2164-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
WARNING
■Before using LDA system
●Do not rely solely upon the LDA sys-
tem. The LDA system does not auto-
matically drive the vehicle or reduce
the amount of attention that must be
paid to the area in front of the vehicle.
The driver must always assume full
responsibility for driving safely by pay-
ing careful attention to the surround-
ing conditions and operating the
steering wheel to correct the path of
the vehicle. Also, the driver must take
adequate breaks when fatigued, such
as from driving for a long period of
time.
●Failure to perform appropriate driving
operations and pay careful attention
may lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
●When not using the LDA system, use
the LDA switch to turn the system off.
■Situations unsuitable for LDA system
In the following situations, use the LDA
switch to turn the system off. Failure to do
so may lead to an acc ident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
●Vehicle is driven on a road surface
which is slippery due to rainy weather,
fallen snow, freezing, etc.
●Vehicle is driven on a snow-covered
road.
●White (yellow) lines are difficult to see
due to rain, snow, fog, dust, etc.
●A spare tire, tire chains, etc. are
equipped.
●When the tires have been excessively
worn, or when the tire inflation pres-
sure is low.
●When tires of a size other than speci-
fied are installed.
●Vehicle is driven in traffic lanes other
than that highways and freeways.
●When your vehicle is towing a trailer
or during emergency towing.
■Preventing LDA system malfunctions
and operations performed by mistake
●Do not modify the headlights or place
stickers, etc. on the surface of the
lights.
●Do not modify the suspension, etc. If
the suspension, etc. needs to be
replaced, contact your Lexus dealer.
●Do not install or place anything on the
hood or grille. Also, do not install a
grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar,
etc.).
●If your windshield needs repairs, con-
tact your Lexus dealer.
■Conditions in which functions may
not operate properly
In the following situations, the functions
may not operate properly and the vehicle
may depart from its la ne. Drive safely by
always paying careful attention to your
surroundings and operate the steering
wheel to correct the path of the vehicle
without relying solely on the functions.
●Vehicle is being driven around a sharp
curve.
●Objects or patterns that could be mis-
taken for white (yellow) lines are pres-
ent on the side of the road (guardrails,
reflective poles, etc.).
2184-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
■Lane departure alert function
When the system determines that the
vehicle might depart from its lane or
course
*, a warning is displayed on the
multi-information display, and either a
warning buzzer will sound or the steer-
ing wheel will vibrate to alert the driver.
When the warning buzzer sounds or the
steering wheel vibrates, check the area
around your vehicle and carefully operate
the steering wheel to move the vehicle
back to the center of the lane.
*: Boundary between asphalt and the side of the road, such as grass, soil, or a curb
■Steering assist function
When the system determines that the
vehicle might depart from its lane or
course
*, the system provides assis-
tance as necessary by operating the
steering wheel in small amounts for a
short period of time to keep the vehicle
in its lane.
If the system detects that the steering
wheel has not been operated for a fixed
amount of time or the steering wheel is not
being firmly gripped, a warning is displayed
on the multi-informat ion display and the
function is temporarily canceled.
*: Boundary between asphalt and the side of the road, such as grass, soil, or a curb
WARNING
●The vehicle has just changed lanes or
crossed an intersection.
●Tires which differ by structure, manu-
facturer, brand or tread pattern are
used.
●Snow tires, etc. are equipped.
Functions included in LDA sys-
tem
2484-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
When the engine output restriction
control or brake control operates, the
buzzer sounds and a message is dis-
played on the multi-information dis- play, head-up display and
navigation/multimedia system screen
to alert the driver.
Depending on the situation, output restric-
tion control operates to either limit accel-
eration or restrict output as much as
possible.
■Engine output restriction control is
operating (acceleration limitation
control)
■Engine output restriction control is
operating (control to restrict out-
put as much as possible)
WARNING
●Do not damage the sensors, and
always keep them clean
■Handling the suspension
Do not modify the suspension, as
changes to the height or incline of the
vehicle may prevent the sensors from
correctly detecting static objects, may
cause the system not operate, or may
cause the system to operate unnecessar-
ily.
NOTICE
■Preventing unnecessary operation
In the following situations, turn the Park-
ing Support Brake func tion (for static
objects) OFF. The system may operate
even though there is no possibility of a
collision.
