
1384-1. Before driving
4-1.Before driving
■Starting the engine 
 P.148, 151
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed, 
shift the shift position to D. 
(P.159, 165)
Check that the shift position indicator 
shows D.
2 If the parking brake is in manual 
mode, release the parking brake. 
(P.170)
3 Gradually release the brake pedal 
and gently depress the accelerator 
pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■Stopping
1 With the shift position in D, depress 
the brake pedal.
2 If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an 
extended period of time, shift the shift posi-
tion to P. ( P.159, 165)
■Parking the vehicle
1 Stop the vehicle completely.
2 If the parking brake is in manual 
mode, set the parking brake. 
(P.170)
3 Shift the shift position to P. 
(P.160, 166)
Check that the shift position indicator  shows P.
4
Press the engine switch 
5 Slowly release the brake pedal.
6 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 position to D.
The hill-start assist control will be activated. 
( P.235)
2 Release the brake pedal and gently 
depress the accelerator pedal.
3 Release the parking brake.
■For fuel-efficient driving (LC500h)
Keep in mind that hybr id vehicles are similar 
to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary 
to refrain from activi ties such as sudden 
acceleration. ( P.240)
■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 
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be 
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure 

1404-1. Before driving
WARNING
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with 
the location of the brake and accelera-
tor pedals to avoid depressing the 
wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelera- tor 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 a difficulty in 
operating the pedals. Make sure to 
operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving  posture even when moving the vehicle 
only slightly. This allows you to depress 
the brake and accelerator pedals 
properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your  right foot. Depressing the brake pedal 
using your left foot may delay 
response in an emergency, resulting in 
an accident.
●LC500h: The driver  should pay extra 
attention to pedestrians when the vehi-
cle is powered only by the electric 
motor (traction motor). As there is no 
engine noise, the pedestrians may mis-
judge the vehicle’s movement. Even 
though the vehicle is equipped with the 
vehicle proximity notification system, 
drive with care as pedestrians in the 
vicinity may still not notice the vehicle if 
the surrounding area is noisy.
●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 flamma-
ble material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn off 
the engine 
the engine 
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. 
In the event of an emergency, such as if 
it becomes impossible to stop the vehi-
cle in the normal way:  P.330
●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.157, 163)
●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.
●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 re sult in tire fail-
ure, loss of control and possible injury. 
Be sure to consult a tire dealer to 
determine whether the tires on your 
vehicle are high-speed capability tires 
or not before 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. 

1414-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●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 position
●LC500: Do not let the vehicle roll 
backward while a forward driving posi-
tion is selected, or roll forward while 
the shift position is in R. 
Doing so may cause the engine to stall 
or lead to poor brake and steering 
performance, resulting in an accident 
or damage to the vehicle. 
LC500h: Do not let the vehicle roll 
backward while a forward driving posi-
tion is selected, or roll forward while 
the shift position is in R. 
Doing so may result in an accident or 
damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift position to P while 
the vehicle is moving. 
Doing so can damage the transmission 
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Do not shift the shift position to R while 
the vehicle is moving forward. 
Doing so can damage the transmission 
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Do not shift the shift position to a driv-
ing position while the vehicle is moving 
backward. 
Doing so can damage the transmission 
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●LC500: Changing the shift position to 
N while the vehicle is moving will dis-
engage the engine from the transmis-
sion. Engine braking is not available 
when N is selected. 
LC500h: Changing the shift position 
to N while the vehicle is moving will 
disengage the hybrid system. Engine 
braking is not available with the hybrid 
system disengaged.
●Be careful not to change the shift posi-
tion with the accelerator pedal 
depressed. Changing the shift posi-
tion to any positions other than P or N 
may lead to unexpected rapid acceler-
ation of the vehicle that may cause an 
accident and result in death or serious 
injury. 
After changing the shift position, make 
sure to confirm the current shift posi-
tion displayed on the shift position indi-
cator inside the meter.
■Brake pad wear
If any of the following situations occurs, 
have the brake pads visually checked and 
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as 
possible.
●If the thickness of the brake pads 
exceeds the brake pad wear limit when 
visually checking all four brake pads 
(for the brake pad wear limit, refer to 
P.382)
●If “Brake Pad Wear Visit Your Dealer” 
is displayed (only the right-side pads 
can be detected)
Rotor damage may result if the pads are 
not replaced when needed. Moderate 
levels of the brake pad and disc wear 
allow enhanced braking power. As a 
result, the discs may wear more quickly 
than conventional brake discs. Therefore, 
when replacing the brake pads, Lexus 
recommends that you also have the 
thickness of the discs measured. It is dan-
gerous to drive the vehicle when the 
wear limits of the brake pads and/or 
those of the brake discs are exceeded. 

