
1664-2. Driving procedures
mation display.
●The temperature of the hybrid system is
high.
The vehicle has been left in the sun,
driven on a hill, driven at high speeds, etc.
●The temperature of the hybrid system is
low.
The vehicle has been left in temperatures
lower than about 32 °F (0 °C) for a long
period of time, etc.
●The gasoline engine is warming up.
●The hybrid battery (traction battery) is
low.
The remaining battery level indicated in
the “Energy Monitor” display is low.
( P.97)
●Vehicle speed is high.
●The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly
or the vehicle is on a hill, etc.
●The windshield defogger is in use.
■Switching to EV drive mode when the
gasoline engine is cold
If the hybrid system is started while the gas-
oline engine is cold, the gasoline engine will
start automatically after a short period of
time in order to warm up. In this case, you
will become unable to switch to EV drive
mode.
After the hybrid system has started and the
“READY” indicator has illuminated, press
the EV drive mode switch before the gaso-
line engine starts to switch to EV drive
mode.
■Automatic cancelation of EV drive
mode
When driving in EV drive mode, the gaso-
line engine may automatically restart in the
following situations. When EV drive mode
is canceled, a buzzer will sound, the EV
drive mode indicator w ill go off after flash-
ing, and a message is displayed on the
multi-information display.
●The hybrid battery (traction battery)
becomes low.
The remaining battery level indicated in
the “Energy Monitor” display is low.
( P.97)
●Vehicle speed is high.
●The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly
or the vehicle is on a hill, etc.
■Possible driving distan ce when driving in
EV drive mode
EV drive mode’s possible driving distance
ranges from a few hundred meters to
approximately 0.6 mile (1 km). However,
depending on vehicle conditions, there are
situations when EV drive mode cannot be
used. (The distance that is possible depends
on the hybrid battery [traction battery] level
and driving conditions.)
■Fuel economy
The hybrid system is designed to achieve
the best possible fuel economy during nor-
mal driving (using the gasoline engine and
electric motor [tractio n motor]). Driving in
EV drive mode more than necessary may
lower fuel economy.
■If “EV Mode Unavailable” is shown on
the multi-information display
The EV drive mode is not available. The rea-
son the EV drive mode is not available (the
vehicle is idling, batter y charge is low, vehi-
cle speed is higher than the EV drive mode
operating speed range or accelerator pedal
is depressed too much) may be displayed.
Use the EV drive mode when it becomes
available.
■If “EV Mode Deactivated” is shown on
the multi-information display
The EV drive mode has been automatically
canceled. The reason the EV drive mode is
not available (the batt ery charge is low,
vehicle speed is higher than the EV drive
mode operating speed range or accelera-
tor pedal is depressed too much) may be
displayed. Drive the vehicle for a while
before attempting to turn on the EV drive
mode again.

1684-2. Driving procedures
( P.255)
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
P.153
While the power 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.
The shift lever can be shifted from P only
when the power 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 th e 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.172)
2
Turn the power switch off.
3
Depress the brake pedal.
4
Pry the cover up with a flathead screw-
driver or equivalent tool.
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.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction battery)
charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid battery
(traction battery) will not be charged
even when the engine is running. There-
fore, if the vehicle is left with the shift
lever in N for a long period of time, the
hybrid battery (traction battery) will dis-
charge, and this may re sult in the vehicle
not being able to start.
Shifting the shift lever

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

2614-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the accelera-
tor pedal depression amount can be
generated more smoothly than it is in
normal conditions. In addition, the
operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be mini-
mized, improving the fuel economy.
( P.255)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicate of Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( P.79, 84)
Shift the shift lever to D when stopped
at a traffic light, or driving in heavy traf-
fic, etc. Shift the shift lever to P when
parking. When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consumption. In
the N, the gasoline engine operates
but electricity cannot be generated.
Also, when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) power is consumed.
Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid
abrupt acceleration and decelera-
tion. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effec-
tive use of the electric motor (trac-
tion motor) without having to use
gasoline engine power.
Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (traction battery)
power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be
restored by driving with the acceler-
ator pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes gently
and in a timely manner. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fuel economy.
Check traffic reports before leaving
and avoid delays as much as possible.
When driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly while
avoiding overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological
driving, pay attention to the follow-
ing points:
Using Eco drive mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays

