transmission LEXUS NX300 2020 Owners Manual

3TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
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4
5
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4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ........................ 146
Cargo and luggage ...................... 152
Vehicle load limits ......................... 154
Trailer towing (vehicles with towing package) ........................................ 155
Trailer towing (vehicles without towing package) ......................... 163
Dinghy towing ................................ 164
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch .............. 165
Automatic transmission.............. 168
Turn signal lever............................. 172
Parking brake ................................. 172
Brake Hold....................................... 175
ASC (Active Sound Control) .. 177
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers Headlight switch ............................ 178
Automatic High Beam ................. 181
Fog light switch .............................. 184
Windshield wipers and washer 184
Rear window wiper and washer ............................................................ 189
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap.......... 1914-5. Using the driving support systems
Lexus Safety System+ 2.0......... 193
PCS (Pre-Collision System) .... 199
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) ....... 206
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) .......................... 215
RSA (Road Sign Assist).............. 223
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range.......................... 225
PKSA (Parking Support Alert) 235
Intuitive parking assist ................ 236
Parking Support Brake function (for static objects)................................ 241
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) ....... 250
Driving mode select switch ..... 258
Driving assist systems ................ 260
All-wheel drive lock switch (AWD models).......................................... 264
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips ....................... 266
Utility vehicle precautions........ 269
5-1. Remote Touch Remote Touch................................ 274
5-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
Automatic air conditioning system.......................................................... 279
Heated steering wheel/seat heat- ers/seat ventilators................... 287
5-3. Using the interior lights Interior lights list ........................... 289
4Driving
5Interior features

7
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
The recorded data varies according to
the vehicle grade level and options
with which it is equipped. These com-
puters do not record conversations or
sounds, and only record images out-
side of the vehicle in certain situations.
• Engine speed/Electric motor speed
(traction motor speed)
• Accelerator status
•Brake status
• Vehicle speed
• Operation status of the driving assist systems, such as the ABS and
pre-collision system
• Images from the front camera (avail- able only when certain safety sys-
tems are activated, which varies
depending on the vehicle specifica-
tions).
 Data Transmission
Your vehicle may transmit the data
recorded in these computers to Lexus
without notification to you.
Data usage
Lexus may use the data recorded in this
computer to diagnose malfunctions, con-
duct research and development, and
improve quality.
Lexus will not disclose the recorded data to
a third party except:
• With the consent of the vehicle owner or with the consent of the lessee if the vehi-
cle is leased
• In response to an of ficial request by the
police, a court of law or a government
agency
• For use by Lexus in a lawsuit
• For research purposes where the data is not tied to a specific vehicle or vehicle owner

Recorded image information can be
erased by your Lexus dealer.
The image recording function can be dis-
abled. However, if the function is disabled,
data from when the pre-collision system
operates will not be available.
To learn more abou t the vehicle data
collected, used and shared by
Lexus, please visit
www.lexus.com/privacyvts/
.
If your Lexus has Lexus Enform and if
you have subscribed to those services,
please refer to the Lexus Enform
Telematics Subscription Service
Agreement for information on data
collected and its usage.
 To learn more abou t the vehicle data
collected, used and shared by
Lexus, please visit
www.lexus.com/privacyvts/
.
This vehicle is equipped with an event
data recorder (EDR). The main pur-
pose of an EDR is to record, in certain
crash or near crash-like situations, such
as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in
understanding how a vehicle’s systems
performed. The EDR is designed to
record data related to vehicle dynam-
ics and safety systems for a short
Usage of data collected through
Lexus Enform (U.S. mainland on-
ly)
Event data recorder

145
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
4
Driving
Driving
4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle ..................... 146
Cargo and luggage ................... 152
Vehicle load limits ...................... 154
Trailer towing (vehicles with tow- ing package).............................. 155
Trailer towing (vehicles without towing package) ...................... 163
Dinghy towing ............................. 164
4-2. Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch ........... 165
Automatic transmission........... 168
Turn signal lever.......................... 172
Parking brake .............................. 172
Brake Hold.................................... 175
ASC (Active Sound Control) 177
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers Headlight switch ......................... 178
Automatic High Beam .............. 181
Fog light switch ........................... 184
Windshield wipers and washer ......................................................... 184
Rear window wiper and washer ......................................................... 189
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap....... 1914-5. Using the driving support sys-
tems
Lexus Safety System+ 2.0...... 193
PCS (Pre-Collision System) . 199
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) .... 206
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) ...................... 215
RSA (Road Sign Assist).......... 223
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range...................... 225
PKSA (Parking Support Alert) ....................................................... 235
Intuitive parking assist ............. 236
Parking Support Brake function (for static objects) .................... 241
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) .... 250
Driving mode select switch .. 258
Driving assist systems.............. 260
All-wheel drive lock switch (AWD models)....................................... 264
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips .................... 266
Utility vehicle precautions..... 269

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.

