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
160 4-1. Before driving
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) WARNING
• 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.●
The driver should pay extra attention
to pedestrians when the vehicle is
powered only by the electric motor
(traction motor). As there is no engine
noise, the pedestrians may misjudge
the vehicle’s movement. Even with the
vehicle proximity notification system
activate, drive with care as pedestrians
in the vicinity may still not notice the
vehicle if the surrounding area is noisy.●
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 flamma-
ble material nearby.●
During normal driving, do not turn off
the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid
system off while driving will not cause
loss of steering or braking control,
however, power assist to the steering
will be lost. This will make it more diffi-
cult to steer smoothly, so you should
pull over and stop the vehicle as soon
as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if
it becomes impossible to stop the vehi-
cle in the normal way: → P.420
●
Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( → P.174) ●
Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
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. ●
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140
km/h) unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driving
over 85 mph (140 km /h) may result in
tire failure, loss of control and possible
injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability tires
or not before driving at such speeds. ■
When driving on slippery road sur-
faces ●
Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle. ●
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 prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.
■
When shifting the shift position
●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while a forward driving position is
selected, or roll forw ard while the shift
position is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or
damage to the vehicle.
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.
1834-2. Driving procedures
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) 4
Driving
Press the brake hold switch to turn the
system on The brake hold standby indicator (green)
comes on. While the system is holding
the brakes, the brake hold operated indica-
tor (yellow) comes on.
■
Brake hold system operating conditions
The brake hold system cannot be turned on
in the following conditions:
●
The driver’s door is not closed.
●
The driver is not wearing the seat belt.
If any of the conditions above are detected
when the brake hold system is enabled, the
system will turn off and the brake hold
standby indicator light will go off. In addi-
tion, if any of the co nditions are detected
while the system is holding the brake, a
warning buzzer will sound and a message WARNING■
When parking the vehicle
Do not leave a child in the vehicle alone.
The parking brake may be released unin-
tentionally and there is the danger of the
vehicle moving that may lead to an acci-
dent resulting in death or serious injury.
NOTICE■
When parking the vehicle
Before you leave the vehicle, set the
parking brake, shift the shift position to P
and make sure that the vehicle does not
move. ■
When the system malfunctions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
check the warning messages. ■
When the parking brake cannot be
released due to a malfunction
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake set will lead to brake components
overheating, which may affect braking
performance and increase brake wear.
Have the vehicle inspected by your
Lexus dealer immediately if this occurs. Brake Hold The brake hold system keeps the
brake applied when the shift posi-
tion is in D, M or N with the system
on and the brake pedal has been
depressed to stop the vehicle. The
system releases the brake when the
accelerator pedal is depressed with
the shift position in D or M to allow
smooth start off.
Enabling the system A
B
184 4-2. Driving procedures
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) will be shown on the multi-information dis-
play. The parking brake will then be set
automatically. ■
Brake hold function●
If the brake pedal is left released for a
period of about 3 minutes after the sys-
tem has started holding the brake, the
parking brake will be set automatically. In
this case, a warning buzzer sounds and a
message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display.●
To turn the system off while the system is
holding the brake, firmly depress the
brake pedal and press the button again.●
The brake hold function may not hold the
vehicle when the vehicle is on a steep
incline. In this situation, it may be neces-
sary for the driver to apply the brakes. A
warning buzzer will sound and the
multi-information display will inform the
driver of this situation. If a warning mes-
sage is shown on the multi-information
display, read the message and follow the
instructions.■
When the parking brake is set automati-
cally while the system is holding the
brakes
Perform any of the follo wing operations to
release the parking brake. ●
Depress the accelerator pedal. (The
parking brake will not be released auto-
matically if the seat belt is not fastened.)●
Operate the parking brake switch with
the brake pedal depressed.
