1164-1. Before driving
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4-1.Before driving
■Starting the engine
P.125
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.128)
2 Release the parking brake.
(P.134)
3 Gradually release the brake pedal
and gently depress the accelerator
pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■Stopping
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an
extended period of time, shift the shift lever
to P or N. ( P.128)
■Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 Set the parking brake ( P.134),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.128).
3 Press the engine switch to stop the
engine.
4 Lock the door, making sure that you
have the electronic key on your
person.
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as
needed.
■Starting off on a steep uphill
1 Make sure that the parking brake is
set and shift the shift lever to D.
2 Gently depress the accelerator
pedal.
3 Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate.
( P.192)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road
will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain,
because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on
an expressway in the rain, because there
may be a layer of wa ter between the tires
and the road surface, preventing the
steering and brakes from operating prop-
erly.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine
speed may become high while driving. This
is due to automatic up-shifting control or
down-shifting implementation to meet driv-
ing conditions. It does not indicate sudden
acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill
or downhill
●When the accelerato r pedal is released
●When the brake pedal is depressed while
sport mode is selected
■Restraining the engine output (Brake
Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals
are depressed at the same time, the
engine output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the
multi-information display while the sys-
tem is operating.
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure
1204-1. Before driving
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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WARNING
●Do not leave a door or window open if
the curved glass is coated with a met-
allized film such as a silver-colored
one. Reflected sunlight may cause the
glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, stop the engine and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if
you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is
parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more
cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the
brakes are wet, and this may cause one
side of the vehicle to brake differently
than the other side. Also, the parking
brake may not securely hold the vehi-
cle.
●If the brake booster device does not
operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp turns
that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but
the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up
the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2 individ-
ual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other w ill still operate. In
this case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual and
the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when
any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may
damage the driveline components or
propel the vehicle forward or backward,
causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at th e same time while
driving, as this may restrain the engine
output.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or
depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the
vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle
may accelerate suddenly if the accelera-
tor pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in
either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time. Doing so may
damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road,
drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the
vehicle, etc.
1254-2. Driving procedures
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4
Driving
4-2.Driving procedures
1 Check that the parking brake is set.
2 Check that the shift lever is in P.
3 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.
4 Press the engine switch shortly and
firmly.
When operating the engine switch, one
short, firm press is enough.
It is not necessary 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.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (
P.57)
Contact your Lexus dealer.
●Check that the shift leve r is securely set in
P. The engine may not start if the shift
lever is displaced out of P. “To Start Vehi-
cle. Put Shift Lever into P” will be dis-
played on the multi-information display.
■Electronic key battery depletion
P.82
■Conditions affecting operation
P.94
■Notes for the entry function
P.95
■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, “Steering Wheel Lock Press
Engine Switch while Turning Wheel” will
be displayed on the multi-information dis-
play.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the
engine switch 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.
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
1264-2. Driving procedures
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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■When “Access System with Elec. Key
Malfunction See Owner's Manual” is
displayed on the multi-information dis-
play
The system may be malfunctioning. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
■Electronic key battery
P.265
■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.304.
1Stop the vehicle.
2
Set the parking brake ( P.134),
and shift the shift lever to P.
3
Press the engine switch.
4
Release the brake pedal and check
that the display on the meters is off.
Modes can be changed by pressing
the engine switch with brake pedal
released. (The mode changes each
time the switch is pressed.)
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
WARNING
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop th e engine in an emer-
gency while driving the vehicle, press
and hold the engine switch for more than
2 seconds, or press it briefly 3 times or
more in succession. ( P.274)
However, do not touch the engine switch
while driving except in an emergency.
Turning the engine off while driving will
not cause loss of steering or braking con-
trol, but the power assist to these systems
will be lost. This will make it more difficult
to steer and brake, so you should pull
over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so.
Changing engine switch modes
1374-3. Operating the lights and wipers
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4
Driving
that blocks the sensor is affixed to the wind-
shield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor detect-
ing the level of ambient light and may cause
the automatic headlight system to malfunc-
tion.
■Automatic light off system
When the light switch is in , or : The headlights and tail lights turn off
30 seconds after the engine switch is
turned to ACCESSORY mode or turned
off and a door is opened and all of the doors
and trunk are closed. (The lights turn off
immediately if on the key is pressed
twice after both side doors are closed.)
To turn the lights on again, turn the engine
switch to IGNITION ON mode, or turn the
light switch off once and then back to
or .
If any of the doors or trunk lid is left open,
the lights automatically turn off after 20
minutes.
■Light reminder buzzer
A buzzer sounds when the engine switch is
turned off or turned to ACCESSORY
mode and the driver’s door is opened while
the lights are turned on.
■Automatic headlight leveling system
The level of the headlights is automatically
adjusted according to the number of pas-
sengers and the loading condition of the
vehicle to ensure that the headlights do not
interfere with other road users.
■Customization
Some functions can be customized.
