2020 LEXUS NX300h ESP

1564-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4-1.Before driving
■Starting the hybrid system
 P.174
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.179)
2 Release the parking brake.
(P.184)
If the parking brake is in automatic mode,
the parking brake is released automatically
when shifting the shift lever to any position
other than P. ( P.183)
3 Gradually release the brake pedal
and gently depress the accelerator
pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■Stopping
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 If necessary, set the parking brake.
(P.184)
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an
extended period of time, shift the shift lever
to P. ( P.179)
■Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 Set the parking brake ( P.184),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.179).
3 Press the power switch to stop the
hybrid system. 4
Lock the door, making sure that you
have the electronic key on your
person.
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as
needed.
■Starting off on an uphill
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.179)
2 Pull the parking brake switch and
parking brake is set manually.
(P.184)
3 Release the brake pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal to
accelerate the vehicle.
4 Press the parking brake switch and
parking brake is released manually.
(P.184)
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate.
(  P.270)
■For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybr id vehicles are similar
to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary
to refrain from activi ties such as sudden
acceleration. ( P.275)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road
will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain,
because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on
an expressway in the rain, because there
may be a layer of wa ter between the tires
and the road surface, preventing the
steering and brakes from operating prop-
erly.
Driving the vehicle
The specified procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure

1574-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
■Restraining the hybr id system output
(Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals
are depressed at the same time, the
hybrid system output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the
multi-information display while the sys-
tem is operating.
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
●When the following unusual operation is
performed, the hybrid system output may
be restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted from R to D, D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes S) with the accelerator pedal
depressed, a warning message appears
on the multi-information display. If a
warning message is shown on the multi-
information display, read the message
and follow the instructions.
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed
too much while the vehicle is in reverse.
●While Drive-Start Control is being acti-
vated, your vehicle may have trouble
escaping from the mud or fresh snow. In
such case, deactivate TRAC ( P.271) to
cancel Drive-Start Control so that the
vehicle may become able to escape from
the mud or fresh snow.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing
the following precautions is recommended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for
extended periods.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer. (vehicles with towing
package)
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registra-
tion laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. ( P.430)
■Eco-friendly driving
 P.87
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the “READY”
indicator is illuminated. This prevents the
vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with
the location of the brake and accelera-
tor pedals to avoid depressing the
wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelera- tor pedal instead of the brake pedal
will result in sudden acceleration that
may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to difficulty in
operating the pedals. Make sure to
operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle
only slightly. This allows you to depress
the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal
using your left foot may delay
response in an emer gency, resulting in
an accident.
●The driver should pay extra attention
to pedestrians when the vehicle is
powered only by the electric motor
(traction motor). As there is no engine
noise, the pedestrians may misjudge
the vehicle’s movement.

1664-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_ennot tow a trailer until the vehicle has been
driven for over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over
500 miles (800 km), you can start towing.
However, for the next 500 miles (800 km),
drive the vehicle at a speed of less than 50
mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and
avoid full throttle acceleration.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Warranty
and Services Guide”, “Owner’s Manual
Supplement” or “Scheduled Mainte-
nance”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately 600
miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing
vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can adversely
affect handling of your vehicle and trailer,
causing instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer
straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by
turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradually to reduce
speed.
Do not increase sp eed. Do not apply
vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the
steering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer
should stabilize.
●After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants
out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer. Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropri-
ate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded
after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed
at which trailer swaying occurred is beyond the limit of your part
icular vehicle-trailer
combination. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Reme mber that swaying of
the towing vehicle-trailer increases as
speed increases.
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care
and drive the vehicle in accordance with
the trailer’s characteristics and operating
conditions. Failure to do so could cause
an accident resulting in death or serious
injury. Vehicle stability and braking per-
formance are affected by trailer stability,
brake setting and performance, and the
hitch. Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer.
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked
TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
●Adjust the tongue weight within the
appropriate range. Place heavier loads
as close to the trailer axle as possible.
●Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h),
the posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set forth
in your trailer owner’s manual, which-
ever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross winds,
on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help
avoid an accident. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from reduc-
ing a certain speed, slow down and
make sure you keep your vehicle
speed under the speed of which you
experience the instability.
●Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp
turns.
●Do not apply the brakes suddenly as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is
especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.

1714-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer. Help to avoid an
accident, death or serious injury, keep
the following in mind when towing:
 Speed limits for towing a trailer vary
by state or province. Do not exceed
the posted towing speed limit.
 Lexus recommends that the vehicle-
trailer speed limit is 65 mph (104
km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road.
Do not exceed this limit, the posted
towing speed limit or the speed limit
for your trailer as set forth in your
trailer owner’s manual, whichever is
lowest. Instability of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer combination (trailer
sway) increases as speed increases.
Exceeding speed limits may cause
loss of control.
 Before starting out, check the trailer
lights, tires and the vehicle-trailer
connections. Recheck after driving
a short distance.
 Practice turning, stopping and
reversing with the trailer attached in
an area away from traffic until you
become accustomed to the feel of
the vehicle-trailer combination.
 Reversing with a tr ailer attached is
difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel
and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move
your hand to the right to move the
trailer to right. (This is generally
opposite to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone
guide you when reversing to reduce
the risk of an accident.
 As stopping distance is increased
when towing a trailer, vehicle-to
vehicle distance should be
increased. For each 10 mph (16
km/h) of speed, allow at least one
vehicle and trailer length.
 Avoid sudden braking as you may
skid, resulting in the trailer jackknif-
ing and a loss of vehicle control. This
is especially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
 Avoid jerky starts or sudden accel-
eration.
 Avoid jerky steering and sharp
turns, and slow down before making
turn.
 Note that when making a turn, the
trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Compensate by making a
wider than normal turning radius.
 Slow down before making a turn, in
cross winds, on wet or slippery sur-
faces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can desta-
bilize the trailer.
 Take care when passing other vehi-
cles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After pass ing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty of room
before changing lanes.
 To maintain engine braking effi-
ciency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking,
Trailer towing tips

