traction control LEXUS NX300h 2018 Owners Manual

64 1-2. Hybrid system
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U The illustration is an example for explanation and may differ from the actual item.
Warning label
Hybrid battery (traction battery)
Rear electric motor (traction motor)
Service plug
High voltage cables (orange)
Front electric motor (traction motor)
Power control unit
Air conditioning compressor
■
Running out of fuel
When the vehicle has run out of fuel and the hybrid system cannot be started, refuel the
vehicle with at least enough gasoline to
make the low fuel level warning light Hybrid system precautions Take care when handling the hybrid sy stem, as it is a high voltage system
(about 650 V at maximum) as well as contains parts that become extremely
hot when the hybrid system is operating. Obey the warning labels attached to
the vehicle.
System components
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

82 2-1. Instrument cluster
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Operating condition
The power switch is in ON mode. ■
Hybrid System Indicator
Power area
Shows that an Eco-friendly driving
range is being exceeded (during full
power driving etc.)
Eco area
Shows that the vehicle is being driven in
an Eco-friendly manner.
Hybrid Eco area
Shows that gasoline engine power is not
being used very often.
The gasoline engine will automatically
stop and restart under various condi-
tions.
Charge area
Shows that energy is being recovered
via the regenerative brake.
●
Hybrid System Indicator is displayed
when the driving mode is in other than
the sport mode.
●
By keeping the indicator needle within
Eco area, more Eco-friendly driving can
be achieved.
●
Charge area indicates regeneration *
sta-
tus. Regenerated energy will be used to charge the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery). *
: When used in this manual, “regeneration”
refers to the conversion of energy cre-
ated by the movement of the vehicle into
electrical energy. ■
Tachometer
Hybrid System Indicator switches to the
tachometer when drivin g mode is in sport
mode. The settings of the tachometer dis-
play can be changed on the multi-informa-
tion display. ■
Engine speed
On hybrid vehicles, engine speed is pre-
cisely controlled in order to help improve
fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust emis-
sions, etc.
There are times when the engine speed that
is displayed may differ even when vehicle
operation and driving conditions are the
same. ■
Outside temperature display ●
In the following situations, the correct
outside temperature may not be dis-
played, or the display may take longer
than normal to change.
• When stopped, or driving at low speeds
(less than 12 mph [20 km/h])
• When the outside temperature has
changed suddenly (at the entrance/exit of
a garage, tunnel, etc.) ●
When “--” or “E” is displayed, the system
may be malfunctioning.
Take your vehicle to your Lexus dealer.
■
Pop-up display
In some situations, a pop-up display will be
temporarily displayed on the multi-informa-
tion display or the odometer/trip meter/
maintenance required information screen.
The pop-up display function can be set on/
off.
■
Liquid crystal display
Small spots or light sp ots may appear on the
display. This phenomen on is characteristic
of liquid crystal disp lays, and there is no
problem continuing to use the display.A
B
C
D

952-1. Instrument cluster
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
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Vehicle status information and indicators 
Navigation/multimedia system display
Press the “MENU” button on the Remote To uch, then select on the screen, and
then select . If the “Trip Information” or “History” screen is displayed, select “Energy”.
Multi-information display
Press or of the meter control swit ches and select , and then or
to select the energy monitor display.Energy monitor
When the vehicle is powered by the electric motor (traction motor)
Navigation/multimedia system display Multi-information display
When the vehicle is powered by both the gasoline engine and the electric motor (traction
motor)
Navigation/multimedia system display Multi-information display
When the vehicle is powered by the gasoline engine
Navigation/multimedia system display Multi-information display

1514-1. Before driving
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Driving multi-information display while the sys-
tem is operating.■
Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)●
When the following unusual operation is
performed, the hybrid system 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 S) 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 while the vehicl e is in reverse.●
While Drive-Start Control is being acti-
vated, your vehicle may have trouble
escaping from the mud or fresh snow. In
such case, deactivate TRAC ( → P.251) to
cancel Drive- Start Control so that the
vehicle may become able to escape from
the mud or fresh snow.■
Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing
the following precautions is recommended: ●
For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.●
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. 
Vehicles with towing package●
For the first 500miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
■
Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registra-
tion laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. ( → P.408)
■
Eco-friendly driving
→ P.82 WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury. ■
When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the “READY”
indicator is illuminated. This prevents the
vehicle from creeping. ■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with
the location of the brake and accelera-
tor pedals to avoid depressing the
wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelera-
tor pedal instead of the brake pedal
will result in sudden acceleration that
may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your
body around, leading to 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 emer gency, resulting in
an accident.
●
The driver should pay extra attention
to pedestrians when the vehicle is
powered only by the electric motor
(traction motor). As there is no engine
noise, the pedestrians may misjudge
the vehicle’s movement.
●
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 flamma-
ble material nearby.

