2020 Lexus LC500h engine

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 overheat-
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
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.

1444-1. Before driving
Cargo capacity depends on the total
weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capac-
ity)  (Total weight of occupants)
NOTICE
●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.354)
■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
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, differential, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller
shaft, bearings and suspension joints
(where possible), and the function of
all joints, bearings, etc.
If the shift control system is damaged by
flooding, it may not be possible to shift
the shift position to P, or from P to other
positions. In this case, contact your Lexus
dealer.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake, and shift
the shift position to P. Failure to do so
may cause the vehicle to move or the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the
accelerator 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
trunk
The following things may cause a fire if
loaded in the trunk:
●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 trunk
whenever possible.
●Do not place cargo or luggage in or on
the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the package tray
• On the instrument panel
•On the dashboard
• In front of the Center Display
●Secure all items in the occupant com-
partment.
Capacity and distribution

1484-2. Driving procedures
4-2.Driving procedures
1Press the parking brake switch to
check that the parking brake is set.
(P.170)
Parking brake indicator will come on.
2 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.
3 Press the engine switch shortly and
firmly.
When operating the engine switch, one
short, firm press is enough. It is not neces-
sary 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 ACCES-
SORY or IGNITION ON mode to off,
the engine switch illumination 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 sw itch is in ACCES-
SORY or IGNITION ON mode, the
engine switch illumination illuminates.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not
have been deactivated. ( P.68)
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.
■If the 12-volt batte ry is discharged
The engine cannot be started using the
smart access system with push-button start.
Refer to P.362 to restart the engine.
■Electronic key battery depletion
 P.104
Engine (ignition) switch
(LC500)
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

1494-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■Conditions affecting operation
 P.117
■Notes for the entry function
 P.117
■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 turn-
ing the steering wheel in either direction”
will be displayed on the multi-information
display.
Press the engine 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 engine is turned on
and off repeatedly in a short period of
time. In this case, refrain from operating
the engine switch. After about 10 sec-
onds, the steering lock motor will resume
functioning.
■If there is a malfun ction in the smart
access system with push-button start
If “Access System with Elec. Key Malfunc-
tion” is displayed on the multi-information
display, the system may be malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus
dealer immediately.
■Electronic key battery
 P.322
■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 th
e engine switch off,
the engine may not start in some cases.
After turning the engine switch off, please
wait a few seconds be fore restarting the
engine.
■Customization
If the smart access system with push-button
start has been deactivated in a customized
setting, refer to P.359.
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. Activation of the steering lock
in this circumstance may lead to an acci-
dent, 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.

1504-2. Driving procedures
1Stop 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)
Check that the shift position indicator
shows P. ( P.159)
4 Press the engine switch.
The engine will stop, and the meter display
will be extinguished (the shift position indi-
cator will be extinguished a few seconds
after the meter display).
5 Check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown on
the meter.
■Automatic P position selection function
 P.160
Modes can be changed by pressing
the engine switch with the brake pedal
released. (The mode changes each
time the switch is pressed.)
1 Off
The emergency flashers can be used.
2ACCESSORY mode
Some electrical components such as the
audio system can be used.
“ACCESSORY” will be displayed on the
meter.
3IGNITION ON mode
All electrical components can be used.
“IGNITION ON” will be displayed on the
meter.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
●If you want to stop the engine in an
emergency while driving the vehicle,
press and hold the engine switch for
more than 2 seconds, or press it briefly
3 times or more in succession.
( P.330)
However, do not touch the engine
switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. Turning the engine 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 engine 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 engine after an
emergency shutdown, press the
engine switch.
Changing engine switch modes

