
2174-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UWARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
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.
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 depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the shift lever is in any position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an accident. ●
In order to prevent accidents due to the ve hicle rolling away, always keep depressing
the brake pedal while stopped with the “REA DY” indicator is illuminated, and apply
the parking brake as necessary. ●
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.■
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 shif t lever to P, stop the hybrid system and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended whil e the “READY” indicator is illuminated.
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 “R EADY” indicator is illuminated or imme-
diately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.

230 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UUse the wire harness stored in the rear
end under body. ■
Auto current cut-off function
In case of over current, the auto cut-off function stops the power flowing to the trailer
lights to prevent damage to the vehicle’s electrical system.
This function is activated when the rated current of any of the following trailer light circuit
components is exceeded: ●
Tail lights: maximum 7.8 A ●
Stop/turn signal light (right): maximum 4.5 A ●
Stop/turn signal light (left): maximum 4.5 A ■
When the auto current cu t function is activated
If a trailer light does not come on due to th e activation of the auto current cut function,
the light system will need to be reset.
Follow the reset procedure shown below. ●
If a tail light does not come on, turn off the headlight switch. ●
If the right-side stop/turn signal light does not come on, put the turn signal in the off
position or remove foot from the brake pedal.●
If the left-side stop/turn signal light does not come on, put the turn signal in the off posi-
tion or remove foot from the brake pedal.
If the emergency flashers do not operate, press the emergency flasher switch to turn
them off.
After the light system is reset, operate the lig ht switches again to see if the lights operate
normally.
If the lights do not operate normally, have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.Connecting trailer lights

236 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UWARNING ■
Hitch
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities established by the hitch manu-
facturer. Even though the vehicle may be phys ically capable of towing a higher weight,
the operator must determine the maximum weight rating of the particular hitch assem-
bly and never exceed the maximum weight rating specified for the trailer-hitch.
Exceeding the maximum weight rating set by the trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause
an accident resulting in death or serious personal injuries. ■
When towing a trailer
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable federal and
state/provincial regulations. ●
If the gross trailer weight exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer brakes are required. Lexus
recommends trailers with brakes that conform to all applicable federal and state/pro-
vincial regulations. ●
Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehicle’s braking
effectiveness. ●
Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both the trailer
and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the co upling unit or hitch ball, there is danger of
the trailer wandering into another lane.
NOTICE ■
When installing a trailer hitch
Use only the position recommended by your Lexus dealer. Do not install the trailer
hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage. ■
Do not directly splice trailer lights
Do not directly splic e trailer lights. Directly splicin g trailer lights may damage your
vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.

2534-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UThe parking brake is set or released au tomatically according to the shift lever
operation.
Even when in automatic mode, the parkin g brake can be set and released manu-
ally. ( → P. 254)
Turns automatic mode on (while the
vehicle is stopped, pull and hold the
parking brake switch until the auto-
matic mode lamp turns on) • When the shift lever is moved out of
P, the parking brake will be released,
and the parking brake indicator light
and parking brake light turn off.
• When the shift lever is moved into P,
the parking brake will be set, and the
parking brake indicator light and
parking brake light turn on.
Operate the shift lever with the brake
pedal depressed.
Turns automatic mode off (while the
vehicle is stopped, press and hold
the parking brake switch until the
automatic mode lamp turns off)Parking brake A mode can be selected from the following modes.
Automatic mode
Automatic
mode lamp U.S.A. Canada
Parking
brake light1
2

254 4-2. Driving procedures
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UThe parking brake can be set and released manually.
Sets the parking brake The parking brake indicator light and
parking brake light will turn on.
Pull and hold the parking brake switch if
an emergency occurs and it is necessary
to operate the parking brake while driv-
ing.
Releases the parking brake Operate the parking brake switch while
depressing the brake pedal. Make sure
that the parking brake indicator light
and parking brake light turn off.
If the parking brake indicator light and
parking brake lamp flashes, operate the
switch again. ( → P. 660)■
Parking the vehicle
→ P. 212 ■
Parking brake operation ●
When the power switch is not in ON mode, the parking brake cannot be released using
the parking brake switch. ●
When the power switch is not in ON mode , automatic mode (automatic brake setting
and releasing) is not available. ■
If “Parking Brake Overheated Parking Brak e Unavailable” is displayed on the multi-
information display
If the parking brake is operated repeatedly over a short period of time, the system may
restrict operation to prevent overheating. If this happens, refrain from operating the
parking brake. Normal operation wi ll return after about 1 minute.■
If “EPB Activation Stopped Incompletely” or “Parking Brake Unavailable” is displayed
on the multi-information display
Operate the parking brake switch. If the message does not disappear after operating the
switch several times, the system may be ma lfunctioning. Have th e vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer immediately. ■
Parking brake operation sound
When the parking brake operates, a motor so und (whirring sound) may be heard. This
does not indicate a malfunction.Manual mode U.S.A. Canada
Parking
brake light1
2

