air suspension LEXUS LS500 2019 Owners Manual

391-1. For safe use
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 1
For safety and security ●
A frontal impact applied to the front
bumper while driving at speeds outside
of the operational speed range●
A side impact or rear impact●
A vehicle rollover (In some accident situ-
ations, the Pop Up Hood may operate.)
WARNING■
When the Pop Up Hood is operated●
Do not pull the hood lock release lever.
Doing so after the Pop Up Hood has
operated will further raise the hood
and may cause an injury. Do not drive
with the hood raised, as doing so may
block the driver’s vision, possibly caus-
ing an accident.●
Do not forcibly push down the hood.
As the popped up hood cannot be
lowered by hand, doing so may deform
the hood or cause an injury.●
If the Pop Up Hood has operated, have
it replaced by your Lexus dealer. If the
Pop Up Hood has operated, stop the
vehicle in a safe place and contact
your Lexus dealer.●
Do not touch the lifters immediately
after the Pop Up Hood has operated,
as the lifters may be hot and burn you.
NOTICE
■
Pop Up Hood precautions●
Make sure to close the hood before
driving, as the system may not operate
properly if the hood is not fully closed.
●
Make sure that all 4 tires are of the
specified size and inflated to the speci-
fied tire pressure. If tires of a different
size are used, the system may not
operate properly.
●
If something has hit the area around
the front bumper, the sensors may be
damaged even if the Pop Up Hood has
not operated. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer. ●
Do not remove or repair the parts or
wiring of the Pop Up Hood, as doing
so may cause accidental operation or
prevent the system from operating
properly. If repair or replacement is
necessary, contact your Lexus dealer. ●
Do not remove such components as
the front bumper, hood or suspension,
or replace them with non-genuine
parts, as doing so may prevent the sys-
tem from operating properly. ●
Do not install anything to the front
bumper or hood, as doing so may pre-
vent the sensors fr om detecting an
impact correctly and prevent the sys-
tem from operating properly. ●
Do not close the hood with force or
apply load to the lifters, as doing so
may damage the lifters and prevent the
system from operating properly. ●
Do not modify the suspension, as
changes made to the vehicle height
may prevent the system from operat-
ing properly.

102 3-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors and trunk
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 ■
Customization
Some functions can be customized.
(  P.466) ■
Door lock switches (to
lock/unlock)
1 Locks all the doors
2 Unlocks all the doors ■
Inside lock buttons (to lock)
Push down the inside lock button to
lock the door.
■
Inside door handles (to unlock) 
For the front doors
Pull the handle to unlock and open the
door. When the door is unlo cked, the inside lock
button will pop up. 
For the rear doors
Pull the handle to unlock the door. Pull
the handle a second time to open the
door.WARNING■
To prevent an accident
Observe the following precautions while
driving the vehicle.
Failure to do so may result in a door
opening and an occupant throwing out of
the vehicle, resulting in death or serious
injury. ●
Ensure that all doors are properly
closed and locked.●
Do not pull the inside handle of the
doors while driving.
Be especially careful for the front doors,
as the doors may be opened even if the
inside lock buttons are in locked position. ●
Set the rear door ch ild-protector locks
when children are seated in the rear
seats.■
When opening or closing a door
Check the surroundings of the vehicle
such as whether the vehicle is on an
incline, whether ther e is enough space
for a door to open and whether a strong
wind is blowing. When opening or clos-
ing the door, hold the door handle tightly
to prepare for any unpredictable move-
ment.
■
Vehicle height co ntrol precautions
(vehicles with electronically modu-
lated air suspension)
In the following situations, make sure to
check the safety of the area around the
vehicle, as the vehicle height may change
and part of someone’s body may be
caught in the vehicle, possibly causing
injury or the vehicle may be damaged.
●
When opening a door
●
When unlocking the doors using the
smart access system with push-button
start Unlocking and locking the doors
from the inside

