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Driving
• The vehicle is driven on a gravel road or in an area with tall grass
• The vehicle is driven toward a banner or flag, a low-hanging branch or a boom
barrier (such as those used at railroad
crossings, toll gates and parking lots).
• There is an obstacle on the shoulder of the road (when the vehicle is driven in a
narrow tunnel, on a narrow bridge or on a
narrow road)
• The vehicle is being parallel parked
• There is a rut or hole in the surface of the
road
• When the vehicle is driven on a metal
cover (grating), such as those used for
drainage ditches
• The vehicle is driven on a steep slope
• The sensor is covered by water on a
flooded road
●Influence from the weather
• Ice, snow, dirt, etc., has adhered to the sensor (if removed, the system returns to
normal)
• Heavy rain or water strikes the vehicle
• In severe weather such as fog, snow or a sand storm
●Influence from other sonic waves
• An ultrasonic wave source is nearby, such as the horn or clearance sonar of another
vehicle, a vehicle detector, a motorcycle
engine or the air brake of a large vehicle
• Electronic components (such as a backlit license plate (especially fluorescent
types), fog lights, a fender pole or a wire-
less antenna) are inst alled near the sen-
sors
●Changes in the vehicle
• The vehicle is tilted a large amount
• The height of the vehicle has drastically changed due to the carried load (the
nose tilts up or down)
• The direction of the sensor has deviated
due to a collision or other impact
■Situations in which the system may not
operate normally
In the following situations, the system may
not operate normally.
●Environmental influence
• There is an obstacle that cannot be detected between the vehicle and
another obstacle that can be detected
• An obstacle such as another vehicle, a motorcycle, a bicycle or a pedestrian cuts
in front of the vehicle or jumps out from
the side.
●Influence from the weather
• The area around the sensor is extremely hot or cold
• The wind is strong
• Ice, snow, dirt, etc., has adhered to the sensor (if removed, the system returns to
normal)
• Heavy rain or water strikes the vehicle
• In severe weather such as fog, snow or a sand storm
●Influence from other sonic waves
• An ultrasonic wave source is nearby, such
as the horn or clearance sonar of another
vehicle, a vehicle detector, a motorcycle
engine or the air brake of a large vehicle
• Electronic components (such as a backlit license plate (especially fluorescent
types), fog lights, a fe nder pole or a wire-
less antenna) are installed near the sen-
sors
●Changes in the vehicle
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Driving
*:If equipped
BSM main switch
Pressing the switch turns the system on or off. When the switch is set to on, the
switch’s indicator
illuminates and the
buzzer sounds. This swit ch is for both Blind
Spot Monitor function and Rear Cross
Traffic Alert function.
BSM outside rear view mirror indi-
cators
Blind Spot Monitor function:
When a vehicle is dete cted in a blind spot
of the outside rear view mirrors or
approaching rapidly from behind into a
blind spot, the outside rear view mirror
indicator on the detected side will illumi-
nate. If the turn signal lever is operated
toward the detected side, the outside rear
view mirror indicator will flash.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert function:
When a vehicle approaching from the right
or left at the rear of the vehicle is detected,
both outside rear view mirror indicators
will flash.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert buzzer
(Rear Cross Traffic Alert function
only)
When a vehicle approaching from the right
or left rear of the vehicle is detected, a
buzzer sounds from behind the right-hand
rear seat.
Navigation/multimedia system
screen (Rear Cross Traffic Alert
function only)
If a vehicle approaching from the right or
left at the rear of th e vehicle is detected,
the Rear Cross Traffic Alert icon ( P.245)
for the detected side will be displayed.
■The BSM outside rear view mirror indi-
cators visibility
When under strong sunlight, the BSM out-
side rear view mirror indicator may be diffi-
cult to see.
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)*
The Blind Spot Monitor uses the
sensors installed behind the rear
bumper. The system is intended to
assist the driver check areas that
are not easily vi sible. The system
has the following 2 functions:
The Blind Spot Monitor function
Assists the driver in making the decision
when changing lanes
The Rear Cross Traffic Alert func-
tion
Assists the driver when backing up
These functions use the same sen-
sors.
