2774-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
Use fluids that are appropriate to
the prevailing outside temperatures.
•Engine oil
• Engine/power control unit coolant
•Washer fluid
Have a service technician inspect
the condition of the 12-volt 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.
Perform the following according to the
driving conditions:
Do not try to forcibly open a window
or move a wiper that is frozen. Pour
warm water over the frozen area to
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 serious 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 be cause the removal and
attachment of snow tires affects the
operation of the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle
2784-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
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.183)
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.
Vehicles with 225/65R17 tires
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
2794-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
Side chain: 0.12 in. (3 mm) in diameter
0.39 in. (10 mm) in width
0.98 in. (25 mm) in length
Cross chain:
0.16 in. (4 mm) in diameter
0.55 in. (14 mm) in width
0.98 in. (25 mm) in length
Vehicles with 225/60R18 tires
Tire chains cannot be mounted on the
225/60R18 tires.
Snow tires should be used instead.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary depending on location and
type of road. Always check local regu-
lations before installing chains.
■Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions when
installing and removing chains:
●Install and remove tire chains in a safe
location.
●Install tire chains on the front tires only.
Do not install tire chains on the rear tires.
●Install tire chains on fr ont tires as tightly as
possible. Retighten chains after driving
1/4 - 1/2 mile (0.5 - 1.0 km).
●Install tire chains following the instruc-
tions provided with the tire chains.
Regulations on the use of tire
chains
A
B
C
D
E
F
NOTICE
■Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters may not function correctly
when tire chains are fitted.
2804-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
Specific design characteristics give
it a higher center of gravity than
ordinary passenger cars. This vehi-
cle design feature causes this type
of vehicle to be more likely to roll-
over. Utility vehicles have a signifi-
cantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
It is not designed for cornering at
the same speeds as ordinary pas-
senger cars anymore than low-slung
sports cars designed to perform sat-
isfactorily under of f-road conditions.
Therefore, sharp turns at excessive
speeds may cause rollover. Your vehicle is not designed to be
driven off-road. However, in the event
that off-road driving cannot be
avoided, please observe the following
precautions to help avoid the areas
prohibited to vehicles.
Drive your vehicle only in areas
where off-road vehicles are permit-
ted to travel.
Respect private property. Get
owner’s permission before entering
private property.
Do not enter areas that are closed.
Honor gates, barriers and signs that
Utility vehicle precautions
This vehicle belongs to the utility
vehicle class, which has higher
ground clearance and narrower
tread in relation to the height of its
center of gravity.
Utility vehicle feature
WARNING
■Utility vehicle precautions
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of death or seri-
ous injury or damage to your vehicle:
●In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt. Therefore,
the driver and all passengers should
always fasten th eir seat belts.
●Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible.
Failure to operate this vehicle correctly
may result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover causing death or serious
injury.
●Loading cargo on the roof luggage
carrier (if equipped) will make the cen-
ter of the vehicle gravity higher. Avoid
high speeds, sudd en starts, sharp
turns, sudden braking or abrupt
maneuvers, otherwise it may result in
loss of control or vehicle rollover due
to failure to operate this vehicle cor-
rectly.
●Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
Because of its profile and higher cen-
ter of gravity, your vehicle is more sen-
sitive to side winds than an ordinary
passenger car. Slowing down will allow
you to have better control.
●Do not drive horizontally across steep
slopes. Driving straight up or straight
down is preferred. Your vehicle (or any
similar off-road vehicle) can tip over
sideways much more easily than for-
ward or backward.
Off-road driving
2814-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
restrict travel.
Stay on established roads. When
conditions are wet, driving tech-
niques should be changed or travel
delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
Avoid driving on very steep, slippery
roads and other surfaces, such as
sand, where the tires are liable to
lose traction. Your vehicle may not
perform as well as conventional
AWD on-road vehicles on these
surfaces.
■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 hybrid
battery (traction battery), hybrid system
or other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine compart-
ment may cause seve re damage to the
hybrid system. Water entering the inte-
rior may cause the hybrid battery
stowed under the re ar seats to short
circuit.
●Water entering the hybrid transmis-
sion and rear electric motor (traction
motor) will cause deterioration in
transmission quality. The malfunction
indicator may come on, and the vehi-
cle may not be drivable.
