2018 LEXUS NX300h stop start

1514-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 4
Driving multi-information display while the sys-
tem is operating.■
Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)●
When the following unusual operation is
performed, the hybrid system output may
be restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted from R to D,
D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes S) with the accelerator pedal
depressed, a warning message appears
on the multi-information display. If a
warning message is shown on the multi-
information display, read the message
and follow the instructions.
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed
too while the vehicl e is in reverse.●
While Drive-Start Control is being acti-
vated, your vehicle may have trouble
escaping from the mud or fresh snow. In
such case, deactivate TRAC ( → P.251) to
cancel Drive- Start Control so that the
vehicle may become able to escape from
the mud or fresh snow.■
Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing
the following precautions is recommended: ●
For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.●
For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for
extended periods. 
Vehicles with towing package●
For the first 500miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
■
Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registra-
tion laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. ( → P.408)
■
Eco-friendly driving
→ P.82 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 “READY”
indicator is illuminated. This prevents the
vehicle from creeping. ■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with
the location of the brake and accelera-
tor pedals to avoid depressing the
wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelera-
tor 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
operating 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 emer gency, 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.
●
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.

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.

156 4-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U Cargo capacity depends on the total
weight of the occupants. (Cargo capacity) = (Total load capac-
ity) — (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit ⎯
(1) Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX
lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 − 750
(5 × 150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity calculated in Step
4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity of your vehicle.
( → P.158)
Vehicles without towing package:
Lexus does not recommend towing a WARNING●
Secure all items in the occupant com-
partment.■
When using a roof luggage carrier
(vehicles with roof rails)
Observe the following precautions: ●
Place the cargo so that its weight is dis-
tributed evenly between the front and
rear axles.●
If loading long or wide cargo, never
exceed the vehicle overall length or
width. ( → P.400)●
Before driving, make sure the cargo is
securely fastened on the roof luggage
carrier.●
Loading cargo on the roof luggage
carrier will make the center of gravity
of the vehicle higher. Avoid high
speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneuvers,
otherwise it may result in loss of con-
trol or vehicle rollover due to failure to
operate this vehicle correctly and
result in death or serious injury.●
If driving for a long distance, on rough
roads, or at high sp eeds, stop the vehi-
cle now and then during the trip to
make sure the cargo remains in its
place.
●
Do not exceed 176.3 lb. (80 kg) cargo
weight on the roof luggage carrier.
NOTICE
■
When loading cargo (vehicles with
moon roof)
Do not set luggage on the moon roof.
Failure to observe so may lead to cause
damage.
Capacity and distribution

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.

1654-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 4
Driving Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer. Help to avoid an
accident, death or serious injury, keep
the following in mind when towing:
 Speed limits for towing a trailer vary
by state or province. Do not exceed
the posted towing speed limit.
 Lexus recommends that the vehicle-
trailer speed limit is 65 mph (104
km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road.
Do not exceed this limit, the posted
towing speed limit or the speed limit
for your trailer as set forth in your
trailer owner’s manual, whichever is
lowest. Instability of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer combination (trailer
sway) increases as speed increases.
Exceeding speed limits may cause
loss of control.
 Before starting out, check the trailer
lights, tires and the vehicle-trailer
connections. Recheck after driving
a short distance.
 Practice turning, stopping and
reversing with the trailer attached in
an area away from traffic until you
become accustomed to the feel of
the vehicle-trailer combination.
 Reversing with a tr ailer attached is
difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel
and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move
your hand to the right to move the
trailer to right. (This is generally
opposite to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone
guide you when reversing to reduce
the risk of an accident.
 As stopping distance is increased
when towing a trailer, vehicle-to
vehicle distance should be
increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/
h) of speed, allow at least one vehi-
cle and trailer length.
 Avoid sudden braking as you may
skid, resulting in the trailer jackknif-
ing and a loss of vehicle control. This
is especially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
 Avoid jerky starts or sudden accel-
eration.
 Avoid jerky steering and sharp
turns, and slow down before making
turn.
 Note that when making a turn, the
trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Compensate by making a
wider than normal turning radius.
 Slow down before making a turn, in
cross winds, on wet or slippery sur-
faces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can desta-
bilize the trailer.
 Take care when passing other vehi-
cles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After pass ing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty of room
before changing lanes.
 To maintain engine braking effi-
ciency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, Trailer towing tips

