1164-1. Before driving
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
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 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, 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 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.199)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be re duced, the windows
may become fogged-u p, 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 water 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
1184-1. Before driving
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
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.284
●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 drivin g 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 shift 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.
1394-2. Driving procedures
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
4
Driving
*:If equipped
1Louder
2 Lower
The indicator comes on when the ASC
system is on.
When the dial is turned to the lowest
volume, the ASC system will be turned
off and the indicator will go off.
■The ASC system can be operated when
The driving mode select switch is in normal
mode or sport mode. ( P.196)
■Temporary cancelation of the ASC sys-
tem functions
The ASC system may be temporarily
canceled depending on the driving condi-
tions, such as when the tires slip due to sud-
den acceleration.
ASC (Active Sound Con-
trol)
*
The ASC system is an electronic
sound system that generates
engine sound, conveying the
kinetic situations of the vehicle’s
acceleration and deceleration to
the driver through the speakers
inside the instrument panel.
The vehicle’s response to the
driver’s acceleration behavior and
shift operations are also conveyed
in sound.
When sport mode is selected, the
sound conveyed to the driver will be
louder.
Controlling volume
1564-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
4-5.Using the driving support systems
■PCS (Pre-Collision System)
P.160
■LDA (Lane Departure Alert with
steering control)
P.167
■AHB(Automatic High Beam)
P.142
■Dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range
P.174
Two types of sensors, located behind
the front grille and windshield, detect information necessary to operate the
drive assist systems.
Radar sensor
Front camera
Lexus Safety System +
The Lexus Safety Sy stem + consists
of the following drive assist systems
and contributes to a safe and com-
fortable driving experience:
Driving assist system
WARNING
■Lexus Safety System +
The Lexus Safety System + is designed to
operate under the assumption that the
driver will drive safely, and is designed to
help reduce the impact to the occupants
and the vehicle in the case of a collision
or assist the driver in normal driving con-
ditions.
As there is a limit to the degree of recog-
nition accuracy and control performance
that this system can provide, do not
overly rely on this system. The driver is
always responsible for paying attention
to the vehicle’s surro undings and driving
safely.
Sensors
WARNING
■To avoid malfunction of the radar sen-
sor
Observe the following precautions.
Otherwise, the radar sensor may not
operate properly, possibly leading to an
accident resulting in death or serious
injury.
●Keep the radar sensor and the radar
sensor cover clean at all times.
Radar sensor
Radar sensor cover
If the front of the radar sensor or the front
or back of the radar sensor cover is dirty
or covered with water droplets, snow,
etc., clean it.
Clean the radar sensor and radar sensor
cover with a soft cloth to avoid damaging
them.
A
B
A
B
1614-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
4
Driving
and rear wheels and effort necessary
to turn the steering wheel to help
enhance steering responsiveness.
WARNING
■Limitations of the pre-collision system
●The driver is solely responsible for safe
driving. Always drive safely, taking
care to observe your surroundings.
Do not use the pre-collision system
instead of normal braking operations
under any circumstances. This system
will not prevent collisions or lessen col-
lision damage or injury in every situa-
tion. Do not overly rely on this system.
Failure to do so may lead to an acci-
dent, resulting in death or serious
injury.
●Although this system is designed to
help avoid a collision or help reduce
the impact of the collision, its effective-
ness may change according to various
conditions, therefore the system may
not always be able to achieve the same
level of performance.
Read the following conditions care-
fully. Do not overly rely on this system
and always drive carefully.
• Conditions under which the system may operate even if there is no possi-
bility of a collision:
P.163
• Conditions under which the system may not operate properly:
P.165
●Do not attempt to test the operation of
the pre-collision system yourself.
Depending on the objects used for
testing (dummies, cardboard objects
imitating detectable objects, etc.), the
system may not operate properly, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
■Pre-collision braking
●When the pre-collision braking func-
tion is operating, a large amount of
braking force will be applied.
●If the vehicle is st opped by the opera-
tion of the pre-collision braking func-
tion, the pre-collision braking function
operation will be canceled after
approximately 2 seco nds. Depress the
brake pedal as necessary.
●The pre-collision braking function may
not operate if certain operations are
performed by the driver. If the acceler-
ator pedal is being depressed strongly
or the steering wheel is being turned,
the system may determine that the
driver is taking evasive action and pos-
sibly prevent the pre-collision braking
function from operating.