1434-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●LC500: Always apply the parking 
brake, shift the shift position 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 
position in P but the parking brake is 
not set, the vehicle may start to move, 
possibly leading to an accident.
LC500h: Always apply the parking 
brake, shift the shift position to P, stop 
the hybrid system 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 
position in P but the parking brake is 
not set, the vehicle may start to move, 
possibly leading to an accident.
●LC500: Do not touch the exhaust 
pipes while the engine is running or 
immediately after turning the engine 
off. 
Doing so may cause burns.
LC500h: Do not touch the exhaust 
pipes while the “READY” indicator is 
illuminated or immediately after turn-
ing the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine 
off. Otherwise, if yo u accidentally move 
the shift lever or de press the accelerator 
pedal, this could cause an accident or fire 
due to engine 
ing. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked 
in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust gases 
may collect and enter the vehicle, lead-
ing 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 in crease. 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.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and 
brake pedals at th e same time while 
driving, as this may restrain the engine 
●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. 

1734-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Press the brake hold switch to turn the 
system on
The brake hold standby indicator   
comes on. While the system is holding the 
brake, the brake hold operated indicator  comes on.
■Brake hold system operating conditions
The brake hold system cannot be turned on 
in the following conditions:
●The driver’s door is not closed.
●The driver is not wearing the seat belt.
●“EPB Activation Stopped Incompletely” 
or “EPB Malfunction Visit Your dealer” is 
displayed on the multi-information dis-
play.
If any of the conditions above are detected 
when the brake hold system is enabled, the 
system will turn off and the brake hold 
standby indicator light will go off. In addi-
tion, if any of the conditions are detected 
while the system is holding the brake, a 
warning buzzer will sound and a message 
will be shown on the multi-information dis-
play. The parking brake will then be set 
automatically.
■Brake hold function
●If the brake pedal is left released for a 
period of about 3 mi nutes after the sys-
tem has started holding the brake, the 
parking brake will be set automatically. In 
this case, a warning buzzer sounds and a 
message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display.
●To turn the system off while the system is 
holding the brake, firmly depress the 
brake pedal and press the button again.
●The brake hold function may not hold the 
vehicle when the vehicle is on a steep 
incline. In this situation, it may be neces-
sary for the driver to apply the brakes. A 
warning buzzer will sound and the multi-
information display will inform the driver 
of this situation. ( P.348)
■When the parking brake is set automati-
cally while the system is holding the 
brakes
The parking brake will not be released auto-
matically. Perform one of the following pro-
cedures to release the parking brake and 
confirm that the parking brake indicator 
light turns off. ( P.170)
●With the brake pedal depressed, operate 
the parking brake switch.
●Fasten your seat belt, check that the shift 
position is in either D or R and slowly 
depress the accelerator pedal.
Brake Hold
The brake hold system keeps the 
brakes applied when  the vehicle is 
stopped by depressing the brake 
pedal. You may wa nt this system 
when you are caught in a traffic 
congestion or waiting for a traffic 
light to change.
This system keeps the brake 
applied when the shift position is in 
D, M or N with the system on and 
the brake pedal has been 
depressed to stop  the vehicle. The 
system releases the brake when the 
accelerator pedal is  depressed with 
the shift position in D or M to allow 
smooth start off.
Enabling the system
A
B 

1924-5. Using the driving support systems
■Pre-collision warning
When the system determines that the 
possibility of a frontal collision is high, a 
buzzer will sound and a warning mes-
sage will be displayed on the multi-
information display to urge the driver 
to take evasive action.
■Pre-collision brake assist 
When the system determines that the 
possibility of a frontal collision is high, 
the system applies greater braking 
force in relation to  how strongly the 
brake pedal is depressed.
■Pre-collision braking
When the system determines that the 
possibility of a frontal collision is high, 
the system warns the driver. If the sys-
tem determines that the possibility of a 
frontal collision is extremely high, the 
brakes are automatically applied to 
help avoid the collision or reduce the 
collision speed.
■Suspension control
When the system determines that the 
possibility of a frontal collision is high, 
the Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem ( P.235) will control the damp-
ing force of the shock absorbers to 
help maintain an appropriate vehicle 
posture.
■Steering control (if equipped)
When the system determines that the 
possibility of a frontal collision is high 
and the driver is op erating the steering 
wheel, the LDH system ( P.236) will 
control the turning angle of the front 
PCS (Pre-Collision System)
The pre-collision system uses a 
radar sensor and camera sensor to 
detect vehicles and pedestrians in 
front of your vehicle. When the sys-
tem determines that  the possibility 
of a frontal collision with a vehicle 
or pedestrian is high, a warning 
operates to urge the driver to take 
evasive action and the potential 
brake pressure is increased to help 
the driver avoid the collision. If the 
system determines that the possi-
bility of a frontal collision with a 
vehicle or pedestrian is extremely 
high, the brakes are automatically 
applied to help avoid the collision or 
help reduce the impact of the colli-
sion.
The pre-collision system can be dis-
abled/enabled and the warning tim-
ing can be changed. ( P.194)
System functions 

