ECU LEXUS NX300 2020 Service Manual

1123-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
WARNING
■Power back door
Observe the following precautions when
operating the power back door.
Failure to do so may cause death or seri-
ous injury.
●Check the safety of the surrounding
area to make sure there are no obsta-
cles or anything that could cause any
of your belongings to get caught.
●If anyone is in the vicinity, make sure
they are safe and let them know that
the back door is about to open or
close.
●If the power back door system is
turned off with the main switch while
the back door is operating automati-
cally, the automatic operation is
stopped. The back door then has to be
operated manually. Take extra care
when on an incline, as the back door
may open or close unexpectedly.
●If the operating conditions of the
power back door are no longer met, a
buzzer may sound and the back door
may stop opening or closing. The back
door then has to be operated manu-
ally. Take extra care when on an incline,
as the back door may open or close
abruptly.
●On an incline, the back door may sud-
denly shut after it opens. Make sure
the back door is fully open and secure.
●In the following situations, the power
back door may detect an abnormality
and automatic operation may be
stopped. In this case, the back door
has to be operated manually. Take
extra care when on an incline, as the
back door may open or close abruptly.
• When the back door contacts an obstacle
• When the battery voltage suddenly drops, such as when the engine switch
is turned to IGNITION ON mode or
the engine is started during automatic
operation
●If a bicycle carrier or similar heavy
object is attached to the back door, the
power back door may not operate,
causing itself to malfunction, or the
back door may suddenly shut again
after being opened, causing some-
one’s hands, head or neck to be caught
and injured. When installing an acces-
sory part to the back door, using a
genuine Lexus part is recommended.
■Jam protection function
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause death or seri-
ous injury.
●Never use any part of your body to
intentionally activa te the jam protec-
tion function.
●The jam protection function may not
work if something gets caught just
before the back door fully closes. Be
careful not to catch fingers caught or
anything else.
●The jam protection function may not
work depending on the shape of the
object that is caught. Be careful not to
catch fingers or anything else.
■Kick sensor (vehicles with Hands
Free Power Back Door)
Observe the following precautions when
operating the power back door.
Failure to do so may cause death or seri-
ous injury.
●Check the safety of the surrounding
area to make sure there are no obsta-
cles or anything that could cause any
of your belongings to get caught.
●When putting your foot near the lower
center part of the rear bumper and
moving it from the rear bumper, be
careful not to touch the exhaust pipes
until they have cooled down suffi-
ciently, as touching hot exhaust pipes
can cause burns.
●Do not operate the Hands Free Power
Back Door if there is little space under
the rear bumper.

1193-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
3
Before driving
of water splashes on the door handle,
such as in the rain or in a car wash when
the electronic key is within the effective
range. (The door will automatically be
locked after approximately 60 seconds if
the doors are not opened and closed.)
●If the wireless remote control is used to
lock the doors when the electronic key is
near the vehicle, there is a possibility that
the door may not be unlocked by the
entry function. (Use the wireless remote
control to unlock the doors.)
●Touching the door lock sensor while
wearing gloves may delay or prevent lock
operation. Remove the gloves and touch
the lock sensor again.
●When the lock operation is performed
using the lock sensor, recognition signals
will be shown up to two consecutive
times. After this, no recognition signals
will be given.
●If the door handle becomes wet while the
electronic key is within the effective
range, the door may lock and unlock
repeatedly. In that ca se, follow the follow-
ing correction procedures to wash the
vehicle:
• Place the electronic key in a location 6 ft. (2 m) or more away from the vehicle.
(Take care to ensure that the key is not
stolen.)
• Set the electronic key to battery-saving
mode to disable the smart access system
with push-button start. ( P.117)
●If the electronic key is inside the vehicle
and a door handle becomes wet during a
car wash, a message may be shown on
the multi-information display and a
buzzer will sound outside the vehicle. To
turn off the alarm, lock all the doors.
●The lock sensor may not work properly if
it comes into contact with ice, snow, mud,
etc. Clean the lock sensor and attempt to
operate it again.
●A sudden approach to the effective
range or door handle may prevent the
doors from being unlocked. In this case,
return the door handle to the original
position and check that the doors unlock
before pulling the door handle again.
●If there is another electronic key in the detection area, it may
take slightly longer
to unlock the doors after the door handle
is gripped.
■When the vehicle is not driven for
extended periods
●To prevent theft of the vehicle, do not
leave the electronic key within 6 ft. (2 m)
of the vehicle.
●The smart access system with push-but-
ton start can be deactivated in advance.
■To operate the system properly
Make sure to carry the electronic key when
operating the system. Do not get the elec-
tronic key too close to the vehicle when
operating the system from the outside of the
vehicle.
Depending on the position and holding
condition of the electronic key, the key may
not be detected correctly and the system
may not operate properly. (The alarm may
go off accidentally, or the door lock preven-
tion may not operate.)
■If the smart access system with push but-
ton start does not operate properly
●Locking and unlockin g the doors: Use
the mechanical key. ( P.398)
●Starting the engine: P.398
■Customization
Settings (e.g. smart access system with
push-button start) can be changed. (Cus-
tomizable features: P.427)
If the smart access system with push-button
start has been deactivated by a customized
setting, refer to the explanations for the fol-
lowing operations.
●Locking and unlo cking the doors:
Use the wireless remote control or
mechanical key. ( P.100, 398)
●Starting the engine and changing engine
switch modes:  P.398
●Stopping the engine: P.166

