2020 LEXUS RC300 brakes

1164-1. Before driving
4-1.Before driving
■Starting the engine
 P.125
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.129)
2 Release the parking brake.
(P.135)
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.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an
extended period of time, shift the shift lever
to P or N. ( P.129)
■Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 Set the parking brake ( P.135),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.129).
3 Press the engine switch to stop the
engine.
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 a steep uphill
1 Make sure that the parking brake is
set and shift the shift lever to D.
2 Gently depress the accelerator
pedal.
3 Release the parking brake.
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate.
(  P.194)
■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.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine
speed may become high while driving. This
is due to automatic up-shifting control or
down-shifting implementation to meet driv-
ing conditions. It does not indicate sudden
acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill
or downhill
●When the accelerato r pedal is released
●When the brake pedal is depressed while
sport mode is selected
■Restraining the engine output (Brake
Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals
are depressed at the same time, the
engine output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the
multi-information display while the sys-
tem is operating.
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure

1184-1. Before driving
WARNING
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal
using your left foot may delay
response in an emergency, resulting in
an accident.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop
the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases
can be extremely hot. These hot parts
may cause a fire if there is any flamma-
ble material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn off
the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, 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.
However, in the event of an emer-
gency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
P.276
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (
P.129)
●Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passengers’
arms, heads or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140
km/h) unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driving
over 85 mph (140 km /h) may result in
tire failure, loss of control and possible
injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability tires
or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking
due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly
depress the brake pedal to make sure
that the brakes are functioning prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever
is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall
or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shif t lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a driving
position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.

1194-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the
vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine
braking is not available when N is
selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other
than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that
may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping
noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brakes on F SPORT models
(RC350 [2WD]/RC300 [2WD] only):
Moderate levels of brake pad and disc
wear allow enhanced front braking
power. As a result, the discs may wear
more quickly than conventional brake
discs. Therefore, when replacing the
brake pads, Lexus recommends that you
also have the thickness of the discs mea-
sured. It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are
exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P
or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the
engine is running, and apply the park-
ing brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or back-
ward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake
as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which
could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters,
spray cans, or soft drink cans in the
vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plas-
tic material of glasses to deform or
crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior
of the vehicle, and may also cause a
short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the
vehicle. If a cigare tte lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the
floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is
adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the
windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on
the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act
as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.

1204-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Do not leave a door or window open if
the curved glass is coated with a met-
allized film such as a silver-colored
one. Reflected sunlight may cause the
glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, stop the engine and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if
you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is
parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more
cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the
brakes are wet, and this may cause one
side of the vehicle to brake differently
than the other side. Also, the parking
brake may not securely hold the vehi-
cle.
●If the brake booster device does not
operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp turns
that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but
the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up
the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2 individ-
ual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other w ill still operate. In
this case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual and
the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when
any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may
damage the driveline components or
propel the vehicle forward or backward,
causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at th e same time while
driving, as this may restrain the engine
output.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or
depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the
vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle
may accelerate suddenly if the accelera-
tor pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in
either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time. Doing so may
damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road,
drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the
vehicle, etc.

1564-5. Using the driving support systems
■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
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the system warns the driver. If the sys-
tem determines that the possibility of a
frontal collision is extremely high, the
brakes are automatically applied to
help avoid the collision or reduce the
collision speed.
■Suspension control (if equipped)
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem ( P.194) will control the damping
force of the shock absorbers to help
maintain an appropriate vehicle pos-
ture.
■Steering control (if equipped)
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high
and the driver is op erating the steering
wheel, the LDH system ( P.195) will
control the turning angle of the front
PCS (Pre-Collision System)
The pre-collision system uses a
radar sensor and camera sensor to
detect vehicles and pedestrians in
front of your vehicle. When the sys-
tem determines that the possibility
of a frontal collision with a vehicle
or pedestrian 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 determines that the possi-
bility of a frontal collision with a
vehicle or pedestrian is extremely
high, the brakes are automatically
applied to help avoid the collision or
help reduce the impact of the colli-
sion.
The pre-collision system can be dis-
abled/enabled and the warning tim-
ing can be changed. ( P.158)
System functions

