2018 LEXUS RCF Owners Manual

1934-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)■
When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. (  P. 312)■
Driving in the rain ●
Drive carefully when it is ra ining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery. ●
Drive carefully when it starts to rain, beca use the road surface will be especially slip-
pery. ●
Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because there may
be a layer of water between the tires and th e road surface, preventing the steering and
brakes from operating properly. ■
Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, th e engine speed may become high while driving. This is due
to automatic up-shifting control or down-shi fting implementation to meet driving condi-
tions. It does not indica te sudden acceleration.●
The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill ●
When the accelerato r pedal is released●
When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected ■
Restraining the engine output (Brake Override System)●
When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the engine
output may be restrained. ●
A warning message is displayed on the mult i-information display while the system is
operating. (  P. 477)■
Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control)●
When the following unusual operation is performed, the engine 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 M) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears on
the multi-information display. (  P. 465)
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed t oo much while the vehicle is in reverse.●
While Drive-Start Control is being activated, your vehicle may have trouble escaping
from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRC (  P. 314) to cancel Drive-
Start Control so that the vehicle may beco me able to escape from the mud or fresh
snow. ■
Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observin g the following precautions is recommended:●
For the first 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops. ●
For the first 621 miles (1000 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.

194 4-1. Before driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)■
Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of brake system
needs bedding-down of the brake shoes peri odically or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Lexus dealer perform the bedding down
operation. ■
Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. (  P. 554)■
Brake pads and discs (RC F)
The brake pads and discs are designed for use under high load conditions. Therefore,
brake noise may be generated depending on the vehicle speed, braking force and vehi-
cle environment (temperature, humidity, etc.). ■
Idling time before engine stop (RC300)
To prevent damage to the turbocharger, allow the engine to idle immediately after high-
load driving.
Driving condition Idling time
Normal city driving or high-spe ed driving (at the highway speed
limit or recommended speed) Not necessary
Steep hill driving, co ntinuous driving (race track driving etc.) Approximately
1 minute

1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)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 engine running. This
prevents the vehicle from creeping. ■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator ped-
als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator 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 a difficulty in oper-
ating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving po sture even when moving the vehicle only
slightly. This allows you to depress th e brake and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using
your left foot may delay re sponse in an emergency, resulting in an accident.●
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 flammable material nearby. ●
During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engi ne off while driving
will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the power assist to these systems
will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer and brake, so you should pull over
and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way:  P. 443●
Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a steep
hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause th e brakes to overheat and lose effective-
ness. (  P. 213)●
Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside rear
view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control. ●
Always check that all passengers’ arms, he ads 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 permits 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 no t before driving at such speeds.

196 4-1. Before driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
When driving on slippery road surfaces ●
Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your
ability to control the vehicle. ●
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 pe dal to make sure that the
brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on only on e side are wet and not functioning properly,
steering control may be affected. ■
When shifting the shift lever ●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll
forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an accide nt or damage to the vehicle.●
Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
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 control.●
Do not shift the shift lever to a driving posi tion while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the engine from
the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is selected.●
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. Shifting the
shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of
the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious injury. ■
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limi t indicators) (RC350/
RC300)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brakes on F SPORT models (RC3 50 [2WD]/RC300 [2WD] only): Moderate
levels of brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced front braking power. As a result, the
discs may wear more quickly than convention al brake discs. Therefore, when replacing
the brake pads, Lexus recommends that you al so have the thickness of the discs mea-
sured.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those
of the brake discs are exceeded.

1974-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
If a brake pad wear warning message is displayed (RC F)
Have the brake pads visually checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Moderate levels of the brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced braking power. As a
result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional brake discs. Therefore, when
replacing the brake pads, Lexu s recommends that you also have the thickness of the
discs measured.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those
of the brake discs are exceeded. ■
When the vehicle is stopped ●
Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly
and unexpectedly, causing an accident. ●
In order to prevent accidents due to the ve hicle rolling away, always keep depressing
the brake pedal while the engine is running, and apply the parking brake as neces-
sary. ●
If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, alwa ys depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed. ●
Avoid revving or r acing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause the exhaust
system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible material is nearby.

198 4-1. Before driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
When the vehicle is parked ●
Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, sp ray 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 cau se the plastic lenses and plastic mate-
rial 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 circui t 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 windsh ield or windows. Do not place containers
such as air fresheners on th e instrument panel or dashbo ard. Adhesive discs or con-
tainers may act as lenses, ca using a fire in the vehicle.●
Do not leave a door or window open if th e curved glass is coated with a metallized
film such as a silver-colored one. Reflecte d sunlight may cause the glass to act as a
lens, causing a fire. ●
Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the engine and lock the
vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattend ed while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift leve r in P but the parking brake is not set, the
vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident. ●
Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or immediately after turn-
ing the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns. ■
When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to engine over-
heating. Additionally, if the ve hicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust gases
may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a serious health hazard.

1994-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
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 vehicle. ●
If the brake booster device 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, bu t the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distan ce will increase. Have your brakes fixed
immediately. ●
Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted brakes. ●
The brake system consists of 2 individual hy draulic systems; if one of the systems fails,
the other 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 imme-
diately. ■
If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessive ly when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline components or propel the vehi-
cle forward or backward, causing an accident.

200 4-1. Before driving
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)NOTICE ■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time while driving, as
this may restrain the engine output.●
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depre ss the accelerator and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on a hill. ■
When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift the sh ift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause
the vehicle to move or the vehicle may acce lerate suddenly if th e accelerator pedal is
accidentally depressed. ■
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. ●
RC300: Make sure to idle the engine immediately after high-load driving. Stop the
engine only after the turb ocharger has cooled down.
Failure to do so may cause damage to the turbocharger. ■
If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations . Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle. ●
It may be difficult to control your vehicle. ●
The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations. ●
The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (  P. 489, 502)■
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded af ter heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle: ●
Engine stalling ●
Short in electrical components ●
Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to have
your Lexus dealer check the following: ●
Brake function ●
Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, transmission,
transfer (AWD models), differential, etc. ●
Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.