( P.339)
1With the headlights on, push the
lever away from you to turn on the
high beams.
Pull the lever toward you to the center
position to turn the high beams off.
2Pull the lever toward you and
release it to flash the high beams
once.
You can flash the high beams with the
headlights on or off.
When the steering wheel or turn
signal lever is operated while the
headlights are on (low beam) and
the vehicle speed is 19 mph (30
km/h) or lower, a cornering light will
turn on and light up the direction of
movement of the vehicle. The cor-
nering lights are designed to ensure
excellent visibility when making a
turn at an intersection.
When the shift position is in R while
the headlights are on (low beam),
both cornering lights will turn on.
This is designed to enhance visibility
when parking.
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the lights on longer than
necessary when the engine is not run-
ning.
Turning on the high beam head-
lights
Cornering lights
1494-4. Refueling
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4
Driving
1 With the doors unlocked, press the
center of the rear edge of the fuel
filler door.
Push until you hear a click and take your
hand away to slightly open the fuel filler
door. Then open the door fully by hand.
2Turn the fuel tank cap slowly and
remove it, then put it into the holder
on the fuel filler door.
■If the fuel filler door cannot be opened
P.303
1 After refueling, turn the fuel tank
cap until you hear a click. Once the cap is released, it will turn slightly in
the opposite direction.
2 Close the fuel filler door, and press
the center of the rear edge of the
fuel filler door until you hear a click.
When you lock the doors, the fuel filler
door will also lock.
■When closing the fuel filler door
Do not lock the doors before closing the
fuel filler door, as the fuel filler door cannot
be closed if the doors are locked. If the
doors are locked and the fuel filler door
cannot be closed, unlock the doors and
then close the fuel filler door.
■Fuel filler door lock condition
The fuel filler door may not be locked even
when the vehicle’s doors are locked in the
following situations:
●When operating the door lock button
inside the vehicle
●When the automatic door locking system
is operated ( P.88)
Opening the fuel tank cap
Closing the fuel tank cap
2095-2. Using the air conditioning system
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5
Interior features
automatically.
The indicator above the selected button
comes on.
■Micro dust and pollen filter
Pollen is removed from the air and the
air flows to the upper part of the body.
Select on the option control
screen.
When the micro dust and pollen filter is on, is displayed on the air conditioning
control screen.
In order to prevent the windshield from
fogging up when the outside air is cold, the
dehumidification function may operate.
Pollen is filtered even if the micro dust and
pollen filter is turned off.
■Defogging the windshield
Defoggers are used to defog the wind-
shield and side windows.
Press .
Set the outside/recirc ulated air mode but-
ton to outside air mode if the recirculated
air mode is used. (It may switch automati-
cally.)
To defog the windshield and the side win-
dows early, turn the air flow and tempera-
ture up.
To return to the previous mode, press
again when the windshield is
defogged.
■Defogging the rear window and
outside rear view mirrors
Defoggers are used to defog the rear
window, and to remove raindrops, dew
and frost from the outside rear view
mirrors. Press .
The defoggers will automatically turn off
after a period of time.
■Windshield wiper de-icer (if
equipped)
This feature is used to prevent ice from
building up on the windshield and
wiper blades.
Turns on/off.
The indicator comes on when the wind-
shield wiper de-icer is on.
The windshield de-icer will automatically
turn off after a period of time.
■Registering air conditioning settings to
electronic keys (vehicles with driving
position memory)
●Unlocking the vehicle using an electronic
key and turning the engine switch to
IGNITION ON mode will recall that
key's registered air co nditioning settings.
●When the engine switch is turned off, the
current air conditioning settings will auto-
matically be registered to the electronic
key that was used to unlock the vehicle.
●The system may not operate correctly if
more than one electr onic key is in the
vicinity or if the smart access system with
push-button start is used to unlock a pas-
senger door.
●The doors that can recall the air condi-
tioning setting* when unlocked using the
smart access system with push-button
start can be changed. For details, contact
2165-3. Using the interior lights
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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1On
2
Off
■Rear
Turns the light on/off
If the front interior light is off, the rear light
can be turned on/off separately.
Turns the lights on/off (touch the lights)
■Illuminated entry system
The lights automatically turn on/off accord-
ing to engine switch mode, the presence of
the electronic key, whether the doors are locked/unlocked, and whether the doors
are opened/closed.
■To prevent the battery from being dis-
charged
If the interior lights remain on when the
engine switch is turned off, the lights will go
off automatically after 20 minutes.
■When front interior light or personal
lights do not respond as normal
●When water, dirt, etc., have adhered to
the lens surface
●When operated with a wet hand
●When wearing gloves, etc.
■Customization
Some functions can be customized.
( P.339)
Operating the personal lights
NOTICE
■Removing light lenses
Never remove th e lens for the front inte-
rior light and personal lights. Otherwise,
the lights will be damaged.
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the lights on longer than
necessary when the engine is off.