
1754-2. Driving procedures
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
4
Driving
is canceled, a buzzer will sound and the EV
drive mode indicator will flash and go off.
●The hybrid battery (traction battery)
becomes low.
The remaining battery level indicated in
the “Energy Monitor” display is low.
( P.100)
●Vehicle speed is high.
●The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly
or the vehicle is on a hill etc.
When it is possible to inform the driver of
automatic cancelation in advance, a prior
notice screen will appear on the multi-infor-
mation display.
■Possible driving distance when driving in
EV drive mode
EV drive mode’s possible driving distance
ranges from a few hundred meters to
approximately 0.6 mile (1 km). However,
depending on vehicle conditions, there are
situations when EV drive mode cannot be
used.
(The distance that is possible depends on
the hybrid battery [traction battery] level
and driving conditions.)
■Fuel economy
The hybrid system is designed to achieve
the best possible fuel economy during nor-
mal driving (using the gasoline engine and
electric motor [traction motor]). Driving in
EV drive mode more than necessary may
lower fuel economy.
■If “EV Mode Unavailable” is shown on
the multi-information display
The EV drive mode is not available. The rea-
son the EV drive mode is not available (the
vehicle is idling, batter y charge is low, vehi-
cle speed is higher than the EV drive mode
operating speed range or accelerator pedal
is depressed too much) may be displayed.
Use the EV drive mode when it becomes
available.
■If “EV Mode Deactivated” is shown on
the multi-information display
The EV drive mode has been automatically
canceled. The reason the EV drive mode is
not available (the battery charge is low,
vehicle speed is higher than the EV drive
mode operating speed range or accelera- tor pedal is depressed too much) may be
displayed. Drive the vehicle for a while
before attempting to turn on the EV drive
mode again.
WARNING
■Caution while driving
When driving in EV drive mode, pay spe-
cial attention to the area around the vehi-
cle. Because there is no engine noise,
pedestrians, people riding bicycles or
other people and vehicles in the area
may not be aware of the vehicle starting
off or approaching them, so take extra
care while driving. Therefore, take extra
care while driving even if the vehicle
proximity notification system is active.

1774-2. Driving procedures
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
4
Driving
■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 hybrid transmission
If the transmission fluid temperature is high,
“Transmission Fluid Temp High See
Owner’s Manual” will be displayed on the
multi-information display and the vehicle
will go into transmission protection mode
automatically. Have the vehicle inspected
by your Lexus dealer.
■When driving with the 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 the dynamic radar cruise
control with full-spe ed 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.297)
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
P.161
■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 required. In this case,
change the shift positi on following the mes-
sages on the multi-information display.
■After recharging/reconnecting the
12-volt battery
P.390
■Customization
Some functions can be customized.
( P.479)
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 sp in or skid, resulting
in an accident.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (t raction battery)
charge
If the shift position is in N, the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery) will not be
charged. To help prevent the battery
from discharging, avoid leaving the N
position selected for an extended period
of time.
■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 system appears on the
multi-information display.
●The display indicates that no shift posi-
tion is selected for more than a few
seconds.

1804-2. Driving procedures
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
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 power switch is tu rned 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 force to be selected.
Except F SPORT models
F SPORT models
1 Upshifting
2 Downshifting
The selected shift rang e, from D1 to D10,
will be displayed on the meter.
To return to normal D position driving, the
“+” paddle shift switch must be held down
for a period of time.
A lower shift range will provide greater
engine braking forces than a higher shift
range.
■Automatic deactivation of shift range
selection in the D position
Shift range selection in the D position will
be deactivated in the following situations:
●When the vehicle comes to a stop
●If the accelerator pe dal is depressed for
more than a certai n period of time
●When the shift position is shifted to a
Selecting shift ranges in the D
position
A
B
Meter dis-
playFunction
D2 - D10
A gear in the range between D1 and the selected shift
range is automatically cho- sen depending on vehicle speed and driving condi- tions
D1Setting the shift range at D1
A
B

2684-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
●The vicinity of the vehicle is noisy due to
vehicle horns, motorcycle engines, air
brakes of large vehicles, or other loud
noises producing ultrasonic waves.
●There is another vehicle equipped with
parking assist sensors in the vicinity.
●A sensor is coated with a sheet of spray
or heavy rain.
●If a sensor is hit by a large amount of
water, such as when driving on a flooded
road.
●If the vehicle is significantly tilted.
●The vehicle is approaching a tall or
curved curb.
●If objects draw too close to the sensor.
■Objects which may not be properly
detected
The shape of the object may prevent the
sensor from detectin g it. Pay particular
attention to the following objects:
●Wires, fences, ropes, etc.
●Cotton, snow and other materials that
absorb sound waves
●Sharply-angled objects
●Low objects
●Tall objects with upper sections project-
ing outwards in the direction of your vehi-
cle
People may not be de tected if they are
wearing certain types of clothing.
■Certification
For vehicles sold in the U.S.A.
For vehicles sold in Canada