●A chassis roller, chassis dynamo, free
roller or similar equipment is being
used for an inspection, etc.
●The vehicle is being loaded onto a ship,
truck or other transport vessel
●The suspension has been lowered or
tires that have a different size than the
genuine tires are equipped
●The height of the vehicle has drastically
changed due to the carried load (the
nose tilts up or down).
●A towing hook is installed
●When using an automatic car wash
Display and buzzer for engine
output restriction control and
brake control
Situation
Acceleration at a certain
speed or higher is not possible.
Multi-informa-tion dis-
play/Head-up display
“Object Detected Accel- eration Reduced”
Naviga-
tion/multime- dia system screen
PKSB OFF IndicatorNot illuminated
Buzzer
Situation
A stronger than normal
brake operation is neces- sary
Multi-informa-tion dis-
play/Head-up display
“BRAKE!”Naviga-
tion/multime- dia system screen
2544-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
consecutive curves, or uneven surfaces
• When vehicle lanes are wide, or when driving on the edge of a lane, and the
vehicle in an adjacent lane is far away
from your vehicle
• When towing a trailer (vehicles with tow-
ing package)
• When items such as a bicycle carrier are installed on the rear of the vehicle
• When there is a significant difference in height between your vehicle and the
vehicle that enters the detection area
• Immediately after the Blind Spot Monitor function is turned on
●Instances of the Blind Spot Monitor func-
tion unnecessarily detecting a vehicle
and/or object may increase in the follow-
ing situations:
• When the sensor is misaligned due to a strong impact to the sensor or its sur-
rounding area
• When the distance between your vehicle and a guardrail, wall, etc. that enters the
detection area is short
• When driving up an d down consecutive
steep inclines, such as hills, dips in the
road, etc.
• When vehicle lanes are narrow, or when driving on the edge of a lane, and a vehi-
cle traveling in a lane other than the adja- cent lanes enters the detection area
• When driving on roads with sharp bends, consecutive curves, or uneven surfaces
• When the tires are slipping or spinning
• When the distance between your vehicle and a following vehicle is short
• When a bicycle carrier or other acces- sory is installed to the rear of the vehicle
• When towing a trailer (vehicles with tow-
ing package)
The Rear Cross Traffic Alert function operates when your vehicle is in reverse. It
can detect other vehicles approaching from the right or left rear of the vehicle. It
uses radar sensors to alert the driver of the other vehicle’s existence through flash-
ing the BSM outside rear view mirror indicators and sounding a buzzer.
Approaching vehicles
WARNING
■Cautions regarding the use of the sys-
tem
The driver is solely responsible for safe
driving. Always drive safely, taking care
to observe your surroundings.
The Blind Spot Monitor function is a sup-
plementary function which alerts the
driver that a vehicle is present in the blind
spot. Do not overly rely on the Blind Spot
Monitor function. The function cannot
judge if it is safe to change lanes, there-
fore over reliance could cause an acci-
dent resulting in death or serious injury.
According to conditions, the system may
not function correctly. Therefore the
driver’s own visual confirmation of safety
is necessary.
The Rear Cross Traffic Alert function
A
2624-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VSC, Trailer Sway
Control, TRAC and hill-start assist con-
trol systems
●A sound may be heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed repeatedly, when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to
move. This sound does not indicate 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 mal-
function 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.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly
after the ABS is activated.
■Active Cornering Assist operation
sounds and vibrations
When the Active Cornering Assist is oper-
ated, 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.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS sys-
tem
The effectiveness of the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from over-
heating when there is frequent steering
input over an extended period of time. The
steering wheel may feel heavy as a result.
Should this occur, re frain from excessive
steering input or stop the vehicle and turn
the engine off. The EPS system should
return to normal within 10 minutes.
■Automatic reactivation of TRAC, Trailer
Sway Control and VSC systems
After turning the TRAC, Trailer Sway Con-
trol and VSC systems off, the systems will
be automatically re-enabled in the following
situations:
●When the engine 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 systems are
turned off, automatic re-enabling will not
occur when vehicle speed increases.
■Operating conditions of Active Corner-
ing Assist
The system operates when the following
occurs.
●TRAC/VSC can operate
●The driver is attempting to accelerate
while turning
●The system detects that the vehicle is
drifting to the outer side
●The brake pedal is released
■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
WARNING
■The ABS does not operate effectively
when
●The limits of tire gripping performance
have been exceeded (such as exces-
sively worn tires on a snow covered
road).