226 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 WARNING■
Before using LTA system
Do not rely solely upon the LTA system.
The LTA system does not automatically
drive the vehicle or reduce the amount of
attention that must be paid to the area in
front of the vehicle. The driver must
always assume full responsibility for driv-
ing safely by paying careful attention to
the surrounding conditions and operat-
ing the steering wheel to correct the path
of the vehicle. Also, the driver must take
adequate breaks when fatigued, such as
from driving for a long period of time.
Failure to perform appropriate driving
operations and pay careful attention may
lead to an accident, resulting in death or
serious injury. ■
Situations unsuitable for LTA system
In the following situations, use the LTA
switch to turn the system off. Failure to do
so may lead to an acc ident, resulting in
death or serious injury. ●
Vehicle is driven on a road surface
which is slippery due to rainy weather,
fallen snow, freezing, etc.●
Vehicle is driven on a snow-covered
road.
●
White (yellow) lines are difficult to see
due to rain, snow, fog, dust, etc.
●
Vehicle is driven in a temporary lane or
restricted lane due to construction
work.
●
Vehicle is driven in a construction
zone.
●
A spare tire, tire chains, etc. are
equipped.
●
When the tires have been excessively
worn, or when the tire inflation pres-
sure is low.
●
When tires of a size other than speci-
fied are installed. ●
Vehicle is driven in traffic lanes other
than that highways and freeways. ●
During emergency towing. ■
Situations in whic h the lane change
assist function should not be used ●
When driving on a one lane road or
road without lane markers ●
When there is no broken white line
between your vehicle and the lane
toward which the turn signal is oper-
ated ■
Preventing LTA system malfunctions
and operations performed by mistake ●
Do not modify the headlights or place
stickers, etc. on the surface of the
lights. ●
Do not modify the suspension etc. If
the suspension etc. needs to be
replaced, contact your Lexus dealer. ●
Do not install or place anything on the
hood or grille. Also, do not install a
grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar,
etc.). ●
If your windshield needs repairs, con-
tact your Lexus dealer. ■
Conditions in which functions may
not operate properly
In the following situations, the functions
may not operate properly and the vehicle
may depart from its la ne. Drive safely by
always paying careful attention to your
surroundings and operate the steering
wheel to correct the path of the vehicle
without relying solely on the functions.

2694-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving • Pedestrians who are bending forward or
squatting
• Pedestrians who are lying down
• Pedestrians who are running
• Pedestrians who suddenly enter the
detection area
• People riding a bicycle, skateboard, or
other light vehicle
• Pedestrians wearing oversized clothing
such as a rain coat, long skirt, etc., making
their silhouette obscure
• Pedestrians whose body is partially hid-
den by an object, such as a cart or
umbrella
• Pedestrians which are obscured by dark-
ness, such as at night●
In some situations, such as the following,
pedestrians may not be detected by the
rear camera detection function, prevent-
ing the function from operating properly:
• When backing up in inclement weather
(rain, snow, fog, etc.)
• When the rear camera is obscured (dirt,
snow, ice, etc. are attached) or scratched
• When a very bright light, such as the sun,
or the headlights of another vehicle,
shines directly into the rear camera
• When backing up in a place where the
surrounding brightness changes sud-
denly, such as at the entrance or exit of a
garage or underground parking lot
• When backing up in a dim environment
such as during dusk or in an underground
parking lot●
Even though there are no pedestrians in
the detection area, some objects, such as
the following, may be detected, possibly
causing the rear camera detection func-
tion to operate.
• Three dimensional objects, such as a
pole, traffic cone, fence, or parked vehi-
cle
• Moving objects, such as a car or motor-
cycle
• Objects moving toward your vehicle
when backing up, such as flags or pud-
dles (or airborne matter, such as smoke,
steam, rain, or snow)
• Cobblestone or gravel roads, tram rails,
road repairs, white lines, pedestrian
crossings or fallen leaves on the road
• Metal covers (gratings), such as those
used for drainage ditches • Objects reflected in a puddle or on a wet
road surface
• The roadside or bumps on the road
•Shadows on the road ●
In some situations, such as the following,
the rear camera detection function may
operate even though there are no pedes-
trians in the detection area.
• When backing up toward the roadside or
a bump on the road
• If the vehicle is signif icantly tilted, such as
when carrying a heavy load
• When backing up toward an
incline/decline
• If the suspension has been modified or
tires of a size othe r than specified are
installed
• If the rear of the vehicle is raised or low-
ered due to the carried load
• If an electronic component, such as a
backlit license plate or rear fog light, is
installed near the rear camera
• If a bumper protector, such as an addi-
tional trim strip, is installed to the rear
bumper
• If the orientation of the rear camera has
been changed
• If a towing eyelet is in stalled to the rear of
the vehicle
• When water is flowing over the rear cam-
era lens
• When the rear camera is obscured (dirt,
snow, ice, etc. are at tached) or scratched
• If there is a flashing light in the detection
area, such as the emergency flashers of
another vehicle ●
Situations in which the rear camera
detection function may be difficult to
notice
• If buzzer may be difficult to hear if the
surrounding area is noisy, the volume of
the audio system volume is high, the air
conditioning system is being used, etc.
• If the temperature in the cabin is
extremely high or low, the audio system
screen may not operate correctly.

