2019 LEXUS LS500 Owners Manual

2894-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving 
Vehicles without Adaptive Variable
Suspension System
1 Normal modeProvides an optimal ba lance of fuel econ-
omy, quietness, and dynamic performance.
Suitable for city driving.
Press the switch to change the driving
mode to normal mode when not in normal
mode.
2 Eco drive modeHelps the driver accelerate in an
eco-friendly manner and improve fuel
economy through modera te throttle char-
acteristics and by controlling the operation
of the air conditioning system (heat-
ing/cooling).
When not in Eco drive mode, if the driving
mode select switch is turned backward, the
Eco drive mode indicator will come on.
3 Sport modeControls the transmission and engine to
provide quick, powerful acceleration. This
mode also changes the steering feel, mak-
ing it suitable for when agile driving
response is desired, such as when driving on roads with many curves.
When not in sport mode, if the driving
mode select switch is turned forward, the
sport mode indicator will comes on. 
Vehicles with Adaptive Variable
Suspension System
Except F SPORT models
F SPORT models
1 Normal mode/Custom mode Normal mode and custom mode are
selected by pressing the driving mode
select switch. Each time the switch is
pressed, the driving mode changes
between normal mode and custom mode.
When normal mode is selected, the normal
mode indicator comes on.
When custom mode is selected, the cus-
tom mode indicator comes on.
Press the switch to change the driving
mode to normal mode when not in normal
mode.
• Normal mode
Provides an optimal ba lance of fuel econ-
omy, quietness, and dynamic performance. Driving mode select switch The driving modes can be selected
to suit driving condition.
Selecting a drive mode
A
B

290 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 Suitable for city driving.
When the shift position is in D, an appropri-
ate gear for sporty driving may automati-
cally be selected according to driver
performance and dr iving conditions.
•Custom mode
Allows you to drive with the powertrain,
chassis and air condit ioning system func-
tions set to your preferred settings. Cus-
tom mode settings can only be changed on
the drive mode customization display of
the Center Display. (  P.306)
2 Comfort modeBy controlling the suspension, riding com-
fort is further enhanc ed. Suitable for city
driving.
When not in comfort mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned backward, the
comfort mode indicator comes on.
3 Eco drive modeHelps the driver accelerate in an
eco-friendly manner and improve fuel
economy through modera te throttle char-
acteristics and by controlling the operation
of the air conditioning system (heat-
ing/cooling).
When in comfort mode, if the driving mode
select switch is turned backward, the Eco
drive mode indicator comes on.
4 Sport mode•Sport S mode
Controls the transmission and engine to
provide quick, powerful acceleration. This
mode is suitable for when agile driving
response is desired, such as when driving
on roads with many curves.
When not in Sport S mode, if the driving
mode select switch is turned forward, the
Sport S mode indicator comes on.
•Sport S+ mode
Helps to ensure stee ring performance and
driving stability by simultaneously con- trolling the steering and suspension in
addition to the transmission and engine.
Suitable for sportier driving.
When in Sport S mode, if the driving mode
select switch is turned forward, the Sport
S+ mode indicator comes on. ■
If the driving mode select switch is oper-
ated while the opening screen is being
displayed
If the driving mode sele ct switch is operated
while the opening screen is being displayed,
the driving mode will be changed and the
meter display will chan ge accordingly after
the opening screen operation has com-
pleted. ■
Operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cool-
ing operations and fan speed of the air con-
ditioning system to en hance fuel efficiency.
To improve air condit ioning performance,
perform the following operations: ●
Turn off eco air conditioning mode
(  P.318)●
Adjust the fan speed (  P.313)●
Turn off Eco drive mode ■
Automatic deactivation of sport mode
and custom mode
If the engine switch is turned off after driv-
ing in sport mode or custom mode, the
drive mode will be changed to normal
mode.
■
Driving mode pop-up display
When the driving mode is changed, the
selected driving mode will be temporarily
displayed on the side display. (  P.307)

