1654-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
4-2.Driving procedures
1Check that the parking brake is set.
2 Check that the shift lever is in P.
3 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.
4 Press the engine switch shortly and
firmly.
When operating the engine switch, one
short, firm press is enough.
It is not necessary 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.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not
have been deactivated. ( P.68) Contact your Lexus dealer.
●Check that the shift leve
r is securely set in
P. The engine may not start if the shift
lever is displaced out of P. “To Start Vehi-
cle, Put Shift Lever into P” will be dis-
played on the multi-information display.
●The smart access system with push-but-
ton start may not be operating properly.
( P.398)
■Electronic key battery depletion
P.96
■Conditions affecting operation
P.118
■Note for the entry function
P.118
■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, “Steering Wheel Lock Press
Engine Switch while Turning Wheel” will
be displayed on the multi-information dis-
play.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the
engine switch 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 running the
engine. After about 10 seconds, the
steering lock motor will resume function-
ing.
Engine (ignition) switch
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
1664-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
■If “Smart Access System Malfunction
See Owner’s Manual” 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.356
■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 the engine switch off,
the engine may not start in some cases.
After turning the engine switch off, please
wait a few seconds before restarting the
engine.
■If the smart access system with push-
button start has been deactivated by a
customized setting
P.427
1Stop the vehicle completely.
2
Set the parking brake ( P.173),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.168).
3
Press the engine switch.
4
Release the brake pedal and check
that the display on the instrument
cluster is off.
Modes can be changed by pressing
the engine switch with brake pedal
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. The steering lock function will
activate and this may lead to an accident,
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.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop th e engine in an emer-
gency 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.366)
However, do not touch the engine switch
while driving except in an emergency.
Turning the engine off while driving will
not cause loss of steering or braking con-
trol, but the power assist to these systems
will be lost. This will make it more difficult
to steer and brake, so you should pull
over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is
safe to do so.
Changing engine switch modes
1794-3. Operating the lights and wipers
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
turn on. (P.179)
■AUTO mode can be used when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode.
■Daytime running light system
●The daytime running lights illuminate
using the same lights as the parking lights
and illuminate brighter than the parking
lights.
●To make your vehicle more visible to
other drivers during daytime driving, the
daytime running lights turn on automati-
cally when all of the following conditions
are met. (The daytime running lights are
not designed for use at night.)
• The engine is running
• The parking brake is released
• The headlight switch is in the
(type B), or
* position
*: When the surroundings are bright
The daytime running lights remain on after
they illuminate, even if the parking brake is
set again.
●For the U.S.A.: Dayt ime running lights
can be turned off by operating the switch.
●Compared to turning on the headlights,
the daytime running light system offers
greater durability and consumes less
electricity, so it can help improve fuel
●If a turn signal light is in use, the daytime
running light, on the same side, is turned
off. For emergency flashers, both are
turned off.
■Headlight control sensor
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on th e sensor, or anything
that blocks the sensor is affixed to the wind-
shield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor detect-
ing the level of ambient light and may cause
the automatic headlight system to malfunc-
tion.
■Automatic light off system
●When the headlights come on: The head-
lights and tail lights turn off 30 seconds
after a door is opened and closed if the
engine switch is turned to ACCESSORY
mode or turned off. (The lights turn off
immediately if on the key is
pressed after all the doors are locked.)
●When only the tail lights come on: The tail
lights turn off automatically if the engine
switch is turned to ACCESSORY mode
or turned off and the driver’s door is
opened.
To turn the lights on again, turn the engine
switch to IGNITION ON mode, or turn the
light switch off once and then back to or .
■Light reminder buzzer
A buzzer sounds when the engine switch is
turned off or turned to ACCESSORY
mode and the driver’s door is opened while
the lights are turned on.
■Automatic headlight leveling system (if
equipped)
The level of the headlights is automatically
adjusted according to the number of pas-
sengers and the loadin g condition of the
vehicle to ensure that the headlights do not
interfere with other road users.
■Battery-saving function
In order to prevent the battery of the vehicle
from discharging, if the headlights and/or
tail lights are on when the engine switch is
turned off the battery saving function will
operate and automatically turn off all the
lights after approximately 20 minutes.
