engine LEXUS RX450h 2015 Owners Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS Index
64-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior................... 634
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior .................... 637
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements .... 640
General maintenance ................ 643
Emission inspection and
maintenance (I/M)
programs ...................................... 647
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions ................................. 648
Hood................................................... 651
Positioning a floor jack............... 652
Engine compartment.................. 654
12-volt battery................................ 664
Tires ................................................... 670
Tire inflation pressure ................. 679
Wheels............................................. 683
Air conditioning filter ................. 685
Electronic key battery ................ 687
Checking and replacing
fuses ............................................... 689
Headlight aim................................. 705
Light bulbs ...................................... 708 5-1. Essential information
Emergency flashers..................... 724
If your vehicle needs to be
towed.............................................. 725
If you think something is
wrong ............................................. 732
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on
or a warning buzzer
sounds... ........................................ 733
If a warning message is
displayed ....................................... 743
If you have a flat tire..................... 764
If the hybrid system will not
start ................................................. 777
If the shift lever cannot be
shifted from P .............................. 779
If you lose your keys ................... 780
If the electronic key does
not operate properly ................ 781
If the vehicle 12-volt battery
is discharged ............................... 784
If your vehicle overheats .......... 788
If the vehicle becomes
stuck................................................ 793
If your vehicle has to be
stopped in an em ergency ...... 7954
Maintenance and care 5
When trouble arises

23Installation of a mobile two-way radio system The installation of a mobile two-way radio system in your vehicle could affect elec-
tronic systems such as: ●
Hybrid system●
Multiport fuel injection system/sequential multiport fuel injection system●
Cruise control system●
Dynamic radar cruise control system●
Anti-lock brake system●
SRS airbag system●
Seat belt pretensioner system
Be sure to check with your Lexus dealer for precautionary measures or special
instructions regarding installation of a mobile two-way radio system.
High voltage parts and cables on the hybr id vehicles emit approximately the same
amount of electromagnetic waves as the conventional gasoline powered vehicles or
home electronic appliances despite of their electromagnetic shielding.
Unwanted noise may occur in the reception of the mobile two-way radio.
Vehicle data recordings Your Lexus is equipped with several soph isticated computers that will record cer-
tain data, such as:
•Engine speed
• Motor speed
• Accelerator status
•Brake status
•Vehicle speed
•Shift position
• Hybrid battery (traction battery) status
The recorded data varies according to the vehicle grade level and options with
which it is equipped. Furthermore, these computers do not record conversations,
sounds or pictures.

301-1. Hybrid system
Hybrid system Your vehicle is a hybrid vehicle. It has characteristics different from con-
ventional vehicles. Be sure you are clos ely familiar with the characteristics
of your vehicle, and operate with care.
The hybrid system combines the use of a gasoline engine and an electric
motor (traction motor) according to driving conditions, improving fuel effi-
ciency and reducing exhaust emissions.
Gasoline engine
Rear electric motor (Traction motor)*
Front electric motor (Traction motor)
*: AWD models only

311-1. Hybrid system
1
Before driving
Vehicle Proximity Notification System
When the gasoline engine is off wh ile driving, a sound is produced to
warn pedestrians, people riding bicy cles or other people and vehicles in
the surrounding area that the vehicle is approa ching. The pitch of the
sound adjusts according to vehicle speed. When vehicle speed is approx-
imately 12 mph (20 km/h) or mo re, the warning system turns off.■ When stopped/during start-off
The gasoline engine stops when the vehicle is stopped. During start-
off, the electric motor (traction mo tor) drives the vehicle. At slow
speeds or when traveling down a ge ntle slope, the engine is stopped
and the motor is used.
■ During normal driving
The gasoline engine is predomina ntly used. The electric motor
(traction motor) charges the hybrid battery as necessary.
■ When accelerating sharply
The power of the hybrid battery (tract ion battery) is added to that of
the gasoline engine via the electric motor (traction motor).
■ When braking (regenerative braking)
The electric motor (traction moto r) charges the hybrid battery
(traction battery).

321-1. Hybrid system
■
Regenerative braking
In the following situations, kinetic energy is converted to electric energy and decel-
eration force can be obtained in conjunction with the recharging of the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery). ●
The accelerator pedal is released. ●
The brake pedal is depressed with the shift lever in D or S.■
Conditions in which the gasoline engine may not stop
The gasoline engine starts and stops automatically. However, it may not stop auto-
matically in the following conditions: ●
During gasoline engine warm-up●
During hybrid battery (traction battery) charging●
When the temperature of the hybrid batt ery (traction battery) is high or low●
When the heater is switched on■
Charging the hybrid battery (traction battery) ●
As the gasoline engine charges the hybrid battery (traction battery), the battery
does not need to be charged from an outside source. However, if the vehicle is
left parked for a long time the hybrid ba ttery will slowly discharge. For this rea-
son, be sure to drive the vehicle at least once every few months for at least 30
minutes. If the hybrid battery becomes fully discharged and you are unable to
jump-start the vehicle with the 12-volt battery, contact your Lexus dealer. ●
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid battery (traction battery) will not be charged.
Always put the shift lever in P when the vehicle is stopped. When driving in
heavy traffic, operate the vehicle with the shift lever in D or S to avoid discharg-
ing the battery.■
After the 12-volt battery has discharged or has been changed or removed
The gasoline engine may not st op even if the vehicle is running on the hybrid battery
(traction battery). If this continues for a few days, contact your Lexus dealer.

