2021 LEXUS RX450h engine

2854-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
■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
the switch to turn the system off may
make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in
order to free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release the switch.
The “Traction Control Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on.
■Turning off both TR AC, VSC and Trailer
Sway Control systems
To turn the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway
Control systems off, press and hold the
switch for more th an 3 seconds while
the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on
and the “Traction Cont rol Turned Off” will
be shown on the mult i-information display.
*
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision
System), PCS will also be disabled (only Pre-Collision warning is available). The
PCS warning light will come on and a
message will be di
splayed on the
multi-information display. ( P.220)
■When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if the
switch has not been pressed
TRAC is temporary deactivated. If the infor-
mation continues to show, contact your
Lexus dealer.
■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
■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
system 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.

2864-5. Using the driving support systems
• 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
■Secondary Collision Brake operating
conditions
The system operates when the SRS airbag
sensor detects a collision while the vehicle
is in motion.
However, the system does not operate in
any of the following situations.
●The vehicle speed is below 6 mph (10
km/h)
●Components are damaged
■Secondary Collision Brake automatic
cancellation
The system is automatically canceled in any
of the following situations.
●The vehicle speed drops below approxi-
mately 6 mph (10 km/h)
●A certain amount of time elapses during
operation
●The accelerator pedal is depressed a
large amount
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.

2894-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the accelera-
tor pedal depression amount can be
generated more smoothly than it is in
normal conditions. In addition, the
operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be mini-
mized, improving the fuel economy.
( P.281)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicator needle (except F
SPORT models) or bar display (F
SPORT models) of Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( P.85)
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 drive mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays

2904-6. Driving tips
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

2914-6. Driving tips
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 ar e of the specified size
and the same brand, and that chains match
the size of the 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
melt the ice. Wipe away the water
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.
Pre-winter preparations
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 seri-
ous 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 the LTA (Lane Tracing
Assist) system.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow
tires from your Lexus dealer or legitimate
tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attach-
ment of snow tires affects the operation
of the tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle

2954-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
WARNING
●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, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone,
sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off 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 sa fety measures to
ensure that water da mage to the hybrid
battery (traction battery), hybrid system
or other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine compart-
ment may cause severe damage to the
hybrid system. Water entering the inte-
rior may cause the hybrid battery
(traction battery) stowed under the
rear seats to short circuit.
●Water entering the hybrid transmis-
sion and rear electr ic 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.
■When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
riverbed for firmness. Drive slowly and
avoid deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driving
●Sand and mud that has accumulated
around brake discs may affect braking
efficiency and may damage brake sys-
tem components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-road
driving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For
scheduled maintena nce information,
refer to the “Warranty and Services
Guide/Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment/Scheduled Maintenance”.

3075-3. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
5
Interior features
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
position memory are changed at the
same time.
■Operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem in Eco drive mode
In Eco drive mode, the air conditioning sys-
tem is controlled as follows to prioritize fuel
efficiency:
●Engine speed and compressor operation
controlled to restri ct heating/cooling
capacity
●Fan speed restricted when automatic
mode is selected
To improve air condit ioning performance,
perform the following operations:
●Adjust the fan speed
●Turn off Eco drive mode ( P.281)
■When the outside temperature falls to
nearly 32°F (0°C)
The dehumidification function may not
operate even when “A/C” is selected.
■Ventilation and air conditioning odors
●To let fresh air in, set the air conditioning
system to the outside air mode.
●During use, various odors from inside and
outside the vehicle may enter into and
accumulate in the air conditioning sys-
tem. This may then cause odor to be
emitted from the vents.
●To reduce potential odors from occur-
ring:
• It is recommended that the air condition- ing system be set to outside air mode
prior to turning the vehicle off.
• The start timing of the blower may be delayed for a short period of time imme-
diately after the air conditioning system is
started in automatic mode or with the
micro dust and pollen filter on.
■Using the voice command system
Air conditioning system can be operated
using voice commands. For details, refer to
“NAVIGATION AND MULTIMEDIA
SYSTEM OWNER’S MANUAL”.
■Air conditioning filter
 P.390
■Air conditioning system refrigerant
●A label regarding the refrigerant of the
air conditioning system is attached to the
hood at the location shown in the follow-
ing illustration.
●The meaning of each symbol on the label
are as follows:
■Customization
Some functions can be customized.
(  P.480)
Caution
Air conditioning system
Air conditioning system
lubricant type
Requires registered tech-
nician to service air condi-
tioning system
Flammable refrigerant

355
6
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
.6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehi-cle exterior ................................ 356
Cleaning and protecting the vehi- cle interior ................................. 359
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements........................................................ 362
General maintenance ............. 363
Emission inspection and mainte- nance (I/M) programs ......... 366
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions........................................................ 367
Hood............................................... 369
Positioning a floor jack............ 369
Engine compartment................ 371
12-volt battery............................. 376
Tires ................................................ 380
Tire inflation pressure .............. 387
Wheels........................................... 389
Air conditioning filter...............390
Windshield wiper inserts........ 392
Electronic key battery ............. 393
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................................ 395
Headlight aim.............................. 397
Light bulbs .................................... 399