2021 LEXUS RC350 brake

1023-3. Adjusting the seats
P.94
*: If equipped
The seat and steering wheel* are auto-
matically adjusted to allow the driver to
enter and exit the vehicle easily.
When all of the following have been
performed, the driver’s seat and steer-
ing wheel
* are automatically adjusted
to a position that allows driver to enter
and exit the vehicle easily.
 The shift lever has been shifted to P.
 The engine switch has been turned
off.
 The driver’s seat belt has been
unfastened.
When any of the following has been
performed, the driver’s seat and steer-
WARNING
■When folding the rear seatbacks
down
●Do not fold the seatbacks down while
driving.
●Stop the vehicle on level ground, set
the parking brake and shift the shift
lever to P.
●Do not allow anyone to sit on a folded
seatback or in the trunk while driving.
●Do not allow children to enter the
trunk.
■After returning the rear seatback to
the upright position
●Make sure that the seatback is
securely locked in position by lightly
pushing it back and forth.
If the seatback is not securely locked, the
red marking will be visible on the seat-
back lock release knob. Make sure that
the red marking is not visible.
●Check that the seat belts are not
twisted or caught in the seatback.
Luggage security system
Power easy access sys-
tem/driving position mem-
ory
*/memory recall function*
This feature automatically adjusts
the driver’s seat, steering wheel
and outside rear view mirrors to
make entering and exiting the vehi-
cle easier or to suit your prefer-
ences.
Power easy access system

117
4
4
Driving
Driving
.4-1. Before drivingDriving the vehicle ...................... 118
Cargo and luggage ................... 123
Vehicle load limits ...................... 125
Trailer towing ............................... 126
Dinghy towing ............................. 126
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch ........... 127
Automatic transmission............ 131
Turn signal lever.......................... 136
Parking brake .............................. 137
Brake Hold.................................... 139
ASC (Active Sound Control) .......................................................... 141
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers Headlight switch ......................... 142
AHB (Automatic High Beam) ......................................................... 144
Windshield wipers and washer ......................................................... 147
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap...... 155
4-5. Using the driving support sys- tems
Lexus Safety System + ............. 158
PCS (Pre-Collision System) ......................................................... 162
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) ...................... 169
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range....................... 176Intuitive parking assist ..............
185
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) ...... 191
Driving mode select switch ... 199
Driving assist systems............... 201
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips .................... 205

1184-1. Before driving
4-1.Before driving
■Starting the engine
 P.127
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.131)
2 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, release the parking brake.
(P.137)
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.131)
■Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 Set the parking brake ( P.137),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.131).
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 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D.
2 Pull the parking brake switch to set
the parking brake manually.
3 Release the brake pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal to
accelerate the vehicle.
4 Press the parking brake switch to
release the parking brake manually.
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate.
(  P.201)
■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
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure

1194-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■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.
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
●When the following unusual operation is
performed, the engine 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 M) with the accelerator pedal
depressed, a warning message appears
on the multi-information display. If a
warning message is shown on the
multi-information disp lay, read the mes-
sage and follow the instruction.
• 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.202)
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 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 621 miles (1000 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.
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type park-
ing brake system. This type of brake system
needs bedding-down of the brake shoes
periodically or whenev er the parking brake
shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your
Lexus dealer perform the bedding down
operation.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registra-
tion laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. ( P.330)
■Idling time before en gine stop (RC300)
To prevent damage to the turbocharger,
allow the engine to idle immediately after
high-load driving.
Driving conditionIdling time
Normal city driving or
high-speed driving (at the
highway speed limit or rec-
ommended speed)
Not neces- sary
Steep hill driving, continuous
driving (race track driving
etc.)Approxi-mately 1 minute
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 engine run-
ning. 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 a difficulty in
operating the pedals. Make sure to
operate the pedals properly.

1204-1. Before driving
WARNING
• 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 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.286
●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.131)
●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.

1214-1. 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.
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.
●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.

1224-1. Before driving
WARNING
●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 brak e 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.

1234-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Cargo capacity depends on the total
weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capac-
ity) — (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit —
(1) Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX
lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 - 750
(5  150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and lug-
NOTICE
●RC300: Make sure to idle the engine
immediately after high-load driving.
Stop the engine only after the turbo-
charger has cooled down.
Failure to do so may cause damage to
the turbocharger.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged ti re may cause the fol-
lowing situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the
brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehi-
cle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal
sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat
tire (
P.307)
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded
after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause
the following serious damage to the vehi-
cle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water
immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded
road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure
to have your Lexus dealer check the fol-
lowing:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil
and fluid used for the engine, transmis-
sion, transfer (AWD models), differen-
tial, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller
shaft, bearings and suspension joints
(where possible), and the function of
all joints, bearings, etc.
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following infor-
mation about storage precautions,
cargo capacity and load:
Capacity and distribution