LEXUS RX450h 2015 Owners Manual

1611-8. Safety information
1
Before driving Removing a child restraint installed with a seat belt
Press the buckle release button
and fully retract the seat belt.
Child restraint systems with a top tether strap
Secure the child restraint system
using a seat belt or the LATCH
anchors, and remove the head
restraint.
Open the anchor bracket cover,
latch the hook onto the anchor
bracket and tighten the top tether
strap.
Make sure the top tether strap is
securely latched. STEP 1
STEP 2

1621-8. Safety information
Replace the head restraint and lift
it up to the up permost lock posi-
tion.STEP 3
■
Laws and regulations pertaining to anchors
The LATCH system conforms to FMVSS225 or CMVSS210.2.
Child restraint systems conforming to FMVSS213 or CMVSS213 specifications
can be used.
This vehicle is designed to conform to the SAE J1819.
CAUTION■
When installing a booster seat
To prevent the belt from going into ALR lock mode, do not fully extend the shoulder
belt. ALR mode causes the belt to tighten only. This could cause injury or discom-
fort to the child. (  P. 1 0 1 )

1631-8. Safety information
1
Before driving CAUTION■
When installing a child restraint system
Follow the directions given in the child re straint system installa tion manual and fix
the child restraint system securely in place.
If the child restraint system is not correctl y fixed in place, the child or other passen-
gers may be injured or even killed in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving
or an accident.
●
When installing a child restraint system in the rear center seat, adjust both seat
cushions to the same position and align both seatbacks at the same angle. The
seatbacks must be adjusted to the same angle. Otherwise, the child restraint sys-
tem cannot be securely restrained and this may cause death or serious injuries in
the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
●
When using the LATCH system, move the seat as far back as possible and adjust
the seatback as upright as possible.
●
When a booster seat is installed, always ensure that the shoulder belt is posi-
tioned across the center of the child's shoulder. The belt should be kept away
from the child's neck, but not so that it could fall off the child's shoulder. Failing to
do so may result in death or serious inju ry in the event of sudden braking, sudden
swerving or an accident. ●
If the driver’s seat interferes with the child
restraint system and prevents it from being
attached correctly, attach the child restraint
system to the right-hand rear seat. ●
Adjust the front passen ger seat so that it
does not interfere with the child restraint
system. ●
Only put a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front seat when unavoidable.
When installing a forward-facing child
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, move the seat as far back as possible
even if the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is
illuminated. Failure to do so may result in
death or serious injury if the airbags deploy
(inflate).

1641-8. Safety information
CAUTION■
When installing a child restraint system ●
Ensure that the belt and tab are securely locked and the seat belt is not twisted.●
Shake the child restraint system left and right, and forward and backward to
ensure that it has be en securely installed.●
After securing a child restraint system, never adjust the seat.●
Follow all installation instructions provid ed by the child restraint system manufac-
turer.■
Do not use a seat belt extender
If a seat belt extender is used when inst alling a child restraint system, the seat belt
will not securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause death or serious
injury to the child or other passengers in the event of sudden braking, sudden
swerving or an accident.■
To correctly attach a child restraint system to the anchors
When using the LATCH anchors, be sure that there are no foreign objects around
the anchors and that the seat belt is no t caught behind the child restraint system.
Make sure the child restraint system is se curely attached, or it may cause death or
serious injury to the child or other passen gers in the event of a sudden stop, sudden
swerve or accident.