2914-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving *
:If equipped
■
Situations in which the vehicle height
control may not operate properly●
In the following situations, the vehicle
height may change slowly or may not
change to the correct height:
• When the vehicle comes into contact
with snow, ice, stone, etc.
• When the ambient temperature is low
• When the accumulator tank pressure is
low●
In the following situations, the vehicle
height may not change:
• If the hood or trunk is not fully closed
• If the brake pedal depressed and the
vehicle is stopped
• When the vehicle is on a significantly
uneven or undulating road
• When the vehicle is on a slanted road or a
slope
■
Operating sound of the air suspension
compressor and valves
When the vehicle height is changed, such
as due to passengers entering the vehicle or
cargo being loaded, or when the vehicle
height is changed using the vehicle height
adjustment switch, the air suspension com-
pressor and valves may operate and a sound may be heard. This does not indicate
a malfunction. ■
When the accumulator tank pressure is
low
When the accumulator tank pressure is low,
the air suspension compressor and valves
may operate repeatedly even though the
vehicle height is not being changed. This
does not indicate a malfunction.
Electronically modulated air
suspension *
The height of the vehicle when driv-
ing can be selected using the vehi-
cle height adjustment switch. The
selected height level will be main-
tained regardless of the number of
passengers or weight of cargo.
Additionally, setti ngs of the follow-
ing functions can be changed:
 Enabling/Disabling controls of
access mode
 Temporarily disabling vehicle
height control WARNING■
Situations in whic h the operation of
the electronically modulated air sus-
pension should be temporarily dis-
abled
In the following situations, make sure to
temporarily disable all functions of the
vehicle height control of the electroni-
cally modulated air suspension and then
stop the engine. Otherwise, the vehicle
height may change and part of your body
may be caught under the vehicle, possi-
bly causing injury. ●
When the vehicle is parked on a curb ●
If any of the wheels is not touching the
ground ●
If the vehicle needs to be jacked up
●
If the vehicle is to be tied down
●
If the vehicle is to be towed
■
Vehicle height control precautions
In the following situations, make sure to
check the safety of the area around the
vehicle, as the vehicle height may change
and part of someone’s body may be
caught in the vehicle, possibly causing
injury or the vehicle may be damaged.
●
When opening a door
●
When unlocking the doors using the
smart access system with push-button
start
●
When changing the vehicle height
using the vehicle height adjustment
switch

292 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 To adjust the vehicle height to one
appropriate for road and driving con-
ditions, press the vehicle height adjust-
ment switch.
Turns high mode on/off. When high mode is enabled, the high
mode indicator on the meter will illuminate.
The vehicle height will increase by approxi-
mately 0.8 in. (20 mm) from its normal
position.
When the vehicle height is increased by a
control of access mo de press the vehicle
height adjustment switch twice to
enable/disable high mode. ■
The vehicle height adjustment switch
can be used to change the mode when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode. ■
System protection function
If the vehicle height is repeatedly increased
and decreased using the vehicle height
adjustment switch, etc ., the system may not
operate temporarily.
In order to improve the ease of enter-
ing and exiting the vehicle, the vehicle
height will increase automatically. 
Enter control
If any of the following operations are
performed, the vehicle height will
increase automatically:
 When the doors are unlocked using
the smart access system with
push-button start
 When the doors are unlocked using
the wireless remote control and
then a door is opened. The vehicle height will increase by approxi-
mately 1.2 in. (30 mm) from its normal
position.
The vehicle height may not increase, if the
vehicle height al ready reaches the
selected height.
The vehicle will return to its normal height
when the vehicle speed reaches approxi-
mately 12 mph (20 km/h). 
Exit control
When “Select Parking Height” is set to
“High”, the vehicle height will automati-NOTICE■
Parking precaution
If the vehicle is parked for a long time, the
vehicle height may change due to
changes in the ambient temperature.
When parking the vehicle, make sure
that the area above and below the vehi-
cle is clear, so that the vehicle will not
contact anything if its height changes.
Be careful when parking the vehicle in an
area with a low ceiling or near low hang-
ing objects, as the vehicle height will
increase when passengers exit the vehi-
cle and exit control of access mode
operates.
Selecting the vehicle height Vehicle height control when
entering/exiting the vehicle
(“Access Mode”)

2934-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving cally increase when the P shift position
is selected and a door is opened.
1 Press or to select .
2 Press or to select “Vehicle
Settings” and then press .
3 Press or to select
and then press .
4 Press or to select “Select
Parking Height” and then press
.The vehicle height will increase by approxi-
mately 0.4 in. (10 mm) from its normal
position.
The vehicle height may not increase, if the
vehicle height already reaches the
selected height.
The vehicle will return to its normal height
when the vehicle speed reaches approxi-
mately 12 mph (20 km/h). ■
Enabling/Disabling access mode
1 Press the or meter control
switch to select .
2 Press the or meter control
switch to select “Vehicle Settings”
and then press .
3 Press the or meter control
switch to select and then
press .
4 Press the or meter control
switch to select “Access Mode”
and then press .
The setting will change between enabled/disabled each time the
meter control switch is pressed. ■
When the vehicle height has been
increased by a control of access mode
Press the vehicle height adjustment switch
with the engine switch in any mode to return
the vehicle to its previous vehicle height. ■
Access mode operation ●
Access mode will not operate if the vehi-
cle is not parked on a level road surface. ●
When the P shift position is selected, if
the doors are not locked and any door is
opened from the outside, exit control will
operate.
Vehicle height control can be tempo-
rarily disabled using the meter control
switches. (  P.81)When to temporarily disable vehicle height
control:  P.291
1 Press or to select .
2 Press or to select “Vehicle
Settings” and then press .
3 Press or to select
and then press .
4 Press or to select “Height
Control” and then press . This setting is memorized even if the
engine switch is turned off.
Even if the vehicle height control func-
tions are disabled, they will be enabled
automatically when the vehicle speed
reaches approximately 19 mph (30
km/h).Temporarily disabling vehicle
height control