166 4-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U do not put the transmission in D.
( → P.176)
 Instability happens more frequently
when descending steep or long
downhill grades. Before descend-
ing, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long downhill
grades.
 Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or applying the brakes too
frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
 Due to the added load of the trailer,
your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
85°F [30°C]) when driving up a
long or steep grade. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates overheating, immediately turn
off the air conditioning (if in use),
pull your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. ( → P.394)
 Always place wheel blocks under
both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s
wheels when parking. Put the trans-
mission in P and apply the parking
brake. Avoid parking on a slope, but
if unavoidable, do so only after per-
forming the following:
1 Apply the brakes and keep them
applied.
2 Have someone place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle’s and trailer’s
wheels. 3 When the wheel blocks are in
place, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
4 Shift into P and apply the parking
brake.
5 Turn off the hybrid system.
 When restarting after parking on a
slope:
1 With the transmission in P, start the
hybrid system. Be sure to keep the
brake pedal depressed.
2 Shift into a forward gear. If revers-
ing, shift into R.
3 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, release the parking brake.
( → P.179)
4 Release the brake pedal, and slowly
pull or back away from the wheel
blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
5 Have someone retrieve the blocks.

1694-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 4
Driving Check that the shift leve r is in P. Press the
power switch while turning the steering
wheel left and right.
●
To prevent the steering lock motor from
overheating, operation of the motor may
be suspended if the hybrid system is
turned on and off repeatedly in a short
period of time. In this case, refrain from
operating the hybrid system. After about
10 seconds, the stee ring lock motor will
resume functioning.■
If there is a malfun ction in the smart
access system with push-button start
If “Smart Access System Malfunction See
Owner’s Manual” is di splayed on the multi-
information display, the system may be mal-
functioning. Have the vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer immediately. ■
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.67
■
Electronic key battery
→ P.347
■
Operation of the power switch
●
If the switch is not 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. ■
Customizable functions
→ P.421
1 Stop the vehicle completely.
2 Set the parking brake ( → P.179),
and shift the shift lever to P
( → P.173).
3 Press the power switch. 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. The steering lock func-
tion will activate and this 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.
NOTICE■
Symptoms indicating a malfunction
with the power switch
If the power switch seems to be operat-
ing somewhat differently than usual, such
as the switch sticking slightly, there may
be a malfunction. Contact your Lexus
dealer immediately.
Stopping the hybrid system

174 4-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U While the power switch is in ON
mode, move the shift lever with the
brake pedal depressed. When shifting the shift lever between P
and D, make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
■
Shift lock system
The shift lock system is a system to prevent
accidental operation of the shift lever in
starting.
The shift lever can be shifted from P only
when the power switch is in ON mode and
the brake pedal is being depressed.
■
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
First, check whether the brake pedal is
being depressed.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your
foot on the brake pedal, there may be a
problem with the shift lock system. Have the
vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
The following steps may be used as an
emergency measure to ensure that the shift lever can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
1 Set the parking brake.
2 Turn the power switch off.
3 Depress the brake pedal.
4 Pry the cover up with a flathead screw-
driver or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover, cover the
tip of the screwdriver with a rag.
5 Press the shift lock override button.
The shift lever can be shifted while the but-
ton is pressed
→ P.249Shifting the shift lever
WARNING■
To prevent an accident when releas-
ing the shift lock
Before pressing the shift lock override
button, make sure to set the parking
brake and depress the brake pedal.
If the accelerator pe dal is accidentally
depressed instead of the brake pedal
when the shift lock override button is
pressed and the shift lever is shifted out
of P, the vehicle may suddenly start, pos-
sibly leading to an accident resulting in
death or serious injury.
Selecting the driving mode