1664-1. Before driving
Ball diameter
Matches the size of the trailer coupler.
Most couplers are stamped with the
required trailer ball size.
Shank length
Protrudes beyond the bottom of the lock
washer and nut by at least 2 threads.
Shank diameter
Matches the ball mount hole diameter size.
Weight carrying ball position
• RX350 : 44.96 in. (1142 mm)
• RX350L : 49.72 in. (1263 mm)
Hitch receiver pin hole position
• RX350 : 35.94 in. (913 mm)
• RX350L : 45.08 in. (1145 mm)
Use the wire harness stored in the rear
end under body.
■Auto current cut-off function
In case of over current, the auto cut-off
function stops the power flowing to the
trailer lights to prevent damage to the vehi-
cle’s electrical system.
This function is activ ated when the rated
current of any of the following trailer light
circuit components is exceeded:
●Tail lights: maximum 7.8 A
●Stop/turn signal light (right): maximum
4.5 A
●Stop/turn signal light (left): maximum 4.5
A
■When the auto current cut function is
activated
If a trailer light does not come on due to the
activation of the auto current cut function,
the light system will need to be reset.
Follow the reset procedure shown below.
●If a tail light does not come on, turn off the
headlight switch.
●If the right-side stop/turn signal light does
not come on, put the turn signal in the off
position or remove foot from the brake
pedal.
●If the left-side stop/t urn signal light does
not come on, put the turn signal in the off
position or remove foot from the brake
pedal.
If the emergency flashers do not operate,
press the emergency flasher switch to turn
them off.
After the light system is reset, operate the
light switches again to see if the lights oper-
ate normally.
If the lights do not operate normally, have
Positions for towing hitch
receiver and hitch ball
Connecting trailer lights
B
C
D
A
B
1674-1. Before driving
4
Driving
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
Your vehicle will handle differently
when towing a trailer. Help to avoid an
accident, death or serious injury, keep
the following in mind when towing:
Speed limits for towing a trailer vary
by state or provin ce. Do not exceed
the posted towing speed limit.
Lexus recommends that the vehi-
cle-trailer speed limit is 65 mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry
road. Do not exceed this limit, the
posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set
forth in your trailer owner’s manual,
whichever is lowest. Instability of the
towing vehicle-trailer combination
(trailer sway) increases as speed
increases. Exceeding speed limits
may cause loss of control.
Before starting out, check the trailer
lights, tires and the vehicle-trailer
connections. Recheck after driving
a short distance.
Practice turning, stopping and
reversing with the trailer attached in
an area away from traffic until you
become accustomed to the feel of
the vehicle-trailer combination.
Reversing with a tr ailer attached is
difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel
and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move
your hand to the right to move the
trailer to right. (This is generally opposite to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or
prolonged turning. Have someone
guide you when reversing to reduce
the risk of an accident.
As stopping distance is increased
when towing a trailer, vehicle-to
vehicle distance should be
increased. For each 10 mph (16
km/h) of speed, allow at least one
vehicle and trailer length.
Avoid sudden braking as you may
skid, resulting in the trailer jackknif-
ing and a loss of vehicle control. This
is especially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accel-
eration.
Avoid jerky steering and sharp
turns, and slow down before making
turn.
Note that when making a turn, the
trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Compensate by making a
wider than normal turning radius.
Slow down before making a turn, in
cross winds, on wet or slippery sur-
faces, etc. Increasing vehicle speed
can destabilize the trailer.
Take care when passing other vehi-
cles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After pass ing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty of room
before changing lanes.
To maintain engine braking effi-
ciency and charging system perfor-
Trailer towing tips
1694-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with 4 wheels on the
ground) behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehi-
cle
Do not tow your vehicle with the four
wheels on the ground.
■To prevent causing serious damage to
the transmission and Dynamic Torque
Control AWD system (AWD models)
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle
from the rear with the front wheels on the
ground.
This may cause serious damage to the
transmission.
AWD models: Never tow this vehicle
with any of the wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious damage to the
transmission and Dynamic Torque Con-
trol AWD system.
2054-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
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.208
• Conditions under which the system may not operate properly:
P.209
●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 stopped 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
●When inspecting the vehicle using a
drum tester such as a chassis dyna-
mometer or speedometer tester, or
when using an on vehicle wheel bal-
ancer
●When a strong impact is applied to the
front bumper or front grille, due to an
accident or other reasons
2124-5. Using the driving support systems
WARNING
●When your vehicle is towing a trailer
(vehicles with towing package) or
during emergency towing.
■Preventing LTA system malfunctions
and operations performed by mistake
●Do not modify the headlights or place
stickers, etc. on the surface of the
lights.
●Do not modify the suspension etc. If
the suspension etc. needs to be
replaced, contact your Lexus dealer.
●Do not install or place anything on the
hood or grille. Also, do not install a
grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar,
etc.).
●If your windshield needs repairs, con-
tact your Lexus dealer.
■Conditions in wh ich functions may
not operate properly
In the following situations, the functions
may not operate properly and the vehicle
may depart from its la ne. Drive safely by
always paying careful attention to your
surroundings and operate the steering
wheel to correct the path of the vehicle
without relying solely on the functions.
●When the follow-up cruising display is
displayed (
P.216) and the preced-
ing vehicle changes lanes. (Your vehi-
cle may follow the preceding vehicle
and also change lanes.)
●When the follow-up cruising display is
displayed (
P.216) and the preced-
ing vehicle is swaying. (Your vehicle
may sway accordingly and depart from
the lane.)
