3914-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UAccelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a sa fe distance between you and the vehicle
ahead, and drive at a reduced spee d suitable to road conditions.●
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P without setting the parking
brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from being released. If
the vehicle is parked without setting the parking brake, make sure to block the
wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerous because it may cause the vehicle to move
unexpectedly, possibly leading to an accident. When the parking brake is in automatic mo de, release the parkin g brake after shifting
the shift lever to P. ( → P. 253)●
If the vehicle is parked without setting the parking brake, confirm that the shift
lever cannot be moved out of P
* .
* : The shift lever will be locked if it is atte mpted to be shifted from P to any other posi-
tion without depressing the brake pedal. If the shift lever can be shifted from P, there
may be a problem with the shift lock sy stem. Have the vehicle inspected by your
Lexus dealer immediately.
Use the correct tire chain size when mounti ng the tire chains. Chain size is regu-
lated for each tire size.
Side chain:
0.12 in. (3 mm) in diameter
0.43 in. (10.8 mm) in width
0.98 in. (25 mm) in length
Cross chain:
0.15 in. (3.9 mm) in diameter
0.54 in. (13.8 mm) in width
1.00 in. (25.3 mm) in length
Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary depending on location and type
of road. Always check local regu lations before installing chains.When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
Selecting tire chains 1
2
3
4
5
6
Regulations on the use of tire chains
396 4-6. Driving tips
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U [
WARNING ■
Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death, serious injury
or damage to your vehicle: ●
Drive carefully when off the road. Do not ta ke unnecessary risks by driving in danger-
ous places. ●
Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump could jerk
the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and especially your thumbs on the
outside of the rim. ●
Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand, mud,
water or snow. ●
After driving through tall grass, mud, rock , sand, rivers, etc., check that there is no
grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the underbody.
Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materi-
als trapped or adhering to the underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur. ●
When driving off-road or in rugged terrain , do not drive at excessive speeds, jump,
make sharp turns, strike obje cts, etc. This may cause loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive damage to your vehi-
cle’s suspension and chassis.
NOTICE ■
To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the hybrid battery
(traction battery), hybrid system or other components does not occur.●
Water entering the engine compartment may cause severe damage to the hybrid
system. Water entering the interior may cause the hybrid battery (traction battery)
stowed under the rear seats to short circuit.●
Water entering the hybrid transmission and rear electric motor (traction motor) will
cause deterioration in transmission qualit y. The malfunction indicator may come on,
and the vehicle may not be drivable. ●
Water can wash the grease from wheel be arings, causing rusting and premature fail-
ure, and may also enter the hybrid transmissi on case, reducing the gear oil’s lubricat-
ing qualities. ■
When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when cro ssing shallow streams, first check the depth of
the water and the bottom of the riverbed for firmness. Drive slowly and avoid deep
water. ■
Inspection after off-road driving ●
Sand and mud that has accumulated around brake discs may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system components. ●
Always perform a maintenance inspection afte r each day of off-road driving that has
taken you through rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For scheduled maintenance
information, refer to the “Warranty and Services Guide/Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment/Scheduled Maintenance”.
5837-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UNOTICE ■
To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and components (aluminum
wheels, etc.) ●
Wash the vehicle immediatel y in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated wi th soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron pow-
der or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoli ne are spilled on the paint surface●
If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately. ●
To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place with low
humidity when storing the wheels. ■
Cleaning the exterior lights ●
Wash carefully. Do not use organic subs tances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.●
Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses. ■
When using an automatic car wash
Set the wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wipers may operate and the wiper blades may be
damaged. ■
When using a high pressure car wash ●
When washing the vehicle, do not let water of the high pressure washer hit directly or
the vicinity of the camera. Due to the shock from the high pressure water, it is possible
the device may not operate as normal. ●
Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin manufactured cover), con-
nectors or the following parts. The parts may be damaged if they come into contact
with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
•Brake parts ●
Do not point the nozzle of a high pressure
washer at the areas sh own in the illustration,
as high pressure water may damage the oil
cooler.
