2714-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
when cornering, goin g uphill, starting
off or accelerating, and when the road
surface is slippery due to snow, rain,
etc.
■PCS (Pre-Collision System)
P.210
■BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if
equipped)
P.261
■When the TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer
Sway Control systems are operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer Sway Control
systems are operating.
■Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow,
the TRAC system may reduce power from
the hybrid system to the wheels. Pressing to turn the system off may make it eas-
ier for you to rock the vehicle in order to
free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release .
The “Traction Control Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press again to turn the system back on.
■Turning off both TRAC, VSC and Trailer
Sway Control systems
To turn the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway
Control systems off, press and hold for
more than 3 seconds while the vehicle is
stopped. The VSC OFF indicator light will
come on and the “Traction Control Turned
Off” will be shown on the multi-information
display.
* Press again to turn the system
back on.
*: On vehicles with pre-collision system, pre-collision brake assist and pre-colli-
sion braking will also be disabled. The
PCS warning light will come on and the
message will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display. ( P.216)
■When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if has
not been pressed
TRAC is temporary deactivated. If the infor-
mation continues to show, contact your
Lexus dealer.
■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 hybrid
2724-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_ensystem is started or
just after the vehicle
begins to move. This sound does not indi-
cate 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.
■ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in the
following cases, but it does not indicate that
a malfunction has occurred.
●Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
operated.
●Motor sound of the brake system heard
from the front part of the vehicle when
the driver’s door is opened.
●Operating sound heard from the engine
compartment when one or two minutes
passed after the stop of the hybrid sys-
tem.
■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 hybrid system 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 power 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
2754-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
4
Driving
4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco mode, the torque cor-
responding to the accelerator pedal
depression amount can be generated
more smoothly than it is in normal con-
ditions. In addition, the operation of the
air conditioning system (heating/cool-
ing) will be minimized, improving the
fuel economy. ( P.269)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicator needle of Hybrid
System Indicator within Eco area.
( P.87)
Shift the shift lever to D when stopped
at a traffic light, or driving in heavy traf-
fic, etc. Shift the shift lever to P when
parking. When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consumption. In
the N, the gasoline engine operates
but electricity cannot be generated.
Also, when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) power is consumed.
Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid
abrupt acceleration and decelera-
tion. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effec-
tive use of the electric motor (trac-
tion motor) without having to use
gasoline engine power.
Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (traction battery)
power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be
restored by driving with the acceler-
ator pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes gently
and in a timely manner. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fuel economy.
Check traffic reports before leaving
and avoid delays as much as possible.
When driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly while
avoiding overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological
driving, pay attention to the follow-
ing points:
Using Eco mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays
2764-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
Control and maintain the vehicle at a
constant speed. Before stopping at a
toll booth or similar, allow plenty of
time to release the accelerator and
gently apply the brakes. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Use the air conditioning only when
necessary. Doing so can help reduce
excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: When the ambient tem-
perature is high, use the recirculated
air mode. Doing so will help to reduce
the burden on the air conditioning sys-
tem and reduce fuel consumption as
well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine
will not automatically cut out until it and
the interior of the vehicle are warm, it
will consume fuel. Also, fuel consump-
tion can be improved by avoiding over-
use of the heater.
Make sure to check the tire inflation
pressure frequently. Improper tire infla-
tion pressure can cause poor fuel
economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause large
amounts of friction, their use on dry
roads can lead to poor fuel economy.
Use tires that are appropriate for the
season. Carrying heavy luggage will lead to
poor fuel economy. Avoid carrying
unnecessary luggage.
Installing a large
roof rack will also cause poor fuel
economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts up and
cuts out automatically when cold,
warming up the engine is unnecessary.
Moreover, frequently driving short dis-
tances will cause the engine to repeat-
edly warm up, which can lead to excess
fuel consumption.
Highway driving
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driving
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
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.
2905-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
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.294
■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 power switch is
turned to 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 power switch to ON
mode will recall that key’s registered air
conditioning settings.
●When the power 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
329
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78530_en
6
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehi-cle exterior ................................ 330
Cleaning and protecting the vehi- cle interior ................................. 333
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements .. 337
General maintenance ............. 338
Emission inspection and mainte- nance (I/M) programs ......... 340
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions........................................................ 342
Hood............................................... 344
Positioning a floor jack............ 344
Engine compartment............... 346
12-volt battery............................. 352
Tires ................................................ 355
Tire inflation pressure .............. 363
Wheels........................................... 365
Air conditioning filter...............367
Electronic key battery ............. 368
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................................ 370
Headlight aim.............................. 372
Light bulbs .................................... 374