addition, make sure that
the tires are inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure level.
The ABS, TRAC and VSC systems will
not function correctly if different tires are
installed on the vehicle.
Contact your Lexus dealer for further
information when replacing tires or
wheels. ■
Handling of tires and the suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or
modifying the suspensi on will affect the
driving assist systems, and may cause a
system to malfunction.

300 4-6. Driving tips
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) Perform the following according to the
driving conditions:
 Do not try to forcib ly open a window
or move a wiper that is frozen. Pour
warm water over the frozen area to
melt the ice. Wipe away the water
immediately to prevent it from
freezing.
 To ensure proper operation of the
climate control system fan, remove
any snow that has accumulated on
the air inlet vents in front of the
windshield.
 Check for and remove any excess
ice or snow that may have accumu-
lated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s
roof, chassis, around the tires or on
the brakes.
 Remove any snow or mud from the
bottom of your shoes before getting
in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a
safe distance between you and the
vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced
speed suitable to road conditions. Park the vehicle and shift the shift posi-
tion to P without setting the parking
brake. The parking brake may freeze
up, preventing it from being released. If
the vehicle is parked without setting
the parking brake, make sure to block
the wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerous
because it may cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly, possibly leading to
an accident. 
Vehicles with front and rear tires of
the same size
Use the correct tire chain size when
mounting the tire chains.
Chain size is regulated for each tire
size.
Side chain (0.12 in. [3 mm] in diam-
eter)
Cross chain (0.16 in. [4 mm] in
diameter) 
Vehicles with front and rear tires of
differing sizes
Tire chains cannot be mounted.
Snow tires should be used instead.NOTICE■
Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow
tires from Lexus dealers or legitimate tire
retailers.
This is because the removal and attach-
ment of snow tires affects the operation
of the tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle
When driving the vehicle When parking the vehicle
Selecting tire chains
A
B

3636-1. Maintenance and care
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care ■
Brake caliper coating (F SPORT mod-
els)●
When using detergent, use neutral deter-
gent. Do not use hard brushes or abra-
sive cleaners, as they will damage the
coating.●
Do not use detergent on the brake cali-
pers when they are hot.●
Wash detergent off immediately after
use.■
Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners. ■
Front side windows water-repellent
coating (if equipped)●
The following precautions can extend the
effectiveness of the water-repellent coat-
ing.
• Remove any dirt, etc. from the front side
windows regularly.
• Do not allow dirt and dust to accumulate
on the windows for a long period.
Clean the windows with a soft, damp
cloth as soon as possible.
• Do not use wax or glass cleaners that
contain abrasives when cleaning the win-
dows.
• Do not use any metallic objects to
remove condensation build up.●
When the water-repellent performance
has become insufficie nt, the coating can
be repaired. Contact your Lexus dealer.■
Plated portions
If dirt cannot be removed, clean the parts as
follows: ●
Use a soft cloth dampened with an
approximately 5% solution of neutral
detergent and water to clean the dirt off.
●
Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to
remove any remaining moisture.
●
To remove oily deposits, use alcohol wet
wipes or a similar product. WARNING■
When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the
engine compartment. Doing so may
cause the electrical components, etc. to
catch fire. ■
When cleaning the windshield
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wip-
ers may operate unexpectedly in the fol-
lowing situations, and may result in hands
being caught or other serious injuries
and cause damage to the wiper blades.
Off
AUTO ●
When the upper part of the windshield
where the raindrop sensor is located is
touched by hand
●
When a wet rag or similar is held close
to the raindrop sensor
●
If something bumps against the wind-
shield
●
If you directly touch the raindrop sen-
sor body or if something bumps into
the raindrop sensor
■
Precautions regarding the exhaust
pipes and rear bumper diffusers
Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipes
and rear bumper diffusers to become
quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not
to touch the pipes and diffusers until they
have cooled sufficiently, as touching hot
exhaust pipes and rear bumper diffusers
can cause burns. A
B

364 6-1. Maintenance and care
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) WARNING■
Precaution regarding the front
bumper (vehicles with Lexus Safety
System+A)
If the paint of the fr ont bumper is chipped
or scratched, the Lexus Safety System+A
may not function correctly. If this occurs,
consult your Lexus dealer. ■
Precaution regarding the rear
bumper
If the paint of the rear bumper is chipped
or scratched, the fo llowing systems may
not function correctly. If this occurs, con-
sult your Lexus dealer. ●
Lexus Safety System+A (if equipped)●
BSM (if equipped)●
RCTA (if equipped)●
PKSB (if equipped)
NOTICE■
To prevent paint deterioration and
corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (aluminum wheels, etc.)●
Wash the vehicle immediately in the
following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the
paint surface
• If dead insects, in sect droppings or
bird droppings are present on the
paint surface
• After driving in an area contaminated
with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron
powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled
with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline
are spilled on the paint surface ●
If the paint is chipped or scratched,
have it repaired immediately. ●
To prevent the wheels from corroding,
remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the
wheels. ■
Cleaning the exterior lights ●
Wash carefully. Do not use organic
substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the
lights. ●
Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the
lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses. ■
When using an automatic car wash
Set the wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wip-
ers may operate and the wiper blades
may be damaged. ■
When using a high pressure car wash ●
When washing the vehicle, do not
spray the camera or its surrounding
area directly with a high pressure
washer. Shock applied from high pres-
sure water may cause the device to not
operate normally. ●
Do not bring the nozzle tip close to
boots (rubber or re sin manufactured
cover), connectors or the following
parts. The parts may be damaged if
they come into contact with high-pres-
sure water.
• Traction related parts
•Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts

3696-2. Maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care 3 Press or to select “Scheduled
Maintenance” and then press .
4 Press or to select “Yes” and
then press .
A message will be displayed on the
multi-information disp lay when the reset
procedure has been completed.
You can perform some maintenance
procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself
maintenance may affect warranty cov-
erage. The use of Lexus repair manuals is recom-
mended.
For details about warra nty coverage, refer
to the separate “Owner’s Guide”, “War-
ranty and Service Guide”, “Owner’s Man-
ual Supplement” or “Warranty Booklet”.Do-it-yourself maintenance General maintenance Listed below are the general main-
tenance items that should be per-
formed at the intervals specified in
the “Warranty and Service Guide”
or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
It is recommended that any prob-
lem you notice should be brought to
the attention of your Lexus dealer
or qualified service shop for advice. WARNING■
If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there
is adequate ventilati on before perform-
ing maintenance checks.
Engine compartment Items Check points
Brake fluid Is the brake fluid at the
correct level?
( → P.383)
Engine/inter-
cooler coolant Is the engine/inter-
cooler coolant at the
correct level?
( → P.381)
Engine oil Is the engine oil at the
correct level?
( → P.379)
Exhaust system There should not be
any fumes or strange
sounds.