5897-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UGeneral maintenance Listed below are the general maintenanc e items that should be performed at
the intervals specified in the “Warranty and Service Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”. It is recommende d that any problem you notice should
be brought to the attention of your Lexu s dealer or qualified service shop for
advice.
Engine compartment Items Check points
Brake fluid Is the brake fluid at the correct level? ( → P. 603)
Engine/power control unit
coolant Is the engine/power control unit coolant at the correct
level?( → P. 601)
Engine oil Is the engine oil at the correct level?( → P. 598)
Exhaust system There should not be any fumes or strange sounds.
Radiator/condenser The radiator and condenser should be free from
foreign objects. ( → P. 602)
Washer fluid Is there sufficient washer fluid?( → P. 604)
Luggage compartment Items Check points
12-volt battery Check the connections. ( → P. 605)
590 7-2. Maintenance
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U* : Vehicles with sing le-beam headlightsVehicle interior Items Check points
Accelerator pedal • The accelerator pedal sh ould move smoothly (with-
out uneven pedal effort or catching).
Brake pedal • Does the brake pedal move smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appropriate clearance
from the floor? ( → P. 716)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of
free play? ( → P. 716)
Brakes • The vehicle should not pull to one side when the
brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should no t get too close to the floor
when the brakes are applied.
Head restraints • Do the head restraints move smoothly and lock
securely?
Hybrid transmission “Park”
mechanism • When parked on a slope and the shift lever is in P, is
the vehicle securely stopped?
Indicators/buzzers • Do the indicators and buzzers function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
• Are the headlights aimed correctly?
* ( → P. 635)
Parking brake • Does the parking brake switch operate normally?
• When parked on a slope and the parking brake is on,
is the vehicle securely stopped?
Seat belts • Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
Seats • Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel • Does the steering wheel rotate smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correct amount of
free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds coming
from the steering wheel.
593
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U 7
Maintenance and care 7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions If you perform maintenance by yourself, be sure to follow the correct proce-
dure as given in these sections. Items Parts and tools
12-volt battery con-
dition ( → P. 605) •Grease
• Conventional wrench (for terminal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level
( → P. 603) • FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine/power con-
trol unit coolant level
( → P. 601) • “Toyota Super Long Life Coolan t” or a similar high quality
ethylene glycol-based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite
and non-borate coolant with long-life hybrid organic acid
technology
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed with 50%
coolant and 50% deionized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Cool ant” is pre-mixed with 55%
coolant and 45% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil level
( → P. 598) • “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses ( → P. 632) • Fuse with same amperage rating as original
Headlight aim
*( → P. 635) • Phillips-head screwdriver
Light bulbs
( → P. 637) • Bulb with same number and wattage rating as original
• Flathead screwdriver •Wrench
Radiator and con-
denser ( → P. 602) ⎯
Tire inflation pres-
sure ( → P. 620) • Tire pressure gauge • Compressed air source
5977-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U■
12-volt battery
→ P. 605Engine compartment
Washer fluid tank ( → P. 604)
Brake fluid reservoir ( → P. 603)
Engine oil level dipstick
( → P. 598)
Engine coolant reservoir
( → P. 601)
Power control unit coolant reservoir
( → P. 601) Fuse boxes ( → P. 632)
Radiator ( → P. 602)
Power control unit coolant
radiator ( → P. 602)
Condenser ( → P. 602)
Electric cooling fans
Engine oil filler cap ( → P. 599)1
2
3
4
5 6
7
8
9
10
11
6037-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U■
Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN” lines
on the tank.
■
Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid type and prepare the necessary item. ■
Brake fluid can absorb moisture from the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause a dangerous loss of braking efficiency. Use
only newly opened brake fluid.Brake fluid
Fluid type FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid
Items Clean funnel
WARNING ■
When filling the reservoir
Take care as brake fluid can harm your hands and eyes and damage painted surfaces.
If fluid gets on your hands or in your ey es, flush the affected area with clean water
immediately.
If you still experience di scomfort, see a doctor.
NOTICE ■
If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads wear out or
when the fluid level in the accumulator is high.
If the reservoir needs frequent ref illing, there may be a serious problem.