1984-5. Using the driving support systems
• The vehicle is wobbling.
• The vehicle is being driven at extremely high speeds.
• When driving on a hill
• If the radar sensor or camera sensor is  misaligned
●In some situations such as the following, 
sufficient braking force may not be 
obtained, preventing the system from 
performing properly:
• If the braking functions cannot operate to 
their full extent, such as when the brake 
parts are extremely cold, extremely hot, 
or wet
• If the vehicle is not properly maintained  (brakes or tires are excessively worn, 
improper tire inflation pressure, etc.)
• When the vehicle is being driven on a  gravel road or other slippery surface
●Some pedestrians such as the following 
may not be detected by the radar sensor 
and camera sensor, preventing the sys-
tem from operating properly:
• Pedestrians shorter than approximately  3.2 ft. (1 m) or tall er than approximately 
6.5 ft. (2 m)
• Pedestrians wearing oversized clothing  (a rain coat, long skirt, etc.), making their 
silhouette obscure
• Pedestrians who are carrying large bag- gage, holding an umbrella, etc., hiding 
part of their body
• Pedestrians who are bending forward or  squatting
• Pedestrians who are pushing a stroller,  wheelchair, bicycle or other vehicle
• Groups of pedestrians which are close 
together
• Pedestrians who are wearing white and  look extremely bright
• Pedestrians in the dark, such as at night  or while in a tunnel
• Pedestrians whose clothing appears to 
be nearly the same co lor or brightness as 
their surroundings
• Pedestrians near walls , fences, guardrails, 
or large objects
• Pedestrians who are on a metal object  (manhole cover, steel plate, etc.) on the 
road
• Pedestrians who are walking fast
• Pedestrians who are changing speed  abruptly • Pedestrians running out from behind a 
vehicle or a large object
• Pedestrians who are extremely close to 
the side of the vehicle (outside rear view 
mirror, etc.)
■If the PCS warning light flashes or illumi-
nates and a warning message is dis-
played on the multi-information display
The pre-collision system  may be temporar-
ily unavailable or there may be a malfunc-
tion in the system.
●In the following situations, the warning 
light will turn off, the message will disap-
pear and the system will become opera-
tional when normal operating conditions 
return:
• When the radar sensor or camera sensor 
or the area around either sensor is hot, 
such as in the sun
• When the radar sensor or camera sensor 
or the area around either sensor is cold, 
such as in an extremely cold environment
• When a front sensor is dirty or covered 
with snow, etc.
• When the part of the windshield in front  of the camera sensor is fogged up or cov-
ered with condensation or ice (Defog-
ging the windshield:  P.253)
• If the camera sensor is obstructed, such 
as when the hood is open or a sticker is 
attached to the windshield near the cam-
era sensor
●If the PCS warning light  continues to flash 
or remains illuminated or the warning 
message does not disappear even 
though the vehicle has returned to nor-
mal, the system may  be malfunctioning. 
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus 
dealer immediately.
■If VSC is disabled
●If VSC is disabled ( P.236), the pre-col-
lision brake assist and pre-collision brak-
ing functions are also disabled.
●The PCS warning light will turn on and 
“VSC Turned Off Pre-Collision Brake 
System Unavailable” will be displayed on 
the multi-information display. 

2094-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
This mode employs a radar sensor to detect the presence of vehicles up to approx-
imately 328 ft. (100 m) ahead, determines the current vehicle-to-vehicle following 
distance, and operates to maintain a suit able following distance from the vehicle 
ahead.
Note that vehicle-to-vehicle  distance will close in when traveling on downhill slopes.
Example of constant speed cruising
When there are no vehicles ahead
The vehicle travels at the speed set by the driver. The desired vehicle-to-vehicle distance 
can also be set by operating the vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch.
Example of deceleration cruising and follow-up cruising
When a preceding vehicle driving slower than the set speed appears
When a vehicle is detected running ahead of  you, the system automatically decelerates 
your vehicle. When a greater reduction in vehicle speed is necessary, the system applies 
the brakes (the stop lights will come on at this time). The system will respond to changes in 
the speed of the vehicle ahead in order to maintain the vehicle-to-vehicle distance set by 
the driver. Approach warning warns you when th e system cannot decelerate sufficiently to 
prevent your vehicle from closing in on the vehicle ahead. 
When the vehicle ahead of you stops, your vehi cle will also stop (vehicle is stopped by sys-
tem control). After the vehicle ahead starts off,  pressing the “+RES” switch or depressing 
the accelerator pedal will  resume follow-up cruising.
Example of acceleration
When there are no longer any preceding  vehicles driving slower than the set 
speed
The system accelerates until the set speed is re ached. The system then returns to constant 
speed cruising.
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
A
B
C