2018 LEXUS NX300h steering

1433-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 3
Before driving give a better view of the ground.
To disable this function, move the mirror
select switch to the neutral position
(between “L” or “R”)
With the shift lever in R, adjust the mirror
angle to a desired position to set the mirror
angle used when the vehicle is reversing.
The adjusted angle will be memorized and
the mirror will automatically tilt to the mem-
orized angle whenever the shift lever is
shifted to R from next time.
The memorized downward tilt position of
the mirror is linked to the normal position
(angle adjusted with th e shift lever in other
than R). Therefore, if the normal position is
changed after adjustment, the tilt position
will also change.
When the normal position is changed, read-
just the angle in reversing.
When used in cold weather, the door mirror
could be frozen and may not automatically
point the mirror surface downward. In this
event, remove any ice and snow from the
mirror surface.
1 Folds the mirrors
2 Extends the mirrorsPutting the outside rear view mirror folding
switch in the neutral position sets the mir-
rors to automatic mode. Automatic mode
allows the folding or extending of the mir-
rors to be linked to locking/unlocking of
the doors. ■
When using in cold weather
When automatic mode is used in cold
weather, the door mirror could freeze up
and automatic stowing and return may not
be possible. In this event, after removing any
ice and snow from the door mirror, operate
the mirror using manual mode or move it by
hand. ■
Customization
The automatic mirror folding and extending
operation can be changed. (Customizable
features: → P.426)
Folding and extending the mir-
rors WARNING■
When a mirror is moving
To avoid personal injury and mirror mal-
function, be careful not to get your hand
caught by the moving mirror.

149
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 4 4
Driving Driving4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ..................... 150
Cargo and luggage ................... 155
Vehicle load limits ...................... 158
Trailer towing (vehicles with tow-
ing package).............................. 159
Trailer towing (vehicles without
towing package) ...................... 167
Dinghy towing ............................. 167
4-2. Driving procedures
Power (ignition) switch ............ 168
EV drive mode ............................. 171
Hybrid transmission .................. 173
Turn signal lever.......................... 176
Parking brake .............................. 177
Brake Hold.................................... 180
ASC (Active Sound Control) 181
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ......................... 183
Automatic High Beam ............. 186
Fog light switch ........................... 189
Windshield wipers and washer
......................................................... 189
Rear window wiper and washer
......................................................... 194
4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap...... 196 4-5. Using the driving support sys-
tems
Lexus Safety System+ .............. 198
PCS (Pre-Collision System) 203
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with
steering control) ...................... 210
Dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range........................ 217
Intuitive parking assist .............. 227
Parking Support Brake function
(for static objects) .................. 232
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) ...... 241
Driving mode select switch .. 249
Driving assist systems.............. 250
4-6. Driving tips
Hybrid vehicle driving tips .... 255
Winter driving tips .................... 257
Utility vehicle precautions..... 259

150 4-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 4-1.Before driving
■
Starting the hybrid system
→ P.168 ■
Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( → P.173)
2 Release the parking brake.
( → P.179)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.178)
3 Gradually release the brake pedal
and gently depress the accelerator
pedal to accelerate the vehicle. ■
Stopping
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 If necessary, set the parking brake.
( → P.179)If the vehicle is to be stopped for an
extended period of time, shift the shift lever
to P. ( → P.173)
■
Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 Set the parking brake ( → P.179),
and shift the shift lever to P
( → P.173).
3 Press the power switch to stop the
hybrid system. 4 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 an uphill
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( → P.175)
2 Pull the parking brake switch and
parking brake is set manually.
( → P.179)
3 Release the brake pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal to
accelerate the vehicle.
4 Press the parking brake switch and
parking brake is released manually.
( → P.179) ■
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.255)■
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.
■
Restraining the hybrid system output
(Brake Override System)
●
When the accelerato r and brake pedals
are depressed at the same time, the
hybrid system output may be restrained.
●
A warning message is displayed on the Driving the vehicle The specified procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure

152 4-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U WARNING●
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.358●
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.176)●
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 the vehicle off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle designed
for off-road driving. Proceed with all
due caution 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 shor t circuit, damage
the hybrid system or cause other seri-
ous damage to 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 failur e, loss of control and
possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire
dealer to determine whether the tires
on your vehicle are high-speed capa-
bility tires or not befo re 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 lever ●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever
is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or
damage to the vehicle.
●
Do not shift the shif t lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●
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 con-
trol.