System components
A
B
C
D
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Driving
The Blind Spot Monitor function uses
radar sensors to detect vehicles that
are traveling in an adjacent lane in the
area that is not reflected in the outside rear view mirror (the blind spot), and
advises the driver of the vehicles exis-
tence via the BSM outside rear view
mirror indicator.
■The Blind Spot Monitor function
detection areas
The areas that vehicles can be
detected in are outlined below.
The range of the detection area extends to:
Approximately 11.5 ft. (3.5 m) from
the side of the vehicle
The first 1.6 ft. (0.5 m) from the side of the
vehicle is not in the detection area
Approximately 9.8 ft. (3 m) from
the rear bumper
Approximately 3.3 ft. (1 m) forward
of the rear bumper
■The Blind Spot Monitor function is oper-
ational when
●The BSM main switch is set to on
●Vehicle speed is greater than approxi-
mately 10 mph (16 km/h).
■The Blind Spot Monitor function will
detect a vehicle when
●A vehicle in an adjacent lane overtakes
your vehicle.
WARNING
■Handling the radar sensor
One Blind Spot Monitor sensor is
installed inside the le ft and right side of
the vehicle rear bumper respectively.
Observe the following to ensure the
Blind Spot Monitor system can function
correctly.
●Keep the sensor an d its surrounding
area on the bumper clean at all times.
●Do not subject the sensor or surround-
ing area on the bumper to a strong
impact. If the sensor moves even
slightly off position, the system may
malfunction and vehicles that enter the
detection area may not be detected. If
the sensor or surrounding area is sub-
ject to a strong impact, always have the
area inspected by your Lexus dealer.
●Do not disassemb le the sensor.
●Do not attach accessories or stickers
to the sensor or surrounding area on
the bumper.
●Do not modify the sensor or surround-
ing area on the bumper.
●Do not paint the rear bumper any
color other than an official Lexus color.
●If the radar sensor needs to be
replaced, contact your Lexus dealer.
The Blind Spot Monitor function
A
B
C
2504-5. Using the driving support systems
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Helps to maintain directional stability
when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering perfor-
mance.
■Trailer Sway Control
Helps the driver to control trailer sway
by selectively applying brake pressure
for individual wheels and reducing
driving torque when trailer sway is
detected.
■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
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce
the amount of effort needed to turn the
steering wheel
■E-Four
Electronic On-Demand AWD system.
Automatically switches from front-
wheel drive to all-wheel drive (AWD)
according to the driving conditions,
helping to ensure reliable handling and
stability. Examples of conditions where
the system will switch to AWD are
when cornering, goin g uphill, starting
off or accelerating, and when the road
surface is slippery due to snow, rain,
etc.
■PCS (Pre-Collision System)
P.202
■BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if
equipped)
P.241
■When the TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer
Sway Control systems are operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer Sway Control
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 to turn the system off may make it eas-
ier for you to rock the vehicle in order to
free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release .
The “Traction Co ntrol Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press again to turn the system back on.
2514-5. Using the driving support systems
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Driving
■Turning off both TR AC, VSC and Trailer
Sway Control systems
To turn the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway
Control systems off, press and hold for
more than 3 seconds while the vehicle is
stopped.
The VSC off indicator will come on and the
“Traction Control Turned Off” will be shown
on the multi-information display.
*
Press again to turn the systems back on.
*: On vehicles with pre-collision system,
pre-collision brake assist and pre-colli-
sion braking will also be disabled. The
PCS warning light will come on and the
message will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display. ( P.209)
■When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if has
not been pressed
TRAC cannot be operated. Contact your
Lexus dealer.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VSC, Trailer Sway
Control, TRAC and hi ll-start assist con-
trol 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 malfunc-
tion 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 operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a
motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS sys-
tem
The effectiveness of the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from over-
heating when there is frequent steering
input over an extended period of time. The
steering wheel may feel heavy as a result.