288 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 • People riding a bicycle, skateboard, or
other light vehicle
• Pedestrians wearing oversized clothing
such as a rain coat, long skirt, etc., making
their silhouette obscure
• Pedestrians whose body is partially hid-
den by an object, such as a cart or
umbrella
• Pedestrians which are obscured by dark-
ness, such as at night●
In some situations, such as the following,
pedestrians may not be detected by the
Parking Support Brake function (rear
pedestrians), preventing the function
from operating properly:
• When backing up in inclement weather
(rain, snow, fog, etc.)
• When the rear camera is obscured (dirt,
snow, ice, etc. are attached) or scratched
• When a very bright light, such as the sun,
or the headlights of another vehicle,
shines directly into the rear camera
• When backing up in a place where the
surrounding brightness changes sud-
denly, such as at the entrance or exit of a
garage or underground parking lot
• When backing up in a dim environment
such as during dusk or in an underground
parking lot●
Even though there are no pedestrians in
the detection area, some objects, such as
the following, may be detected, possibly
causing the Parking Support Brake func-
tion (rear pedestri ans) to operate.
• Three dimensional objects, such as a
pole, traffic cone, fence, or parked vehi-
cle
• Moving objects, such as a car or motor-
cycle
• Objects moving toward your vehicle
when backing up, such as flags or pud-
dles (or airborne matter, such as smoke,
steam, rain, or snow)
• Cobblestone or gravel roads, tram rails,
road repairs, white lines, pedestrian
crossings or fallen leaves on the road
• Metal covers (gratings), such as those
used for drainage ditches
• Objects reflected in a puddle or on a wet
road surface
• The roadside or bumps on the road
•Shadows on the road
●
In some situations, such as the following, the Parking Support Brake function (rear
pedestrians) may operate even though
there are no pedestrians in the detection
area.
• When backing up toward the roadside or
a bump on the road
• If the vehicle is signif icantly tilted, such as
when carrying a heavy load
• When backing up toward an
incline/decline
• If the suspension has been modified or
tires of a size othe r than specified are
installed
• If the rear of the vehicle is raised or low-
ered due to the carried load
• If an electronic component, such as a
backlit license plate or rear fog light, is
installed near the rear camera
• If a bumper protector, such as an addi-
tional trim strip, is installed to the rear
bumper
• If the orientation of the rear camera has
been changed
• If a towing eyelet is in stalled to the rear of
the vehicle
• When water is flowing over the rear cam-
era lens
• When the rear camera is obscured (dirt,
snow, ice, etc. are at tached) or scratched
• If there is a flashing light in the detection
area, such as the emergency flashers of
another vehicle