●Water can wash the grease from wheel
bearings, causing rusting and prema-
ture failure, and may also enter the
hybrid transmission case, reducing the
gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
2915-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
5
Interior features
■When the outside temperature is low
The dehumidification function may not
operate even when “A/C” is pressed or
“A/C” is selected.
■Ventilation and air conditioning odors
●To let fresh air in, set the air conditioning
system to the outside air mode.
●During use, various odors from inside and
outside the vehicle may enter into and
accumulate in the air conditioning sys-
tem. This may then cause odor to be
emitted from the vents.
●To reduce potential odors from occur-
ring:
• It is recommended that the air condition-
ing system be set to outside air mode
prior to turning the vehicle off.
• The start timing of the blower may be
delayed for a short period of time imme-
diately after the air conditioning system is
started in automatic mode.
■Air conditioning filter
P.367
■Customization
Settings (e.g. A/C automatic mode switch
operation) can be changed.
(Customizable features: P. 441)
■Main control screen
Using the touchpad of the Remote
Touch ( P.284), select the button on
the screen.
to can be adjusted by perform-
ing the following operations.
Flick operation: Move the pointer to
the desired item and flick the touchpad
up or down.
The item can be adjusted by one level.
Trace operation: After selecting the
desired item, slide your finger up or
down.
The item can be adjusted by the amount
that you trace.
Trace operation cannot be used while driv-
ing.
WARNING
■To prevent the windshield from fog-
ging up
Do not use the front windshield defogger
switch during cool air operation in
extremely humid weather. The difference
between the temperature of the outside
air and that of the windshield can cause
the outer surface of the windshield to fog
up, blocking your vision.
■To prevent burns
●Do not touch the rear view mirror sur-
faces when the outside rear view mir-
ror defoggers are on.
●Vehicles with windshield wiper de-
icer: Do not touch the glass at lower
part of the windshield or to the side of
the front pillars when the windshield
wiper de-icer is on.
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery discharge
Do not leave the air conditioning system
on longer than necessary when the
hybrid system is off.
Air conditioning control screen
BE
2935-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
5
Interior features
■Side display (Vehicles with naviga-
tion system) Adjust the left-hand side tempera-
ture setting
Adjust the fan speed setting
Adjust the right-hand side tem-
perature setting
Set cooling and dehumidification
function on/off
Adjust the temperature for the
driver’s and front passenger’s seats
separately (“DUAL” mode)
( P.295)
Select the air flow mode
■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.
■Windshield wiper de-icer (if equipped)
This feature is used to prevent ice from
building up on the wi ndshield and wiper
blades.
Select on the option control screen. When the windshield wiper de-icer on,
is displayed on the air conditioning
control screen.
The windshield wiper de-icer will automati-
cally turn off after a period of time.
■Eco air conditioning mode
When Eco mode is selected using the driv-
ing mode select switch, eco air conditioning
mode turns on. When a drive mode other
than Eco mode is selected, eco air condi-
tioning mode may turn off.
■S-FLOW mode
Priority for airflow is given to the front seats,
and the airflow and air conditioning for the
rear seats is effe ctively controlled.
Select on the option control screen.
The indicator comes on when S-FLOW
mode is on.
Select again to return to the previ-
ous mode.
■Micro dust and pollen filter
Pollen is removed from the air and the air
flows to the upper part of the body.
Select on the option control screen.
When the micro dust and pollen filter is on, is displayed on the air conditioning
control screen.
In order to prevent the windshield from fog-
ging up when the outside air is cold, the
dehumidification function may operate.
The pollens are filtered out even if the micro
dust and pollen filter is turned off.
A
B
C
D
E
F
WARNING
■To prevent burns (vehicles with wind-
shield wiper de-icer)
Do not touch the glass at lower part of
the windshield or to the side of the front
pillars when the windshield wiper de-icer
is on.
2955-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
5
Interior features
■Location of air outlets
The air outlets and air volume changes
according to the selected air flow
mode.
■Adjusting the position of and open-
ing and closing the air outlets
Front
1 Direct air flow to the left or right, up
or down
2 Turn the knob to open or close the
vent
Rear
1 Direct air flow to the left or right, up
or down
2 Turn the knob to open or close the
ventAir outlet layout and operations
WARNING
■To not interrupt the windshield defog-
ger from operating
Do not place anything on the instrument
panel which may cover the air outlets.
Otherwise, air flow may be obstructed,
preventing the windshield defoggers
from defogging.