When the engine switch is turned to IGNI-
TION ON mode, the battery-saving func-
1914-4. Refueling
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
4-4.Refueling
Turn the engine switch off and
ensure that all the doors and win-
dows are closed.
Confirm the type of fuel.
■Fuel types
P.416
■Fuel tank opening for unleaded gasoline
To help prevent incorrect fueling, your vehi-
cle has a fuel tank opening that only accom-
modates the special nozzle on unleaded
fuel pumps.
■If the malfunction indicator lamp illumi-
nates
The malfunction indicator lamp may illumi-
nate erroneously if refueling is performed
repeatedly when the fuel tank is nearly full.
1With all doors unlocked, press the
center of the rear edge of the fuel
filler door.
Push inward and take your hand away to
slightly open the fuel filler door. Then open
Opening the fuel tank cap
Before refueling the vehicle
WARNING
■When refueling the vehicle
Observe the following precautions while
refueling the vehicle. Failure to do so may
result in death or serious injury.
●After exiting the vehicle and before
opening the fuel door, touch an
unpainted metal surface to discharge
any static electricity. It is important to
discharge static electricity before refu-
eling because sparks resulting from
static electricity can cause fuel vapors
to ignite while refueling.
●Always hold the grips on the fuel tank
cap and turn it slowly to remove it.
A whooshing sound may be heard
when the fuel tank cap is loosened.
Wait until the sound cannot be heard
before fully removing the cap. In hot
weather, pressurized fuel may spray
out of the filler neck and cause injury.
●Do not allow anyone that has not dis-
charged static electricity from their
body to come close to an open fuel
tank.
●Do not inhale vaporized fuel.
Fuel contains substances that are
harmful if inhaled.
●Do not smoke while refueling the vehi-
cle.
Doing so may cause the fuel to ignite
and cause a fire.
●Do not return to the vehicle or touch
any person or object that is statically
charged. This may cause static elec-
tricity to build up, re sulting in a possible
ignition hazard.
■When refueling
Observe the following precautions to
prevent fuel overflowing from the fuel
tank:
●Securely insert the fuel nozzle into the
fuel filler neck.
●Stop filling the tank after the fuel noz-
zle automatically clicks off.
●Do not top off the fuel tank.
NOTICE
■Refueling
Do not spill fuel during refueling.
Doing so may damage the vehicle, such
as causing the emission control system to
operate abnormally, damaging fuel sys-
tem components or the vehicle’s painted
surface.
Opening the fuel tank cap
1924-4. Refueling
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
the door fully by hand.
2Turn the fuel tank cap slowly to
open and put it into the holder on
the fuel filler door.
■When the fuel filler door cannot be
opened
P.397
1After refueling, turn the fuel tank
cap until you hear a click. Once the
cap is released, it will turn slightly in
the opposite direction. 2
Close the fuel filler door, and press
the center of the rear edge of the
fuel filler door.
When you lock the doors, the fuel filler
door will lock also.
■Fuel filler door lock condition
The fuel filler door may not be locked even
when the vehicle’s doors are locked in the
following conditions:
●When operating the door lock button
inside the vehicle
●When the automatic door locking system
is operated
●When the fuel filler door is closed after
the vehicle’s doors are locked
■Warning buzzer for loose fuel cap
When the engine switch is IGNITION ON
mode and the cap is loose, the buzzer
sounds and a message is displayed on the
multi-information display.
Closing the fuel tank cap
WARNING
■When replacing the fuel tank cap
Do not use anything but a genuine Lexus
fuel tank cap designed for your vehicle.
Doing so may cause a fire or other inci-
dent which may result in death or serious
injury.
2815-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
5
Interior features
Press the rear windshield and outside
rear view mirror defogger switch.
The defoggers will automatically turn off
after a period of time.
■Windshield wiper de-icer (if
equipped)
P.284
■When the outside temperature exceeds
75°F (24°C) and the air conditioning
system is on
●In order to reduce the air conditioning
power consumption, the air conditioning
system may switch to recirculated air
mode automatically.
This may also reduce fuel consumption.
●Recirculated air mode is selected as a
default mode when the engine switch is
turned to IGNITION ON mode.