Make sure that the pa rking brake indicator
light goes off. ( → P.181)
■
When an inspection at your Lexus
dealer is necessary
When the brake hold standby indicator
(green) does not illuminate even when the
brake hold switch is pressed with the brake
hold system operating conditions met, the
system may be malfun ctioning. Have the
vehicle inspected at your Lexus dealer. ■
If “Brake Hold Fault Depress Brake to
Deactivate Visit Your Dealer” or “Brake
Hold Malfunction Visit Your Dealer” is
displayed on the multiinformation dis-
play
The system may be ma lfunctioning. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer. ■
Warning messages and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to
indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution. If a warn-
ing message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display, read the message and follow
the instructions. ■
If the brake hold operated indicator
flashes
→ P.434
WARNING■
When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a
steep incline exercise caution. The brake
hold function may not hold the vehicle in
such a situation. ■
When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when
the gripping ability of the tires has been
exceeded. Do not use the system when
stopped on a slippery road.
NOTICE
■
When parking the vehicle
The brake hold system is not designed
for use when parking the vehicle for a
long period of time. Turning the power
switch off while the system is holding the
brake may release the brake, which
would cause the vehicle to move. When
operating the power switch, depress the
brake pedal, shift the shift position to P
and set the parking brake.
2094-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) 4
Driving
■
Pedestrian alert
When the system determines that
there is a possibility of a frontal collision
with a stationary or moving pedestrian
in front of your vehicle, a message will
be displayed on the head-up display to
warn the driver. ■
Pre-collision warning
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high, a
buzzer will sound and a warning mes-
sage will be displayed on the
multi-information display to urge the
driver to take evasive action.
■
Pre-collision brake assist
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the system applies greater braking
force in relation to how strongly the
brake pedal is depressed. ■
Pre-collision braking
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the system warns the driver. If the sys-
tem determines that the possibility of a
frontal collision is extremely high, the
brakes are automatically applied to
help avoid the collision or reduce the
collision speed.PCS (Pre-Collision System)
(vehicles with Lexus Safety
System+A) The pre-collision system uses a
front radar sensor and camera sen-
sor to detect vehicles and pedestri-
ans in front of your vehicle and front
side sensors to detect vehicles
approaching from the front left or
right side. When the system deter-
mines that the possibility of a frontal
collision with a vehicle or pedes-
trian is high, a warning operates to
urge the driver to take evasive
action and the potential brake pres-
sure is increased to help the driver
avoid the collision. If the system
determines that the possibility of a
frontal collision with a vehicle or
pedestrian is extremely high, the
brakes are automatically applied to
help avoid the collision or help
reduce the impact of the collision.
The pre-collision system can be dis-
abled/enabled and the warning tim-
ing can be changed. ( → P.213)
System functions
210 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) ■
Active steering assist
If the system determines that the possi-
bility of a collision with an object, such
as a guardrail, or pedestrian is high,
even though the brakes are applied,
and that the collision may be avoidable
through steering control, the system
will steer the vehicle automatically to
help avoid the collision or help reduce
the impact of the collision. ■
Pre-collision seat belts (front seat
only)
If the system determines that the possi-
bility of a frontal collision is high, the
system will retract the seat belts. Addi-
tionally, the system may retract the seat
belts if the brakes are applied suddenly
or control of the vehicle is lost. ■
Pre-collision seatbacks (front pas-
senger’s seat / power rear seat [if
equipped])
If the system determines that the possi-
bility of a frontal collision is high, it may
move the seatbacks of the front pas-
senger’s seat and power rear seats to
the upright position automatically, if
reclined. If a seat is being ad justed, it may not be
moved by the pre-collision seat function.
■
Suspension control
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem ( → P.303) will control the damp-
ing force of the shock absorbers to
help maintain an appropriate vehicle
posture. ■
Steering control
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high
and the driver is op erating the steering
wheel, the LDH system ( → P.303) will
control the turning angle of the front
and rear wheels and effort necessary
to turn the steering wheel to help
enhance steering responsiveness. WARNING■
Limitations of the pre-collision system ●
The driver is solely responsible for safe
driving. Always drive safely, taking
care to observe your surroundings.
Do not use the pre-collision system
instead of normal braking operations
under any circumstances. This system
will not prevent collisions or lessen col-
lision damage or injury in every situa-
tion. Do not overly rely on this system.
