stop start LEXUS NX300 2020 Owner's Manual

1564-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
Coupler
Trailer ball
■Before towing
Check that the following conditions are
met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are prop-
erly inflated. ( P.413)
●Trailer tires are inflated according to the
trailer manufacturer’s recommendation.
●All trailer lights work as required by law.
●All lights work each time you connect
them.
●The trailer ball is set at the proper height
for the coupler on the trailer.
●The trailer is level when it is hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not level, and
check for improper tongue weight, over-
loading, worn suspension, or other possi-
ble causes.
●The trailer cargo is securely loaded.
●The rear view mirrors conform to all
applicable federal, state/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, install
rear view mirrors appropriate for towing
purposes.
■AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension
System) (if equipped)
The suspension can be switched for
improvement in driveability. ( P.261)
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any
new power train components (such as an
engine, transmission, differential or wheel
bearing), Lexus recommends that you do
not tow a trailer until the vehicle has been
driven for over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over
500 miles (800 km), you can start towing.
However, for the next 500 miles (800 km),
drive the vehicle at a speed of less than 50
mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and
avoid full throttle acceleration.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Warranty
and Services Guide”, “Owner’s Manual
Supplement” or “Scheduled Mainte-
nance”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately 600
miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing
vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can adversely
affect handling of your vehicle and trailer,
causing instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer
straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by
turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing th e accelerator pedal
immediately but very gradually to reduce
speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply
vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the
steering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer
should stabilize.
●After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropri-
ate, if possible.
A
B

1614-1. Before driving
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4
Driving
Weight carrying ball position:
42.1 in. (1069.9 mm)
Hitch receiver pin hole position:
33.7 in. (855.6 mm)
Please consult your dealer when
installing trailer lights, as incorrect
installation may cause damage to the
vehicle’s lights. Please take care to
comply with your state’s laws when
installing trailer lights. 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 province. Do not exceed
the posted towing speed limit.
 Lexus recommends that the vehicle-
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 vehi-
cle-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 trailer 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
WARNING
■Hitch
Trailer hitch assemb lies have different
weight capacities established by the hitch
manufacturer. Even though the vehicle
may be physically capable of towing a
higher weight, the operator must deter-
mine the maximum weight rating of the
particular hitch assembly and never
exceed the maximum weight rating
specified for the trailer-hitch. Exceeding
the maximum weight rating set by the
trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause an
accident resulting in death or serious
personal injuries.
Positions for towing hitch
receiver and hitch ball
Connecting trailer lights
A
B
Trailer towing tips

1624-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
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 desta-
bilize the trailer.
 Take care when passing other vehi-
cles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing 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-
mance when using engine braking, do not put the transmission in D. If in
the M mode, the transmission shift
range position must be in 4 or lower.
(
P.168)
 Instability happens more frequently
when descending steep or long
downhill grades. Before descend-
ing, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long downhill
grades.
 Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or applying the brakes too
frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
 Due to the added load of the trailer,
your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
85°F [30°C]) when driving up a
long or steep grade. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates overheating, immediately turn
off the air conditioning (if in use),
pull your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. ( P.403)
 Always place wheel blocks under
both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s
wheels when parking. Put the trans-
mission in P and apply the parking
brake. Avoid parking on a slope, but
if unavoidable, do so only after per-
forming the following:
1 Apply the brakes and keep them
applied.
2 Have someone place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle’s and trailer’s
wheels.

1634-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
3When the wheel blocks are in
place, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
4 Shift into P and apply the parking
brake.
5 Turn off the engine.
 When restarting after parking on a
slope:
1 With the transmission in P, start the
engine. Be sure to keep the brake
pedal depressed.
2 Shift into a forward gear. If revers-
ing, shift into R.
3 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, release the parking brake.
(P.173)
4 Release the brake pedal, and slowly
pull or back away from the wheel
blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
5 Have someone retrieve the blocks.Trailer towing (vehicles with-
out towing package)
Lexus does not recommend towing
a trailer with your vehicle. Lexus
also does not recommend the
installation of a tow hitch or the use
of a tow hitch carrier for a wheel-
chair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your
vehicle is not desi gned for trailer
towing or for the use of tow hitch
mounted carriers.