●It is possible to switch to outside air mode
at any time by pressing the outside/recir-
culated air mode switch.
■Fogging up of the windows
●The windows will easily fog up when the
humidity in the vehicle is high. Pressing
“A/C” button or selecting “A/C” will
dehumidify the air from the outlets and
defog the windshield effectively.
●If you turn “A/C” off, the windows may
fog up more easily.
●The windows may fog up if the recircu-
lated air mode is used.
■When driving on dusty roads
Close all windows. If dust thrown up by the
vehicle is still drawn into the vehicle after
closing the windows, it is recommended
that the air intake mode be set to outside air
mode and the fan speed to any setting
except off.
■Outside/recirculated air mode
●Setting to the recirculated air mode tem-
porarily is recommended in preventing
dirty air from entering the vehicle interior
and helping to cool the vehicle when the
outside air temperature is high.
●Outside/recirculated air mode may auto-
matically switch depending on the tem-
perature setting or the inside
temperature.
■Registering air conditioning settings to
electronic keys (vehicles with driving
position memory)
●Unlocking the vehicle using an electronic
key and turning the engine switch to
IGNITION ON mode will recall that
key’s registered air conditioning settings.
●When the engine switch is turned off, the
current air conditioning settings will auto-
matically be registered to the electronic
key that was used to unlock the vehicle.
●The system may not operate correctly if
more than one electr onic key is in the
vicinity or if the smart access system with
push-button start is used to unlock a pas-
senger door.
●The doors that can recall the air condi-
tioning setting when unlocked using the
smart access system with push-button
start can be changed.
* For details, con-
tact your Lexus dealer.
*: The doors that can recall the driving posi-
tion memory are changed at the same
time.
■Operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem in Eco mode
●In the Eco mode, the air conditioning sys-
tem is controlled as follows to prioritize
fuel efficiency
• Engine speed and compressor operation
controlled to restrict heating/cooling
capacity
• Fan speed restricted when automatic
mode is selected
●To improve air conditioning performance,
perform the following operations
• Adjust the fan speed
• Adjust the temperature setting
• Turn off Eco mode
●Even when the driving mode is set to Eco
mode, the air conditioning eco mode can
be turned off by selecting the
.
2895-3. Using the interior lights
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
5
Interior features
5-3.Using the interior lights
Outer foot lights
Personal lights (P.290)
Front interi or light (P.290)
Rear interior light ( P.290)
Footwell lights
• When the engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode, the footwell lights will turn on.
However, if the instrume nt panel light control switch is turned to minimum, the footwell
lights will turn off. ( P.81)
• When the shift lever is in a position other th an P, the brightness of the footwell light will
reduce intensity.
■Personal lights automatic on/off
●Illuminated entry system: The lights auto-
matically turn on/off according to engine
switch mode, the presence of the elec-
tronic key, whether the doors are locked/
unlocked, and whether the doors are
opened/closed.
●If the interior lights remain on when the engine switch is turned
off, the lights will
go off automatically after 20 minutes.
■When front interior lights and personal
lights do not respond as normal
●When water, dirt, etc., have adhered to
the lens surface
●When operated with a wet hand
●When wearing gloves, etc.
Interior lights list
Location of the interior lights
A
B
C
D
E
3095-5. Using the other interior features
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
5
Interior features
*:If equipped
The HomeLink® wireless control sys-
tem in your vehicle has 3 buttons which
can be programmed to operate 3 dif-
ferent devices. Refer to the program-
ming methods on the following pages
to determine the method which is
appropriate for the device. HomeLink
® indicator light
Garage door operation indicators
Buttons
■Codes stored in the HomeLink® mem-
ory
●The registered codes are not erased even
if the battery cable is disconnected.
●If learning failed when registering a dif-
ferent code to a HomeLink® button that
already has a code registered to it, the
already registered code will not be
erased.
■Certification for the garage door opener
For vehicles sold in the U.S.A.
Garage door opener*
The garage door opener can be
programmed using the Home-
Link
® to operate garage doors,
gates, entry doors, door locks,
home lighting systems, security sys-
tems, and other devices.
System components
A
B
C