1874-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
tion display, read the message and follow
the instructions.
■If the brake hold operated indicator
flashes
 P.390
*: If equipped
1 Louder
2 Lower
The indicator comes on when the ASC
system is on.
When the dial is turned to the lowest
volume, the ASC system will be turned
off and the indicator will go off.
■Operating conditions
When the driving mode select switch is not
WARNING
■When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a
steep incline, exercise caution. The brake
hold function may not hold the vehicle in
such a situation.
■When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when
the gripping ability of the tires has been
exceeded. Do not use the system when
stopped on a slippery road.
NOTICE
■When parking the vehicle
The brake hold system is not designed
for use when parking the vehicle for a
long period of time. Turning the power
switch off while the system is holding the
brake may release the brake, which
would cause the vehicle to move. When
operating the power switch, depress the
brake pedal, shift the shift lever to P and
set the parking brake.
ASC (Active Sound Con-
trol)*
The ASC system is an electronic
sound system that generates
engine sound, conveying the
kinetic situations of the vehicle’s
acceleration and deceleration to
the driver through the speakers
inside the instrument panel.
The vehicle’s response to the
driver’s acceleration behavior and
shift operations are also conveyed
in sound.
When Sport mode is selected, the
sound conveyed to the driver will be
louder.
Controlling volume

2044-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4-5.Using the driving support systems
■PCS (Pre-Collision System)
 P.210
■LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
 P.217
■LDA (Lane Departure Alert with
steering control)
 P.226
■Automatic High Beam
 P.192
■RSA (Road Sign Assist)
 P.234
■Dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range
 P.236 Two types of sensors, located behind
the front grille and windshield, detect
information necessary to operate the
drive assist systems.
Radar sensor
Front camera
Lexus Safety System+ 2.0
The Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 con-
sists of the following drive assist sys-
tems and contributes to a safe and
comfortable driving experience:
Driving assist system
WARNING
■Lexus Safety System+ 2.0
The Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 is
designed to operate under the assump-
tion that the driver will drive safely, and is
designed to help reduce the impact to
the occupants and the vehicle in the case
of a collision or assist the driver in normal
driving conditions.
As there is a limit to the degree of recog-
nition accuracy and control performance
that this system can provide, do not
overly rely on this system. The driver is
always responsible for paying attention
to the vehicle’s surroundings and driving
safely.
Sensors
WARNING
■To avoid malfunction of the radar sen-
sor
Observe the following precautions.
Otherwise, the radar sensor may not
operate properly, possibly leading to an
accident resulting in death or serious
injury.
A
B

2104-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
The system can detect the following:
Vehicles
 Bicyclists
 Pedestrians
■Pre-collision warning
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high, a
buzzer will sound and a warning mes-
sage will be displayed on the multi-
information display to urge the driver to take evasive action.
■Pre-collision brake assist
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the system applies greater braking
force in relation to how strongly the
brake pedal is depressed.
■Pre-collision braking
If the system determines that the possi-
bility of a frontal collision is extremely
high, the brakes are automatically
applied to help avoid the collision or
reduce the impact of the collision.
PCS (Pre-Collision System)
The pre-collision system uses a
radar sensor and front camera to
detect objects ( P.210) in front of
the vehicle. When the system
determines that the possibility of a
frontal collision with an object is
high, a warning operates to urge
the driver to take evasive action
and the potential brake pressure is
increased to help the driver avoid
the collision. If the system deter-
mines that the possibility of a frontal
collision with an object is extremely
high, the brakes are automatically
applied to help avoid the collision
or help reduce the impact of the
collision.
The pre-collision system can be dis-
abled/enabled and the warning tim-
ing can be changed. ( P.212)
Detectable objects
System functions
WARNING
■Limitations of the pre-collision system
●The driver is solely responsible for safe
driving. Always drive safely, taking
care to observe your surroundings.
Do not use the pre-collision system
instead of normal braking operations
under any circumstances. This system
will not prevent collisions or lessen col-
lision damage or injury in every situa-
tion. Do not overly rely on this system.
Failure to do so may lead to an acci-
dent, resulting in death or serious
injury.

2174-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
*:If equipped
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)*
When driving on highways and
freeways with white (yellow) lane
lines, this function alerts the driver
when the vehicle might depart
from its lane or course
* and pro-
vides assistance by operating the
steering wheel to keep the vehicle
in its lane or course
*. Furthermore,
the system provides steering assis-
tance when dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed range is
operating to keep the vehicle in its
lane.
The LTA system recognizes white
(yellow) lane lines or a course
*
using the front camera. Addition-
ally, it detects preceding vehicles
using the front camera and radar.
*: Boundary between asphalt and the side of the road, such as grass, soil, or
a curb
WARNING
■Before using LTA system
●Do not rely solely upon the LTA sys-
tem. The LTA 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 LTA system, use
the LTA switch to turn the system off.
■Situations unsuitable for LTA system
In the following situations, use the LTA
switch to turn the system off. Failure to do
so may lead to an accident, 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.
●Vehicle is driven in a temporary lane or
restricted lane due to construction
work.
●Vehicle is driven in a construction
zone.
●A spare tire, tire chains, etc. are
equipped.
●When the tires have been excessively
worn, or when the tire inflation pres-
sure is low.