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.
382 7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U 1 Remove any dirt or foreign matter
from the wheel contact surface.If foreign matter is on the wheel contact
surface, the wheel nuts may loosen while
the vehicle is in motion, causing the tire to come off.
2 Install the spare tire and loosely
tighten each wheel nut by hand by
approximately the same amount. Tighten the wheel nuts until the tapered
portion comes into loose contact with
the disc wheel seat .
3 Install the wheel nut wrench in jack
handle.WARNING●
Failure to follow these precautions
could cause the wheel nuts to loosen
and the tire to fall of f, resulting in death
or serious injury.
• Never use oil or grease on the wheel
bolts or wheel nuts.
Oil and grease may cause the wheel
nuts to be excessively tightened, lead-
ing to bolt or disc wheel damage. In
addition, the oil or grease can cause
the wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel
may fall off, causing a serious accident.
Remove any oil or grease from the
wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
• Have the wheel nuts tightened with a
torque wrench to 76 ft•lbf (103 N•m,
10.5 kgf•m) as soon as possible after
changing wheels.
• When installing a tire, only use wheel
nuts that have been specifically
designed for that wheel.
• If there are any cracks or deformations
in the bolt screws, nut threads or bolt
holes of the wheel, have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer.
• Do not attach a heavily damaged
wheel ornament, as it may fly off the
wheel while the vehicle is moving.
■
Replacing a flat tire for vehicles with
power back door
In cases such as when replacing tires,
make sure to turn off the power back
door main switch ( → P.119). Failure to do
so may cause the back door to operate
unintentionally if the power back door
switch is accidentally touched, resulting
in hands and fingers being caught and
injured.
Installing the spare tire A
B