2554-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U■
Parking brake indicator light and parking brake light ●
Depending on the power switch mode, the parking brake indicator light and parking
brake light will turn on and stay on as described below:
ON mode: Comes on until the parking brake is released.
Not in ON mode: Stays on fo r approximately 15 seconds.●
When the power switch is turned off with th e parking brake set, the parking brake indi-
cator light and parking brake light will stay on for about 15 seconds. This does not indi-
cate a malfunction. ■
Changing the mode
When changing the automatic mode on/off , the message will be shown on the multi-
information display and the buzzer sounds. ■
Parking brake engaged warning buzzer
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driv en with the parking brake engaged. “Release
Parking Brake” is displayed on the multi-information display.■
Warning messages and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution. If a warn ing message is shown on the multi-information
display, read the message and follow the instructions.■
If the brake system warning light comes on
→ P. 660 ■
Usage in winter time
→ P. 391
WARNING ■
When parking the vehicle
Do not leave a child in the vehicle alone. The parking brake may be released uninten-
tionally and there is the danger of the ve hicle moving that may lead to an accident
resulting in death or serious injury. ■
Parking brake switch
Do not set any objects near the parking br ake switch. Objects may interfere with the
switch and may lead the parking brake to unexpectedly operate.
NOTICE ■
When parking the vehicle
Before you leave the vehicle, shift the shif t lever to P, set the parking brake and make
sure that the vehicle does not move. ■
When the system malfunctions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and check the warning messages.■
When the parking brake cannot be released due to a malfunction
Driving the vehicle with the parking brake se t will lead to brake components overheat-
ing, which may affect bra king performance and increase brake wear. Contact your
Lexus dealer immediately if this occurs.

256 4-2. Driving procedures
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UTurns the brake hold system on The brake hold standby indicator
(green) comes on. Wh ile the system is
holding the brakes, the brake hold oper-
ated indicator (yellow) will illuminate. ■
Brake hold system operating conditions
The brake hold system cannot be turn ed on in the following conditions:●
The driver’s door is not closed. ●
The driver’s seat seat belt is not buckled.
If either of the conditions above are detected when the brake hold system is enabled, the
system will turn off and the brake hold standby in dicator light will go off. In addition, if any
of the conditions are detected while the sy stem is holding the brakes, a warning buzzer
will sound and a message will be shown on th e multi-information di splay. The parking
brake will then be set automatically. ■
Brake hold function ●
If the brake pedal is left released for a pe riod of about 3 minutes after the system has
started holding the brakes, the parking brake will be set automatically. In this case, a
warning buzzer sounds and a message is shown on the multi- informatio n display.●
To turn the system off while the system is holding the brakes, firmly depress the brake
pedal and press the switch again. ●
The brake hold function may not hold the vehicle when the vehicle is on a steep incline.
In this situation, it may be necessary for the driver to apply the brakes. A warning
buzzer will sound and the mult i-information display will info rm the driver of this situa-
tion. If a warning message is shown on the multi-information display, read the message
and follow the instructions.Brake Hold The brake hold system keeps the brake appl ied when the shift lever is in D, S or
N with the system on and the brake peda l has been depressed to stop the vehi-
cle. The system releases the brake wh en the accelerator pedal is depressed
with the shift lever in D or S to allow smooth start off.

2574-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U■
When the parking brake is set automatically while the system is holding the brakes
Perform any of the following operat ions to release the parking brake.●
Depress the accelerator pedal. (The parking brake will not be released automatically if
the seat belt is not fastened.) ●
Operate the parking brake switch with the brake pedal depressed.
Make sure that the parking brake indicator light goes off. ( → P. 253) ■
When an inspection at your Lexus dealer is necessary
When the brake hold standby indicator (green) does not illu minate even when the brake
hold switch is pressed with the brake hold system operating conditions met, the system
may be malfunctioning. Ha ve the vehicle inspected at your Lexus dealer. ■
If “Brake Hold Fault Depress Brake to Deacti vate Visit Your Dealer” is displayed on the
multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning. Have th e vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.■
Warning messages and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution. If a warn ing message is shown on the multi-information
display, read the message and follow the instructions.■
If the brake hold operated indicator flashes
→ P. 660
WARNING ■
When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a steep incline exercise caution. The brake hold
function may not hold the vehicle in such a situation. ■
When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when the gripping ability of the tires has been
exceeded. Do not use the system when stopped on a slippery road.
NOTICE ■
When parking the vehicle
The brake hold system is not designed for use when parking the vehicle for a long
period of time. Turning the power switch off while the system is holding the brakes may
release the brakes, which would cause the vehicle to move. When operating the power
switch, depress the brake pedal, shift the shift lever to P and set the parking brake.