2674-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
Drive your vehicle only in areas
where off-road vehicles are permit-
ted to travel.
Respect private property. Get
owner’s permission before entering
private property.
Do not enter areas that are closed.
Honor gates, barriers and signs that
restrict travel.
Stay on established roads. When
conditions are we t, driving tech-
niques should be changed or travel
delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
AWD models: Avoid driving on very
steep, slippery roads and other sur-
faces, such as sand, where the tires
are liable to lose traction. Your vehi-
cle may not perform as well as con-
ventional AWD on-road vehicles on
these surfaces.
■Additional informatio n for off-road driv-
ing
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and
Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining
to driving your vehicle off-road, consult the
following organizations.
●State and Local Parks and Recreation
Departments
●State Motor Vehicle Bureau
●Recreational Vehicle Clubs
●U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management
WARNING
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of death or seri-
ous injury or damage to your vehicle:
●Drive carefully when off the road. Do
not take unnecessary risks by driving in
dangerous places.
●Do not grip the steering wheel spokes
when driving off-road. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your
hands. Keep both hands and especially
your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
●Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.
●After driving through tall grass, mud,
rock, sand, water, et c., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone,
sand, etc. adhering or trapped to the
underbody. Clear of f any such matter
from the underbody. If the vehicle is
used with these materials trapped or
adhering to the underbody, a break-
down or fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike
objects, etc. This may cause loss of
control or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. You are also
risking expensive damage to your
vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
NOTICE
■To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to
ensure that water damage to the hybrid
battery (traction battery), hybrid system
or other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine compart-
ment may cause seve re damage to the
hybrid system. Water entering the inte-
rior may cause the hybrid battery
stowed under the re ar seats to short
circuit.

2684-6. Driving tips
NOTICE
●Water entering the hybrid transmis-
sion and rear electric motor (traction
motor) will cause deterioration in
hybrid transmission quality. The mal-
function indicator may come on, and
the vehicle may not be drivable.
●Water can wash the grease from wheel
bearings, causing rusting and prema-
ture failure, and may also enter the
hybrid transmission case, reducing the
gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
■When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow stre ams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
riverbed for firmness. Drive slowly and
avoid deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driving
●Sand and mud that has accumulated
around brake discs may affect braking
efficiency and may damage brake sys-
tem components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-road
driving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For
scheduled maintenance information,
refer to the “Warranty and Services
Guide/Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment/Scheduled Maintenance”.

3246-1. Maintenance and care
WARNING
●Lexus Safety System+2.0
●BSM (if equipped)
●RCTA (if equipped)
●PKSB (if equipped)NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and
corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (aluminum wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the
following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on the
paint surface
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron
powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chip ped or scratched,
have it repaired immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from corroding,
remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the
wheels.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic
substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the
lights.
●Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the
lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■When using an automatic car wash
(vehicles with rain-sensing windshield
wipers)
Set the wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in AUTO, the wipers
may operate and the wiper blades may
be damaged.
■When using a high pressure car wash
●When washing the vehicle, do not let
water of the high pressure washer hit
directly or the vicinity of the camera.
Due to the shock from the high pres-
sure water, it is possible the device may
not operate as normal.
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close to
boots (rubber or resin manufactured
cover), connectors or the following
parts. The parts may be damaged if
they come into contact with high-pres-
sure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
●Keep the cleaning nozzle at least 11.9
in. (30 cm) away from the vehicle
body. Otherwise resin section, such as
moldings and bumpers, may be
deformed and damaged. Also, do not
continuously hold the nozzle in the
same place.
●Do not spray the lower part of the
windshield continuously. If water
enters the air conditioning system
intake located near the lower part of
the windshield, the air conditioning
system may not operate correctly.