1273-3. Adjusting the seats
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
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Before driving
• The brake pedal is depressed
• The shift lever is in P
■Seatback jam protection function
(power seat)
When folding down the seatback, if a for-
eign object is perceived between the seat-
back and seat cushion, the seatback will
reverse operations and then stops opera-
tions.
The buzzer sounds intermittently during
reverse operations and sounds continu-
ously when operations are stopped.
WARNING
■When folding the rear seatbacks
down and after folded
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
●Do not fold the seatbacks down while
driving.
●Stop the vehicle on level ground, set
the parking brake and shift the shift
lever to P.
●Do not allow anyone to sit on a folded
seatback or in the luggage compart-
ment while driving.
●Do not allow children to enter the lug-
gage compartment.
■After returning the rear seatback to
the upright position
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
●Make sure that the seatback is
securely locked in position by lightly
pushing it back and forth.
●Check that the seat belts are not
twisted or caught in the seatback.
■Jam protection function (vehicles
with power seat)
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause death or seri-
ous injury.
●Never use any part of your body to
intentionally activa te the jam protec-
tion function.
●The jam protection function may not
work if something gets caught just
before the seatback is fully folded for-
ward. Be careful no t to get fingers
caught or anything else.
●The jam protection function may not
work depending on the shape of the
object that is caught. Be careful not to
catch fingers or anything else.
NOTICE
■Stowing the seat belts
The seat belts and the buckles for the
rear center seat, as well as the armrest,
must be stowed before you fold down the
rear seatbacks. ( P.29)

1333-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
3
Before driving
3-4.Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
Manual type
1 Hold the steering wheel and push
the lever down.
2 Adjust to the ideal position by mov-
ing the steering wheel horizontally
and vertically.
After adjustment, pull the lever up to
secure the steering wheel.
Power type
Operating the switch moves the steer-
ing wheel in the following directions: 1
Up
2 Down
3 Toward the driver
4 Away from the driver
■The steering wheel can be adjusted
when (power type)
The engine switch is in ACCESSORY or
IGNITION ON mode
*.
*: If the driver’s seat belt is fastened, the
steering wheel can be adjusted regard-
less of engine switch mode.
■Automatic adjustment of the steering
position (if equipped)
A desired steering posi tion can be entered
to memory and recalled automatically by
the driving position memory system.
(  P.128)
■Power easy access system (if equipped)
The steering wheel and driver’s seat move
in accordance with engine switch mode and
the driver’s seat belt condition. ( P.128)
■After adjusting the steering wheel
(manual type)
Make sure that the steering wheel is
securely locked.
The horn may not sound if the steering
wheel is not securely locked.
Steering wheel
Adjustment procedure

1343-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
To sound the horn, press on or close to
the mark. The height of the rear view mirror can
be adjusted to suit your driving pos-
ture.
Adjust the height of the rear view mir-
ror by moving it up and down.
Responding to the level of brightness
of the headlights of vehicles behind, the
reflected light is automatically
reduced.
Type A
Changing automatic anti-glare func-
tion mode on/off
WARNING
■Caution while driving
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving.
Doing so may cause the driver to mis-
handle the vehicle and cause an acci-
dent, resulting in death or serious injury.
■After adjusting the steering wheel
(manual type)
Make sure that the steering wheel is
securely locked.
Otherwise, the steering wheel may move
suddenly, possibly causing an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.
Sounding the horn
Inside rear view mirror
The rear view mirror’s position can
be adjusted to enable sufficient
confirmation of the rear view.
Adjusting the heig ht of rear view
mirror
WARNING
■Caution while driving
Do not adjust the position of the mirror
while driving.
Doing so may lead to mishandling of the
vehicle and cause an accident, resulting
in death or serious injury.
Anti-glare function

