
1194-1. Before driving
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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4
Driving
WARNING
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the
vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine
braking is not available when N is
selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other
than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that
may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping
noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brakes on F SPORT models
(RC350 [2WD]/RC300 [2WD] only):
Moderate levels of brake pad and disc
wear allow enhanced front braking
power. As a result, the discs may wear
more quickly than conventional brake
discs. Therefore, when replacing the
brake pads, Lexus recommends that you
also have the thickness of the discs mea-
sured. It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are
exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P
or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the
engine is running, and apply the park-
ing brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or back-
ward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake
as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which
could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters,
spray cans, or soft drink cans in the
vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plas-
tic material of glasses to deform or
crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior
of the vehicle, and may also cause a
short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the
vehicle. If a cigare tte lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the
floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is
adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the
windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on
the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act
as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.

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.

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

1334-2. Driving procedures
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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4
Driving
The lever will return to its original posi-
tion immediately after operation.
1 Right turn
2 Lane change to the right (move the
lever partway and release it)
The right hand signals will flash 3 times.
3Lane change to the left (move the
lever partway and release it)
The left hand signals will flash 3 times.
4Left turn
■If the turn signals do not stop flash-
ing after turning left or right, or if
you want to stop them flashing
Operate the lever in the opposite
direction to either position 2 or 3 . If
you move the lever to either position 1
or 4, the selected turn signals will flash.
■Turn signals can be operated when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode.
■If the indicator flashes faster than usual
Check that a light bulb in the front or rear
turn signal lights has not burned out.
■If the turn signals stop flashing before a
lane change has been performed
Operate the lever again.
■Customization
Some functions can be customized.
( P.339)
Turn signal lever
Operating instructions

1364-3. Operating the lights and wipers
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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4-3.Operating the lights and wipers
Operating the switch turns on
the lights as follows:U.S.A.
Canada
1 The side marker, parking, tail,
license plate, instrument panel
lights, and daytime running lights
( P.136) turn on.
2 The headlights and all lights
listed above (except daytime run-
ning lights) turn on.
3 The headlights, daytime run-
ning lights ( P.136) and all the lights listed above turn on and off
automatically. (When the engine
switch is in IGNITION ON mode.)
4 (U.S.A.) Off / (Canada)
The daytime running lights turn on.
( P.136)■Daytime running light system
●The daytime running lights illuminate
using the same lights as the parking lights
and illuminate brighter than the parking
lights.
●To make your vehicle more visible to
other drivers during daytime driving, the
daytime running lights turn on automati-
cally when all of the following conditions
are met. (The daytime running lights are
not designed for use at night.)
• The engine is running
• The parking brake is released
• The headlight switch is in the (Can-
ada only), or
* position
*: When the surroundings are bright
The daytime running lights remain on after
they illuminate, even if the parking brake is
set again.
●For the U.S.A.: Daytime running lights
can be turned off by operating the switch.
●Compared to turning on the headlights,
the daytime running light system offers
greater durability and consumes less
electricity, so it can help improve fuel
economy.
■Headlight control sensor
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on the sensor, or anything
Headlight switch
The headlights can be operated
manually or automatically.
Operating instructions
A
B

1374-3. Operating the lights and wipers
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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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

1384-3. Operating the lights and wipers
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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■Cornering lights
When the cornering lights are on for more
than 30 minutes, they will turn off automati-
cally.
1Push the lever away from you with
the headlight switch in the or
position.
2
Press the Automatic High Beam
switch.
The Automatic High Beam indicator will
Automatic High Beam
The Automatic High Beam uses a
camera sensor located behind the
upper portion of the windshield to
assess the brightness of the lights of
vehicles ahead, streetlights, etc.,
and automatically turns the high
beams on or off as necessary.
WARNING
■Limitations of the Automatic High
Beam
Do not overly rely on the Automatic High
Beam. Always drive safely, taking care to
observe your surroundings and turning
the high beams on or off manually if nec-
essary.
■To prevent incorrect operation of the
Automatic High Beam system
Do not overload the vehicle.
Activating the Automatic High
Beam

1394-3. Operating the lights and wipers
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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4
Driving
come on when the system is operating.
■Conditions to turn the high beams on/off
automatically
●When all of the foll owing conditions are
met, the high beams will be turned on
automatically (after approximately 1 sec-
ond):
• The vehicle speed is approximately 21 mph (34 km/h) or more.
• The area ahead of the vehicle is dark.
• There are no vehicles ahead with head- lights or tail lights turned on.
• There are few streetlights on the road ahead.
●If any of the following conditions is met,
the high beams will turn off automatically:
• The vehicle speed is below approxi-
mately 17 mph (27 km/h).
• The area ahead of the vehicle is not dark.
• Vehicles ahead have their headlights or tail lights turned on.
• There are many streetlights on the road ahead.
■Camera sensor detection information
●The high beams may not be automatically
turned off in the following situations:
• When a vehicle suddenly appears from around a curve
• When the vehicle is cut in front of by
another vehicle
• When vehicles ahead cannot be detected due to repe ated curves, road
dividers or roadside trees
• When vehicles ahead appear in a far- away lane on a wide road
• When the lights of vehicles ahead are not
on
●The high beams may be turned off if a
vehicle ahead that is using fog lights with- out its headlights turned on is detected.
●House lights, street lig
hts, traffic signals,
and illuminated billboards or signs and
other reflective objects may cause the
high beams to change to the low beams,
or the low beams to remain on.
●The following factors may affect the
amount of time taken for the high beams
to turn on or off:
• The brightness of the headlights, fog
lights, and tail lights of vehicles ahead
• The movement and direction of vehicles ahead
• When a vehicle ahead only has opera- tional lights on one side
• When a vehicle ahead is a two-wheeled
vehicle
• The condition of the road (gradient, curve, condition of th e road surface, etc.)
• The number of passengers and amount of luggage in the vehicle
●The high beams may turn on or off unex-
pectedly.
●Bicycles or similar vehicles may not be
detected.
●In the following situations the system may
not be able to correctly detect the sur-
rounding brightness level. This may cause
the low beams to remain on or the high
beams to flash or dazzle pedestrians or
vehicles ahead. In such a case, it is neces-
sary to manually swit ch between the high
and low beams.
• When driving in inclement weather
(heavy rain, snow, fo g, sandstorms, etc.)
• When the windshield is obscured by fog, mist, ice, dirt, etc.
• When the windshield is cracked or dam- aged
• When the camera sensor is deformed or
dirty
• When the temperature of the camera sensor is extremely high
• When the surrounding brightness level is equal to that of headlights, tail lights or
fog lights
• When headlights or tail lights of vehicles
ahead are turned off, dirty, changing
color, or not aimed properly
• When the vehicle is hit by water, snow,
dust, etc. from a preceding vehicle
• When driving through an area of inter-