LEXUS RX450h 2015 Owners Manual

1712-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving CAUTION■
When driving on slippery road surfaces ●
Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehi cle, resulting in an accident.●
Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shift changing, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.●
After driving through a pudd le, lightly depress the brak e pedal to make sure that
the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from
functioning properly. If the brakes on on ly one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be af fected, resulting in an accident.■
When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an
accident and result in death or serious injury.■
If you hear a squealing or scraping no ise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replac e the brake pads as soon as possible.
Rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.

1722-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION■
When the vehicle is stopped ●
Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly
and unexpectedly, causing an accident.●
Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and
check that exhaust fumes do no t enter the vehicle interior.●
In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on. Apply the parking
brake as necessary.●
If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed.●
Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause the
exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible material is
nearby.

1732-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving CAUTION■
When the vehicle is parked ●
Do not leave glasses, cigarett e lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehi-
cle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic
material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of
the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle's electrical com-
ponents.●
Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a place such
as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when luggage is loaded
or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.●
Do not attach adhesive discs to the wind shield or windows. Do not place contain-
ers such as air fresheners on the instru ment panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs
or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.●
Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a metal-
lized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause the glass to
act as a lens, causing a fire.●
Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid system
and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the hybrid system is operating.●
Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the hybrid system is operating or immedi-
ately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.●
Do not leave the hybrid system operating in an area with snow build-up, or where
it is snowing. If snowbanks build up arou nd the vehicle while the hybrid system is
operating, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may lead to
death or a serious health hazard.

1742-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION■
Exhaust gases
Exhaust gases include harmfu l carbon monoxide (CO) th at is colorless and odor-
less. Inhaling exhaust gases may lead to death or a serious health hazard. ●
If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area, stop the hybrid system. In a closed
area, such as a garage, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may
lead to death or a serious health hazard.●
The exhaust system should be checked occasionally. If there is a hole or crack
caused by corrosion, damage to a joint or abnormal exhaust noise, be sure to
have the vehicle inspected and repaired by your Lexus dealer . Failure to do so
may allow exhaust gases to enter the vehicl e, resulting in death or a serious health
hazard.■
When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to
hybrid system overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly venti-
lated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to death or a
serious health hazard.■
When braking the vehicle ●
When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause one side
of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the parking brake may
not securely hold the vehicle.●
If the electronically controlled brake syst em does not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase. Have your brakes
fixed immediately.
●
The brake system consists of 2 or more individual hydraulic systems; if one of the
systems fails, the other(s) wi ll still operate. In this case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual and the braking distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.

1752-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving CAUTION■
If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline components or propel
the vehicle forward or backward, causing an accident.
NOTICE■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not depress the accelerator and brake pe dals at the same time during driving,
as this may restrain driving torque.●
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at
the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.■
When parking the vehicle
Always shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accel erator pedal is accidentally depressed.■
Avoiding damage to vehicle parts ●
Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.●
When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damag-
ing the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc. ■
If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brak e pedal to slow down the vehicle.●
It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●
The vehicle will make abnormal sounds.
●
The vehicle will behave abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (  P. 76 4 )

1762-1. Driving procedures
NOTICE■
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle: ●
Engine stalling●
Short in electrical components●
Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to
have your Lexus dealer check the following:●
Brake function●
Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid trans-
mission, etc., and, for AWD models, the rear electric motor (traction motor).●
Lubricant condition for the bearings, susp ension joints (where possible) and the
function of all joints, bearings, etc.

1772-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving Power (ignition) switch Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic key on
your person starts the hybrid system or changes “POWER” switch modes.
■ Starting the hybrid system
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Firmly depress the brake pedal. The “POWER” switch indicator will turn green. If the indicator does
not turn green, the hybrid system cannot be started.
Press the “POWER” switch. After a while, the “READY” indi-
cator comes on with a beep
sound.
The vehicle can move when the
“READY” indicator is on even if
the engine is stopped.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the hybrid system is
completely started.
The hybrid system can be
started from any “POWER”
switch mode.
Check that the “READY” indicator is on.
The vehicle will not move when the “READY” indicator is off.STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5

1782-1. Driving procedures
■ Stopping the hybrid system
Stop the vehicle.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Set the parking brake. (  P. 1 9 5 )
Press the “POWER” switch.
Release the brake pedal and chec k that the indicator on the
“POWER” switch is off.
■ Changing “POWER” switch modes
Modes can be changed by pressing the “POWER” switch with the
brake pedal released. (The mode changes each time the switch is
pressed.)
Off* The emergency flashers can be
used.
ACCESSORY mode Some electrical components
such as the audio system can be
used.
The “POWER” switch indicator
turns amber.
ON mode
All electrical components can
be used.
The “POWER” switch indicator
turns amber.
* : If the shift lever is in a position
other than P when turning off
the hybrid system, the
“POWER” switch will be turned
to ACCESSORY mode, not to
off.STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5

1792-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving When stopping the hybrid system with the shift lever in a position other than P
If the hybrid system is stopped with the shift lever in a position other than
P, the “POWER” switch will not be turned off but instead be turned to
ACCESSORY mode. Perform the following procedure to turn the switch
off:
Check that the parking brake is set.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Check that the indicator on the “POWER” switch is illuminated in
amber and then press the “POWER” switch once.
Check that the indicator on the “POWER” switch is off.■
Auto power off function
When the shift lever is in P, if the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY or ON mode with
the hybrid system not operating for more than 20 minutes (ACCESSORY mode)
or one hour (ON mode), the “POWER” switch will automatically turn off. However,
this function cannot entirely prevent 12-v olt battery discharge. Do not leave the
vehicle with the “POWER” switch in ACCESSORY or ON mode for long periods
of time when the hybrid system is not operating.■
Operation of the “POWER” switch
When operating the “POWER” switch, one short, firm press is enough. If the switch
is pressed improperly, the hybrid system may not start or the “POWER” switch
mode may not change. It is not necessary to press and hold the switch.■
Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
 P. 3 3■
Electronic key battery depletion
 P. 6 5
■
When the ambient temperature is low, such as during winter driving conditions
It may take time until the “READY” indicator comes on.
■
Conditions affecting operation
 P. 6 2STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4

1802-1. Driving procedures
■
Note for the entry function
 P. 6 3■
If the hybrid system does not start
The immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (  P. 1 2 4 )
Contact your Lexus dealer.■
Steering lock
After turning the “POWER” switch off and opening and closing the doors, the
steering wheel will be locked due to th e steering lock function. Operating the
“POWER” switch again automatically cancels the steering lock.■
When the steering lock cannot be released
■
Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from overheating, the motor may be suspended
if the hybrid system is turned on and off re peatedly in a short period of time. In this
case, refrain from operating the hybrid sy stem. After about 2 seconds, the steering
lock motor will resume functioning.■
When the “POWER” switch indicator flashes in amber
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus
dealer immediately.■
If the “READY” indicator does not come on
If the “READY” indicator does not come on when you press the “POWER” switch
with the shift lever in P and the brake pe dal depressed, contact your Lexus dealer
immediately.
■
If the hybrid system is malfunctioning
 P. 74 4
■
If the electronic key battery is depleted
 P. 6 8 7 The green indicator light on the “POWER”
switch will flash and a message will be shown
on the multi-information display. Press the
“POWER” switch again while turning the
steering wheel left and right.