2884-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809nel or on an iron bridge
• When parallel parking
• When there is a rut or hole in the surface of the road
• When driving on a metal cover (grating), such as those used for drainage ditches
• When driving on a steep slope
• If a sensor is hit by a large amount of water, such as when driving on a flooded
road
●Weather
• If a sensor is covered with ice, snow, dirt, etc. (when cleared, the system will return
to normal)
• If heavy rain or water strikes a sensor
• When driving in incl ement weather such
as fog, snow or a sandstorm
• When strong winds are blowing
●Other ultrasonic wave sources
• When vehicle horns, vehicle detectors, motorcycle engines, air brakes of large
vehicles, the clearance sonar of other
vehicles or other devices which produce
ultrasonic waves are near the vehicle
• If a sticker or an el ectronic component,
such as a backlit license plate (especially
fluorescent type), fog lights, fender pole
or wireless antenna is installed near a
sensor
●Changes in the vehicle posture
• If the vehicle is significantly tilted
• If the front of the vehicle is raised or low- ered due to the carried load
• If the orientation of a sensor has been changed due to a collision or other
impact
■Situations in which the Parking Support
Brake function (stati c objects) may not
operate properly
In some situations, such as the following, this
function may not operate properly.
●Weather
• When a sensor or the area around a sen- sor is extremely hot or cold • When strong winds are blowing
• If a sensor is covered with ice, snow, dirt,
etc. (when cleared, the system will return
to normal)
• If heavy rain or water strikes a sensor
• When driving in incl ement weather such
as fog, snow or a sandstorm
• When the sensor is frozen (Once the
sensor thaws, the system will return to
normal)
●Vehicle surroundings
• When an object that cannot be detected is between the vehicle and a detected
object
• If an object such as a vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian cuts in front of the
vehicle or runs out from the side of the
vehicle
• The vehicle is approaching a tall or
curved curb.
• On an extremely bumpy road, on an incline, on gravel, or on grass.
• If objects draw too close to the sensor.
●Other ultrasonic waves sources
• When vehicle horns, vehicle detectors, motorcycle engines, air brakes of large
vehicles, the clearance sonar of other
vehicles or other de vices which produce
ultrasonic waves are near the vehicle
• If a sticker or an electronic component,

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.

3074-6. Driving tips
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
4
Driving
4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the accelera-
tor pedal depression amount can be
generated more smoothly than it is in
normal conditions. In addition, the
operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be mini-
mized, improving the fuel economy.
( P.297)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicate of Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( P.82, 87)
Shift the shift position to D when
stopped at a traffic light, or driving in
heavy traffic etc. Shift the shift position
to P when parking. When using the N
position, there is no positive effect on
fuel consumption. In the N position, the
gasoline engine operates but electric-
ity cannot be generated. Also, when
using the air conditio ning system, etc.,
the hybrid battery (traction battery)
power is consumed.
Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid
abrupt acceleration and decelera-
tion. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effec-
tive use of the electric motor (trac-
tion motor) without having to use
gasoline engine power.
Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (traction battery)
power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be
restored by driving with the acceler-
ator pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes gently
and in a timely manner. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fuel economy.
Check traffic reports before leaving
and avoid delays as much as possible.
When driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly while
avoiding overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological
driving, pay attention to the follow-
ing points:
Using Eco drive mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Changing the shift position
Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays

3084-6. Driving tips
LS500h_OM_(U)_1809
Control and maintain the vehicle at a
constant speed. Before stopping at a
toll booth or similar, allow plenty of
time to release the accelerator and
gently apply the brakes. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Use the air conditioning only when
necessary. Doing so can help reduce
excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: When the ambient tem-
perature is high, use the recirculated
air mode. Doing so will help to reduce
the burden on the air conditioning sys-
tem and reduce fuel consumption as
well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine
will not automatically cut out until it and
the interior of the vehicle are warm, it
will consume fuel. Also, fuel consump-
tion can be improved by avoiding over-
use of the heater.
Make sure to check the tire inflation
pressure frequently. Improper tire infla-
tion pressure can cause poor fuel
economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause large
amounts of friction, their use on dry
roads can lead to poor fuel economy.
Use tires that are appropriate for the
season. Carrying heavy luggage will lead to
poor fuel economy. Avoid carrying
unnecessary luggage.
Installing a large
roof rack will also cause poor fuel
economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts up and
cuts out automatically when cold,
warming up the engine is unnecessary.
Moreover, frequently driving short dis-
tances will cause the engine to repeat-
edly warm up, which can lead to excess
fuel consumption.
Highway driving
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driving