2634-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
WARNING
●The vehicle hydroplanes while driving
at high speed on wet or slick roads.
■Stopping distance when the ABS is
operating may exceed that of normal
conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the
vehicle’s stopping di stance. Always main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, especially in the following
situations:
●When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-
covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the road
●When driving over roads with potholes
or uneven surfaces
■TRAC/VSC may not operate effec-
tively when
Directional control and power may not
be achievable while driving on slippery
road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC
system is operating. Drive the vehicle
carefully in conditions where stability and
power may be lost.
■Active Cornering Assist does not
operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on Active Corner-
ing Assist. Active Cornering Assist
may not operate effectively when
accelerating down slopes or driving on
slippery road surfaces.
●When Active Cornering Assist fre-
quently operates, Active Cornering
Assist may temporarily stop operating
to ensure proper operation of the
brakes, TRAC and VSC.
■Hill-start assist control does not oper-
ate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on hill-start assist
control. Hill-start assist control may
not operate effectively on steep
inclines and roads covered with ice.
●Unlike the parking brake, hill-start
assist control is not intended to hold
the vehicle stationary for an extended
period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehi-
cle on an incline, as doing so may lead
to an accident.
■When the TRAC/VSC/ Trailer Sway
Control is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always
drive carefully. Reckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular
care when the indicator light flashes.
■When the TRAC/VSC/Trailer Sway
Control systems are turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed
appropriate to the road conditions. As
these are the systems to help ensure
vehicle stability and driving force, do not
turn the TRAC/VSC/Trailer Sway Con-
trol systems off unless necessary. Trailer
Sway Control is part of the VSC system
and will not operate if VSC is turned off
or experiences a malfunction.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all ti res are of the speci-
fied size, brand, tread pattern and total
load capacity. In addition, make sure that
the tires are inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure level. The
ABS, TRAC, Trailer Sway Control and
VSC systems will not function correctly if
different tires are installed on the vehicle.
Contact your Lexus dealer for further
information when replacing tires or
wheels.
■Handling of tires and the suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or
modifying the suspensi on will affect the
driving assist systems, and may cause a
system to malfunction.
2664-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4-6.Driving tips
Use fluids that are appropriate to
the prevailing outside temperatures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
Have a service technician inspect
the condition of the battery.
Have the vehicle fitted with four
snow 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.
*: Tire chains cannot be mounted on the
225/60R18 tires.
Snow tires should be used instead.
Perform the following according to the
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 LDA (Lane Departure
Alert with steering control) (if
equipped).
●Do not use LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
(if equipped).
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
2674-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
driving conditions:
Do not try to forcib ly 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
freezing.
To ensure proper operation of the
climate control system fan, remove
any snow that has accumulated on
the air inlet vents in front of the
windshield.
Check for and remove any excess
ice or snow that may have accumu-
lated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s
roof, chassis, around the tires or on
the brakes.
Remove any snow or mud from the
bottom of your shoes before getting
in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a
safe distance between you and the
vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced
speed suitable to road conditions.
Park the vehicle and move the shift
lever to P without setting the park-
ing brake. The parking brake may
freeze up, preventing it from being
released. If the vehicle is parked
without setting the parking brake,
make sure to block the wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerous
because it may cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly, possibly lead-
ing to an accident.
When the parking brake is in automatic
mode, release the parking brake after shift-
ing the shift lever to P. (
P.172)
If the vehicle is left parked with the
brakes damp in cold temperatures,
there is a possibility of the brakes
freezing.
If the vehicle is parked without set-
ting the parking brake, confirm that
the shift lever cannot be moved out
of P
*.
*: The shift lever will be locked if it is
attempted to be shifted from P to any
other position with out depressing the
brake pedal. If the shift lever can be
shifted from P, there may be a problem
with the shift lock system. Have the vehi-
cle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
Use the correct tire chain size when
mounting the tire chains. Chain size is
regulated for each tire size.
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
WARNING
■When parking the vehicle
When parking the vehicle without apply-
ing the parking brake, make sure to
chock the wheels. If you do not chock the
wheels, the vehicle may move unexpect-
edly, possibly result ing in an accident.
Selecting tire chains