1544-1. Before driving
WARNING
●During normal driving, do not turn off
the hybrid system. 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 diffi-
cult to steer smoothly, so you should
pull over and stop the vehicle as soon
as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if
it becomes impossible to stop the vehi-
cle in the normal way: P.378
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( P.167)
●Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passengers’
arms, heads or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
●AWD models: Do not drive the vehicle
off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle designed
for off-road driving. Proceed with all
due caution if it becomes unavoidable
to drive off-road.
●Do not drive across a river or through
other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic
components to short circuit, damage
the hybrid system or cause other seri-
ous damage to the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140
km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires.
Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may
result in tire failure, loss of control and
possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire
dealer to determine whether the tires
on your vehicle are high-speed capa-
bility tires or not befo re driving at such
speeds.
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking
due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid,
resulting in an accident.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly
depress the brake pedal to make sure
that the brakes are functioning prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever
is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or
damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shif t lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the hybrid trans-
mission and may result in a loss of vehi-
cle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the hybrid trans-
mission and may result in a loss of vehi-
cle control.
1564-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid sys-
tem and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated.
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 “READY” indicator is illuminated
or immediately after turning the hybrid
system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Other-
wise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal,
this could cause an accident or fire due
to hybrid system overheating. Addition-
ally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may col-
lect and enter the ve hicle, 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 electronically controlled brake
system 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.
●The brake system consists of 2 or more
individual hydraulic systems; if one of
the systems fails, the other(s) 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.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD
models)
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 the same time during
driving, as this may restrain the hybrid
system 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.
1634-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■Steering lock function
●After turning the power switch off and
opening and closing the doors, the steer-
ing wheel will be locked due to the steer-
ing lock function. Operating the power
switch again automatically cancels the
steering lock.
●When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Push Power Switch while Turn-
ing Steering Wheel in Either Direction”
will be displayed on the multi-information
display.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the
power switch shortly and firmly while
turning the steering wheel left and right.
●To prevent the steering lock motor from
overheating, operation of the motor may
be suspended if the hybrid system is
turned on and off repeatedly in a short
period of time. In this case, refrain from
operating the hybrid system. After about
10 seconds, the steering lock motor will
resume functioning.
■If the “READY” indicator does not come
on
In the event that the “READY” indicator
does not come on even after performing
the proper procedures for starting the vehi-
cle, contact your Lexus dealer immediately.
■If the hybrid system is malfunctioning
P.68
■Electronic key battery
P.368
■Operation of the power switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly and
firmly, the power switch mode may not
change or the hybrid system may not
start.
●If attempting to restart the hybrid system
immediately after turning the power switch off, the hybrid system may not start
in some cases. After turning the power
switch off, please wait a few seconds
before restarting the hybrid system.
■Customization
If the smart access system with push-button
start has been deactivated in a customized
setting, refe r to P.403
1Stop the vehicle completely.
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid system
Always start the hybrid system while sit-
ting 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 result-
ing in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If hybrid system failure occurs while the
vehicle is moving, do not lock or open the
doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and
complete stop. The steering lock func-
tion will activate and this may lead to an
accident, resulting in death or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the hybrid system
If the hybrid system becomes difficult to
start, have your vehicle checked by your
Lexus dealer immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a malfunction
with the power switch
If the power 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 hybrid system
1644-2. Driving procedures
2Set the parking brake (P.172),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.167).
3
Press the power switch.
4
Release the brake pedal and check
that “ACCESSORY” or “IGNI-
TION ON” is not shown on the
meter.
Modes can be changed by pressing
the power switch with the brake pedal
released. (The mode changes each
time the switch is pressed.) 1
OFF*
The emergency flashers can be used.
2ACC
Some electrical components such as the
audio system can be used.
“ACCESSORY” will be displayed on the
meter.
3ON
All electrical components can be used.
“IGNITION ON” will be displayed on the
meter.
*: If the shift lever is in a position other than
P when turning off the hybrid system, the
power switch will be turned to ACC, not
to OFF.
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACC for more than
20 minutes or ON (the hybrid system is not
operating) for more than an hour with the
shift lever in P, the power switch will auto-
matically turn off. However, this function
cannot entirely prevent 12-volt battery dis-
charge. Do not leave the vehicle with the
power switch in ACC or ON for long peri-
ods of time when the hybrid system is not
WARNING
■Stopping the hybrid system in an
emergency
●If you want to stop the hybrid system in
an emergency while driving the vehi-
cle, press and hold the power switch
for more than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in succession.
( P.378)
However, do not touch the power
switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. 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.
●If the power switch is operated while
the vehicle is running, a warning mes-
sage will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display and a buzzer sounds.
●When restarting the hybrid system
after an emergency shutdown, shift the
shift lever to N and press the power
switch shortly and firmly.
Changing power switch modes
2564-5. Using the driving support systems
the “Eco” indicator comes on.
3Sport mode
Assists acceleration response by con-
trolling the hybrid system and steering.
Suitable for when precise handling is desir-
able, for example when driving on moun-
tain roads.
When not in Sport mode, if the driving
mode select switch is turned backward, the
“Sport” indicator comes on and the Hybrid
System Indicator changes to the tachome-
ter. ( P.78, 82)
■Operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cool-
ing operations and fan speed of the air con-
ditioning system to enhance fuel efficiency.
To improve air condit ioning performance,
perform the following operations:
●Turn off eco air conditioning mode
( P.278)
●Adjust the fan speed ( P.276, 279)
●Turn off Eco drive mode
■Automatic deactivation of Sport mode
If the power switch is turned off after driving
in Sport mode, the driving mode will be
changed to Normal mode.
