2714-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
4
Driving
“Eco” indicator will be shown on the multi-
information display.
3Sport mode
Assists acceleration response by con-
trolling the hybrid system and steering.
Suitable for when precise handling is desir-
able, for example when driving on moun-
tain roads.
When not in Sport mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned to the right,
“Sport” indicator will be shown on the
multi-information display and the hybrid
system indicator changes to the tachome-
ter. ( P.84)
Vehicles with Adaptive Variable
Suspension System
1 Normal/Custom mode
Press the switch and select Normal mode
or Custom mode. Each time the switch is
pressed, the system changes between
Normal mode and Custom mode. When
Custom mode is selected, the “Custom”
indicator comes on.
When in Eco mode or Sport mode, when
the switch is pressed, the system returns to Normal mode. Press th
e switch to change
the driving mode to Normal mode when
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.
Custom mode settings can only be
changed using the Remote Touch.
( P.286)
2 Eco 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 hybrid system and transmission.
Suitable for when powe rful 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 superior vehicle stability
by simultaneously cont rolling the steering
and suspension in addi tion to the hybrid
system and transmission. Suitable for
sporty driving.
2724-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
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 power switch is turned off.
●Normal mode and Eco mode will not be
canceled automatically until another driv-
ing mode is selected, even if the power
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.
■Customization
The Custom mode can be changed. (Cus-
tomizable features: P.443)
■ECB (Electronically Controlled
Brake System)
The electronically controlled system
generates braking force correspond-
ing to the brake operation
■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.
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
2754-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
4
Driving
■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 th at 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).
●The vehicle hydroplanes while driving
at high speed on wet or slick roads.
■Stopping distance when the ABS is
operating may exceed that of normal
conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the
vehicle’s stopping di stance. Always main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, especially in the following
situations:
●When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-
covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the road
●When driving over roads with potholes
or uneven surfaces
■TRAC/VSC may not operate effec-
tively when
Directional control and power may not
be achievable while driving on slippery
road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC
system is operating. Drive the vehicle
carefully in conditions where stability and
power may be lost.
2774-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_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.270)
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
2925-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_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.296
■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
2995-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
5
Interior features
Vehicles with seat ventilators
Each time the switch is pressed, the
operation condition changes as fol-
lows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 segments
lit) Lo (1 segment lit) Off
The indicator (amber) and level indicator
(green) light up during operation.
■Rear
Each time the switch is pressed, the
operation condition changes as fol-
lows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 segments
lit) Lo (1 segment lit) Off
The level indicator (amber) lights up
during operation.
■Operation condition
The seat heaters can be used when the
power switch is in ON mode.
Each time the switch is pressed, the
operation condition changes as fol-
lows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 segments
lit) Lo (1 segment lit) Off
The indicator (green) and level indicator
(green) light up during operation.
A
A
WARNING
■To prevent causes of overheating and
minor burn injuries
Observe the following precautions when
using a seat heater
●Do not cover the seat with a blanket or
cushion when using the seat heater.
●Do not use seat heater more than nec-
essary.
Seat ventilators (front)
A
3897-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
7
When trouble arises
■Low engine oil pressure warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■High coolant temperature warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■Brake system warning light
■Malfunction indicator lamp
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
Immediately stop the vehicl e in a safe place and con-
tact your Lexus dealer. Continuing to drive the vehicle
may be dangerous.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine is overheating
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place. Continu-
ing to drive the vehicle may be dangerous.
Handling method ( P.418)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(Yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in:
The regenerative braking system;
The electronically controlled brake system; or
The electric parking brake
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Indicates a malfunction in:
The hybrid system;
The electronic engine control system;
The electronic throttle control system; or
The emission control system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
4187-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
■“Engine Coolant Temp High” is
shown on the multi-information dis-
play
1 Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
turn off the air conditioning system,
and then stop the hybrid system.
2 If you see steam:
Carefully lift the hood after the
steam subsides.
If you do not see steam:
Carefully lift the hood.
3 After the hybrid system has cooled
down sufficiently, inspect the hoses
WARNING
●Do not allow children near the 12-volt
battery.
■After recharging the 12-volt battery
Have the 12-volt battery inspected at
your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
If the 12-volt battery is deteriorating, con-
tinued use may cause the 12-volt battery
to emit a malodorous gas, which may be
detrimental to the health of passengers.
■When exchanging the 12-volt battery
After exchanging, securely attach the
exhaust hose and exhaust hole plug to
the exhaust hole of the exchanged 12-
volt battery. If not properly installed,
gases (hydrogen) may leak into the vehi-
cle interior, and there is the possible dan-
ger of the gas igniting and exploding.
NOTICE
■When handling jumper cables
When connecting the jumper cables,
ensure that they do not become entan-
gled in the cooling fans or belt.
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
The exclusive jump starting terminal is to
be used when charging the 12-volt bat-
tery from another ve hicle in an emer-
gency. It cannot be used to jump start
another vehicle.
If your vehicle overheats
The following may indicate that
your vehicle is overheating.
The needle of the engine coolant
temperature gauge ( P.84)
enters the red zone, or a loss of
hybrid system power is experi-
enced. (For example, the vehicle
speed does not increase.)
“Engine Coolant Temp High” or
“Hybrid System Overheated” is
shown on the multi-information
display.
Steam comes out from under the
hood.
Correction procedures