●In some situations, while the pre-colli-
sion braking function is operating,
operation of the function may be
canceled if the ac celerator pedal is
depressed strongly or the steering
wheel is turned and the system deter-
mines that the driver is taking evasive
action.
●If the brake pedal is being depressed,
the system may determine that the
driver is taking evasive action and pos-
sibly delay the operat ion timing of the
pre-collision braking function.
■When to disable the pre-collision sys-
tem
In the following situations, disable the
system, as it may not operate properly,
possibly leading to an accident resulting
in death or serious injury:
●When the vehicle is being towed
●When your vehicle is towing another
vehicle
●When transporting the vehicle via
truck, boat, train or similar means of
transportation
●When the vehicle is raised on a lift with
the engine running and the tires are
allowed to rotate freely
1684-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
■Vehicle sway warning function
When the vehicle is swaying or
appears as if it may depart from its lane
multiple times, the warning buzzer
sounds and a message is displayed on
the multi-information display to alert
the driver.
WARNING
■Before using LDA system
Do not rely solely upon the LDA system.
The LDA system does not automatically
drive the vehicle or reduce the amount of
attention that must be paid to the area in
front of the vehicle. The driver must
always assume full responsibility for driv-
ing safely by paying careful attention to
the surrounding conditions and operat-
ing the steering wheel to correct the path
of the vehicle. Also, the driver must take
adequate breaks when fatigued, such as
from driving for a long period of time.
Failure to perform appropriate driving
operations and pay careful attention may
lead to an accident, resulting in death or
serious injury.
■To avoid operating LDA system by
mistake
When not using the LDA system, use the
LDA switch to turn the system off.
■Situations unsuitable for LDA system
Do not use the LDA system in the follow-
ing situations.
The system may not operate properly
and lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
●A spare tire, tire chains, etc. are
equipped.
●When the tires have been excessively
worn, or when the tire inflation pres-
sure is low.
●Tires which differ by structure, manu-
facturer, brand or tread pattern are
used.
●Objects or patterns that could be mis-
taken for white (yellow) lines are pres-
ent on the side of the road (guardrails,
curbs, reflective poles, etc.).
●Vehicle is driven on a snow-covered
road.
●White (yellow) lines are difficult to see
due to rain, snow, fog, dust, etc.
1744-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch
Display
Set speed
IndicatorsCruise control switch
Dynamic radar cruise con-
trol with full-speed range
In vehicle-to-vehicle distance con-
trol mode, the vehicle automati-
cally accelerates, decelerates and
stops to match the speed changes
of the preceding vehicle even if the
accelerator pedal is not depressed.
In constant speed control mode,
the vehicle runs at a fixed speed.
Use the dynamic radar cruise con-
trol with full-speed range on free-
ways and highways.
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance con-
trol mode ( P.176)
Constant speed control mode
( P.180)
System Components
A
B
C
D
WARNING
■Before using dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed range
●Driving safely is th e sole responsibility
of the driver. Do not rely solely on the
system, and drive safely by always pay-
ing careful attention to your
surroundings.
●The dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range provides driving
assistance to reduce the driver’s bur-
den. However, there are limitations to
the assistance provided.
Read the following conditions care-
fully. Do not overly rely on this system
and always drive carefully.
• When the sensor ma y not be correctly
detecting the vehicle ahead:
P.182
• Conditions under which the vehi- cle-to-vehicle distance control mode
may not function correctly:
P.182
●Set the speed appropriately depend-
ing on the speed limit, traffic flow, road
conditions, weather conditions, etc.
The driver is responsible for checking
the set speed.
●Even when the system is functioning
normally, the condition of the preced-
ing vehicle as detected by the system
may differ from the condition
observed by the driver. Therefore, the
driver must always remain alert, assess
the danger of each situation and drive
safely. Relying on this system or assum-
ing the system ensu res safety while
driving can lead to an accident, result-
ing in death or serious injury.
●Switch the dynamic radar cruise con-
trol with full-speed range off using the
“ON/OFF” button when not in use.
E
1764-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
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 ve hicle-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 system 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 clos ing in on the vehicle ahead.
When the vehicle ahead of you stops, your vehi cle will also stop (vehicle is stopped by sys-
tem control). After the vehicle ahead starts of f, pushing the cruise control lever up or
depressing the accelerator pedal will resume follow-up cruising.
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 reached. The system then returns to constant
speed cruising.
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
A
B
C