1664-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
■If “Smart Access System Malfunction
See Owner’s Manual” is displayed on
the multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
■Electronic key battery
 P.356
■Operation of the engine switch
●If the switch is not pressed shortly and
firmly, the engine switch mode may not
change or the engine may not start.
●If attempting to restart the engine imme-
diately after turning the engine switch off,
the engine may not start in some cases.
After turning the engine switch off, please
wait a few seconds before restarting the
engine.
■If the smart access system with push-
button start has been deactivated by a
customized setting
 P.427
1Stop the vehicle completely.
2
Set the parking brake ( P.173),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.168).
3
Press the engine switch.
4
Release the brake pedal and check
that the display on the instrument
cluster is off.
Modes can be changed by pressing
the engine switch with brake pedal
WARNING
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in
the driver’s seat. Do not depress the
accelerator pedal while starting the
engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident result-
ing in death or serious injury.
■Caution while driving
If engine failure occurs while the vehicle
is moving, do not lock or open the doors
until the vehicle reaches a safe and com-
plete stop. The steering lock function will
activate and this may lead to an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the engine
●Do not race a cold engine.
●If the engine becomes difficult to start
or stalls frequently, have your vehicle
checked by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
■Symptoms indicating a malfunction
with the engine switch
If the engine switch seems to be operat-
ing somewhat differently than usual, such
as the switch sticking slightly, there may
be a malfunction. Contact your Lexus
dealer immediately.
Stopping the engine
WARNING
■Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop th e engine in an emer-
gency while driving the vehicle, press
and hold the engine switch for more than
2 seconds, or press it briefly 3 times or
more in succession. ( P.366)
However, do not touch the engine switch
while driving except in an emergency.
Turning the engine off while driving will
not cause loss of steering or braking con-
trol, 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.
Changing engine switch modes

1694-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
in the M position.)
■Shift lock system
The shift lock system is a system to prevent
accidental operation of the shift lever in
starting.
The shift lever can be shifted from P only
when the engine switch is in IGNITION
ON mode and the brake pedal is being
depressed.
■If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
First, check whether the brake pedal is
being depressed.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your
foot on the brake pedal, there may be a
problem with the shift lock system. Have the
vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
The following steps may be used as an
emergency measure to ensure that the shift
lever can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
1
Set the parking brake.
2
Turn the engine switch off.
3
Depress the brake pedal.
4
Pry the cover up with a flathead screw-
driver or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover, cover the
tip of the screwdriver with a rag.
5
Press the shift lock override button.
The shift lever can be shifted while the but-
ton is pressed
WARNING
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
Be careful of downshifting and sudden
acceleration, as this could result in the
vehicle skidding to the side or spinning.
Shifting the shift lever
While the engine switch is in IGNI-
TION ON mode, move the shift lever
with the brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P
and D, make sure that the vehicle is
completely stopped.

1704-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
P.258
To drive using temporary shift range
selection, operate the “-” paddle shift
switch while the shift lever in D. Chang-
ing the shift range enables the level of
engine braking force to be selected.
The shift range can then be selected by
operating the “-” and “+” paddle shift
switches.
1
Upshifting
2
Downshifting
The selected shift range, from 1 to 6,
will be displayed on the multi-informa- tion display.
The initial shift range when the “-” paddle
shift switch is operated is automatically set
to 2, 3, 4 or 5 according to the vehicle
speed.
To return to normal D position driving, the
“+” paddle shift switch
must be held down
for a period of time.
A lower shift range will provide greater
engine braking forces than a higher shift
range.
■Automatic deactivation of shift range
selection in the D position
Shift range selection in the D position will
be deactivated in the following situations:
●When the vehicle comes to a stop
●If the accelerator pe dal is depressed for
more than a certai n period of time
●When the shift lever is shifted to a posi-
tion other than D
To enter M mode, shift the shift lever to
M. Gears can then be selected by
operating the shift lever or paddle shift
switches, allowing you to drive in the
gear of your choice. The gear can be
selected by operating the shift lever or
the “-” and “+” paddle shift switches.
WARNING
■To prevent an accident when releas-
ing the shift lock
Before pressing the shift lock override
button, make sure to set the parking
brake and depress the brake pedal.
If the accelerator pe dal is accidentally
depressed instead of the brake pedal
when the shift lock override button is
pressed and the shift lever is shifted out
of P, the vehicle may suddenly start, pos-
sibly leading to an accident resulting in
death or serious injury.
Selecting the driving mode
Selecting shift ranges in the D
position
Meter dis-
playFunction
D2 - D6
A gear in the range between 1 and the selected gear is auto- matically chosen depending
on vehicle speed and driving conditions
D11st gear is set
Selecting gears in the M position