1514-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■Auto power off function
If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY mode
for more than 20 minutes or IGNITION
ON mode (the engine is not running) for
more than an hour with the shift position in
P, the engine switch will automatically turn
off. However, this fu nction cannot entirely
prevent the 12-volt battery discharge. Do
not leave the vehicle with the engine switch
in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode
for long periods of time when the engine is
not running.
■When the shift control system malfunc-
tions
When attempting to turn the engine switch
off while there is a malfunction in the shift
control system, the engine switch mode
may change to ACCESSORY mode. In this
case, ACCESSORY mode may be turned
off by applying the parking brake and press-
ing the engine switch again. If there is a mal-
function in the system, have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
1 Press the parking brake switch to
check that the parking brake is set.
(P.170)
Parking brake indicator will come on.
2 Firmly depress the brake pedal.
and a message will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
If it is not displayed, the hybrid system can-
not be started.
When the shift position is N, the hybrid sys-
tem cannot start. Shift the shift position to P
when starting the hybrid system. ( P.166)
3 Press the power switch shortly and
firmly.
When operating the power switch, one
short, firm press is enough. It is not neces-
sary to press and hold the switch.
If the “READY” indicator turns on, the
hybrid system will operate normally.
Continue depressing the brake pedal until
the “READY” indicat or is illuminated.
The hybrid system can be started from any
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
●Do not leave the engine switch in
ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON
mode for long period s of time without
the engine running.
●If “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION
ON” is displayed on the meter, the
engine switch is not off.
Exit the vehicle after turning the
engine switch off.
Power (ignition) switch
(LC500h)
Performing the following opera-
tions when carrying the electronic
key on your person starts the hybrid
system or changes power switch
modes.
Starting the hybrid system

1524-2. Driving procedures
power switch mode.
4Check that the “READY” indicator
is illuminated.
If the “READY” indicator changes from a
flashing light to a solid light and the buzzer
sounds, the hybrid system is starting nor-
mally.
The vehicle will not move when the
“READY” indicator is off.
The vehicle can move when the “READY”
indicator is on even if the engine is
stopped. (The gasoline engine starts or
stops automatically in accordance with the
state of the vehicle.)
■Power switch illumination
According to the situation, the power
switch illumination operates as follows.
●When a door is opened, or the power
switch mode is changed from ACCES-
SORY or ON mode to off, the power
switch illumination slowly blinks.
●When depressing the brake pedal with
carrying the electron ic key on your per-
son, the power switch illumination rapidly
blinks.
●When the power swit ch is in ACCES-
SORY or ON mode, the power switch
illumination illuminates.
■If the hybrid system does not start
●The immobilizer system may not have
been deactivated. ( P.68)
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.
■When the ambient temperature is low,
such as during winter driving conditions
●When starting the hybrid system, the
flashing time of the “READY” indicator
may be long. Leave the ve hicle as it is until
the “READY” indicator is steady on, as
steady means the vehicle is able to move.
●When the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) is extremely cold (below approxi-
mately -22°F [-30°C]) under the
influence of the outside temperature, it
may not be possible to start the hybrid
system. In this case, try to start the hybrid
system again after the temperature of the
hybrid battery increases due to the out-
side temperature increase etc.
■Sounds and vibrations specific to a
hybrid vehicle
 P.62
■If the 12-volt batte ry is discharged
The hybrid system cannot be started using
the smart access syst em with push-button
start. Refer to P.362 to restart the hybrid
system.
■Electronic key battery depletion
 P.104
■Conditions affecting operation
 P.117
■Notes for the entry function
 P.117
■Steering lock function
●After turning the power 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 power
switch again automatically cancels the
steering lock.
●When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Push power switch while turn-
ing the steering wheel in either direction”
will be displayed on the multi-information
display.
Press the power switch shortly and firmly
while turning the steering wheel left and
right.

1554-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■When the shift control system malfunc-
tions
When attempting to turn the power switch
off while there is a malfunction in the shift
control system, the power switch mode may
change to ACCESSORY mode. In this
case, ACCESSORY mode may be turned
off by applying the parking brake and press-
ing the power switch again. If there is a mal-
function in the system, have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
Turns EV drive mode on/off
When EV drive mode is turned on, the EV
drive mode indicator will come on. Press-
ing the switch when in EV drive mode will
return the vehicle to normal driving (using
the gasoline engine and electric motor
[traction motor]).
■Situations in which EV drive mode can-
not be turned on
It may not be possible to turn EV drive
mode on in the following situations. If it can-
not be turned on, a buzzer will sound and a
message will be shown on the multi-infor-
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
●Do not leave the power switch in
ACCESSORY or ON mode for long
periods of time without the hybrid sys-
tem on.
●If “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION
ON” is displayed on the meter, the
power switch is not off. Exit the vehicle
after turning the power switch off.
EV drive mode (LC500h)
In EV drive mode, electric power is
supplied by the hybrid battery
(traction battery), and only the
electric motor (traction motor) is
used to drive the vehicle.
This mode allows you to drive in res-
idential areas early in the morning
and late at night, or in indoor park-
ing lots etc. without concern for
noises and gas emissions.
However, when the vehicle proxim-
ity notification system is active, the
vehicle may produce sound.
Operating instructions