
158 4-1. Before driving
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 WARNING●
In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the
engine is running, and apply the park-
ing brake as necessary.●
If the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or back-
ward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake
as needed.●
Avoid revving or racing 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,
spray 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 cause the plastic lenses and plas-
tic material 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 circuit 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
windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on
the instrument pane l or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act
as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle. ●
Do not leave a door or window open if
the curved glass is coated with a met-
allized film such as a silver-colored
one. Reflected sunlight may cause the
glass to act as a lens, causing a fire. ●
Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift position to P, stop the engine
and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
position 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 turning 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
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is
parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard. ■
When braking ●
When the brakes are wet, drive more
cautiously.
Braking distance in creases 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.
●
Vehicles without Lexus Safety System
+ A: If the brake booster device does
not operate, do not follow other vehi-
cles 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 in crease. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.

1594-1. Before driving
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving WARNING●
Vehicles with Lexus Safety System + A:
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.●
Vehicles without Lexus Safety System
+ A: 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.●
Vehicles without Lexus Safety System
+ A: The brake system consists of 2
individual hydraulic 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
immediately.●
Vehicles with Lexus Safety System + A:
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
a driven wheel 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 engine
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. ■
When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift
the shift position to P. Failure to do so
may cause the vehicle to move or the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the
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.
●
Make sure to idle the engine immedi-
ately after high-load driving. Stop the
engine only after the turbocharger 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 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.
●
The vehicle will make abnormal
sounds or vibrations.
●
The vehicle will lean abnormally.

1614-1. Before driving
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving 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.162)Lexus does not recommend towing a
trailer with your vehicle. Your vehicle is not
designed for trailer towing.
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle capac-
ity weight) ( P.446)
When 2 people with the combined
weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in your
vehicle, which has a total load capacity
(vehicle capacity weight) of B lb. (kg),
the available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity will be C lb. (kg) as
follows:
B *2
lb. (kg) - A *1
lb. (kg) = C *3
lb. (kg)*1
: A =Weight of people *2
: B =Total load capacity *3
: C =Available cargo and luggage load
In this condition, if 3 more passengers with
the combined weight of D lb. (kg) get on,
the available cargo and luggage load will
be reduced E lb. (kg) as follows:
C lb. (kg) - D *4
lb. (kg) = E *5
lb. (kg)*4
: D =Additional weight of people *5
: E =Available cargo and luggage load
As shown in the example above, if the
number of occupant s increases, the
cargo and luggage load will be
reduced by an amount that equals the
increased weight due to the additional
occupants. In other words, if an
increase in the number of occupants
causes an excess of the total load
capacity (combined weight of occu-
pants plus cargo and luggage load),
you must reduce the cargo and lug-
gage on your vehicle.Calculation formula for your
vehicle
A
B WARNING■
Things that must not be carried in the
trunk
The following things may cause a fire if
loaded in the trunk:
●
Receptacles containing gasoline
●
Aerosol cans
■
Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals
from being depressed properly, may
block the driver’s vision, or may result in
items hitting the driver or passengers,
possibly causing an accident.
●
Stow cargo and luggage in the trunk
whenever possible.

162 4-1. Before driving
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 ■
Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire
and loading information label. ( P.395)WARNING●
Do not place cargo or luggage in or on
the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats
(when stacking items)
• On the package tray
• On the instrument panel
•On the dashboard
• In front of the Center Display ●
Secure all items in the occupant com-
partment.■
Capacity and distribution●
Do not exceed the maximum axle
weight rating or the total vehicle
weight rating.●
Even if the total load of occupant’s
weight and the cargo load is less than
the total load capacity, do not apply the
load unevenly. Improper loading may
cause deterioration of steering or
braking control which may cause
death or serious injury. Vehicle load limits Vehicle load limits include total
load capacity, seating capacity,
towing capacity and cargo capac-
ity.
Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight): P.446
Total load capacity means the com-
bined weight of occupants, cargo
and luggage.
Seating capacity:5 occupants
(Front 2, Rear 3)
Seating capacity means the maxi-
mum number of occupants whose
estimated average weight is 150 lb.
(68 kg) per person.
Towing capacity
Lexus does not recommend towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or
decrease depending on the weight
and the number of occupants.
WARNING
■
Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tires,
but also degrade steering and braking
ability, resulting in an accident.

1654-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving 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 engine is turned on
and off repeatedly in a short period of
time. In this case, refrain from operating
the engine switch. After about 10 sec-
onds, the steering lock motor will resume
functioning.■
Electronic key battery
P.399■
Operation of the engine switch●
If the switch is not pressed shortly and
firmly, the engine switch mode may not
change or the engine may not start.●
If attempting to restart the engine imme-
diately after turning the engine switch off,
the engine may not start in some cases.
After turning the engine switch off, please
wait a few seconds before restarting the
engine.■
Customization
If the smart access sy stem with push-button
start has been deactivated in a customized
setting, refer to P.433. 1 Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, set the parking brake.
( P.174)
3 Shift the shift position to P.
( P.170) Check that the shift position indicator
shows P and the parking brake indicator is
illuminated.
4 Press the engine switch. The engine will stop, and the meter display
will be extinguished (the shift position indi-
cator will be extinguished a few seconds
after the meter display).
5 Release the brake pedal and check
that “ACCESSORY” or “IGNI-WARNING
■
When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in
the driver’s seat. Do not depress the
accelerator pedal while starting the
engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident result-
ing in death or serious injury. ■
Caution while driving
If engine failure occurs while the vehicle
is moving, do not lock or open the doors
until the vehicle reaches a safe and com-
plete stop. Activation of the steering lock
in this circumstance may lead to an acci-
dent, resulting in death or serious injury.
NOTICE■
When starting the engine ●
Do not race a cold engine. ●
If the engine becomes difficult to start
or stalls frequently, have your vehicle
checked by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately. ■
Symptoms indicating a malfunction
with the engine switch
If the engine 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 engine

