2144-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL_U
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observin g the following precautions is recommended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. ( P. 712)
■Eco-friendly driving
P. 121
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the “READY” indicator is
illuminated. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator ped-
als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal will
result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to difficulty in operat-
ing the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving po sture even when moving the vehicle only
slightly. This allows you to depress th e brake and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay re sponse in an emergency, resulting in an accident.
●The driver should pay extra attention to pedestrians when the vehicle is powered only
by the electric motor (traction motor). As there is no engine noise, the pedestrians
may misjudge the vehicle’s movement.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot parts may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
2174-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL_U
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
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.
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 depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the shift lever is in any position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to the ve hicle rolling away, always keep depressing
the brake pedal while stopped with the “REA DY” indicator is illuminated, and apply
the parking brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, alwa ys 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, sp ray 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 cau se the plastic lenses and plastic mate-
rial 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 circui t in the vehicle’s electrical components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette 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 windsh ield or windows. Do not place containers
such as air fresheners on th e instrument panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs or con-
tainers may act as lenses, ca using a fire in the vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window open if th e curved glass is coated with a metallized
film such as a silver-colored one. Reflecte d sunlight may cause the glass to act as a
lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shif t lever to P, stop the hybrid system and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended whil e the “READY” indicator is illuminated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift leve r in P but the parking brake is not set, the
vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “R EADY” indicator is illuminated or imme-
diately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
2314-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL_U
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid an acci-
dent, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when towing:
●Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not exceed the
posted towing speed limit.
●Lexus recommends that the vehicle-traile r speed limit is 65 mph (104 km/h)
on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exce ed this limit, the posted towing speed
limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner’s man-
ual, whichever is lowest. Instability of the towing vehicle-trailer combination
(trailer sway) increases as speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause
loss of control.
●Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-trailer con-
nections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
●Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in an area
away from traffic until you become acc ustomed to the feel of the vehicle-
trailer combination.
●Reversing with a trailer attached is di fficult and requires practice. Grip the
bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to move the
trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to move the trailer to right. (This
is generally opposite to reversing with out a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or
prolonged turning. Have someone guid e you when reversing to reduce the
risk of an accident.
●As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to vehicle dis-
tance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of speed, allow at least
one vehicle and trailer length.
●Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jackknifing and a
loss of vehicle control. This is especi ally true on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
●Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, an d slow down before making a turn.
●Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than the vehicle
wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making a wider than normal
turning radius.
●Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery surfaces,
etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
●Take care when passing other vehicles . Passing requires considerable dis-
tance. After passing a vehicle, do not fo rget the length of your trailer, and be
sure you have plenty of room before changing lanes.
Trailer towing tips
2324-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL_U
●To maintain engine braking efficien cy and charging system performance
when using engine braking, do no t put the transmission in D. (P. 246)
●Instability happens more fr equently when descending steep or long downhill
grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do not make sudden
downshifts while descending st eep or long downhill grades.
●Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes too fre-
quently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced braking
efficiency.
●Due to the added load of the trailer, yo ur vehicle’s engine may overheat on hot
days (at temperatures over 85 F [30 C]) when driving up a long or steep
grade. If the engine coolant temperat ure gauge indicates overheating, imme-
diately turn off the air conditioning (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. ( P. 702)
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s wheels
when parking. Put the transmission in P and apply the parking brake. Avoid
parking on a slope, but if unavoidable, do so only after performing the follow-
ing:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and trailer’s
wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in place, release the brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
Shift into P and apply the parking brake.
Turn off the hybrid system.
●When restarting afte r parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the hybrid system. Be sure to keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
If the parking brake is in manual mode, release the parking brake.
( P. 254)
Release the brake pedal, and slowly pull or back away from the wheel
blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
2344-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL_U
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train components (such as an
engine, hybrid transmission, rear differenti al or wheel bearing), Lexus recommends that
you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle ha s been driven for over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km), you can start towing.
