2019 LEXUS LS500H Owners Manual

2974-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
4
Driving
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.
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 driving conditions.
• Custom mode
Allows you to drive with the powertrain,
chassis and air conditioning system func-
tions set to your preferred settings. Cus-
tom mode settings can only be changed on
the drive mode custom ization display of
the Center Display. ( P.316)
2 Comfort mode
By controlling the suspension, riding com-
fort is further enhanced. 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 mode
Helps the driver ac celerate in an
eco-friendly manner and improve fuel
economy through moderate 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 hybrid system 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
Driving mode select switch
The driving modes can be selected
to suit driving condition.
Selecting a drive mode
A
B

2984-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809Helps to ensure stee
ring performance and
driving stability by simultaneously con-
trolling the steering and suspension in
addition to the hybrid system. 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 se lect 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 change 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 enhance fuel efficiency.
To improve air condit ioning performance,
perform the following operations:
●Turn off eco air conditioning mode
(  P.328)
●Adjust the fan speed ( P.323)
●Turn off Eco drive mode
■Automatic deactivation of sport mode
and custom mode
If the power switch is turned off after driving
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.317)
*: 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
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, settings of the follow-
ing functions can be changed:
 Enabling/Disabling controls of
access mode
 Temporarily disabling vehicle
height control

2994-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
4
Driving
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.
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 mode press the vehicle
height adjustment switch twice to
enable/disable high mode.
WARNING
■Situations in which the operation of
the electronically modulated air sus-
pension should be temporarily dis-
abled
In the following situations, make sure to
temporarily disable al l functions of the
vehicle height control of the electroni-
cally modulated air suspension and then
stop the hybrid system. Otherwise, the
vehicle height may change and part of
your body may be caught under the vehi-
cle, possibly 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 co ntrol 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
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

3004-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
■The vehicle height adjustment switch
can be used to change the mode when
The power switch is in 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 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).
Exit control
When “Select Parking Height” is set to
“High”, the vehicle height will automati-
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 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).
■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
Vehicle height control when
entering/exiting the vehicle
(“Access Mode”)

3014-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
4
Driving
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 power 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.91)
When to temporarily disable vehicle height
control: P.299
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 power
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).
■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.479)
Temporarily disabling vehicle
height control

3024-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
■ECB (Electronically Controlled
Brake System)
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
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.
■Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem
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
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

3034-5. Using the driving support systems
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4
Driving
vehicle posture.
Also, the damping force changes
depending on the selected driving
mode. ( P.297)
■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) and
Adaptive Variable Suspension System
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when
swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes, hybrid system
output, steering assist, and steering
ratio
■When the TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are
operating
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 hybrid system 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 Co ntrol Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch ag ain 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.222,
230)
■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

3044-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809Lexus 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
of the following situations:
●Shift the shift position to P or N
●The accelerator pedal is depressed
●The parking brake is engaged
●2 seconds at maximum elapsed after the
brake pedal is released
■VGRS is disabled when
VGRS may stop operating in the following
situations.
In this event, the steering wheel may move
from its straight forward position, but it will
return when the system restarts.
●When the steering wheel is operated for
an extended period of time while the
vehicle is stopped or is moving very
slowly (on vehicles with LDH, DRS is dis-
abled together with VGRS)
●When the steering wheel has been held
fully to the left or right
The center position of the steering wheel
may change when VGRS is disabled. How-
ever, the position will return to normal after
VGRS is reactivated.
■When the 12-volt battery is discon-
nected (vehicles with VGRS)
The steering wheel may move from its
straight forward position, but this will be
corrected automatically when driving.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VSC, TRAC, hill-start
assist control and VGRS systems
●A sound may be heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed repeatedly, when the hybrid
system is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This sound does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred in
any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions may
occur when the above systems are oper-
ating. None of these indicates that a mal-
function has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also after the vehicle comes to a stop.
■ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in the
following cases, but it does not indicate that
a malfunction has occurred.
●Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
operated.
●Motor sound of the brake system heard
from the front part of the vehicle when
the driver’s door is opened.
●Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when one or two minutes
passed after the stop of the hybrid sys-
tem.
■EPS, VGRS and DRS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a
motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Automatic reactivation of TRAC and
VSC systems
After turning the TRAC and VSC systems
off, the systems will be automatically
re-enabled in the following situations:
●When the power switch is turned off
●If only the TRAC system is turned off, the
TRAC will turn on when vehicle speed
increases
If both the TRAC and VSC systems are
turned off, automatic re-enabling will not
occur when vehicle speed increases.