166 4-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 TION ON” is not shown on the
meter. ■
Automatic P position selection function
P.170
Modes can be changed by pressing
the engine switch with the brake pedal
released. (The mode changes each
time the switch is pressed.) 1 Off The emergency flashers can be used.
2 ACCESSORY mode Some electrical components such as the
audio system can be used.
“ACCESSORY” will be displayed on the
meter.
3 IGNITION ON mode All electrical components can be used.
“IGNITION ON” will be displayed on the
meter.
■
Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY mode
for more than 20 minutes or IGNITION
ON mode (with the engine not running) for
more than an hour with the shift position in
P, the engine switch will automatically turn
off. However, this function cannot entirely
prevent the battery discharge. Do not leave
the vehicle with the engine switch in
ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode
for long periods of time when the engine is
not running.WARNING■
Stopping the engine in an emergency●
If you want to stop the engine in an
emergency while driving the vehicle,
press and hold the engine switch for
more than 2 seconds, or press it briefly
3 times or more in succession.
( P.406)
However, do not touch the engine
switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. Turning the engine off while
driving will not cause loss of steering
or braking control, however, power
assist to the steering will be lost. This
will make it more difficult to steer
smoothly, so you should pull over and
stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so.●
If the engine switch is operated while
the vehicle is running, a warning mes-
sage will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display and a buzzer sounds.●
When restarting the engine after an
emergency shutdown, press the
engine switch.
Changing engine switch modes

168 4-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 the shift position by moving the shift lever or
by pressing the P position switch in any of
the following situations, the buzzer will
sound and the shifting operation will be dis-
abled or the shift position will automatically
change to N. When this happens, select an
appropriate shift position. ●
Situations where the shifting operation
will be disabled:
• When an attempt is made to change the
shift position from P to another position
by moving the shift lever without depress-
ing the brake pedal.
• When an attempt is made to change the
shift position from P or N to M by moving
the shift lever.
• When the P position switch is pressed
while the vehicle is running. *1
●
Situations where the shift position will
automatically change to N:
• When an attempt is made to select the R
position by moving the shift lever when
the vehicle is moving forward. *2
• When an attempt is made to select the D
position by moving the shift lever when
the vehicle is moving in reverse. *3
• When the shift position is changed from
R to M●
If N is selected while driving at a certain
speed, even if the shift lever is not held in
the N position, the shift position changes
to N. In this situation, the buzzer sounds
and a confirmation message is displayed
on the multi-information display to inform
the driver that the shift position has
changed to N. *1
: Shift position may be changed to P
when driving at extremely low speeds. *2
: Shift position may be changed to R
when driving at low speeds. *3
: Shift position may be changed to D
when driving at low speeds.
■
Reverse warning buzzer
When shifting into R, a buzzer will sound to
inform the driver that the shift position is in
R.
■
To protect the automatic transmission
If the automatic transmission fluid tempera- ture is high, “Transmission Fluid Temp High
See Owner’s Manual” will be displayed on
the multi-information display and the vehi-
cle will go into transmission protection
mode automatically. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer. ■
When driving with dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed range activated
Even when performing the following
actions with the intent of enabling engine
braking, engine braking will not be acti-
vated because dynamic radar cruise con-
trol with full-speed range will not be
canceled. ●
While driving in the D position, down-
shifting to 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 or 4. ●
When switching the driving mode to
sport mode while driving in the D position
( P.289)■
Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
P.155 ■
AI-SHIFT
The AI-SHIFT automatica lly selects the suit-
able gear according to driver performance
and driving conditions.
The AI-SHIFT automatically operates when
the shift position is in D. (Shifting the shift
position to the M position cancels the func-
tion.) ■
If a message about a shift operation is
shown
To prevent the shift position from being
selected incorrectly or the vehicle from
moving unexpectedly, the shift position may
be changed automatically or operating the
shift lever may be requ ired. In this case,
change the shift position following the mes-
sages on the multi-information display.
■
After recharging/reconnecting the bat-
tery
P.380
■
Customization
Some functions can be customized.
( P.466)

1694-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving
Shift lever Operate the shift lever gently and securely
in the direction of the arrow on the shift
position indicator.
To shift to N, slide the shift lever in the
direction of the arrow and hold it.
Release the shift lever after each shifting
operation to allow it to return to its regular
position ( ).
Shifting to M is only possible when the shift
position is in D.
When shifting from P to N, D or R, from N,
D, M or R to P, from D or M to R, or from R
to D, ensure that the brake pedal is being
depressed and the vehicle is stationary.
Shift position indicator Meter display:
The current shift position is highlighted.
When any shift position other than D or M
is selected, the arrow toward M and the M
position indicator are displayed in gray.
Shift lever display:WARNING■
When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
Do not accelerate or shift the shift posi-
tion suddenly.
Sudden changes in engine braking may
cause the vehicle to spin or skid, resulting
in an accident.
NOTICE■
Situations where sh ift control system
malfunctions are possible
If any of the following situations occurs,
shift control system malfunctions are
possible.
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe
place on level ground, apply the parking
brake, and then contact your Lexus
dealer. ●
When the warning message indicating
the shift control syst em appears on the
multi-information display.●
The display indicates that no shift posi-
tion is selected for more than a few
seconds. Shifting the shift lever
A
B