154 4-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U WARNING●
Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid sys-
tem and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.●
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 accidentally 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, exha ust gases may col-
lect and enter the ve hicle, 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 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 increase. 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
any of the tires 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.
NOTICE■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain the hybrid
system output. ●
Do not use the accelerator pedal or
depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the
vehicle on a hill. ■
Avoiding damage to vehicle parts ●
Do not turn the steering wheel fully in
either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power
steering motor.
●
When driving over bumps in the road,
drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the
vehicle, etc.
■
If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the fol-
lowing situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the
brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●
It may be difficult to control your vehi-
cle.

1574-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 4
Driving trailer with your vehicle. Your vehicle is
not designed for trailer towing.
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle capac-
ity weight) ( → P.400)
When 2 people with the combined
weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in your
vehicle, which has a total load capacity
(vehicle capacity weight) of B lb. (kg),
the available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity will be C lb. (kg) as
follows:
B *2
lb. (kg) − A *1
lb. (kg) = C *3
lb. (kg)*1
: A = Weight of people *2
: B = Total load capacity *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 occupant s 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■
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.
Calculation formula for your
vehicle
A
B

158 4-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U ■
Total load capacity (vehicle capac-
ity weight):
→ P.400
Total load capacity means the com-
bined weight of occupants, cargo and
luggage. ■
Seating capacity: 5 occupants
(Front 2, Rear 3)
Seating capacity means the maximum
number of occupants whose esti-
mated average weight is 150 lb. (68
kg) per person. ■
TWR (Trailer Weight Rating) (vehi-
cles with towing package):
→ P.163, 400
TWR means the maximum gross trailer
weight (trailer weight plus its cargo
weight) that your vehicle is able to tow. ■
TWR (Trailer Weight Rating) (vehi-
cles without towing package)
Lexus does not recommend towing a
trailer with your vehicle. ■
Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or
decrease depending on the weight and
the number of occupants. ■
Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire
and loading information label. ( → P.343)
Vehicle load limits Vehicle load limits include total
load capacity, seating capacity,
towing capacity and cargo capac-
ity.
Description WARNING■
Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tires,
but also degrade steering and braking
ability, resulting in an accident.

160 4-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U driven for over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over
500 miles (800 km), you can start towing.
However, for the next 500 miles (800 km),
drive the vehicle at a speed of less than 50
mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and
avoid full throttle acceleration. ■
Maintenance●
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Warranty
and Services Guide”, “Owner’s Manual
Supplement” or “Scheduled Mainte-
nance”.)●
Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately 600
miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.■
If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing
vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can adversely
affect handling of your vehicle and trailer,
causing instability. ●
If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer
straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by
turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal
immediately but very gradually to reduce
speed.
Do not increase sp eed. Do not apply
vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the
steering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer
should stabilize. ●
After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants
out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the
trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropri-
ate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded
after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed
at which trailer swaying occurred is beyond
the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combination. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Reme mber that swaying of
the towing vehicle-trailer increases as
speed increases.
WARNING■
Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care
and drive the vehicle in accordance with
the trailer’s characteristics and operating
conditions. Failure to do so could cause
an accident resulting in death or serious
injury. Vehicle stability and braking per-
formance are affected by trailer stability,
brake setting and performance, and the
hitch. Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer. ■
To avoid accident or injury ●
Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked
TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR. ●
Adjust the tongue weight within the
appropriate range. Place heavier loads
as close to the trailer axle as possible. ●
Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h),
the posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set forth
in your trailer owner’s manual, which-
ever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross winds,
on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help
avoid an accident. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from reduc-
ing a certain speed, slow down and
make sure you keep your vehicle
speed under the speed of which you
experience the instability.
●
Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp
turns.
●
Do not apply the brakes suddenly as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is
especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.
●
Do not exceed the trailer hitch assem-
bly weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and tra iler tongue weight
capacities.