
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)

1564-2. Driving procedures
Lexus dealer.
■Continuously variable transmission fail-
safe control
The system detects ma lfunctioning parts
targeted (all of the so lenoids that perform
the shifting function) by the On-Board
Diagnostics, and performs fail-safe mecha-
nisms, such as restrict ing the shifting func-
tion or transmission ratio control. In this
event, the malfunction indicator lamp turns
on.
■When driving with dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed range activated
Even when switching the driving mode to
Sport mode while driving in D position
( P.243) with the intent of enabling engine
braking, engine braking will not activate
because radar cruise control with full-
speed range will not be canceled.
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
P.143
■AI-SHIFT
AI-SHIFT automatically selects the suitable
gear step according to driver performance
and driving conditions.
AI-SHIFT automatically operates when the
driving mode is set to Normal mode with
the shift lever in the D position. (Shifting the
shift lever to the M position cancels the
function.)
■G AI-SHIFT
G AI-SHIFT automatically selects the suit-
able gear step according to driver’s input
and driving conditions. G AI-SHIFT oper-
ates automatically when the shift lever is in
the D position and Sport mode is selected
for the driving mode. (Selecting normal
mode or shifting the shift lever to the M
position cancels the function.)
While the engine switch is in
ON and the brake pedal depressed*,
shift the shift lever while pushing the
shift release button on the shift knob.
Shift the shift lever while push-
ing the shift release button on the shift
knob.
Shift the shift lever normally.
When shifting the shift lever between P
and D, make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped and the brake pedal is
depressed.
*: For the vehicle be able to be shifted from P, the brake pedal must be depressed
before the shift releas e button is pushed.
If the shift release button is pushed first,
the shift lock will not be released.
■Shift lock system
The shift lock system is a system to prevent
accidental operation of the shift lever in
starting.
WARNING
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
Be careful-of downshifting and sudden
acceleration, as this could result in the
vehicle skidding to the side or spinning.
Shifting the shift lever

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)

1594-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
●When the vehicle is stopped, the trans-
mission is set at M1.
■Downshifting restriction warning
buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving perfor-
mance, downshifting operation may some-
times be restricted. In some circumstances,
downshifting may not be possible even
when the shift lever or paddle shift switch (if
equipped) is operated. (A buzzer will sound
twice.)
■If the “M” indicator does not come on or
the “D” indicator is displayed even after
shifting the shift lever to M
This may indicate a malfunction in the auto-
matic transmission system. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer.
(In this situation, the transmission will oper-
ate in the same manner as when the shift
lever is in D.)
The turn signal lever can be used to
show the following intentions of the
driver.
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
■Turn signals can be operated when
The engine switch is in ON.
■If the indicator flashes faster than usual
Check that a light bulb in the front or rear
turn signal lights has not burned out.
Turn signal lever
Operating instructions

1604-2. Driving procedures
■If the turn signals stop flashing before a
lane change has been performed
Operate the lever again.
■Using the manual mode
The parking brake can be set and
released manually.
U.S.A.
Canada
1 Push the switch to set the parking
brake
The parking brake indi cator light will turn
on.
Press and hold the parking brake switch if
an emergency occurs and it is necessary to
operate the parking brake while driving.
2 Pull the switch to release the park-
Parking brake
The parking brake can be set or
released automatically or manually.
In automatic mode, the parking
brake can be set or released auto-
matically according to shift lever
operation. Also, even in automatic
mode, the parking brake can be set
or released manually.
Operating instructions
A
B

1614-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
ing brake
• Operate the parking brake switch while depressing the brake pedal.
• Using the parking brake automatic release function, the parking brake can
be released by depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. When using this function,
slowly depress the accelerator pedal.
Make sure that the pa rking brake indicator
light turn off.
■Turning the automatic mode on
While the vehicle is stopped, press and
hold the parking brake switch until a
message is shown on the multi-infor-
mation display
When the automatic mode is turned
on, the parking brake operates as fol-
lows.
When the shift lever is shifted from
P, the parking brake will be released,
and the parking brake indicator light
will turn off.
When the shift lever is shifted to P,
the parking brake will be set, and the
parking brake indicator light will
turn on.
Operate the shift lever with the vehicle
stopped and the brake pedal
depressed.
■Turning the automatic mode off
While the vehicle is stopped, pull and
hold the parking brake switch until a
message is shown on the multi-infor-
mation display
■Parking brake operation
●When the engine switch is not in ON, the
parking brake cannot be released using
the parking brake switch.
●When the engine switch is not in ON,
automatic mode (automatic brake setting
and releasing) is not available.
■Parking brake automatic release func-
tion
●When the shift lever is shifted from P, the
parking brake will be released in auto-
matic mode.
●When all of the follo wing conditions are
met in manual mode, the parking brake
can be released by depressing the accel-
erator pedal.
• The driver’s door is closed
• The driver is wearing the seat belt
• The shift lever is in D, M or R
■If “Parking Brake Temporarily Unavail-
able” is displayed on the multi-informa-
tion display
If the parking brake is operated repeatedly
over a short period of time, the system may
restrict operation to prevent overheating. If
this happens, refrain from operating the
parking brake. Normal operation will return
after about 1 minute.