156 4-1. Before driving
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 WARNING■
When driving the vehicle●
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with
the location of the brake and accelera-
tor pedals to avoid depressing the
wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelera-
tor 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
operating the pedals. Make sure to
operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving
posture even when moving the vehicle
only slightly. This allows you to depress
the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your
right foot. Depressing the brake pedal
using your left foot may delay
response 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 flamma-
ble material nearby.
●
Vehicles without Lexus Safety System
+ A: During normal driving, do not turn
off the engine. Turning the engine 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 putt
over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emer-
gency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
P.406 ●
Vehicles with Lexus Safety System + A:
During normal driving, do not turn off
the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, however,
power assist to the st eering 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.
In the event of an emergency, such as if
it becomes impossible to stop the vehi-
cle in the normal way: P.406●
Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( P.167)●
Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle
control. ●
Always check that all passengers’
arms, heads 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 per-
mits 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 not before driving at such speeds.
■
When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
●
Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
●
Sudden acceleration, engine braking
due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
1574-1. Before driving
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving WARNING●
After driving through a puddle, lightly
depress the brake pedal to make sure
that the brakes are functioning prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.■
When shifting the shift position●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while a forward driving position is
selected, or roll forward while the shift
position is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall
or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.●
Do not shift the shift position to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.●
Do not shift the shift position to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●
Do not shift the shift position to a driv-
ing position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●
Changing the shift position 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 change the shift posi-
tion with the accelerator pedal
depressed. Changing the shift posi-
tion to any positions other than P or N
may lead to unexpected rapid acceler-
ation of the vehicle that may cause an
accident and result in death or serious
injury.
After changing the shift position, make
sure to confirm the current shift posi-
tion displayed on the shift position indi-
cator inside the meter. ■
Brake pad wear
If any of the following situations occurs,
have the brake pads visually checked and
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. ●
If the brake pad wear limit of a brake
pad is found to have been exceeded
when visually checking the brake pads
for each wheel (for the brake pad wear
limit, refer to P.451) ●
If a warning message is displayed on
the multi-information display (only the
right-side pads can be detected)
Rotor damage may result if the pads are
not replaced when needed.
F SPORT models: 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, Lexus 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 sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
160 4-1. Before driving
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 Cargo capacity depends on the total
weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capac-
ity) — (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit —
(1) Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX
lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 − 750
(5 150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and lug-NOTICE
Information on what to do in case of a flat
tire ( P.429)■
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded
after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause
the following serious damage to the vehi-
cle: ●
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 fol-
lowing: ●
Brake function●
Changes in quantity and quality of oil
and fluid used for the engine, transmis-
sion, transfer (AWD models), differen-
tial, etc.●
Lubricant condition for the propeller
shaft, bearings and suspension joints
(where possible), and the function of
all joints, bearings, etc.
If the shift control system is damaged by
flooding, it may not be possible to shift
the shift position to P, or from P to other
positions. In this case, contact your Lexus
dealer.
■
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. Cargo and luggage Take notice of the following infor-
mation about storage precautions,
cargo capacity and load:
Capacity and distribution
164 4-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4-2.Driving procedures
1 Press the parking brake switch to
check that the parking brake is set.
( P.174)The parking brake indicator will come on.
2 Firmly depress the brake pedal. and a message will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
If it is not displayed, the engine cannot be
started.
3 Press the engine switch shortly and
firmly.When operating the engine switch, one
short, firm press is enough. It is not neces-
sary to press and hold the switch.
The engine will crank until it starts or for up
to 30 seconds, whichever is less.
Continue depressing the brake pedal until
the engine is completely started.
The engine can be started from any engine
switch mode. ■
Engine switch illumination
According to the situation, the engine
switch illumination operates as follows. ●
When a door is opened, or the engine
switch mode is changed from ACCES-
SORY or IGNITION ON mode to off,
the engine switch illumination slowly
blinks. ●
When depressing the brake pedal with
carrying the electronic key on your per-
son, the engine switch illumination rapidly
blinks. ●
When the engine sw itch is in ACCES-
SORY or IGNITION ON mode, the
engine switch illumination illuminates. ■
If the engine does not start ●
The engine immobilizer system may not
have been deactivated. ( P.63)
Contact your Lexus dealer. ●
If a message related to start-up is shown
on the multi-information display, read the
message and follow the instructions. ■
If the battery is discharged
The engine cannot be started using the
smart access system with push-button start.
Refer to P.435 to restart the engine. ■
Electronic key battery depletion
P.96 ■
Conditions affecting operation
P.113 ■
Notes for the entry function
P.113
■
Steering lock function
●
After turning the engine switch off and
opening and closing the doors, the steer-
ing wheel will be lock ed due to the steer-
ing lock function. Operating the engine
switch again automatically cancels the
steering lock.
●
When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Push Engine Switch While
Turning Steering Whee l in Either Direc-
tion” will be displayed on the multi-infor-
mation display.
Press the engine switch shortly and firmly Engine (ignition) switch Performing the following opera-
tions when carryin g the electronic
key on your person starts the
engine or changes engine switch
modes.