2894-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving 
Vehicles without Adaptive Variable
Suspension System
1 Normal modeProvides an optimal ba lance of fuel econ-
omy, quietness, and dynamic performance.
Suitable for city driving.
Press the switch to change the driving
mode to normal mode when not in normal
mode.
2 Eco drive modeHelps the driver accelerate in an
eco-friendly manner and improve fuel
economy through modera te throttle char-
acteristics and by controlling the operation
of the air conditioning system (heat-
ing/cooling).
When not in Eco drive mode, if the driving
mode select switch is turned backward, the
Eco drive mode indicator will come on.
3 Sport modeControls the transmission and engine to
provide quick, powerful acceleration. This
mode also changes the steering feel, mak-
ing it suitable for when agile driving
response is desired, such as when driving on roads with many curves.
When not in sport mode, if the driving
mode select switch is turned forward, the
sport mode indicator will comes on. 
Vehicles with Adaptive Variable
Suspension System
Except F SPORT models
F SPORT models
1 Normal mode/Custom mode Normal mode and custom mode are
selected by pressing the driving mode
select switch. Each time the switch is
pressed, the driving mode changes
between normal mode and custom mode.
When normal mode is selected, the normal
mode indicator comes on.
When custom mode is selected, the cus-
tom mode indicator comes on.
Press the switch to change the driving
mode to normal mode when not in normal
mode.
• Normal mode
Provides an optimal ba lance of fuel econ-
omy, quietness, and dynamic performance. Driving mode select switch The driving modes can be selected
to suit driving condition.
Selecting a drive mode
A
B

290 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 Suitable for city driving.
When the shift position is in D, an appropri-
ate gear for sporty driving may automati-
cally be selected according to driver
performance and dr iving conditions.
•Custom mode
Allows you to drive with the powertrain,
chassis and air condit ioning system func-
tions set to your preferred settings. Cus-
tom mode settings can only be changed on
the drive mode customization display of
the Center Display. (  P.306)
2 Comfort modeBy controlling the suspension, riding com-
fort is further enhanc ed. Suitable for city
driving.
When not in comfort mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned backward, the
comfort mode indicator comes on.
3 Eco drive modeHelps the driver accelerate in an
eco-friendly manner and improve fuel
economy through modera te throttle char-
acteristics and by controlling the operation
of the air conditioning system (heat-
ing/cooling).
When in comfort mode, if the driving mode
select switch is turned backward, the Eco
drive mode indicator comes on.
4 Sport mode•Sport S mode
Controls the transmission and engine to
provide quick, powerful acceleration. This
mode is suitable for when agile driving
response is desired, such as when driving
on roads with many curves.
When not in Sport S mode, if the driving
mode select switch is turned forward, the
Sport S mode indicator comes on.
•Sport S+ mode
Helps to ensure stee ring performance and
driving stability by simultaneously con- trolling the steering and suspension in
addition to the transmission and engine.
Suitable for sportier driving.
When in Sport S mode, if the driving mode
select switch is turned forward, the Sport
S+ mode indicator comes on. ■
If the driving mode select switch is oper-
ated while the opening screen is being
displayed
If the driving mode sele ct switch is operated
while the opening screen is being displayed,
the driving mode will be changed and the
meter display will chan ge accordingly after
the opening screen operation has com-
pleted. ■
Operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cool-
ing operations and fan speed of the air con-
ditioning system to en hance fuel efficiency.
To improve air condit ioning performance,
perform the following operations: ●
Turn off eco air conditioning mode
(  P.318)●
Adjust the fan speed (  P.313)●
Turn off Eco drive mode ■
Automatic deactivation of sport mode
and custom mode
If the engine switch is turned off after driv-
ing in sport mode or custom mode, the
drive mode will be changed to normal
mode.
■
Driving mode pop-up display
When the driving mode is changed, the
selected driving mode will be temporarily
displayed on the side display. (  P.307)