1363-4. Adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
1To select a mirror to adjust, press
the switch.
Left
Right 2
To adjust the mirror, press the
switch.
Up
Right
Down
Left
■Mirror angle can be adjusted when
The engine switch is in ACCESSORY or
IGNITION ON mode.
■When using in cold weather
Vehicles with driving position memory:
When used in cold weather during reverse
driving, the door mirror could be frozen and
may not automatically point the mirror sur-
face downward. In this event, remove any
ice and snow from the mirror surface.
■Defogging the mirrors
The outside rear view mirrors can be
cleared using the mirror defoggers. Turn on
the rear window defogger to turn on the
outside rear view mirror defoggers.
(  P.280)
■Auto anti-glare function
When the anti-glare inside rear view mirror
is set to automatic mode, the outside rear
view mirrors will activate in conjunction with
the anti-glare inside rear view mirror to
reduce reflec ted light. (P.134)
■Automatic adjustment of the mirror
angle (vehicles with driving position
memory)
A desired mirror face angle can be entered
to memory and recalled automatically by
Outside rear view mirrors
For safe driving, adjust the mirror
angles to secure visibility before
driving.
WARNING
■When driving the vehicle
Observe the following precautions while
driving.
Failure to do so may result in loss of con-
trol of the vehicle and cause an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.
●Do not adjust the mirrors while driving.
●Do not drive with the mirrors folded.
●Both the driver and passenger side
mirrors must be extended and prop-
erly adjusted before driving.
■When the mirror defoggers are oper-
ating
Do not touch the rear view mirror sur-
faces, as they can become very hot and
burn you.
Adjustment procedure
A
B
A
B
C
D

1494-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
WARNING
●After driving through a puddle, lightly
depress the brake pedal to make sure
that the brakes are functioning prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever
is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall
or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●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 con-
trol.
●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 con-
trol.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a driving
position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while the
vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine.
Engine braking is not available when N
is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to any position
other than P or N may lead to unex-
pected rapid acceleration of the vehi-
cle that may cause an accident and
result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping
noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. Rotor damage may 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.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the shift lever is in any position other
than P or N, the vehicle may acceler-
ate suddenly and unexpectedly, caus-
ing an accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the
engine is running, and apply the park-
ing brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or back-
ward, 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.

1504-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
WARNING
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters,
spray cans, or soft drink cans in the
vehicle 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 plas-
tic 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
components.
●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
windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on
the instrument pane l 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 met-
allized 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 engine and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if
you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is
parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard.
■When braking
●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 vehi-
cle.
●If the brake booster device 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 brak-
ing distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up
the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2 individ-
ual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other w ill 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.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck (AWD
models)
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.

1524-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
Cargo capacity depends on the total
weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capac-
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following infor-
mation about storage precautions,
cargo capacity and load.
WARNING
■Things that must not be carried in the
luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if
loaded in the luggage compartment:
●Receptacles containing gasoline
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals
from being depressed properly, may
block the driver’s vision, or may result in
items hitting the driver or passengers,
possibly causing an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the lug-
gage compartment whenever possi-
ble.
●Do not stack cargo and luggage in the
luggage compartment higher than the
seatbacks.
●When you fold down the rear seats,
long items should not be placed
directly behind the front seats.
●Never allow anyone to ride in the lug-
gage compartment. It is not designed
for passengers. They should ride in
their seats with their seat belts prop-
erly fastened.
●Do not place cargo or luggage in or on
the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
●Secure all items in the occupant com-
partment.
■When using a roof luggage carrier
(vehicles with roof rails)
Observe the following precautions:
●Place the cargo so that its weight is dis-
tributed evenly between the front and
rear axles.
●If loading long or wide cargo, never
exceed the vehicle overall length or
width. ( P.408)
●Before driving, make sure the cargo is
securely fastened on the roof luggage
carrier.
●Loading cargo on the roof luggage
carrier will make the center of gravity
of the vehicle higher. Avoid high
speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneuvers,
otherwise it may result in loss of con-
trol or vehicle rollover due to failure to
operate this vehicle correctly and
result in death or serious injury.
●If driving for a long distance, on rough
roads, or at high sp eeds, stop the vehi-
cle now and then during the trip to
make sure the cargo remains in its
place.
●Do not exceed 176.3 lb. (80 kg) cargo
weight on the roof luggage carrier.
NOTICE
■When loading cargo (vehicles with
moon roof)
Do not set luggage on the moon roof.
Failure to observe so may lead to cause
damage.
Capacity and distribution

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