Starting the engine
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
170 4-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 The current shift position is illuminated.
When selecting the shift position, make
sure that the shift position has been
changed to the desired position by check-
ing the shift position indicator provided on
the instrument cluster.
P position switch
■
When shifting the shift position to P
Fully stop the vehicle and set the park-
ing brake, and then press the P position
switch. When the shift position is changed to P, the
switch illuminates.
Check that the shift position indicator
shows P. ■
Shifting the shift position from P to
other positions
While depressing the brake pedal
firmly, operate the shift lever. If the
shift lever is operated without
depressing the brake pedal, the
buzzer will sound and the shifting
operation will be disabled.
When selecting the shift position,
make sure that the shift position has
been changed to the desired posi-
tion by checking the shift position
indicator provided on the instru-
ment cluster.
The shift position cannot be
changed from P to M directly. ■
Automatic P position selection function
In the following situations, the shift position
is automatically changed to P. ●
When pressing the engine switch with the
vehicle stopped while th e engine switch is
in IGNITION ON mode and the shift
position is in a position other than P (after
the shift position has changed to P, the
engine switch will turn off) *
●
When the vehicle is stopped after the
engine has been stopped in an emer-
gency while driving ●
When voltage of the battery drops while
the shift position is in a position other than
P *
: When the engine switch is pressed while
driving at extremely slow speeds, such
as immediately before stopping the vehi-
cle, the shift position may automatically
change to P. Make su re that the vehicle
is completely stopped before pressing
the engine switch.
■
If the shift position cannot be shifted
from P
There is a possibility th at the battery is dis-WARNING■
For the shift lever●
Do not remove the sh ift lever knob or
use anything but a genuine Lexus shift
lever knob. Also, do not hang anything
on the shift lever.
Doing so could prevent the shift lever
from returning to position, causing
unexpected accidents to occur when
the vehicle is in motion.●
In order to prevent the shift position
from accidentally being changed, do
not touch the shift lever when not using
them.
P position switch C
1714-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving charged. Check the battery in this situation.
( P.435)
■
Driving mode
P.289 ■
Snow mode
Snow mode can be selected to suit the
conditions when dr iving on slippery road surfaces, such as on snow.
Turn the snow mode switch backward. The snow mode indicator illuminates.
Turn the snow mode switch backward
again to return to normal mode.
Except F SPORT models
F SPORT models ■
Snow mode automatic deactivation
Snow mode is automatically deactivated if
the engine switch is turned off after driving
in snow mode.
To drive using temporary shift range
selection, operate the “-” or “+” paddle
shift switch.
When the “-” paddle shift switch is
operated, the shift range switches to a
range that enables engine braking
force that is suitable to driving condi-
tions. When the “+” paddle shift switch
is operated, the shift range switches to
a range that is one range higher than
the current range.
Changing the shift range allows
restriction of the highest gear, prevent-
ing unnecessary upshifting and
enabling the level of engine braking WARNING■
P position switch●
Do not press the P position switch
while the vehicle is moving.
If the P position switch is pressed when
driving at very low speeds (for exam-
ple, directly before stopping the vehi-
cle), the vehicle may stop suddenly
when the shift position switches to P,
which could lead to an accident.●
In order to prevent the shift position
from accidentally being changed, do
not touch the P position switch or shift
lever when not using them.●
After changing the shift position to P,
do not release the brake pedal until the
shift position indicator shows P and the
parking brake indicator is illuminated.
Otherwise, the vehicle may move,
possibly leading to an accident.
NOTICE■
Notes regarding shift lever and P
position switch operation
Avoid repeatedly operating the shift
lever and P position switch in quick suc-
cession.
The system protection function may acti-
vate and it will not be temporarily possi-
ble to shift the shift position other than P.
If this happens, plea se wait for a while
before attempting to change the shift
position again.
Selecting the driving mode Selecting shift ranges in the D
position A
B
1734-2. Driving procedures
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving changed in the following situations:
When vehicle speed drops (down-
shift only).
When it is necessary to protect the
engine or automatic transmission
when the engine coolant tempera-
ture is low, the automatic transmis-
sion fluid temperature is high or low,
or other reasons.
Also, the gear will not shift when the
vehicle speed is low, even if an upshift
operation is performed. ■
Downshifting restriction warning
buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving perfor-
mance, downshifting operation may some-
times be restricted. In some circumstances,
downshifting may not be possible even
when the paddle shift switch is operated. (A
buzzer will sound twice.)
1 Right turn
2 Lane change to the right (move the
lever partway and release it) The right hand signals will flash 3 times.
3 Lane change to the left (move the
lever partway and release it) The left hand signals will flash 3 times.
4 Left turn ■
Turn signals can be operated when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode.
■
If the indicator flashes faster than usual
Check that a light bulb in the front or rear
turn signal lights has not burned out.
■
If the turn signals stop flashing before a
lane change has been performed
Operate the lever again.Turn signal lever
Operating instructions