2914-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4
Driving *
:If equipped
■
Situations in which the vehicle height
control may not operate properly●
In the following situations, the vehicle
height may change slowly or may not
change to the correct height:
• When the vehicle comes into contact
with snow, ice, stone, etc.
• When the ambient temperature is low
• When the accumulator tank pressure is
low●
In the following situations, the vehicle
height may not change:
• If the hood or trunk is not fully closed
• If the brake pedal depressed and the
vehicle is stopped
• When the vehicle is on a significantly
uneven or undulating road
• When the vehicle is on a slanted road or a
slope
■
Operating sound of the air suspension
compressor and valves
When the vehicle height is changed, such
as due to passengers entering the vehicle or
cargo being loaded, or when the vehicle
height is changed using the vehicle height
adjustment switch, the air suspension com-
pressor and valves may operate and a sound may be heard. This does not indicate
a malfunction. ■
When the accumulator tank pressure is
low
When the accumulator tank pressure is low,
the air suspension compressor and valves
may operate repeatedly even though the
vehicle height is not being changed. This
does not indicate a malfunction.
Electronically modulated air
suspension *
The height of the vehicle when driv-
ing can be selected using the vehi-
cle height adjustment switch. The
selected height level will be main-
tained regardless of the number of
passengers or weight of cargo.
Additionally, setti ngs of the follow-
ing functions can be changed:
 Enabling/Disabling controls of
access mode
 Temporarily disabling vehicle
height control WARNING■
Situations in whic h the operation of
the electronically modulated air sus-
pension should be temporarily dis-
abled
In the following situations, make sure to
temporarily disable all functions of the
vehicle height control of the electroni-
cally modulated air suspension and then
stop the engine. Otherwise, the vehicle
height may change and part of your body
may be caught under the vehicle, possi-
bly causing injury. ●
When the vehicle is parked on a curb ●
If any of the wheels is not touching the
ground ●
If the vehicle needs to be jacked up
●
If the vehicle is to be tied down
●
If the vehicle is to be towed
■
Vehicle height control precautions
In the following situations, make sure to
check the safety of the area around the
vehicle, as the vehicle height may change
and part of someone’s body may be
caught in the vehicle, possibly causing
injury or the vehicle may be damaged.
●
When opening a door
●
When unlocking the doors using the
smart access system with push-button
start
●
When changing the vehicle height
using the vehicle height adjustment
switch

294 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 ■
When “Check Air Suspension System”
is displayed on th e multi-information
display
The system may not operate properly. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer. ■
Customization
Some functions can be customized.
(  P.466)
■
ECB (Electronically Controlled
Brake System) (vehicles with Lexus
Safety System + A)
The electronically controlled system
generates braking force correspond-
ing to the brake operation ■
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the
brakes are applied suddenly, or if the
brakes are applied while driving on a
slippery road surface ■
Brake assist
Generates an increased level of brak-
ing force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a
panic stop situation ■
VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding
when swerving sudden ly or turning on
slippery road surfaces. ■
Secondary Collision Brake
When the airbag sensor detects a colli-
sion, the brakes and stop lights are Driving assist systems To keep driving safety and perfor-
mance, the following systems oper-
ate automatically in response to
various driving situations. Be aware,
however, that these systems are
supplementary and should not be
relied upon too heavily when oper-
ating the vehicle.
Summary of the driving assist
systems

300 4-6. Driving tips
LS500_OM_(U)_1810 4-6.Driving tips
 Use fluids that are appropriate to
the prevailing outside temperatures. •Engine oil
• Engine coolant
•Washer fluid
 Have a service technician inspect
the condition of the battery.
 Have the vehicle fitted with four
snow tires or purchase a set of tire
chains for the rear tires. *
Ensure that all tires are the specified size
and brand, and that chains match the size
of the tires. *
: Tire chains cannot be mounted on vehi-
cles with front and rear tires of differing
sizes.Winter driving tips Carry out the necessary prepara-
tions and inspections before driving
the vehicle in winter. Always drive
the vehicle in a manner appropriate
to the prevailing weather condi-
tions.
Preparation for winter
WARNING
■
Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to
reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of
vehicle control and cause death or seri-
ous injury.
●
Use tires of the specified size.
●
Maintain the recommended level of air
pressure. ●
Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120
km/h), regardless of the type of snow
tires being used. ●
Use snow tires on all, not just some
wheels. ■
When installing tire chains
Before installing tire chains, make sure to
disable all functions of the vehicle height
control of the electronically modulated
air suspension. Otherwise, the vehicle
height may change while installing the
tire chains and part or your body may be
caught under the vehicle, possibly caus-
ing injury. (  P.293)■
Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to
reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle
being unable to be driven safely, and may
cause death or serious injury. ●
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit specified for the tire chains being
used, or 30 mph (50 km/h), which-
ever is lower. ●
Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces
or over potholes. ●
Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt
steering, sudden br aking and shifting
operations that cause sudden engine
braking.
●
Slow down sufficiently before entering
a curve to ensure that vehicle control is
maintained.
●
Do not use LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
system.