2094-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain driving torque.
●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 accelerator pedal is acci-
dentally 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 on the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damaging
the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations . Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire ( P. 666)
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain, etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to have
your Lexus dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, transaxle, transfer
(AWD models), rear differential (AWD models), etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaf t (AWD models), bearings and suspension
joints (where possible), and the func tion of all joints, bearings, etc.
2304-1. Before driving
RX350/RX350L_U
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels on the ground)
behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and Dynamic Torque Control
AWD system (AWD models)
Do not tow your vehicle with the four wheels on
the ground.
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from the
rear with the front wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious damage to the trans-
mission.
AWD models: Never tow this vehicle with any
of the wheels on the ground. This may cause
serious damage to the transmission and
Dynamic Torque Control AWD system.
3774-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U
Press the switch.
The torque of the engine is distributed to
the rear wheels to the maximum extent
possible in accordance with driving con-
ditions.
Pressing the switch again cancels
all-wheel drive lock mode and returns
the Dynamic Torque Control AWD sys-
tem to normal mode. ( P. 379)
■All-wheel drive lock mode can be operated when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode.
■Automatic release for the all-wheel drive lock mode
●All-wheel drive lock mode is canceled when the brakes are applied to ensure the ABS
and VSC systems operate effectively.
●All-wheel drive lock mode is canceled when the vehicle speed exceeds 25 mph
(40 km/h).
All-wheel drive lock switch (AWD models)
All-wheel drive lock mode can be used when a large amount of drive power
needs to be applied to all the wheels, such as when the vehicle gets stuck in
mud and you need to free it.
3784-5. Using the driving support systems
RX350/RX350L_U
◆ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the br akes are applied suddenly, or if the
brakes are applied while drivin g on a slippery road surface
◆Brake assist
Generates an increased level of br aking force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a panic stop situation
◆VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to contro l skidding when swerving suddenly or turning on
slippery road surfaces.
◆Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehicle 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 performance.
◆Trailer Sway Control
Helps the driver to control trailer sway by selectively applying brake pressure
for individual wheels and reducing dr iving torque when trailer sway is
detected.
◆TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and pr event the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
◆Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward movement 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
Driving assist systems
To keep driving safety and performance, the following systems operate auto-
matically in response to various drivin g situations. Be aware, however, that
these systems are supplementary and shou ld not be relied upon too heavily
when operating the vehicle.
3794-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U
◆Dynamic Torque Control AWD system (AWD models)
Automatically switches from front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive (AWD)
according to the driving conditions, help ing to ensure reliable handling and
stability. Examples of conditions wher e the system will switch to AWD are
when cornering, going uphill, starting off or accelerating, and when the road
surface is slippery due to snow, rain, etc.
◆Adaptive Variable Suspen sion System (if equipped)
Controls the damping force of the shock absorber of each wheel according to
the road and driving conditions, helpin g achieve a comfortable ride, excellent
driveability and a high level of stability.
If SPORT S+ mode is selected using the driving mode select switch, the
damping force will become more su itable for sporty driving. (P. 374)
◆VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integr ated Management) (if equipped)
Provides integrated control of the ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC, hill-start
assist control and EPS systems
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes and engine output
6518-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
RX350/RX350L_U
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing using a wheel-lift type truck
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear when the engine switch is off. The steering lock
mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground cleara nce for towing at the oppo-
site end of the raised vehicle. Without ad equate clearance, the vehicle could be dam-
aged while being towed.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle wh en towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the ve hicle during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the suspension components.
■Recreational towing (behind motor home, etc)
Never dinghy tow your vehicle to prevent caus-
ing serious damage to the Dynamic Torque
Control AWD system (AWD models) and
transmission. ( P. 230)
6698-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
RX350/RX350L_U
When replacing tires on a vehicle with wheel lock nuts, use the following proce-
dures to remove and install the wheel lock nuts. The wheel lock key is stored in
the tray inside the luggage compartment. Always return the wheel lock key to its
original position after use, so that it does not get lost.
■Removal
For ease of removal, the wheel lock nut should always be the first one loos-
ened.
Place the wheel lock key on top of th e wheel lock nut, turning until the
wheel lock key and wheel lock nut patterns engage.
Place the wheel nut wrench on the wheel lock key, and while applying pres-
sure on the wheel lock key, loosen the wheel lock nut.
■Installation
For ease of installation, the wheel lock nut should always be the last one tight-
ened.
By hand, install a wheel lock nut on each wheel.
Place the wheel lock key on top of th e wheel lock nut, turning until the
wheel lock key and wheel lock nut patterns engage.
Place the wheel nut wrench on the wheel lock key, and while applying pres-
sure on the wheel lock key, tighten the wheel lock nut to the recommended
torque.
Wheel lock nut (if equipped)
NOTICE
Do not use an impact wrench. Using an impact wrench may cause permanent damage
to wheel lock nut and wheel lock key. If in doubt about wheel lock application, contact
your Lexus dealer.
1
2
1
2
3
6758-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
RX350/RX350L_U
WARNING
■When holding a tire with Selectable Color Trim (if equipped)
■Replacing a flat tire
●Do not touch the disc wheels or the area around the brakes immediately after the
vehicle has been driven.
After the vehicle has been driven the disc wheels and the area around the brakes will
be extremely hot. Touching these areas with hands, feet or other body parts while
changing a tire, etc. may result in burns.
●Failure to follow these precautions could cau se the wheel nuts to loosen and the tire
to fall off, resulting in death or serious injury.
• Never use oil or grease on the wheel bolts or wheel nuts. Oil and grease may cause the wheel nuts to be excessively tightened, leading to
bolt or disc wheel damage. In addition, the oil or grease can cause the wheel nuts
to loosen and the wheel may fall off, causing a serious accident.
Remove any oil or grease from the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
• Have the wheel nuts tightened with a torque wrench to 76 ft•lbf (103 N•m,
10.5 kgf•m) as soon as possible after changing wheels.
• When installing a tire, only use wheel nuts that have been specifically designed for
that wheel.
• If there are any cracks or deformations in the bolt screws, nut threads or bolt holes
of the wheel, have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
●Observe the following precautions. (RX350L)
Failure to do so may result in serious injury:
• Do not try to remove the wheel ornament by hand. Take due care in handling the ornament to avoid unexpected personal injury.
• Lower the spare tire completely to the ground before removing it from under the vehicle.
■Replacing a flat tire for vehicles with power back door
In cases such as when replacing tires, make sure to turn off the power back door main
switch ( P. 101). Failure to do so may cause the back door to operate unintentionally if
the power back door switch is accidentally touched, re sulting in hands and fingers
being caught and injured.
Do not hold the tire by the Selectable Color
Trim. Otherwise, the Selectable Color Trim
may be damaged or may fall off causing the tire
to drop, possibly causing injury.