Failure to do so may lead to an acci-
dent, resulting in death or serious
injury. ●
Although this system is designed to
help avoid a collision or help reduce
the impact of the collision, its effective-
ness may change according to various
conditions, therefore the system may
not always be able to achieve the same
level of performance.
Read the following conditions care-
fully. Do not overly rely on this system
and always drive carefully.
• Conditions under which the system
may operate even if there is no possi-
bility of a collision: → P.214
• Conditions under which the system
may not operate properly: → P.216
●
Do not attempt to test the operation of
the pre-collision system yourself, as the
system may not operate properly, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
218 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_OM50F42U_(U) into, preventing the ac tive steering assist
from operating properly:
• When the white (yellow) lane lines are
difficult to see, such as when they are
faint, diverging/merging, or a shadow is
cast upon them
• When the lane is more wide or narrow
than normal
• When there is a light and dark pattern on
the road surface , such as due to road
repairs
• If the system determines that a collision
can be avoided by only using the brakes
• When a pedestrian is detected near the
centerline of the vehicle●
In some situations such as the following,
sufficient braking force or steering force
may not be obtained, preventing the sys-
tem from performing properly:
• If the braking functions cannot operate to
their full extent, such as when the brake
parts are extremely cold, extremely hot,
or wet
• If the vehicle is not properly maintained
(brakes or tires are excessively worn,
improper tire inflation pressure, etc.)
• When the vehicle is being driven on a
gravel road or other slippery surface
• If there are deep ruts in the road
• When driving on a slope
• When driving on a horizontally slanted
road●
Some pedestrians and bicyclists, such as
the following, may not be detected by the
sensors, preventing the system from
operating properly:
• Pedestrians and bicyclists shorter than
approximately 3.2 ft. (1 m) or taller than
approximately 6.5 ft. (2 m)
• Bicyclists riding on unusual bicycles
(bicycles for small children, tricycles,
folding bicycles, BMX bicycles, tandem
bicycles, etc.)
• Pedestrians and bicyclists who are wear-
ing white and look extremely bright
• Pedestrians and bicyclists which are not
illuminated by the headli ghts at night, in a
tunnel, etc.
• Pedestrians whose clothing appears to
be nearly the same co lor or brightness as
their surroundings
• Pedestrians and bicy clists near walls,
fences, guardrails, or large objects • Pedestrians and bicyclists which are on a
metal object (manhole cover, steel plate,
etc.) on the road
• Pedestrians and bicyclists which are mov-
ing fast
• Pedestrians and bicyclists which change
speed or direction abruptly
• Pedestrians and bicyclists which suddenly
emerge from behind a vehicle or large
object
• Pedestrians and bicyclists which are
extremely close to the side of the vehicle
(outside rear view mirror, etc.)
• Pedestrians and bicyclists wearing over-
sized clothing, such as a rain coat, long
skirt, etc., making their silhouette obscure
• Pedestrians and bicyclists who are carry-
ing large baggage, ho lding an umbrella,
etc., hiding part of their body
• Pedestrians and bicyclists behind an
object that hides part of their body
• Pedestrians and bicyclists who are bend-
ing forward or squatting
• Pedestrians who are pushing a stroller,
wheelchair, bicycle or other vehicle
• Groups of pedestrians/bicyclists which
are close together ●
Some guardrails, such as the following,
may not be detected by the sensors, pre-
venting the system from operating prop-
erly:
• Guardrails which are less than approxi-
mately 1.9 ft. (60 cm) tall
• Short guardrails
• Irregularly-shaped gu ardrails (wire cable
guardrails, guardrails made of thin poles,
etc.)
• Guardrails which are not illuminated by
the headlights at nigh t, in a tunnel, etc.
• Guardrails which appear to be nearly the
same color or brightness as their sur-
roundings
• Guardrails which appear to be nearly the
same shape as their surroundings (walls,
etc.)
• Guardrails which are over a metal object
(manhole cover, steel plate, etc.)
• Guardrails which are hidden behind thick
grass
• Guardrails which are extremely close to
the side of the vehicle (outside rear view
mirror, etc.)
• Curved guardrails or guardrails at the
entrance of a curve