
158 4-1. Before driving
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) 4-1.Before driving
■
Starting the hybrid system
→ P.168 ■
Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift position to D. ( → P.174)Check that the shift position indicator
shows D.
2 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, release the parking brake.
( → P.181)
3 Gradually release the brake pedal
and gently depress the accelerator
pedal to accelerate the vehicle. ■
Stopping
1 With the shift position in D, depress
the brake pedal.
2 If necessary, set the parking brake.If the vehicle is to be stopped for an
extended period of time, shift the shift posi-
tion to P. ( → P.176)
■
Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift position in D, depress
the brake pedal to stop the vehicle
completely.
2 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, set the parking brake.
( → P.181)
3 Shift the shift position to P. ( → P.176)
4 Press the power switch to stop the
hybrid system. 5 Slowly release the brake pedal.
6 Lock the door, making sure that you
have the electronic key on your
person. If parking on a hill, block the wheels as
needed. ■
Starting off on a steep uphill
1 Make sure that the parking brake is
set and shift the shift position to D. Hill-start assist control will operate.
( → P.303)
2 Gently depress the accelerator
pedal.
3 Release the parking brake. ■
For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybr id vehicles are similar
to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary
to refrain from activi ties such as sudden
acceleration. ( → P.307)■
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 espe-
cially slippery. ●
Refrain from high speeds when driving on
an expressway in the rain, because there
may be a layer of wa ter between the tires
and the road surface, preventing the
steering and brakes from operating prop-
erly.
■
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-shifting implementation to meet driv-
ing conditions. It does not indicate sudden
acceleration.
●
The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill
or downhill
●
When the accelerato r pedal is releasedDriving the vehicle The following procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure

162 4-1. Before driving
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) WARNING■
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 cause the plastic lenses and plas-
tic material 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 circuit 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 pane l or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act
as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.
●
Do not leave a door or window open if
the curved glass is coated with a met-
allized film such as a silver-colored
one. Reflected sunlight may cause the
glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●
Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift position to P, stop the hybrid
system and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated.
●
Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
the “READY” indicator is illuminated
or immediately after turning the hybrid
system off.
Doing so may cause burns. ■
When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Other-
wise, if you accident ally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal,
this could cause an accident or fire due
to hybrid system overheating. Addition-
ally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may col-
lect and enter the vehicle, leading to
death or a serious health hazard. ■
When braking ●
When the brakes are wet, drive more
cautiously.
Braking distance in creases 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 vehi-
cle. ●
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, but
the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will in crease. Have your
brakes fixed immediately. ●
The brake system consists of 2 or more
individual hydraulic systems; if one of
the systems 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.
■
If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when
a driven wheel is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may
damage the driveline components or
propel the vehicle forward or backward,
causing an accident.

1654-1. Before driving
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) 4
Driving *3
: C =Available cargo and luggage load
In this condition, if 3 more passengers with
the combined weight of D lb. (kg) get on,
the available cargo and luggage load will
be reduced E lb. (kg) as follows:
C lb. (kg) - D *4
lb. (kg) = E *5
lb. (kg)*4
: D =Additional weight of people *5
: E =Available cargo and luggage load
As shown in the example above, if the
number of occupants increases, the
cargo and luggage load will be
reduced by an amount that equals the
increased weight due to the additional
occupants. In other words, if an
increase in the number of occupants
causes an excess of the total load
capacity (combined weight of occu-
pants plus cargo and luggage load),
you must reduce the cargo and lug-
gage on your vehicle. WARNING■
Things that must not be carried in the
trunk
The following things may cause a fire if
loaded in the trunk:
●
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 trunk
whenever possible. ●
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 package tray
• On the instrument panel
•On the dashboard
• In front of the Center Display ●
Secure all items in the occupant com-
partment. ■
Capacity and distribution ●
Do not exceed the maximum axle
weight rating or the total vehicle
weight rating. ●
Even if the total load of occupant’s
weight and the cargo load is less than
the total load capacity, do not apply the
load unevenly. Improper loading may
cause deterioration of steering or
braking control which may cause
death or serious injury.