294 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 ■
When “Check Air Suspension System”
is displayed on th e multi-information
display
The system may not operate properly. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer. ■
Customization
Some functions can be customized.
(  P.466)
■
ECB (Electronically Controlled
Brake System) (vehicles with Lexus
Safety System + A)
The electronically controlled system
generates braking force correspond-
ing to the brake operation ■
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the
brakes are applied suddenly, or if the
brakes are applied while driving on a
slippery road surface ■
Brake assist
Generates an increased level of brak-
ing force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a
panic stop situation ■
VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding
when swerving sudden ly or turning on
slippery road surfaces. ■
Secondary Collision Brake
When the airbag sensor detects a colli-
sion, the brakes and stop lights are Driving assist systems To keep driving safety and perfor-
mance, the following systems oper-
ate automatically in response to
various driving situations. Be aware,
however, that these systems are
supplementary and should not be
relied upon too heavily when oper-
ating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving assist
systems

2954-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving automatically controlled to reduce the
vehicle speed and that helps reduce
the possibility of further damage due to
a secondary collision. ■
TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and pre-
vent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerat-
ing on slippery roads ■
Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward move-
ment of the vehicle when starting on an
uphill ■
VGRS (Variable Gear Ratio Steer-
ing) (if equipped)
Adjusts the front wheel turning angle in
accordance with the vehicle speed and
steering wheel movement ■
DRS (Dynamic Rear Steering) (if
equipped)
Contributes to the turning characteris-
tics and responsiveness of the vehicle
by adjusting the rear wheel angle of the
vehicle in accordance with steering
wheel movement. ■
EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce
the amount of effort needed to turn the
steering wheel. ■
Active stabilizer suspension sys-
tem (if equipped)
Reduces sway when cornering accord-
ing to steering wheel movement in
order to maintain a stable vehicle pos-
ture. ■
Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem (if equipped)
By independently controlling the
damping force of th e shock absorbers
for each of the 4 wheels according to
the road and driving conditions, this
system helps riding comfort with supe-
rior vehicle stability, and helps good
vehicle posture.
Also, the damping force changes
depending on the selected driving
mode. (  P.289) ■
LDH (Lexus Dynamic Handling
system) (if equipped)
Provides integrated control of the
VGRS, DRS and EPS. Contributes to
turning characteristics at low speeds,
responsiveness at medium speeds and
safety at high speeds by controlling the
steering angle of the front and rear
wheels in accordance with the steering
wheel operation and vehicle speed. ■
VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Inte-
grated Management)
Provides integrated control of the
ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC,
hill-start assist control, EPS, VGRS (if
equipped), DRS (if equipped), active
stabilizer suspension system (if
equipped) and Adaptive Variable Sus-
pension System (if equipped)
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when
swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes, engine output,
steering assist, and steering ratio

296 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 ■
When the TRAC/VSC systems are
operating (vehicles without Lexus
Safety System + A)
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC systems are operating.
■
When the TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are
operating (vehicles with Lexus Safety
System + A)
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are operating.
■
Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow,
the TRAC system may reduce power from
the engine to the wheels. Pressing the
switch to turn the system off may make it
easier for you to rock the vehicle in order to
free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release the switch.
The “Traction Control Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on. ■
Disabling both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC systems off,
press and hold the switch for more
than 3 seconds while the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on
and the “Traction Control Turned Off” will
be shown on the multi-information display. *
Press the switch ag ain to turn the sys-
tem back on. *
: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision
System), PCS will also be disabled (only
Pre-Collision warning is available). The
PCS warning light will come on and a
message will be di splayed on the
multi-information display. (  P.214,
222) ■
When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if the
switch has not been pressed
TRAC cannot be oper ated. Contact your
Lexus dealer. ■
Operating conditions of hill-start assist
control
When the following four conditions are met,
the hill-start assist control will operate:
●
The shift position is in a position other
than P or N (when stating off for-
ward/backward on an upward incline)
●
The vehicle is stopped
●
The accelerator pedal is not depressed
●
The parking brake is not engaged
■
Automatic system cancelation of
hill-start assist control
The hill-start assist control will turn off in any