When driving
2
1652-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle.................. 166
Power (ignition) switch .......... 177
EV drive mode.......................... 183
Hybrid transmission ............... 186
Turn signal lever ....................... 193
Parking brake ........................... 195
Horn ............................................ 196
2-2. Instrument cluster
Gauges and meters ................ 197
Indicators and warning
lights ......................................... 201
Multi-information display .... 206
Head-up display ...................... 212
2-3. Operating the lights and
windshield wipers
Headlight switch...................... 217
Fog light switch ........................ 221
Windshield wipers and
washer ................................... 223
Rear window wiper and
washer .................................... 229
Headlight cleaner switch...... 231 2-4. Using other driving
systems
Cruise control......................... 232
Dynamic radar cruise
control .................................... 236
Intuitive parking assist .......... 248
Rear view monitor system
(rear view mirror-attached
type) ........................................ 258
Rear view monitor system
(vehicles with the Lexus
Display Audio system) ....... 266
Driving assist systems ............. 271
Hill-start assist control .......... 276
Pre-Collision System ............ 278
BSM
(Blind Spot Monitor) .......... 286
2-5. Driving information
Utility vehicle
precautions ........................... 292
Cargo and luggage ............... 296
Vehicle load limits ................... 301
Winter driving tips ................. 302
Tr a i l e r t o w i n g ( AW D m o d e l s
with towing package)......... 306
Trailer towing (without
towing package).................. 323
Dinghy towing ......................... 324

1662-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
Starting off on a steep uphill
Make sure that the pa rking brake is set and shift the shift lever to
D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake. The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driving.
■ Starting the hybrid system
 P. 177
■ Driving
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D.
(  P. 1 8 6 )
Release the parking brake. (  P. 195)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■ Stopping
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
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. (
 P. 1 8 6 )
■
Parking the vehicle
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (  P. 1 9 5 )
Shift the shift lever to P. (  P. 1 8 6 )If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
Press the “POWER” switch to stop the hybrid system.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the electronic key on
your person.STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

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.

1682-1. Driving procedures
■
Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of brake sys-
tem needs bedding-down of the brake shoe s periodically or whenever the parking
brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Lexus dealer perform the bed-
ding down operation.■
Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. (  P. 800)■
For efficient use ●
Shift the shift lever to D when driving.
In the N position, the gasoline engine op erates but electricity cannot be gener-
ated. The hybrid battery (traction battery) will discharge, requiring unnecessary
engine power to recharge.●
Drive your vehicle smoothly.
Avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration. Gradual acceleration and decel-
eration will make more effective use of the electric motor (t raction motor) with-
out having to use gasoline engine power.●
Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes hybrid battery (traction battery) power,
resulting in poor acceleration. Battery power can be restored by driving with
the accelerator pedal slightly released.●
Shift the shift lever to P when parking.
In the N position, the hybrid battery (traction battery) does not recharge.
Leaving the shift lever in the N position for an extended period of time may dis-
charge the hybrid battery. The vehicle cannot run if the hybrid battery is dis-
charged.■
Eco-friendly driving
 P. 1 9 9
CAUTION
■
When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pe dal while stopped with the hybrid system
operating. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.

1692-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving CAUTION■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator
pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerato r pedal instead of the brake pedal will
result in sudden acceleration that may le ad to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your bo dy around, leading to a difficulty in
operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• 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 acci-
dent.●
When the hybrid vehicle is driven using the electric motor only, no engine noise is
made. As such, pedestrians, people riding bicycles or other people and vehicles
in the surrounding area may not realize that the vehicle is approaching. Even with
the Vehicle Proximity Notification System active, people may not realize the vehi-
cle is approaching when the surrounding area is noisy and so forth. Therefore,
take extra care while driving.●
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 flammable material nearby.●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or
roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an acci dent or damage to the vehicle.●
If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and check
that the back door is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause
driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a serious health hazard.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
●
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 control.

1702-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION●
Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Do not shift the shift lever to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the hybrid
system. Engine braking is not availabl e with the hybrid system disengaged.●
During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid sys-
tem off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, however,
power assist to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer
smoothly, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle
in the normal way:  P. 7 9 5●
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 effec-
tiveness. (  P. 1 8 6 )●
When stopped on an incline, use the brake pedal and parking brake to prevent
the vehicle from rolling backward or forward, causing an accident. ●
Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside
rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents, resulting
in death or serious injury.●
Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.●
Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits 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 driving at such speeds.