1694-2. Driving procedures
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) 4
Driving ■
If the 12-volt battery is discharged
The hybrid system cannot be started using
the smart access system with push-button
start. Refer to P.447 to restart the hybrid
system. ■
Electronic key battery depletion
→ P.104■
Conditions affe cting operation
→ P.120■
Notes for the entry function
→ P.121■
Steering lock function●
After turning the power switch off and
opening and closing the doors, the steer-
ing wheel will be lock ed due to the steer-
ing lock function. Operating the power
switch again automatically cancels the
steering lock.●
When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Push Power Switch While
Turning Steering Whee l in Either Direc-
tion” will be displayed on the multi-infor-
mation display.
Press the power switch shortly and firmly
while turning the steering wheel left and
right.
●
To prevent the steering lock motor from
overheating, the motor may be sus-
pended if the hybrid system is turned on
and off repeatedly in a short period of
time. In this case, refrain from operating
the power switch. After about 10 sec-
onds, the steering lock motor will resume
functioning.
■
If the “READY” indicator does not come
on
In the event that the “READY” indicator
does not come on even after performing
the proper procedures for starting the vehi- cle, contact your Lexus dealer immediately. ■
If the hybrid system is malfunctioning
→ P.64 ■
Electronic key battery
→ P.413 ■
Operation of the power switch ●
If the switch is no t pressed shortly and
firmly, the power switch mode may not
change or the hybrid system may not
start. ●
If attempting to restart the hybrid system
immediately after turning the power
switch off, the hybrid system may not start
in some cases. After turning the power
switch off, please wait a few seconds
before restarting the hybrid system. ■
Customization
If the smart access system with push-button
start has been deactivated in a customized
setting, refer to P.445.
WARNING■
When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hybrid system while sit-
ting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress
the accelerator pedal while starting the
hybrid system under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident result-
ing in death or serious injury.
■
Caution while driving
If hybrid system 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 circumstance may lead to an
accident, resulting in death or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■
When starting the hybrid system
If the hybrid system becomes difficult to
start, have your vehicle checked by your
Lexus dealer immediately.

186 4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on th e sensor, or anything
that blocks the sensor is affixed to the wind-
shield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor detect-
ing the level of ambient light and may cause
the automatic headlight system to malfunc-
tion. ■
Automatic light off system●
When the headlights are on: The head-
lights and tail lights tu rn off 30 seconds
after the driver’s door is opened and
closed if the power switch is turned to
ACCESSORY mode or turned off. (The
lights turn off immediately if on the
key is pressed after all the doors are
closed.)●
When only the tail lights are on: The tail
lights turn off automatically if the power
switch is turned to ACCESSORY mode
or turned off and the driver’s door is
opened.
To turn the lights on again, turn the power
switch to ON mode, or turn the light switch
off once and then back to or . ■
Light reminder buzzer
A buzzer sounds when the power switch is
turned off or turned to ACCESSORY
mode and the driver’s door is opened while
the lights are turned on. ■
Automatic headlight leveling system
The level of the headlights is automatically
adjusted according to the number of pas-
sengers and the loading condition of the
vehicle to ensure that the headlights do not
interfere with other road users.
■
Windshield wiper linked headlight illu-
mination
When driving during daytime with the
headlight switch turned to , if the wind-
shield wipers are used, the headlights will
turn on automatically after several seconds
to help enhance the visibility of your vehicle.
■
12-volt battery-saving function
In order to prevent the 12-volt battery of the
vehicle from discharging, if the headlights
and/or tail lights are on when the power switch is turned off the 12-volt battery sav-
ing function will operate and automatically
turn off all the lights after approximately 20
minutes. When the power switch is turned
to ON mode, the 12-volt battery-saving
function will be disabled.
When any of the following are performed,
the 12-volt battery-saving function is can-
celed once and then reactivated. All the
lights will turn off automatically 20 minutes
after the 12-volt battery-saving function has
been reactivated: ●
When the headlight switch is operated●
When a door is opened or closed ■
Welcome light illumination control
The front position and tail lights automati-
cally turn on at night when the doors are
unlocked using the entr y function or wire-
less remote control if the light switch is in
the position. ■
Customization
Some functions can be customized.
( → P.481)
1 With the headlights on, push the
lever away from you to turn on the
high beams. NOTICE■
To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
Do not leave the lights on longer than
necessary when the hy brid system is off.
Turning on the high beam head-
lights

