1924-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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■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
■Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehi-
cle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of the
ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability
when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering perfor-
mance.
■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 prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing backward when starting on an
incline
■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 (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 combines riding comfort with
superior vehicle stability, and helps
good vehicle posture.
Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and
performance, the following systems
operate automatically in response
to various driving situations. Be
aware, however, that these systems
are supplementary and should not
be relied upon too heavily when
operating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving assist
systems
1934-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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4
Driving
■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, TRC, VSC, hill-start
assist control, EPS, VGRS (if
equipped) and DRS (if equipped) sys-
tems
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when
swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes, engine output,
steering assist, and if equipped with
VGRS, steering ratio
■When the TRAC/VSC systems are
operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC 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 Co
ntrol Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch ag ain to turn the sys-
tem back on.
■Turning off both TRAC and VSC sys-
tems
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-
tems back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision System), pre-collision brake assist,
pre-collision braking, and steering con-
trol (performed through cooperative
control of PCS and LDH) (if equipped)
will also be disabled. The Pre-Collision
System warning light will come on and a
message will be di splayed on the
multi-information display. ( P.160)
1944-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
0_OM_(U)_1810
■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 operated. 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 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 moved to P or N.
●The accelerator pedal is depressed.
●The parking brake is engaged.
●Approximately 2 seconds elapse 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 disabled
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 battery is disconnected (vehi-
cles 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 engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to
move. This sound does not indicate 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 after the
vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.
■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.
■Reactivation of the TRAC/VSC systems
Even after the TRAC /VSC systems have
been turned off, turning the engine off and
then on again will automatically reactivate
the TRAC/VSC systems.
■Reactivation of the TRAC system linked
to vehicle speed
When only the TRAC system is turned off,
the TRAC system will turn on when vehicle
speed increases. Ho wever, when both
TRAC/VSC systems are turned off, the sys-
tems will not turn on even when vehicle
speed increases.
■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
1954-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
0_OM_(U)_1810
4
Driving
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 engine off. The EPS system should
return to normal within 10 minutes.
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 roads.
■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 may not operate effectively
when
Directional control and power may not
be achievable while driving on slippery
road surfaces, even if the TRAC system is
operating. Drive the vehicle carefully in
conditions where stability and power
may be lost.
■Hill-start assist control does not oper-
ate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on 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 VSC is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always
drive carefully. Reckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular
care when the indicator light flashes.
■When the TRAC/VSC systems are
turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed
appropriate to the road conditions. As
these are the systems to help ensure
vehicle stability and driving force, do not
turn the TRAC/VSC systems off unless
necessary.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all ti res are of the speci-
fied size, brand, tread pattern and total
load capacity. In addition, make sure that
the tires are inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure level.
The ABS, TRAC and VSC systems will
not function correctly if different tires are
installed on the vehicle.
Contact your Lexus dealer for further
information when replacing tires or
wheels.
■Handling of tires and the suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or
modifying the suspensi on will affect the
driving assist systems, and may cause a
system to malfunction.
2536-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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6
Maintenance and care
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from
the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause
a dangerous loss of braking efficiency. Use
only newly opened brake fluid.
Check the battery as follows.
■Battery exterior
Make sure that the battery terminals
are not corroded and that there are no
loose connections, cracks, or loose
clamps. Terminals
Hold-down clamp
■Before recharging
When recharging, the battery produces
hydrogen gas which is flammable and
explosive. Therefore, observe the following
before recharging:
●If recharging with the battery installed on
the vehicle, be sure to disconnect the
ground cable.
●Make sure the power switch on the char-
ger is off when connecting and discon-
necting the charger cables to the battery.
■After recharging/reconnecting the bat-
tery
The engine may not start. Follow the proce-
dure below to initialize the system.
1
Shift the shift lever to P.
2
Open and close either door.
3
Restart the engine.
●Unlocking the doors using the smart
access system with pu sh-button start may
not be possible immediately after recon-
necting the battery. If this happens, use
the wireless remote control or the
mechanical key to lock/unlock the doors.
●Start the engine with the engine switch in
ACCESSORY mode. The engine may
not start with the engine switch turned off.
However, the engine will operate nor-
mally from the second attempt.
●The engine switch mode is recorded by
the vehicle. If the battery is disconnected
and reconnected, the vehicle will return
the engine switch mode to the status it
was in before the battery was discon-
nected. Make sure to turn off the engine
before disconnecting the battery. Take
extra care when connecting the battery if
the engine switch mode prior to the bat-
tery being disconnected is unknown.
If the system will not start even after multi-
ple attempts, contact your Lexus dealer.
WARNING
■When filling the reservoir
Take care as brake fluid can harm your
hands and eyes and damage painted sur-
faces.If fluid gets on your hands or in your
eyes, flush the affected area with clean
water immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, see a
doctor.
NOTICE
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go
down slightly as the brake pads wear out
or when the fluid level in the accumulator
is high.
If the reservoir need s frequent refilling,
there may be a serious problem.
Battery
A
B
2646-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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1Turn the engine switch off.
2 Open the glove box. Lift up the side
with the stay, disconnect the stay
tabs and remove the partition by
pulling horizontally.
3 Press the tabs and remove the filter
cover. 4
Press the tabs and remove the filter
case.
5 Remove the air conditioning filter
from the filter case and replace it
with a new one.
The “ UP” marks shown on the filter
and the filter case sh ould be pointing up.
■Checking interval
Inspect and replace the air conditioning fil-
ter according to the maintenance schedule.
In dusty areas or areas with heavy traffic
flow, early replacement may be required.
(For scheduled maintenance information,
please refer to the “Owner’s Manual Sup-
plement” or “Scheduled Maintenance”.)
■If air flow from the vents decreases dra-
matically
The filter may be clogged. Check the filter
and replace if necessary.
■Air conditioning filt er with deodorizing
function
When fragrances are placed in your vehi-
cle, the deodorizing effect may become
significantly weakened in a short period.
Air conditioning filter
The air conditioning filter must be
changed regularly to maintain air
conditioning efficiency.
Removing the air conditioning
filter
2726-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
0_OM_(U)_1810there is no light leaking from the bulb base.
8Align the tabs and push the light
unit toward the front of the vehicle
to install it.
9
Install the 2 screws and cover.
1
0Remove the protective tape.
WARNING
■Replacing light bulbs
●Turn off the lights. Do not attempt to
replace the bulb immediately after
turning off the lights. The bulbs
become very hot and may cause
burns.
●Do not touch the glass portion of the
light bulb with bare hands. When it is
unavoidable to hold the glass portion,
use and hold with a clean dry cloth to
avoid getting moisture and oils on the
bulb. Also, if the bulb is scratched or
dropped, it may blow out or crack.
●Fully install light bulbs and any parts
used to secure them. Failure to do so
may result in heat damage, fire, or
water entering the lig ht unit. This may
damage the lights or cause condensa-
tion to build up on the lens.
■To prevent damage or fire
●Make sure bulbs are fully seated and
locked.
●Check the wattage of the bulb before
installing to prevent heat damage.
2837-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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7
When trouble arises
■Low engine oil pressure warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■Malfunction indicator lamp
■SRS warning light
■ABS warning light
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
or
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
The electronic engine control system;
The electronic throttle control system; or
The electronic automatic transmission control system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates a malfunction in:
The SRS airbag system;
The front passenger occupant classification system; or
The seat belt pretensioner system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
or
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
The ABS; or
The brake assist system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.