
1424-1. Before driving
4-1.Before driving
■Starting the engine
 P.152
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed, 
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.155)
2 If the parking brake is in manual 
mode, release the parking brake. 
(P.160)
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. 
(P.160)
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an 
extended period of time, shift the shift lever 
to P. ( P.155)
■Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the 
brake pedal.
2 If the parking brake is in manual 
mode, set the parking brake 
(P.160), and shift the shift lever to 
P ( P.155).
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 with the brake pedal depressed, 
and then shift the shift lever to D.
2 Release the brake pedal and gently 
depress the accelerator pedal.
3 Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will be activated. 
(  P.245)
■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
Driving the vehicle
The specified procedures should be 
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure 

1454-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever 
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to any position 
other than P or N may lead to unex-
pected rapid acceleration of the vehi-
cle 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. 
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 shift lever is in any position other 
than P or N, the vehicle may acceler-
ate suddenly and unexpectedly, caus-
ing 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.
●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. 

1464-1. Before driving
WARNING
■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  will 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.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and 
brake pedals at the same time during 
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.
■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.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the fol-
lowing situations. Hold the steering 
wheel firmly and gradually depress the 
brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehi-
cle.
●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.370, 377)
■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 vehi-
cle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water 
immersion 

1474-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
In the event that you drive on a flooded 
road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure 
to have your Lexus dealer check the fol-
lowing:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil 
and fluid used for the engine, transmis-
sion, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the bearings 
and suspension joints (where possi-
ble), and the function of all joints, bear-
ings, etc.
■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 sudden ly if the accelera-
tor pedal is accidentally depressed.
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following infor-
mation about storage precautions, 
cargo capacity and load:
WARNING
■Things that must not be carried in the 
luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if 
loaded in the luggage compartment:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals 
from being depressed properly, may 
block the driver’s vision, or may result in 
items hitting the driver or passengers, 
possibly causing an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the lug-
gage compartment whenever possi-
ble.
●Do not stack cargo and luggage in the 
luggage compartment higher than the 
seatbacks.
●When you fold down the rear seats, 
long items should not be placed 
directly behind the front seats.
●Never allow anyone to ride in the lug-
gage compartment. It is not designed 
for passengers. They should ride in 
their seats with thei r seat belts prop-
erly fastened. 

1524-2. Driving procedures
4-2.Driving procedures
1Press the parking brake switch to 
check that the parking brake is set. 
(P.160)
Parking brake indicator will come on.
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.
■Engine switch illumination
According to the situation, the engine 
switch illumination operates as follows.
●When a door is opened, or the engine 
switch mode is changed from ACC or 
ON to OFF, the engine switch illumina-
tion slowly blinks.
●When depressing the brake pedal with 
carrying the electronic key on your per-
son, the engine switch illumination rapidly 
blinks.
●When the engine swit ch is in ACC or 
ON, the engine switch illumination illumi-
nates.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not 
have been deactivated. ( P.62)
Contact your Lexus dealer.
●If a message related to  start-up is shown 
on the multi-information display, read the 
message and follow the instructions.
●The smart access system with push-but-
ton start may not be operating properly. 
(  P.381)
■Electronic key battery depletion
 P.94
■Conditions affecting operation
 P.115
■Note for the entry function
 P.116
■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, “Push Engine Switch while 
Turning Steering Whee l in Either Direc-
tion” will be displayed on the multi-infor-
mation display.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the 
engine switch shortly and firmly while 
turning the steering wheel left and right.
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 

1534-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
●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 running the 
engine. After about 10 seconds, the 
steering lock motor will resume function-
ing.
■Electronic key battery
 P.341
■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.380.1Stop the vehicle completely.
2
Set the parking brake ( P.160), 
and shift the shift lever to P 
( P.155).
3
Press the engine switch.
4
Release the brake pedal and check 
that “ACCESSORY” or “IGNI-
TION ON” is not shown on the 
meter.
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. The steering lock function will 
activate and this may lead to an accident, 
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 

1554-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
If the engine is stopped with the shift 
lever in a position other than P, the 
engine switch will not be turned off but 
instead be turned to ACC. Perform the 
following procedure to turn the switch 
off:
1
Check that the parking brake is set.
2
Shift the shift lever to P.
3
Check that “Turn Power Off” is dis-
played on the multi-information dis-
play and then press the engine 
switch shortly and firmly once.
4
Check that “Turn Power Off” on the 
multi-information display is off.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce  noise, shift the shift lever to D for normal 
driving.
*2: Selecting gear steps using the M posi-tion achieves suitable engine braking 
forces by operating the shift lever or 
paddle shift switch es (if equipped).
■Reverse warning buzzer
When shifting into R, a buzzer will sound to 
inform the driver that the shift lever is in R.
■To protect the transmission
If the automatic transmission fluid tempera-
ture is high, “Transmission Oil Temp. High 
Stop in a safe place and See owner’s man-
ual” will be displayed on the multi-informa-
tion display and the vehicle will go into 
transmission protection mode automati-
cally. Have the vehicle inspected by your 
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
●Do not leave the engine switch in ACC 
or ON for long periods of time without 
the engine running.
●If “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION 
ON” is displayed on the multi-informa-
tion display while the engine is not run-
ning, the engine switch is not OFF. Exit 
the vehicle after turning the engine 
switch off.
●Do not stop the engine when the shift 
lever is in a position other than P. If the 
engine is stopped in another shift lever 
position, the engine switch will not be 
turned off but instead be turned to 
ACC. If the vehicle is left in ACC, bat-
tery discharge may occur.
When stopping the engine with 
the shift lever in a position other 
than P
Continuously variable trans-
mission
Select the shift position depending 
on your purpose and situation.
Shift position purpose and func-
tions
Shift posi-
tionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting  the engine
RReversing
NNeutral (Condition in which 
the power is not transmitted)
DNormal driving*1
M
10-speed sport sequential 
shiftmatic mode driving
*2 
(  P.158) 

1574-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
The shift lever can be shifted from P only 
when the engine switch is in ON, the brake 
pedal is depressed and the shift release but-
ton is pushed.
■If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
First, check whether the brake pedal is 
being depressed.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted even 
though the brake pedal is depressed and 
the shift release button is pushed, there may 
be a problem with the shift lock system. 
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus 
dealer immediately.
The following steps may be used as an 
emergency measure to ensure that the shift 
lever can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
1
Press the parking brake switch to check 
that the parking brake is set. ( P.160)
2
Turn the engine switch off.
3
Depress the brake pedal.
4
Pry the cover up with a flathead screw-
driver or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover, cover the 
tip of the screwd river with a rag.
5
Press the shift lock override button.
The shift lever can be shifted while the but-
ton is pressed.
 P.243
To drive using temporary gear step 
selection, operate the “-” or “+” paddle 
shift switch when driving with the shift 
lever in D.
Changing the gear step allows restric-
tion of the highest gear, preventing 
unnecessary upshifting and enabling 
the level of engine braking force to be 
selected.
1
Upshifting
2
Downshifting
WARNING
■To prevent an accident when releas-
ing the shift lock
Before pressing the shift lock override 
button, make sure to set the parking 
brake and depress the brake pedal.
If the accelerator pe dal is accidentally 
depressed instead of the brake pedal 
when the shift lock override button is 
pressed and the shift  lever is shifted out 
of P, the vehicle may suddenly start, pos-
sibly leading to an accident which may 
result in death or  serious injury.
Selecting the driving mode
Selecting gear steps in the D 
position (vehicles with paddle 
shift switches)