1734-2. Driving procedures
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Driving *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
: By selecting shift ra nges using S mode,
you can control accelerating force and
engine braking force.
■
S mode●
When the shift range is 4 or lower, hold-
ing the shift lever towa rd “+” sets the shift
range to 6.
●
Automatically selects a higher shift range
before the engine speed becomes too
high.
■
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 S mode, downshifting to
5 or 4. ( → P.176)●
When switching the driving mode to
sport mode while driving in D position.
( → P.249)■
Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
When the following unusual operation is
performed, the hybrid system 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 S) 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 while the vehicle is in reverse.Hybrid transmission Select the shift position depending
on your purpose and situation.
Shift position purpose and func-
tions Shift posi-
tion Objective or function
P Parking the vehicle/starting
the hybrid system
R Reversing
N Neutral
D Normal driving *1
S S mode driving *2
( → P.176)
WARNING■
When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
Be careful of downsh ifting and sudden
acceleration, as this could result in the
vehicle skidding to the side or spinning.
NOTICE■
Hybrid battery (t raction battery)
charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid battery
(traction battery) will not be charging,
even when the engine is running. There-
fore, if the vehicle is left with the shift
lever in N for a long period of time, the
hybrid battery (traction battery) will dis-
charge, and this may re sult in the vehicle
not being able to start.

250 4-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
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ECB (Electronically Controlled
Brake System)
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 ■
Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehi-
cle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of the
ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS. Helps to maintain directional stability
when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering perfor-
mance. ■
Trailer Sway Control
Helps the driver to control trailer sway
by selectively applying brake pressure
for individual wheels and reducing
driving torque when trailer sway is
detected. ■
TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and pre-
vent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerat-
ing on slippery roads ■
Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward move-
ment of the vehicle when starting on an
uphill ■
EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce
the amount of effort needed to turn the
steering wheel ■
E-Four
Electronic On-Demand AWD system.
Automatically switches from front-
wheel drive to all-wheel drive (AWD)
according to the driving conditions,
helping to ensure reliable handling and
stability. Examples of conditions where
the system will switch to AWD are
when cornering, going uphill, starting
off or accelerating, and when the road
surface is slippery due to snow, rain,
etc.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

2514-5. Using the driving support systems
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Driving ■
PCS (Pre-Collision System)
→ P.203 ■
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if
equipped)
→ P.241 ■
When the TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer
Sway Control systems are operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer Sway Control
systems are operating.
■
Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow,
the TRAC system may reduce power from
the hybrid system to the wheels. Pressing
to turn the system off may make it eas-
ier for you to rock the vehicle in order to
free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release .
The “Traction Control Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press again to turn the system back on. ■
Turning off both TRAC, VSC and Trailer
Sway Control systems
To turn the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway
Control systems off, press and hold for
more than 3 seconds while the vehicle is
stopped.
The VSC off indicator will come on and the
“Traction Control Turned Off” will be shown
on the multi-info rmation display. *
Press again to turn the systems back on.*
: On vehicles with pre-collision system,
pre-collision brake assist and pre-colli-
sion braking will also be disabled. The
PCS warning light will come on and the
message will be shown on the multi-infor-
mation display. ( → P.210)
■
When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if has
not been pressed
TRAC cannot be oper ated. Contact your
Lexus dealer.
■
Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VSC, Trailer Sway
Control, TRAC and hill-start assist con-
trol systems
●
A sound may be heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed repeatedly, when the hybrid
system is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This sound does not indi-