1754-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
Turns the brake hold system on
The brake hold standby indicator
(green) comes on. While the system is
holding the brake, the brake hold operated
indicator (yellow) comes on.
■Brake hold system operating conditions
The brake hold system cannot be turned on
in the following conditions:
●The driver’s door is not closed.
●The driver is not wearing the seat belt.
If any of the conditions above are detected
when the brake hold system is enabled, the
system will turn off and the brake hold
standby indicator light will go off. In addi-
tion, if any of the co nditions are detected
while the system is holding the brake, a
warning buzzer will sound and a message
NOTICE
■When the parking brake cannot be
released due to a malfunction
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake set will lead to brake components
overheating, which may affect braking
performance and increase brake wear.
Have the vehicle inspected by contact
your Lexus dealer immediately if this
occurs.
Brake Hold
The brake hold system keeps the
brake applied when the shift lever is
in D, M or N with the system on and
the brake pedal has been
depressed to stop the vehicle. The
system releases the brake when the
accelerator pedal is depressed with
the shift lever in D or M to allow
smooth start off.
Enabling the system
A
B

1764-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
will be shown on the multi-information dis-
play. The parking brake will then be set
automatically.
■Brake hold function
●If the brake pedal is left released for a
period of about 3 minutes after the sys-
tem has started holding the brake, the
parking brake will be set automatically. In
this case, a warning buzzer sounds and a
message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display.
●To turn the system off while the system is
holding the brake, firmly depress the
brake pedal and press the button again.
●The brake hold function may not hold the
vehicle when the vehicle is on a steep
incline. In this situation, it may be neces-
sary for the driver to apply the brakes. A
warning buzzer will sound and the multi-
information display will inform the driver
of this situation. If a warning message is
shown on the multi-information display,
read the message and follow the instruc-
tions.
■When the parking brake is set automati-
cally while the system is holding the
brakes
With the brake pedal depressed, release
the parking brake by operating the parking
brake switch, making sure that the parking
brake indicator light goes off. ( P.172)
■When an inspection at your Lexus
dealer is necessary
When the brake hold standby indicator
(green) does not illuminate even when the
brake hold switch is pressed with the brake
hold system operating conditions met, the
system may be malfun ctioning. Have the
vehicle inspected at your Lexus dealer.
■If “Brake Hold Fault Depress Brake to
Deactivate Visit Your Dealer” is dis-
played on the multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
■Warning messages and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to
indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution. If a warn-
ing message is shown on the multi-informa- tion display, read the message and follow
the instructions.
■If the brake hold operated indicator
flashes
 P.379
WARNING
■When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a
steep incline, exercise caution. The brake
hold function may not hold the vehicle in
such a situation.
■When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when
the gripping ability of the tires has been
exceeded. Do not use the system when
stopped on a slippery road.
NOTICE
■When parking the vehicle
The brake hold system is not designed
for use when parking the vehicle for a
long period of time. Turning the engine
switch off while the system is holding the
brake may release the brake, which
would cause the vehicle to move. When
operating the engine switch, depress the
brake pedal, shift the shift lever to P and
set the parking brake.

2284-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
This mode employs a radar to detect the pr esence of vehicles up to approximately
328 ft. (100 m) ahead, determines the cu rrent vehicle-to-vehicle following dis-
tance, and operates to maintain a suitab le following distance from the vehicle
ahead. The desired vehicle-to-vehicle distance can also be set by operating the
vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch.
When driving on downhill slopes, the vehicl e-to-vehicle distance may become shorter.
Example of constant speed cruising
When there are no vehicles ahead
The vehicle travels at the speed set by the driver.
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 sy stem 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 closing 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 off, pushing the cruise control lever up or
depressing the accelerator pedal (start-off operation) will resume follow-up cruising. If the
start-off operation is not performed, system control continues to keep your vehicle
stopped.
When the turn signal lever is operated and your vehicle moves to a left lane while driving at
50 mph (80 km/h) or more, the vehicle will quickly accelerate to help to overtake a pass-
ing vehicle.
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
A
B