192 4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) ●
If the wiper is turned to AUTO mode
while the power switch is in ON mode,
the wipers will operate once to show that
AUTO mode is activated.●
If the temperature of the raindrop sensor
is 185°F (85°C) or higher, or 5°F
(-15°C) or lower, automatic operation
may not occur. In this case, operate the
wipers in any mode other than AUTO
mode.■
If no windshield washer fluid sprays
Check that the washer nozzles are not
blocked if there is wash er fluid in the wind-
shield washer fluid reservoir.
■
Front door opening linked windshield
wiper stop function
When is selected and the windshield
wipers are operating, if a front door is
opened while the vehicle is stopped and the
P shift position is sele cted, operation of the
windshield wipers w ill be stopped to pre-
vent anyone near the vehicle from being
sprayed by water from the wipers. When
the front door is closed, wiper operation will
resume. ■
When stopping hybrid system in an
emergency while driving
If the windshield wipers are operating when
hybrid system is stop ped, the windshield
wipers will operate in high speed operation.
After the vehicle is stopped, operation will
return to normal when the power switch is
turned to ON mode, or operation will stop
when the driver’s door is opened.
■
Outside rear view mirror defogger acti-
vation linked to windshield wiper opera-
tion
The outside rear view mirror defoggers
automatically turn on when you operate the
windshield wipers. The outside rear view mirror defoggers
automatically turn off approximately 15
minutes after the wipers stop.
For details about the outside rear view mir-
ror defoggers: → P.324
When the windshield wipers are not
being used, they retract to below the
hood. To enable the windshield wipers
to be lifted when parking in cold condi-
tions or when replacing a windshield WARNING■
Caution regarding the use of wind-
shield wipers in AUTO mode
The windshield wipers may operate
unexpectedly if the sensor is touched or
the windshield is subj ect to vibration in
AUTO mode. Take care that your fingers
or anything else do not become caught
in the windshield wipers. ■
Caution regarding the use of washer
fluid
When it is cold, do not use the washer
fluid until the windshield becomes warm.
The fluid may freeze on the windshield
and cause low visibility. This may lead to
an accident, resulting in death or serious
injury.
NOTICE■
When there is no washer fluid spray
from the nozzle
Damage to the washer fluid pump may
be caused if the lever is pulled toward
you and held continually.
■
When a nozzle becomes blocked
In this case, contact your Lexus dealer.
Do not try to clear it with a pin or other
object. The nozzle will be damaged.
Changing the windshield wiper
rest position/Lifting the wind-
shield wipers