●When the follow-up cruising display is
displayed (P.216) and the preced-
ing vehicle departs from its lane. (Your
vehicle may follow the preceding vehi-
cle and depart from the lane.)
●When the follow-up cruising display is
displayed (
P.216) and the preced-
ing vehicle is being driven extremely
close to the left/right lane line. (Your
vehicle may follow the preceding vehi-
cle and depart from the lane.)
●Vehicle is being driven around a sharp
curve.
●Objects or patterns that could be mis-
taken for white (yellow) lines are pres-
ent on the side of the road (guardrails,
reflective poles, etc.).
●Vehicle is driven where the road
diverges, merges, etc.
2244-5. Using the driving support systems
This mode employs a radar to detect the presence of vehicles up to approximately
WARNING
■Situations unsuitable for dynamic
radar cruise control with full-speed
range
Do not use dynamic radar cruise control
with full-speed range in any of the follow-
ing situations. Doing so may result in
inappropriate speed control and could
cause an accident re sulting in death or
serious injury.
●Roads where there are pedestrians,
cyclists, etc.
●In heavy traffic
●On roads with sharp bends
●On winding roads
●On slippery roads, such as those cov-
ered with rain, ice or snow
●On steep downhills , or where there
are sudden changes between sharp up
and down gradients
Vehicle speed may exceed the set
speed when driving down a steep hill.
●At entrances to freeways and highways
●When weather conditions are bad
enough that they may prevent the sen-
sors from detectin g correctly (fog,
snow, sandstorm, heavy rain, etc.)
●When there is rain, snow, etc. on the
front surface of the radar or front cam-
era
●In traffic conditions that require fre-
quent repeated acceleration and
deceleration
●When your vehicle is towing a trailer
or during emergency towing
●When an approach warning buzzer is
heard often
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
2414-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
●Wires, fences, ropes, etc.
●Cotton, snow and other materials that
absorb sound waves
●Sharply-angled objects
●Low objects
●Tall objects with upper sections project-
ing outwards in the direction of your vehi-
cle
People may not be detected if they are
wearing certain types of clothing.
■Situations in which the system may not
operate properly
Certain vehicle conditions and the sur-
rounding environment may affect the ability
of a sensor to correctly detect objects. Par-
ticular instances where this may occur are
listed below.
●There is dirt, snow or ice on a sensor.
(Cleaning the sensors will resolve this
problem.)
●A sensor is frozen. (Thawing the area will
resolve this problem.)
In especially cold weather, if a sensor is
frozen the sensor display may be dis-
played abnormally, or objects, such as a
wall, may not be detected.
●When a sensor or the area around a sen-
sor is extremely hot or cold.
●On an extremely bumpy road, on an
incline, on gravel, or on grass.
●When vehicle horns, vehicle detectors,
motorcycle engines, air brakes of large
vehicles, the clearance sonar of other
vehicles or other devices which produce
ultrasonic waves are near the vehicle
●A sensor is coated with a sheet of spray
or heavy rain.
●If objects draw too close to the sensor.
●When a pedestrian is wearing clothing that does not reflect ultrasonic waves (ex.
skirts with gathers or frills).
●When objects that are not perpendicular
to the ground, not perpendicular to the
vehicle traveling direction, uneven, or
waving are in the detection range.
●Strong wind is blowing
●When driving in inclement weather such
as fog, snow or a sandstorm
●When an object that
cannot be detected
is between the vehicle and a detected
object
●If an object such as a vehicle, motorcycle,
bicycle or pedestrian cuts in front of the
vehicle or runs out from the side of the
vehicle
●If the orientation of a sensor has been
changed due to a collision or other
impact
●When equipment that may obstruct a
sensor is installed, such as a towing eye-
let, bumper protector (an additional trim
strip, etc.), bicycle carrier, or snow plow
●If the front of the vehicle is raised or low-
ered due to the carried load
●If the vehicle cannot be driven in a stable
manner, such as when the vehicle has
been in an accident or is malfunctioning
●When a tire chains, compact spare tire or
an emergency tire punc ture repair kit is
used
■Situations in which the system may
operate even if there is no possibility of a
collision
In some situations, such as the following, the
system may operate even though there is no
possibility of a collision.
●When driving on a narrow road
●When driving toward a banner, flag,
2494-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
on the position above the rear bumper
●When driving on a road surface that is
wet with standing water during bad
weather, such as heavy rain, snow, or fog
●When multiple vehicles are approaching
with only a small gap between each vehi-
cle
●When a vehicle is approaching at high
speed
●When equipment that may obstruct a
sensor is installed, such as a towing eye-
let, bumper protector (an additional trim
strip, etc.), bicycle carrier, or snow plow
●When backing up on a slope with a sharp
change in grade
●When backing out of a sharp anglepark-
ing spot
●When towing a trailer
●When there is a significant difference in
height between your vehicle and the
vehicle that enters the detection area
●When a sensor or the area around a sen-
sor is extremely hot or cold
●If the suspension has been modified or tires of a size othe
r than specified are
installed
●If the front of the vehicle is raised or low-
ered due to the carried load
●When turning while backing up
●When a vehicle turns into the detection
area
■Situations in which the system may
operate even if there is no possibility of a
collision
Instances of the RCTA function unneces-
sary detecting a vehicl e and/or object may
increase in the following situations:
●When the parking sp ace faces a street
and vehicles are being driven on the
street
●When the distance between your vehicle
and metal objects, such as a guardrail,
wall, sigh, or parked vehicle, which may
reflect electrical waves toward the rear of
the vehicle, is short