331-1. Hybrid system
1
Before driving ■
Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sounds or vibration even though the vehicle is able to
move. Always shift the shift lever to P when parked.
The following sounds or vibrations may o ccur when the hybrid system is operating,
and are not a malfunction: ●
Motor sounds may be heard fr om the engine compartment.●
Sounds may be heard from the hybrid battery (traction battery) under the rear
seat when the hybrid system starts or stops.●
Sounds from the hybrid system may be heard when the back door is open.●
Sounds may be heard from the hybrid transmission when the engine is started
or stopped, or while the engine is idling.●
Engine sounds may be heard when accelerating sharply.●
Sounds may be heard due to regenerative braking when the brake pedal is
depressed and accelerator is loosened.●
Vibration may be felt when the gasoline engine starts or stops.●
Cooling fan sounds may be heard from th e air intake vents un der the rear seat.■
Vehicle Proximity Notification System
In the following cases, the Vehicle Proximit y Notification System sound may be diffi-
cult for pedestrians, people riding bicycles or other peop le and vehicles in the sur-
rounding area to hear: ●
When there is a lot of noise in the vicinity ●
When it is raining or during strong winds●
When in the area surrounding the rear of the vehicle, rather than in front of the
vehicle■
Maintenance, repair, recycling, and disposal
Contact your Lexus dealer regarding main tenance, repair, recycling and disposal.
Do not dispose of the vehicle yourself.

421-1. Hybrid system
Navigation system or Lexus
Display Audio system Multi-information
display
When the vehi-
cle is powered
by the electric
motor (traction
motor) Navigation system
Lexus Display Audio system
When the vehi-
cle is powered
by both the gas-
oline engine and
the electric
motor (traction
motor) Navigation system
Lexus Display Audio system
When the vehi-
cle is powered
by the
gasoline engine Navigation system
Lexus Display Audio system

4911-1. Hybrid system
Before driving Hybrid vehicle driving tips For economical and ecological driving, pay attention to the following
points:
■ Use of Hybrid System Indicator More Eco-friendly driving is possib le by keeping the indicate of Hybrid
System Indicator within Eco area.
■ When braking the vehicle Make sure to operate the brakes ge ntly and in good time. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be retained when slowing down.
■ Delays Repeated acceleration and deceleration, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fu el consumption. Check traffic reports before leav-
ing and avoid delays as much as possible. When encountering a delay,
gently release the brake pedal to allow the vehicle to move forward slightly
while avoiding overuse of the accelerato r pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
■ Highway driving Control your speed and keep at a constant speed. Also, 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
retained when slowing down.
■ Air conditioning Use the air conditioning only when necessary. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: In high temperatures, use the recirculated air mode. Doing so
will help to reduce the burden on the air conditioning and reduce fuel con-
sumption as well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine will not automatically cut out until
the gasoline engine and the interior of the vehicle are warm, it will con-
sume fuel. Also, fuel consumption can be improved by avoiding overuse of
the heater.

501-1. Hybrid system
■ Checking tire inflation pressure Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure frequently.
Improper tire inflation pressure can cause poor fu el consumption.
Also, as snow tires can cause large amounts of friction, their use on dry
roads can lead to poor fuel consumptio n. Use a tire that is appropriate for
the season.
■ Luggage Carrying heavy luggage can lead to poor fuel consumption. Avoid carry-
ing unnecessary luggage. Installing a large roof rack can also cause poor
fuel consumption.
■ Warming up before driving Since the gasoline engine starts up and cuts out automatically when cold,
warming up the engine is unnecessary. Moreover, frequently driving short
distances will cause the engine to repeatedly warm up, which can lead to
poor fuel consumption.

1672-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving ■
When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control is available. (  P. 2 76 )■
Driving in the rain ●
Drive carefully when it is raining, becaus e visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.●
Drive carefully when it starts to rain, be cause the road surface will be especially
slippery.●
Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because
there may be a layer of water between th e tires and the road surface, preventing
the steering and brakes from operating properly.■
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 accelerator pedal is released●
When the brake pedal is depresse d while sport mode is selected■
Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended: ●
For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.●
For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.●
For the first 1000 miles (1600 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.