■Driving mode pop-up display (vehicles
with 10.3-inch display model)
When the driving mode is changed, the
selected driving mode will be temporarily
displayed on the side display. ( P.273)
■ECB (Electronically Controlled
Brake System)
The electronically controlled system
generates braking force correspond-
ing to the brake operation
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the
brakes are applied suddenly, or if the
brakes are applied while driving on a
slippery road surface
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of brak-
ing force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a
panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding
when swerving sudden ly or turning on
slippery road surfaces
■Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehi-
cle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of the
ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Driving assist systems
To keep driving safety and perfor-
mance, the following systems oper-
ate automatically in response to
various driving situations. Be aware,
however, that these systems are
supplementary and should not be
relied upon too heavily when oper-
ating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving assist
systems
2574-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
Helps to maintain directional stability
when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering perfor-
mance.
■Secondary Collision Brake
When the airbag sensor detects a colli-
sion, the brakes and brake lights are
automatically controlled to reduce the
vehicle speed and that helps reduce
the possibility of further damage due to
a secondary collision
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and pre-
vent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerat-
ing on slippery roads
■Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
Helps to prevent the vehicle from drift-
ing to the outer side by performing
inner wheel brake control when
attempting to accelerate during cor-
nering
■Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward move-
ment 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
■E-Four (AWD models)
Electronic On-Demand AWD system.
Automatically switches from front-
wheel drive to all-wheel drive (AWD)
according to the driving conditions,
helping to ensure reliable handling and stability. Examples of
conditions where
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.
■When the TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are
operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC/ABS systems are operating.
■Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow,
the TRAC system may reduce power from
the hybrid system to the wheels. Pressing
the switch to turn the system off may
make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in
order to free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release the switch.
The “Traction Co ntrol Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on.
■Disabling both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC systems off,
2584-5. Using the driving support systems
press and hold the switch for more
than 3 seconds while the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on
and the “Traction Control Turned Off” will
be shown on the multi-information display.
*
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on.
*: Pre-collision brake assist and pre-colli- sion braking will also be disabled. The
PCS warning light will come on and the
message will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display. ( P.204)
■When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if the
switch has not been pressed
TRAC is temporary deactivated. If the infor-
mation continues to show, contact your
Lexus dealer.
■Operating conditions of hill-start assist
control
When the following four conditions are met,
the hill-start assist control will operate:
●The shift lever is in a position other than P
or N (when starting off forward/back-
ward on an upward incline).
●The vehicle is stopped.
●The accelerator pedal is not depressed.
●The parking brake is not engaged.
■Automatic system cancelation of hill-
start assist control
The hill-start assist control will turn off in any
of the following situations:
●The shift lever is shifted to P or N.
●The accelerator pedal is depressed.
●The parking brake is engaged.
●2 seconds at maximum elapsed after the
brake pedal is released
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VSC, TRAC and hill-
start assist control systems
●A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed repeatedly, when the hybrid
system is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This sound does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred in
any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions may
occur when the above systems are oper-
ating.
None of these indicates that a malfunc-
tion has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also after
the vehicle comes to a stop.
■ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in the
following cases, but it does not indicate that
a malfunction has occurred.
●Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
operated.
●Motor sound of the brake system heard
from the front part of the vehicle when
the driver’s door is opened.
●Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when one or two minutes
passed after the stop of the hybrid sys-
tem.
■Active Cornering Assist operation
sounds and vibrations
When Active Cornering Assist is operated,
operation sounds and vibrations may be
generated from the brake system, but this is
not a malfunction.
■EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a
motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Automatic reactivation of TRAC and
VSC systems
After turning the TRAC and VSC systems
off, the systems will be automatically re-
enabled in the following situations:
●When the power switch is turned off
●If only the TRAC system is turned off, the
TRAC will turn on when vehicle speed
increases. If both the TRAC and VSC
2634-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
Use fluids that are appropriate to
the prevailing outside temperatures.
• Engine oil
• Engine/power control unit coolant
• Washer fluid
Have a service technician inspect
the condition of the 12-volt battery.
It is recommended that the vehicle is
fitted with four snow run-flat tires or
purchase a set of tire chains for the
front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and
brand, and that chains match the size of the
tires.
Perform the following according to the
driving conditions:
Do not try to forcibly open a window
or move a wiper that is frozen. Pour
warm water over the frozen area to
melt the ice. Wipe away the water
immediately to prevent it from
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary prepara-
tions and inspections before driving
the vehicle in winter. Always drive
the vehicle in a manner appropriate
to the prevailing weather condi-
tions.
Preparation for winter
WARNING
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to
reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of
vehicle control and cause death or seri-
ous injury.
●Use tires of the specified size.
●Maintain the recommended level of air
pressure.
●Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120
km/h), regardless of the type of snow
tires being used.
●Use snow tires on all, not just some
wheels.
■Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to
reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle
being unable to be driven safely, and may
cause death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit specified for the tire chains being
used, or 30 mph (50 km/h), which-
ever is lower.
●Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces
or over potholes.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt
steering, sudden br aking and shifting
operations that cause sudden engine
braking.
●Slow down sufficiently before entering
a curve to ensure that vehicle control is
maintained.
●Do not use LTA (Lane Tracing Assist).
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow
tires from Lexus dealers or legitimate tire
retailers.
This is because the removal and attach-
ment of snow tires affects the operation
of the tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle