automatic LEXUS RX330 2006 Owners Manual

STARTING AND DRIVING
421
CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on dynamic laser cruise control.
Observe the following precautions in order to avoid
serious injury or death:
 Under certain conditions when the vehicle in front
slows abruptly, or is stopped, the dynamic laser
cruise control may be unable to decelerate
automatically or to warn you. You must apply the
brakes manually in order to maintain a safe
vehicletovehicle distance or avoid collision.
Therefore, pay careful attention to following
distance, even when using the dynamic laser cruise
control.
 Do not use dynamic laser cruise control in the
following conditions:
In bad weather (such as rain, fog, snow, sandstorms
or direct sunlight, or when raindrops or snowflakes
get on the laser radar sensor glass), the
vehicletovehicle distance will not be measured
accurately.
When using the windshield wipers at high or low
speeds, the dynamic laser cruise control turns off.
On roads with heavy traffic or sharp bends, an
appropriate speed cannot be maintained and an
accident may occur.
On slippery road surfaces (icy or snowcovered road
surfaces), the tires will race and you will be unable to
control the vehicle.
When there is no vehicle detected ahead on steep
downhill slopes, the preset speed will be easily
exceeded because of inefficient engine braking. (In
this case, automatic braking will not work.) If there is
a vehicle detected ahead, the delay in deceleration
timing could cause serious injury or death.
When the alarm sounds frequently (because of
frequent changes of speed or insufficient
vehicletovehicle distance), this indicates that the
system cannot maintain an appropriate
vehicletovehicle distance and an accident may
occur.
On roads with steep and short inclines and declines,
failure to detect the vehicle ahead will shorten the
distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead
and an accident may occur.

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423
If other vehicles are driving outside of the laser radar
detection range, a delay in the detection of the
vehicle cutting in at short range or failure to detect a
motorcycle running on the side of the same lane will
occur. In this case, the dynamic laser cruise control
system will not function properly.
 When a slower vehicle in front of you leaves the lane,
the dynamic laser cruise control will no longer detect
a vehicle ahead and will attempt to accelerate the
vehicle to the faster preset speed.
(b) Turning the system on and off
To turn the dynamic laser cruise control on, press the
“ON−OFF” button. The “CRUISE” and “READY” indicator
lights on the instrument cluster will come on to indicate that the
vehicle −to−vehicle distance control mode is operational.
Pressing the “ON −OFF” button again turns the system off.
When the system is turned off, cruising speed and
vehicle −to−vehicle distance must be reset when the
vehicle −to−vehicle distance control mode is turned on again.
When the ignition is turned off, the system is also automatically
turned off. To use dynamic laser cruise control again, press the
“ON−OFF” button again to turn it on.
When the ignition is turned off, all the preset data is cleared.
When you use the dynamic laser cruise control again, you
need to reset the data.

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425
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed, push the lever down
in the “−
SET” direction and release it. This sets the vehicle at
that speed. At this time, the display indicates settings such as
the preset vehicle speed, whether a vehicle is present ahead
and the selected following distance. If no vehicle is detected
ahead, the display does not indicate the vehicle ahead. You
can now take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If you need to accelerate — for example, when passing —
depress the accelerator pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the preset speed. When you release the accelerator pedal, the
vehicle will return to the control prior to acceleration.
You cannot set a desired speed if the master warning light
comes on, the alarm sounds and the display indicates one of
the warning codes “E1”, “E2” or “E3”. If any of the above codes
appears on the display, see “(l) Vehicle −to−vehicle distance
control mode failure warning” on page 431. (d) Cancelling the vehicletovehicle distance control
mode
The vehicle
−to−vehicle distance control mode may be
temporarily cancelled by the driver or by the system itself under
certain circumstances. Temporary cancellation allows the set
cruising speed and vehicle −to−vehicle distance to remain in
memory.
The vehicle −to−vehicle distance control mode can be
temporarily cancelled by doing the following:
 Pulling the lever in the “CANCEL” direction and releasing it
 Depressing the brake pedal
Under certain circumstances, the vehicle −to− vehicle distance
control mode is temporarily cancelled:
 When vehicle speed falls below 40 km/h (25 mph)
 When vehicle stability control is activated
The “READY” indicator light comes on to indicate that the
system is still in operation.
To turn the system off, press the “ON −OFF” button. Make sure
the “CRUISE” indicator light is off.
If one of the warning codes “E1”, “E2” or “E3” appears\
on the
display, the preset speed automatically cancels out. See “(l)
Vehicle −to−vehicle distance control mode failure warning” on
page 431.
If the vehicle− to−vehicle distance control mode automatically
cancels out other than for the above cases, have your vehicle
checked by your Lexus dealer at the earliest opportunity.

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427
(g) Resetting to a slower speed
Push the lever down in the “
− SET” direction and hold it. The
displayed speed will decrease in increments of 5 mph (for
U.S.A.) or 5 km/h (for Canada). Release the lever when the
desired speed is attained. The vehicle speed will gradually
decrease to the displayed speed.
However, a faster way to reset is to depress the brake pedal
and then push the lever down in the “ − SET” direction.
If the control lever is released when the vehicle speed exceeds
the upper limit of the preset speed traveling downhill while you
are pushing the lever down, the system will memorize the
upper limit of the preset speed as a preset speed.
With automatic transmission (standard type) —
Even if you downshift the transmission from “D” to “4” in th\
e
vehicle −to−vehicle distance control mode, engine braking will
not be enabled because this mode is not cancelled. To
decrease the vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed with the
cruise control lever or depress the brake pedal. If you use the
brake pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
With automatic transmission (multi −mode type) —
Even if you downshift the transmission from “D” or “5” (fif\
th
range) to the “4” (fourth range) in the vehicle −to−vehicle
distance control mode, engine braking will not be enabled
because this mode is not cancelled. To decrease the vehicle
speed, reset to a slower speed with the cruise control lever or
depress the brake pedal. If you use the brake pedal, cruise
control is cancelled. (h) Changing vehicletovehicle distance
1Long2Middle3Short
You can select one of the distances listed below.
1. Long
2. Middle
3. Short
Pulling the distance switch briefly towards you allows you to
toggle between long, middle and short vehicle −to−vehicle
distances. You can confirm the setting on the display.
Your vehicle speed changes to match the speed of the vehicle
ahead, maintaining the selected distance. However, if the
vehicle ahead slows, the actual vehicle −to−vehicle distance
will be shorter than the set distance.
When the vehicle−to−vehicle distance control mode is
activated or the “READY” indicator comes on, the
vehicle −to−vehicle distance setting can be changed.

STARTING AND DRIVING
428The vehicle
−to− vehicle distance is always set to long when the
ignition switch is turned on.
Select the vehicle −to−vehicle distance considering traffic
conditions. The approximate vehicle −to−vehicle distance
based on time interval when driving at 88 km/h (55 mph) is
shown below:
Long about 75 m (245 ft.)
. . . . . . . . . .
Middle about 50 m (165 ft.)
. . . . . . . .
Short about 30 m (100 ft.)
. . . . . . . . .
If vehicle speeds are slower than 88 km/h (55 mph), the
distance will be shorter than that listed above.
During long downhill driving, the actual vehicle −to−vehicle
distance may be less than that selected by the driver. (i) Braking control
Dynamic laser cruise control is not a collision avoidance
system. If the approach warning is activated, decelerate by
applying the brakes to ensure an appropriate
vehicle
−to−vehicle distance.
If you are nearing the vehicle ahead traveling at a higher speed
than the vehicle ahead or if engine braking cannot be applied
properly, braking control is automatically activated. At this
time, the display flashes.
Braking control operates only when the vehicle −to−vehicle
distance control mode is selected and your vehicle speed
exceeds about 40 km/h (25 mph). If the speed falls below
about 40 km/h (25 mph), braking control will cease, requiring
the manual application of brakes.

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430(k) Laser radar sensor
The laser radar sensor is used for vehicletovehicle
distance control cruising.
If dirt is on the sensor glass, the dynamic laser cruise
control
function is automatically cancelled and a warning
code appears on the display. (See “(l) Vehicletovehicle
distance control mode failure warning” on page 431.)
However, if the glass sensor is covered with ice or another
transparent substance, dirt may not be detected.
Before using the vehicletovehicle distance control
mode, make sure the laser radar sensor glass is clean.
This product is a class I laser product complied with
21 C.F.R part 1040.10. and 1040. 11.
CAUTION
To ensure that dynamic laser cruise control will function
properly while driving, observe the following:
 Always keep the laser radar sensor glass clean.
When cleaning, use a soft cloth and be careful not to
damage the sensor.
 Avoid strong impacts around the laser radar sensor.
An incorrect laser radar sensor alignment will result
in system malfunction. A special device is required
to adjust the laser radar sensor alignment. Be sure
to have the sensor adjusted by your Lexus dealer.
 Do not affix a sticker (including a transparent sticker)
or attach an accessory around the laser radar sensor.

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431
(l) Vehicletovehicle distance control mode failure
warning
1Warning code2 “CRUISE” indicator light
3Master warning light
If a system malfunction is detected when the
vehicle −to−vehicle distance control mode is on, the master
warning light comes on, a warning tone sounds and a warning
code appears on the display. Dynamic laser cruise control is
automatically cancelled.
If “E3” appears on the display, the “CRUISE” indicator light in
the instrument cluster also flashes. If “E1” appears on the display,
the system cannot easily
measure the vehicle −to−vehicle distance because of a dirty
laser radar sensor glass.
If this code appears, clean the sensor glass with a soft cloth
and try setting the preset speed again. If the dirt is removed
without cleaning, the system will automatically enter the ready
mode.
If the system does not enter the ready mode even after
cleaning or the code remains on the display, the system might
be malfunctioning. Although the vehicle may still be operated,
please contact your Lexus dealer.
CAUTION
Always keep the sensor glass clear and never allow it to
be covered with icicle or any substance, so it can detect
the vehicle in front.

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435
(b) Setting the cruising speed
With automatic transmission (standard type) —
The transmission must be in “D” before you set the cruising
speed.
With automatic transmission (multi
−mode type) —
The transmission must be in “D”, “5” (fifth range) or “\
4” (fourth
range) before you set the cruising speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed, push the lever down
in the “− SET” direction and release it. This sets the vehicle at
that speed and the display shows the preset speed. You can
now take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If you need to accelerate — for example, when passing —
depress the accelerator pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the preset speed. When you release the accelerator pedal, the
vehicle will return to the speed set prior to acceleration. You cannot set a desired speed if the master warning light
comes on, the alarm sounds and the display indicates the
warning
code “E3”. If this code appears on the display, see “(g)
Conventional cruise control mode failure warning” on page
437.
(c) Cancelling the conventional cruise control mode
The conventional cruise control mode may be temporarily
cancelled by the driver or by the system itself under certain
circumstances. T emporary cancellation allows the set cruising
speed to remain in memory.
The conventional cruise control mode can be temporarily
cancelled by doing the following:
 Pulling the lever in the “CANCEL” direction and releasing it
 Depressing the brake pedal
Under certain circumstances, the conventional cruise control
mode is temporarily cancelled:
 When vehicle speed falls below 40 km (25 mph)
 When vehicle stability control is activated
When vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10 mph) below the set
speed, the conventional cruise control mode is cancelled and
the set speed is erased from memory.
The “CRUISE” indicator light remains on to indicate that the
system is still in operation.

STARTING AND DRIVING
436To turn the system off, push the “ON
−OFF” button. Make sure
the “CRUISE” indicator light is off.
If the conventional cruise control mode automatically cancels
out other than for the above cases, have your vehicle checked
by your Lexus dealer at the earliest opportunity.
(d) Resuming the conventional cruise control mode
If the conventional cruise control mode is temporarily
cancelled, the cruising speed can be resumed by pushing the
lever up in the “+ RES” direction.
Vehicle speed must be above 40 km/h (25 mph).
(e) Resetting to a faster speed
Push the lever up in the “+ RES” direction and hold it. Release
the lever when the desired speed is attained. While the lever
is held up, the vehicle will gradually gain speed.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km/h (3 mph), the set speed can be
increased 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time by pushing the lever up
in the “+ RES” direction quickly within 0.6 seconds.
However, a faster way to reset is to accelerate the vehicle and
then push the lever down in the “ − SET” direction. (f) Resetting to a slower speed
Push the lever down in the “
− SET” direction and hold it.
Release the lever when the desired speed is attained. While
the lever is held down, the vehicle speed will gradually
decrease.
When the difference between the actual vehicle speed and the
set speed is less than 5 km/h (3 mph), the set speed can be
lowered 1.6 km/h (1 mph) each time by pushing the lever down
in the “− SET” direction quickly within 0.6 seconds.
However, a faster way to reset is to accelerate the vehicle and
then push the lever down in the “ − SET” direction.
With automatic transmission (standard type) —
Even if you downshift from “D” to “4” in the conventional cruise
control mode, engine braking will not be enabled because this
mode is not cancelled. To decrease the vehicle’s speed, reset
to a slower speed with the cruise control lever or depress the
brake pedal. If you use the brake pedal, cruise control is
cancelled.
With automatic transmission (multi −mode type) —
Even if you downshift from “D” or “5” (fifth range) to “4” (fourth
range) in the conventional cruise control mode, engine braking
will not be enabled because this mode is not cancelled. To
decrease the vehicle’s speed, reset to a slower speed with the
cruise control lever or depress the brake pedal. If you use the
brake pedal, cruise control is cancelled.

STARTING AND DRIVING
438This electronically modulated air suspension allows the
driver to
control the vehicle’s height in order to adjust for
driving conditions. Select your desired height among the
“HI” (high), “N” (normal) and “LO” (low) modes with the
height select switch.
You can turn on or off the easy access mode with the easy
access mode switch. If the engine is stopped when the easy
access mode is on, the vehicle height is lowered automatically.
(a) Vehicle height modes
Vehicle’s height mm (in.)
“N”
− 7.0 (0.3)
Vehicle speedkm/h (mph)
80
(50) 100
(62)

“N” (normal) mode
“N” (normal) mode: The vehicle’s height in this mode is
standard.
This mode is suitable for ordinary driving.
When the vehicle speed exceeds approximately 100 km/h (62
mph), the vehicle’s height automatically lowers about 7 mm
(0.3 in.) from normal height to provide better stability. When the
vehicle speed reduces to under approximately 80 km/h (50
mph), the vehicle’s height automatically returns to the normal
height.