2554-6. Driving tips
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Driving 4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco mode, the torque cor-
responding to the accelerator pedal
depression amount can be generated
more smoothly than it is in normal con-
ditions. In addition, the operation of the
air conditioning system (heating/cool-
ing) will be minimized, improving the
fuel economy. ( → P.249)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicator needle of Hybrid
System Indicator within Eco area.
( → P.82)
Shift the shift lever to D when stopped
at a traffic light, or driving in heavy traf-
fic, etc. Shift the shift lever to P when
parking. When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consumption. In
the N, the gasoline engine operates
but electricity cannot be generated.
Also, when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) power is consumed.  Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid
abrupt acceleration and decelera-
tion. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effec-
tive use of the electric motor (trac-
tion motor) without having to use
gasoline engine power.
 Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (traction battery)
power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be
restored by driving with the acceler-
ator pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes gently
and in a timely manner. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fuel economy.
Check traffic reports before leaving
and avoid delays as much as possible.
When driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly while
avoiding overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.Hybrid vehicle driving tips For economical and ecological
driving, pay attention to the follow-
ing points:
Using Eco mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Shift Changing the shift lever
operation Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays

260 4-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
al_USA_OM78212U Your vehicle is not designed to be
driven off-road. However, in the event
that off-road driving cannot be
avoided, please observe the following
precautions to help avoid the areas
prohibited to vehicles.
 Drive your vehicle only in areas
where off-road vehicles are permit-
ted to travel.
 Respect private property. Get
owner’s permission before entering
private property.
 Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that
restrict travel.
 Stay on established roads. When
conditions are wet, driving tech-
niques should be changed or travel
delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
 Avoid driving on very steep, slippery
roads and other surfaces, such as
sand, where the tires are liable to
lose traction. Your vehicle may not
perform as well as conventional
AWD on-road vehicles on these
surfaces. ■
Additional informatio n for off-road driv-
ing 
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and
Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining
to driving your vehicle off-road, consult the
following organizations. ●
State and Local Parks and Recreation
Departments ●
State Motor Vehicle Bureau ●
Recreational Vehicle Clubs ●
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land
ManagementWARNING●
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible.
Failure to operate this vehicle correctly
may result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover causing death or serious
injury.●
Loading cargo on the roof luggage
carrier (if equipped ) will make the cen-
ter of the vehicle gravity higher. Avoid
high speeds, sudden starts, sharp
turns, sudden braking or abrupt
maneuvers, otherwise it may result in
loss of control or vehicle rollover due
to failure to operate this vehicle cor-
rectly.●
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
Because of its profile and higher cen-
ter of gravity, your vehicle is more sen-
sitive to side winds than an ordinary
passenger car. Slowing down will allow
you to have better control.●
Do not drive horizontally across steep
slopes. Driving straig ht up or straight
down is preferred. Your vehicle (or any
similar off-road vehicle) can tip over
sideways much more easily than for-
ward or backward.
Off-road driving WARNING
■
Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of death or seri-
ous injury or damage to your vehicle:
●
Drive carefully when off the road. Do
not take unnecessary risks by driving in
dangerous places.
●
Do not grip the steering wheel spokes
when driving off-road. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your
hands. Keep both hands and especially
your thumbs on the outside of the rim.

2614-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manu-
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Driving WARNING●
Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.●
After driving through tall grass, mud,
rock, sand, water, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone,
sand, etc. adhering or trapped to the
underbody. Clear off any such matter
from the underbody. If the vehicle is
used with these materials trapped or
adhering to the underbody, a break-
down or fire could occur.●
When driving off-road or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sh arp turns, strike
objects, etc. This may cause loss of
control or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. You are also
risking expensive damage to your
vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
NOTICE■
To prevent water damage
Take all necessary sa fety measures to
ensure that water da mage to the hybrid
battery (traction battery), hybrid system
or other components does not occur. ●
Water entering the engine compart-
ment may cause severe damage to the
hybrid system. Water entering the inte-
rior may cause the hybrid battery
stowed under the rear seats to short
circuit.
●
Water entering the hybrid transmis-
sion and rear electr ic motor (traction
motor) will cause deterioration in
transmission quality. The malfunction
indicator may come on, and the vehi-
cle may not be drivable.
●
Water can wash the grease from wheel
bearings, causing rusting and prema-
ture failure, and may also enter the
hybrid transmission case, reducing the
gear oil’s lubricating qualities. ■
When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
riverbed for firmness. Drive slowly and
avoid deep water. ■
Inspection after off-road driving ●
Sand and mud that has accumulated
around brake discs may affect braking
efficiency and may damage brake sys-
tem components. ●
Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-road
driving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For
scheduled maintena nce information,
refer to the “Warranty and Services
Guide/Owner’s Manual Supplement/
Scheduled Maintenance”.