1624-5. Using the driving support systems
• The vehicle is wobbling.
• The vehicle is being driven at extremely high speeds.
• When driving on a hill
• If the radar sensor or camera sensor is misaligned
●In some situations such as the following,
sufficient braking force may not be
obtained, preventing the system from
performing properly:
• If the braking functions cannot operate to
their full extent, such as when the brake
parts are extremely cold, extremely hot,
or wet
• If the vehicle is not properly maintained (brakes or tires are excessively worn,
improper tire inflation pressure, etc.)
• When the vehicle is being driven on a gravel road or other slippery surface
●Some pedestrians such as the following
may not be detected by the radar sensor
and camera sensor, preventing the sys-
tem from operating properly:
• Pedestrians shorter than approximately 3.2 ft. (1 m) or tall er than approximately
6.5 ft. (2 m)
• Pedestrians wearing oversized clothing (a rain coat, long skir t, etc.), making their
silhouette obscure
• Pedestrians who are carrying large bag- gage, holding an umbrella, etc., hiding
part of their body
• Pedestrians who are bending forward or squatting
• Pedestrians who are pushing a stroller, wheelchair, bicycle or other vehicle
• Groups of pedestrians which are close
together
• Pedestrians who are wearing white and look extremely bright
• Pedestrians in the dark, such as at night or while in a tunnel
• Pedestrians whose clothing appears to
be nearly the same co lor or brightness as
their surroundings
• Pedestrians near walls , fences, guardrails,
or large objects
• Pedestrians who are on a metal object (manhole cover, steel plate, etc.) on the
road
• Pedestrians who are walking fast
• Pedestrians who are changing speed abruptly • Pedestrians running out from behind a
vehicle or a large object
• Pedestrians who are extremely close to
the side of the vehicle (outside rear view
mirror, etc.)
■If VSC is disabled
●If VSC is disabled ( P.194), the pre-col-
lision brake assist and pre-collision brak-
ing functions are also disabled.
●The PCS warning light will turn on and
“VSC Turned Off Pre-Collision Brake
System Unavailable” will be displayed on
the multi-information display.

1724-5. Using the driving support systems
This mode employs a radar sensor to detect the presence of vehicles up to approx-
imately 328 ft. (100 m) ahead, determines the current vehicle-to-vehicle following
distance, and operates to maintain a suit able following distance from the vehicle
ahead.
Note that vehicle-to-vehicle distance will close in when traveling on downhill slopes.
Example of constant speed cruising
When there are no vehicles ahead
The vehicle travels at the speed set by the driver. The desired vehicle-to-vehicle distance
can also be set by operating the vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch.
Example of deceleration cruising and follow-up cruising
When a preceding vehicle driving slower than the set speed appears
When a vehicle is detected running ahead of you, the system automatically decelerates
your vehicle. When a greater reduction in vehicle speed is necessary, the system applies
the brakes (the stop lights will come on at this time). The sy stem will respond to changes in
the speed of the vehicle ahead in order to maintain the vehicle-to-vehicle distance set by
the driver. Approach warning warns you when th e system cannot decelerate sufficiently to
prevent your vehicle from closing in on the vehicle ahead.
Example of acceleration
When there are no longer any preceding vehicles driving slower than the set
speed
The system accelerates until the set speed is re ached. The system then returns to constant
speed cruising.
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
A
B
C

1774-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
may be a malfunction in the system. Con-
tact your Lexus dealer.
■Brake system operation sound
If the brakes are applied automatically while
the vehicle is in vehicle-to-vehicle distance
control mode, a brake system operation
sound may be heard. This does not indicate
a malfunction.
■Warning messages and buzzers for
dynamic radar cruise control
Warning messages and buzzers are used to
indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution while driv-
ing. If a warning message is shown on the
multi-information display, read the message
and follow the instructions.
■When the sensor may not be correctly
detecting the vehicle ahead
In the case of the following and depending
on the conditions, operate the brake pedal
when deceleration of the system is insuffi-
cient or operate the accelerator pedal
when acceleration is required.
As the sensor may not be able to correctly
detect these types of vehicles, the approach
warning ( P.175) may not be activated.
●Vehicles that cut in suddenly
●Vehicles traveling at low speeds
●Vehicles that are not moving in the same
lane
●Vehicles with small rear ends (trailers
with no load on board, etc.)
●Motorcycles travelin g in the same lane
●When water or snow thrown up by the
surrounding vehicles hinders the detect-
ing of the sensor
●When your vehicle is pointing upwards
(caused by a heavy load in the luggage
compartment, etc.)
■Conditions under which the vehi-
cle-to-vehicle distance control mode
may not function correctly
In the case of the following conditions,
operate the brake pedal (or accelerator
pedal, depending on the situation) as nec-
essary.
As the sensor may not be able to correctly
detect vehicles ahead, the system may not
operate properly.
●When the road curves or when the lanes
are narrow
●When the vehicle ahead of you deceler-
ates suddenly
●When driving on a road surrounded by a
structure, such as in a tunnel or on a
bridge
●When the vehicle speed is decreasing to
the set speed after the vehicle acceler-
ates by depressing the accelerator pedal