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

1624-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
prolonged turning. Have someone
guide you when reversing to reduce
the risk of an accident.
 As stopping distance is increased
when towing a trailer, vehicle-to
vehicle distance should be
increased. For each 10 mph (16
km/h) of speed, allow at least one
vehicle and trailer length.
 Avoid sudden braking as you may
skid, resulting in the trailer jackknif-
ing and a loss of vehicle control. This
is especially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
 Avoid jerky starts or sudden accel-
eration.
 Avoid jerky steering and sharp
turns, and slow down before making
turn.
 Note that when making a turn, the
trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Compensate by making a
wider than normal turning radius.
 Slow down before making a turn, in
cross winds, on wet or slippery sur-
faces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can desta-
bilize the trailer.
 Take care when passing other vehi-
cles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty of room
before changing lanes.
 To maintain engine braking effi-
ciency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not put the transmission in D. If in
the M mode, the transmission shift
range position must be in 4 or lower.
(
P.168)
 Instability happens more frequently
when descending steep or long
downhill grades. Before descend-
ing, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long downhill
grades.
 Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or applying the brakes too
frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
 Due to the added load of the trailer,
your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
85°F [30°C]) when driving up a
long or steep grade. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates overheating, immediately turn
off the air conditioning (if in use),
pull your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. ( P.403)
 Always place wheel blocks under
both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s
wheels when parking. Put the trans-
mission in P and apply the parking
brake. Avoid parking on a slope, but
if unavoidable, do so only after per-
forming the following:
1 Apply the brakes and keep them
applied.
2 Have someone place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle’s and trailer’s
wheels.

1634-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
4
Driving
3When the wheel blocks are in
place, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
4 Shift into P and apply the parking
brake.
5 Turn off the engine.
 When restarting after parking on a
slope:
1 With the transmission in P, start the
engine. Be sure to keep the brake
pedal depressed.
2 Shift into a forward gear. If revers-
ing, shift into R.
3 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, release the parking brake.
(P.173)
4 Release the brake pedal, and slowly
pull or back away from the wheel
blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
5 Have someone retrieve the blocks.Trailer towing (vehicles with-
out towing package)
Lexus does not recommend towing
a trailer with your vehicle. Lexus
also does not recommend the
installation of a tow hitch or the use
of a tow hitch carrier for a wheel-
chair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your
vehicle is not desi gned for trailer
towing or for the use of tow hitch
mounted carriers.

1644-1. Before driving
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with 4 wheels on the
ground) behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehi-
cle
Do not tow your vehicle with the four
wheels on the ground.
■To prevent causing serious damage to
the transmission and Dynamic Torque
Control AWD system (AWD models)
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle
from the rear with the front wheels on the
ground.
This may cause serious damage to the
transmission.
AWD models: Never tow this vehicle
with any of the wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious damage to the
transmission and Dynamic Torque Con-
trol AWD system.

1684-2. Driving procedures
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce
noise, shift the shift lever to D for normal
driving.
You can choose gear range suitable for
your driving situation by operating the
paddle shift switches.
*2: Any gear range can be fixed when driv-ing in M mode.
■To protect the automatic transmission
“Transmission Fluid Temp High See
Owner’s Manual” is di splayed on the multi-
information display and a function is
adopted that automatically selects a higher
shift range when the fluid temperature is
high. Have the vehicle inspected by your
Lexus dealer.
■When driving with dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed range activated
Even when performing the following
actions with the intent of enabling engine
braking, engine braking will not activate
because dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range will not be canceled.
●While driving in D position, downshifting
to 5 or 4. ( P.170)
●When switching the driving mode to
Sport mode while driving in D position.
( P.258)
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
When the following unusual operation is
performed, the engine output may be
restrained.
●When the shift lever is shifted from R to D,
D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes M) with the accelerator pedal
depressed, a warning message appears
on the multi-information display. If a
warning message is shown on the multi-
information display, read the message
and follow the instructions.
●When the accelerator pedal is depressed
too much while the vehicle is in reverse.
■If the “M” indicator do es not come on or
the “D” indicator is displayed even after
shifting the shift lever to M
This may indicate a malfunction in the auto-
matic transmission system. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer. (In this situ-
ation, the transmission will operate in the
same)
■AI-SHIFT
●The AI-SHIFT automatically selects the
suitable gear according to driver perfor-
mance and driving conditions.
The AI-SHIFT automatically operates
when the driving mode select switch is
set to Normal mode with the shift lever in
the D position. (The function will be can-
celed, if the driving mo de select switch is
set to Sport mode or shift lever is put in
the M position.)
●The G AI-SHIFT is automatically
changed to a suitable gear step while
running in Sport mode according to the
driving operations and running condi-
tions.
The G AI-SHIFT automatically operates
when the driving mode select switch is
set to Sport mode with the shift lever in
the D position. (The function will be can-
celed, if the driving mo de is select switch
is set to Normal mode or shift lever is put
Automatic transmission
Select the shift position depending
on your purpose and situation.
Shift position purpose and func-
tions
Shift posi-
tionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
MM mode driving*2 ( P.170)

2584-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
Vehicles without Adaptive Variable
Suspension System
1 Normal mode
For normal driving.
Press the switch to change the driving
mode to Normal mode when selected to
Eco mode or Sport mode.
2Eco mode
In contrast to Normal mode when stepping
on the accelerator pedal, torque genera-
tion becomes slower, air conditioning
operations (heating/cooling) are
restrained, and driving is suited for
improved fuel consumption.
When not in Eco mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned to the left, “Eco” indicator will be shown on the multi-
information display.
3
Sport mode
Assists acceleration response by con-
trolling the engine, transmission and steer-
ing. Suitable for when precise handling is
desirable, for example when driving on
mountain roads.
When not in Sport mode and the driving
mode select switch is turned to the right,
“Sport” indicator will be shown on the
multi-information display.
Vehicles with Adaptive Variable
Suspension System
1 Normal/Custom mode
Press the switch and select Normal mode
or Custom mode. Each time the switch is
pressed, the system changes between
Normal mode and Custom mode. When
Custom mode is selected, the “Custom”
indicator comes on.
When in Eco mode or Sport mode, when
the switch is pressed, the system returns to
Normal mode. Press th e switch to change
the driving mode to Normal mode when
Driving mode select switch
The driving modes can be selected
to suit driving condition.
Selecting a driving mode