However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the vehicle at a speed of less than
50 mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and avoid full throttle acceleration.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance due to the addi-
tional load. (See “Warranty and Services Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement” or
“Scheduled Maintenance”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ba ll and bracket after approximately 600 miles
(1000 km) of trailer towing.
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing ve hicles, rough roads, etc.) can adversely
affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wh eel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer sway ing by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal im mediately but very gradually to reduce
speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the st eering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer
should stabilize. (if enabled, Trailer Sway Control can also he lp to stabilize the vehicle and
trailer.)
●After the trailer sw aying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer. Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not ov erloaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying occurred is beyond
the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combination.
Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that swaying of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer increases as speed increases.
2414-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL_U
If the hybrid system is stopped with the shift lever in a position other than P, the
power switch will not be turned off but instead be turned to ACCESSORY
mode. Perform the following proc edure to turn the switch off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” is disp layed on the multi-information display
and then press the power switch once.
Check that “Turn Off Vehicle” on th e multi-information display is off.
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY mode for more than 20 minutes or ON mode (the
hybrid system is not operating) for more than an hour with the shift lever in P, the power
switch will automatically turn off. However, th is function cannot entirely prevent 12-volt
battery discharge. Do not leave the vehicle with the power switch in ACCESSORY or
ON mode for long periods of time when the hybrid system is not operating.
■Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
P. 77
■Electronic key battery depletion
P. 134
■When the ambient temperature is low, su ch as during winter driving conditions
When starting the hybrid system, the flashing time of the “READY” indicator may be
long. Leave the vehicle as it is until the “REA DY” indicator is steady on, as steady means
the vehicle is able to move.
■Conditions affe cting operation
P. 160
■Note for the entry function
P. 161
■If the hybrid system does not start
●The immobilizer system may no t have been deactivated. (P. 83)
Contact your Lexus dealer.
●Check that the shift lever is se curely set in P. The hybrid system may not start if the shift
lever is displaced out of P. “To Start Vehicle, Put Shift Lever into P” will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
When stopping the hybrid system with the shift lever in a position other
than P
1
2
3
4
2434-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL_U
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hybrid system while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress the
accelerator pedal while starting the hybrid system under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resu lting in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If hybrid system failure occurs while the ve hicle is moving, do not lock or open the
doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activation of the steering lock
in this circumstance may lead to an acci dent, resulting in death or serious injury.
■Stopping the hybrid system in an emergency
If you want to stop the hybrid system in an emergency while driving the vehicle, press
and hold the power switch for more than 2 se conds, or press it briefly 3 times or more
in succession. ( P. 653)
However, do not touch the power switch while driving except in an emergency. Turning
the hybrid system off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control,
however, power assist to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer
smoothly, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
●Do not leave the power switch in ACCESSORY or ON mode for long periods of
time without the hybrid system on.
●If “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION ON” is displayed on the meters while the hybrid
system is not operating, the power switch is not off. Exit the vehicle after turning the
power switch off.
●Do not stop the hybrid system when the shift lever is in a position other than P. If the
hybrid system is stopped in another shift lever position , the power switch will not be
turned off but instead be turned to ACCESSORY mode. If the vehicle is left in
ACCESSORY mode, 12-volt ba ttery discharge may occur.
■When starting the hybrid system
If the hybrid system becomes difficult to star t, have your vehicle checked by your Lexus
dealer immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a malfun ction with the power switch
If the power switch seems to be operating somewhat differen tly than usual, such as the
switch sticking slightly, ther e may be a malfunction. Contact your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
2464-2. Driving procedures
RX450h_RX450hL_U
While the power switch is in ON mode, move the shift lever with the brake
pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise, shift the shift lever to D for normal driv-
ing.
*2: By selecting shift ra nges using S mode, you can control accelerating force and engine
braking force.
Hybrid transmission
Shifting the shift lever
Shift position purpose
Shift positionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 ( P. 248)