2114-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) 4
Driving WARNING■
Pre-collision braking●
When the pre-collision braking func-
tion is operating, a large amount of
braking force will be applied.●
If the vehicle is stopped by the opera-
tion of the pre-collision braking func-
tion, the pre-collision braking function
operation will be canceled after
approximately 2 seco nds. Depress the
brake pedal as necessary.●
The pre-collision braking function may
not operate if certain operations are
performed by the driver. If the acceler-
ator pedal is being depressed strongly
or the steering wheel is being turned,
the system may determine that the
driver is taking evasive action and may
prevent the pre-collision braking func-
tion from operating.●
In some situations, while the pre-colli-
sion braking function is operating,
operation of the function may be can-
celed if the accelerator pedal is
depressed strongly or the steering
wheel is turned and the system deter-
mines that the driver is taking evasive
action.
●
If the brake pedal is being depressed,
the system may determine that the
driver is taking evasive action and pos-
sibly delay the operation timing of the
pre-collision braking function.
■
Active steering assist●
The steering wheel may turn automati-
cally when active steering assist is
operating.
●
As active steering assist operation will
be canceled when the system deter-
mines that a collision has been
avoided, operate the steering wheel as
necessary. ●
In the following situations, the system
may determine that th e driver is taking
evasive action. In this case, the active
steering assist may not operate or may
be canceled.
• If the accelerator pedal is being
depressed strongly or the steering
wheel is being operat ed. In this case
the system may determine that the
driver is taking evasive action and the
pre-collision braking may not operate.
• In some situations, while the active
steering assist is operating, operation
of the function may be canceled if the
accelerator pedal is depressed
strongly or the steering wheel is turned
and the system determines that the
driver is taking evasive action.
• When the active steering assist is
operating, if the stee ring wheel is held
firmly or is operated in the opposite
direction to that which the system is
generating torque, the function may be
canceled.
• If the brake pedal is depressed, the sys-
tem may determine that the driver is
taking evasive action and the active
steering assist operation may be
delayed.
■
Pre-collision seat belts with comfort
function
If the pre-collision se at belts have oper-
ated and the seat belts are locked in a
retracted position, immediately stop the
vehicle in a safe place, release and
retract the seat belts to unlock them and
then fasten them again.
Also, if a seat belt ca n be loosened, it can
be unlocked by slightly retracting it with-
out releasing it.
■
When to disable the pre-collision sys-
tem
In the following situations, disable the
system, as it may not operate properly,
possibly leading to an accident resulting
in death or serious injury:
●
When the vehicle is being towed

2174-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) 4
Driving • If a vehicle ahead is carrying a load which
protrudes past its rear bumper
• If a vehicle ahead has extremely high
ground clearance
• If a vehicle ahead is irregularly shaped,
such as a tractor or side car
• If the sun or other light is shining directly
on a vehicle or guardrail ahead
• If a vehicle cuts in front of your vehicle or
emerges from beside a vehicle
• If a vehicle ahead makes an abrupt
maneuver (such as sudden swerving,
acceleration or deceleration)
• When suddenly cutting behind a preced-
ing vehicle
• When a vehicle ahead is not directly in
front of your vehicle
• When driving in incl ement weather such
as heavy rain, fog, snow or a sandstorm
• When the vehicle is hit by water, snow,
dust, etc. from a vehicle ahead
• When driving through steam or smoke
• When driving in a place where the sur-
rounding brightness changes suddenly,
such as at the entrance or exit of a tunnel
• When a very bright light, such as the sun or the headlights of oncoming traffic,
shines directly into the camera sensor
• When driving in a location where there
are many objects which reflect radar,
such as a tunnel or parking garage
• When driving at night or in a tunnel with
the headlights off
• When the surrounding area is dim, such
as at dawn or dusk, or while at night or in
a tunnel
• After the hybrid system has started the
vehicle has not been driven for a certain
amount of time
• While making a left/r ight turn and for a
few seconds after making a left/right turn
• While driving on a curve and for a few
seconds after driving on a curve
• If your vehicle is skidding
• If the front of the vehicle is raised or low-
ered
• If the wheels are misaligned
• If a wiper blade is blocking the camera
sensor
• The vehicle is wobbling.
• The vehicle is being driven at extremely
high speeds.
• When driving on a hill
• If a sensor is misaligned
• If the headlights are misaligned
• When approaching a guardrail at a wide
or narrow angle
• When a vehicle approaches your vehicle
from the front left or right side while your
vehicle is entering an intersection with
poor visibility
• When a vehicle approaches your vehicle
from the rear left or right side
• When a vehicle approaches the side of
your vehicle at a shallow angle
• When driving on a road with a grade that
changes sharply (sha rp incline/decline)
●
In some situations, such as the following,
the sensors may not detect the lane lines
or a safe space the vehicle can be steered