Should this occur, re frain from excessive
steering input or stop the vehicle and turn
the hybrid system off. The EPS system
should return to normal within 10 minutes.
■Automatic reactivation of TRAC, Trailer
Sway Control and VSC systems
After turning the TARC, Trailer Sway Con-
trol 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
2524-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_M78287_enTRAC will turn on when vehicle speed
increases
●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.
■Operating conditions of hill-start assist
control
When the following four conditions are met,
the hill-start assist control will operate:
●The shift lever is in a position other than P
or N (when starting off forward/back-
ward 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:
●The shift lever is shifted 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
WARNING
■The ABS does not operate effectively
when
●The limits of tire gripping performance
have been exceeded (such as exces-
sively worn tires on a snow covered
road).
●The vehicle hydroplanes while driving
at high speed on wet or slick road.
■Stopping distance when the ABS is
operating may exceed that of normal
conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the
vehicle’s stopping di stance. Always main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, especially in the following
situations:
●When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-
covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the road
●When driving over roads with potholes
or uneven surfaces
■TRAC/VSC may not operate effec-
tively when
Directional control and power may not
be achievable while driving on slippery
road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC
system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in conditions
where stability and po wer may be lost.
■Hill-start assist control does not oper-
ate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on the hill-start
assist control. Hill-start assist control
may not operate effectively on steep
inclines and roads covered with ice.
●Unlike the parking brake, hill-start
assist control is not intended to hold
the vehicle stationary for an extended
period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehi-
cle on an incline, as doing so may lead
to an accident.
■When the TRAC/ABS/VSC/Trailer
Sway Control is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always
drive carefully. Reckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular
care when the indicator light flashes.
2544-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
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4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco mode, the torque cor-
responding to the accelerator pedal
depression amount can be generated
more smoothly than it is in normal con-
ditions. In addition, the operation of the
air conditioning system (heating/cool-
ing) will be minimized, improving the
fuel economy. (P.248)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicator needle of Hybrid
System Indicator within Eco area.
( P.82)
Shift the shift lever to D when stopped
at a traffic light, or driving in heavy traf-
fic, etc. Shift the shift lever to P when
parking. When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consumption. In
the N, the gasoline engine operates
but electricity cannot be generated.
Also, when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery (trac-
tion 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 mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays
2574-6. Driving tips
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Driving
immediately to prevent it from
freezing.
To ensure proper operation of the
climate control system fan, remove
any snow that has accumulated on
the air inlet vents in front of the
windshield.
Check for and remove any excess
ice or snow that may have accumu-
lated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s
roof, chassis, around the tires or on
the brakes.
Remove any snow or mud from the
bottom of your shoes before getting
in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a
safe distance between you and the
vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced
speed suitable to road conditions.
Park the vehicle and move the shift
lever to P without setting the park-
ing brake. The parking brake may
freeze up, preventing it from being
released. If the vehicle is parked
without setting the parking brake,
make sure to block the wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerous
because it may cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly, possibly lead-
ing to an accident.
When the parking brake is in automatic
mode, release the parking brake after shift-
ing the shift lever to P. ( P.177)
If the vehicle is left parked with the
brakes damp in cold temperatures,
there is a possibility of the brakes
freezing.
If the vehicle is parked without set-
ting the parking brake, confirm that
the shift lever cannot be moved out
of P
*.
*: The shift lever will be locked if it is
attempted to be shifted from P to any
other position with out depressing the
brake pedal. If the shift lever can be
shifted from P, there may be a problem
with the shift lock system. Have the vehi-
cle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
Use the correct tire chain size when
mounting the tire chains. Chain size is
regulated for each tire size.
Vehicles with 225/65R17 tires
Side chain:
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
WARNING
■When parking the vehicle
When parking the vehicle without apply-
ing the parking brake, make sure to
chock the wheels. If you do not chock the
wheels, the vehicle may move unexpect-
edly, possibly result ing in an accident.
Selecting tire chains