2020 LEXUS NX300 steering

2594-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
selected to Eco mode or Sport mode.
Custom mode can be setup on the naviga-
tion system or multimedia system screen.
•Normal mode
Suitable when driving in the city, for good
fuel consumption efficiency, silence, and
drive-ability.
•Custom mode
Driving is possible by setting the desired
function for power train control, chassis
control or air conditioning operations.
2Eco mode
In contrast to Normal mode when stepping
on the accelerator pedal, torque genera-
tion becomes slower, air conditioning
operations (heating/cooling) are
restrained, and driving is suited for
improved fuel consumption.
When not in Eco mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned to the left,
“Eco” indicator will be shown on the multi-
information display.
3Sport mode
•Sport S mode
Assists acceleration response by con-
trolling the engine and transmission. Suit-
able for when powerful acceleration is
desirable.
When not in Sport S mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned to the right,
“Sport S” indicator will be shown on the
multi-information display.
•Sport S+ mode
Helps to ensure super ior vehicle stability
by simultaneously controlling the steering
and suspension in addition to the engine
and transmission. Suitable for sporty driv-
ing.
When in Sport S mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned to the right,
“Sport S+” indicator will be shown on the
multi-information display.
■Operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem in Eco mode
Eco mode controls the heating/cooling
operations and fan speed of the air condi-
tioning system to enhance fuel efficiency. To
improve air conditio ning performance,
adjust the fan speed or turn off Eco mode.
■When canceling Eco mode/Sport mode
●Select another driving mode. Also, Sport
mode will be canceled automatically
when the engine swit ch is turned off.
●Normal mode and Eco mode will not be
canceled automatically until another driv-
ing mode is selected, even if the engine
switch is turned off.
■Operating the ASC (Active Sound
Control)
If the ASC is ON, an electronic sound plays
when the Sport S+ mode is selected.

2604-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the
brakes are applied suddenly, or if the
brakes are applied while driving on a
slippery road surface
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of brak-
ing force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a
panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding
when swerving sudden ly or turning on
slippery road surfaces.
■Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehi-
cle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of the
ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability
when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering perfor-
mance.
■Trailer Sway Control
Helps the driver to control trailer sway
by selectively applying brake pressure
for individual wheels and reducing
driving torque when trailer sway is
detected.
■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 accele rate while turning
■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
■Dynamic Torque Control AWD
system (if equipped)
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.
Driving assist systems
To keep driving safety and perfor-
mance, the following systems oper-
ate automatically in response to
various driving situations. Be aware,
however, that these systems are
supplementary and should not be
relied upon too heavily when oper-
ating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving assist
systems

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).

2644-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
Press the switch.
The torque of the engine is distributed to
the rear wheels to the maximum extent
possible in accordance with driving condi-
tions.
Pressing the switch again cancels all-wheel
drive lock mode and returns the Dynamic
Torque Control AWD system to normal
mode. ( P.260)
■All-wheel drive lock mode can be oper-
ated when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode.
■Automatic release for the all-wheel
drive lock mode
●All-wheel drive lock mode is canceled
when the brakes are applied to ensure
the ABS and VSC systems operate effec-
tively.
●All-wheel drive lock mode is canceled
WARNING
■Trailer Sway Control precaution
The Trailer Sway Control system is not
able to reduce trailer sway in all situa-
tions. Depending on many factors such
as the conditions of the vehicle, trailer,
road surface and driving environment,
the Trailer Sway Control system may not
be effective. Refer to your trailer owner’s
manual for information on how to tow
your trailer properly.
■If trailer sway occurs
Observe the following precautions.
Failing to do so may cause death or seri-
ous injury.
●Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer
straight ahead. Do not try to control
trailer sway by turning the steering
wheel.
●Begin releasing the accelerator pedal
immediately but very gradually to
reduce speed. Do not increase speed.
Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with
the steering or brakes, your vehicle and
trailer should stabilize. ( P.260)
All-wheel drive lock switch
(
AWD models)
All-wheel drive lock mode can be
used when a large amount of drive
power needs to be applied to all the
wheels, such as when the vehicle
gets stuck in mud and you need to
free it.
Using All-wheel drive lock mode

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

2704-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
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.
■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 engine
or other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine air intake
will cause severe engine damage.
●Water entering the automatic trans-
mission will cause deterioration in shift
quality, locking up of your transmission
accompanied by vibration, and ulti-
mately damage.
●Water can wash the grease from wheel
bearings, causing rusting and prema-
ture failure, and may also enter the dif-
ferentials, transmission and transfer
case, reducing the gear oil’s lubricating
qualities.
■When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
riverbed for firmness. Drive slowly and
avoid deep water.

273
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
5
5
Interior features
Interior features
5-1. Remote Touch
Remote Touch ............................ 274
5-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
Automatic air conditioning system ........................................................ 279
Heated steering wheel/seat heat- ers/seat ventilators ................ 287
5-3. Using the interior lights Interior lights list......................... 289
5-4. Using the storage features List of storage features............ 292
Luggage compartment features ........................................................ 295
5-5. Using the other interior features Other interior features ........... 299
Garage door opener............... 309
Compass........................................ 315

2875-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
5
Interior features
*: If equipped
Turns the heated steering wheel on/off
The indicator light comes on when the
heated steering wheel is operating.
■Operation condition
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode.
■Timer function
The heated steering wheel will automati-
cally turn off after about 30 minutes.
■Front
Vehicles with out seat ventilators
Each time the switch is pressed, the opera-
tion condition changes as follows.
Hi (3 segments lit)  Mid (2 segments lit)
 Lo (1 segment lit)  Off
The level indicator (amber) light up
during operation.
Heated steering wheel*/seat
h
eaters*/seat ventilators*
 Heated steering wheel
Warm up the side grips of the steering
wheel
Seat heaters
Warm up the seat upholstery
Seat ventilators
Maintain good airflo w on the seat uphol-
stery by blowing air from the seats
WARNING
■To prevent minor burn injuries
Care should be taken if anyone in the fol-
lowing categories comes in contact with
the steering wheel or seats when the
heater is on:
●Babies, small children, the elderly, the
sick and the phys ically challenged
●Persons with sensitive skin
●Persons who are fatigued
●Persons who have taken alcohol or
drugs that induce sleep (sleeping
drugs, cold remedies, etc.)
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the seat heat-
ers and seat ventilators
Do not put heavy objects that have an
uneven surface on the seat and do not
stick sharp objects (needles, nails, etc.)
into the seat.
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not use the functions when the
engine is off.
Heated steering wheel
Seat heaters
A