four wheel drive LEXUS NX300h 2021 Owners Manual

2734-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
4
Driving
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
■Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
Helps to prevent the vehicle from drift-
ing to the outer side by performing
inner wheel brake control when
attempting to accelerate while turning
■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.
■AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspen-
sion system) (if equipped)
By independently controlling the
damping force of th e shock absorbers
for each of the 4 wheels according to
the road and driving conditions, this
system helps riding comfort with supe-
rior vehicle stability, and helps good
vehicle posture. If Sport S+ mode is
selected using the driving mode select
switch, the damping force will become
more suitable for sporty driving.
( P.270)
■PCS (Pre-Collision System)
 P.211
■BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if
equipped)
 P.262
■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

2754-5. Using the driving support systems
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
4
Driving
■EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a
motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS sys-
tem
The effectiveness of the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from over-
heating when there is frequent steering
input over an extended period of time. The
steering wheel may feel heavy as a result.
Should this occur, re frain from excessive
steering input or stop the vehicle and turn
the hybrid system off. The EPS system
should return to normal within 10 minutes.
■Automatic reactivation of TRAC, Trailer
Sway Control and VSC systems
After turning the TRAC, Trailer Sway Con-
trol and VSC systems off, the systems will
be automatically re-enabled in the following
situations:
●When the power switch is turned off
●If only the TRAC system is turned off, the
TRAC will turn on when vehicle speed
increases
If both the TRAC and VSC systems are
turned off, automatic re-enabling will not
occur when vehicle speed increases.
■Operating conditions of Active Corner-
ing Assist
The system operates when the following
occurs.
●TRAC/VSC can operate
●The driver is attempting to accelerate
while turning
●The system detects th at the vehicle is
drifting to the outer side
●The brake pedal is released
■Operating conditions of hill-start assist
control
When the following four conditions are met,
the hill-start assist control will operate:
●The shift lever is in a position other than P
or N (when starting off forward/back-
ward on an upward incline)
●The vehicle is stopped
●The accelerator pedal is not depressed
●The parking brake is not engaged
■Automatic system cancelation of hill-
start assist control
The hill-start assist control will turn off in any
of the following situations:
●The shift lever is shifted to P or N
●The accelerator pedal is depressed
●The parking brake is engaged
●2 seconds at maximum elapsed after the
brake pedal is released
WARNING
■The ABS does not operate effectively
when
●The limits of tire gripping performance
have been exceeded (such as exces-
sively worn tires on a snow covered
road).
●The vehicle hydroplanes while driving
at high speed on wet or slick roads.
■Stopping distance when the ABS is
operating may exceed that of normal
conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the
vehicle’s stopping di stance. Always main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, especially in the following
situations:
●When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-
covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the road
●When driving over roads with potholes
or uneven surfaces
■TRAC/VSC may not operate effec-
tively when
Directional control and power may not
be achievable while driving on slippery
road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC
system is operating. Drive the vehicle
carefully in conditions where stability and
power may be lost.

2794-6. Driving tips
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
4
Driving
Use fluids that are appropriate to
the prevailing outside temperatures.
•Engine oil
• Engine/power control unit coolant
•Washer fluid
Have a service technician inspect
the condition of the 12-volt battery.
 Have the vehicle fitted with four
snow tires or purchase a set of tire
chains for the front tires
*.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and
brand, and that chains match the size of the
tires.
*: Tire chains cannot be mounted on the
225/60R18 tires.
Perform the following according to the
driving conditions:
 Do not try to forcibly open a window
or move a wiper that is frozen. Pour
warm water over the frozen area to
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 serious 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.
■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 LDA (Lane Departure
Alert with steering control) (if
equipped).
●Do not use LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
(if equipped).
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow
tires from Lexus dealers or legitimate tire
retailers. This is be cause the removal and
attachment of snow tires affects the
operation of the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle

3586-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is
recommended. When installing snow
tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
●All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
better traction in snow and to be ade-
quate for driving in most winter condi-
tions as well as for use year-round. All
season tires, however, do not have ade-
quate traction performance compared
with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.
Also, all season tires fall short in accelera-
tion and handling performance com-
pared with summer tires in highway
driving.
●Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy
roads, we recommend using snow tires. If
you need snow tires,
select tires of the
same size, construction and load capacity
as the originally insta lled tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equip-
ment, make sure your snow tires also
have radial construction. Do not install
studded tires without first checking local
regulations for possible restrictions.
Snow tires should be installed on all
wheels. ( P.279)
■If the tread on snow tires wears down
below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is
lost.
Rotate the tires in the order shown.
To equalize tire wear and extend tire life,
Lexus recommends that tire rotation is car-
ried out at the same in terval as tire inspec-
tion.
Do not fail to initialize the tire pressure
warning system after tire rotation.
WARNING
■When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to
prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to
parts of the drive train as well as danger-
ous handling characteristics, which may
lead to an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
●Do not mix tires of different makes,
models or tread patterns.
Also, do not mix tires of remarkably
different treadwear.
●Do not use tire sizes other than those
recommended by Lexus.
●Do not mix differently constructed
tires (radial, bias-belted or bias-ply
tires).
●Do not mix summer, all season and
snow tires.
●Do not use tires that have been used
on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not know
how they were used previously.
●Do not tow if your vehicle has a com-
pact spare tire installed.
NOTICE
■Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on
roads with loose surfaces or potholes.
These conditions may cause losses in tire
inflation pressure, reducing the cushion-
ing ability of the tires. In addition, driving
on rough roads may cause damage to
the tires themselves, as well as the vehi-
cle’s wheels and body.
■If tire inflation pressure of each tire
becomes low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires
and/or wheels may be ruined.
Tire rotation

3837-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
7
When trouble arises
7-2.Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be
towed
If towing is necessary, we recom-
mend having your vehicle towed by
your Lexus dealer or commercial
towing service, using a wheel-lift
type truck or flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all
towing, and abide by all state/pro-
vincial and local laws.
If towing your vehicle with a wheel-
lift type truck, use a towing dolly.
(  P.383, 384)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
Be sure to transport the vehicle with all
four wheels raised off the ground. If the
vehicle is towed with the tires contacting
the ground, the drivetrain or related
parts may be damaged, the vehicle may
fly off the truck, or electricity generated
by the operation of the motor may cause
a fire to occur depending on the nature
of the damage or malfunction.
■While towing
●When towing using cables or chains,
avoid sudden starts, etc., which place
excessive stress on the towing eyelets,
cables or chains. The towing eyelets,
cables or chains may become dam-
aged, broken debris may hit people,
and cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the power switch off.
There is a possibility that the steering
wheel is locked and cannot be oper-
ated.
■Installing towing eyelets to the vehi-
cle
Make sure that towing eyelets are
installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelets
may come loose during towing.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing using a wheel-lift type
truck
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear
when the power switch is off. The
steering lock mechanism is not strong
enough to hold the front wheels
straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure ade-
quate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle.
Without adequate clearance, the vehi-
cle could be damaged while being
towed.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either
from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the
suspension components.

4087-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
warning system. Also, if you replace the
compact spare tire after the tire pressure
warning light comes on, the light remains
on.
■When the compact spare tire is
equipped
The vehicle becomes lower when driving
with the compact spar e tire compared to
when driving with standard tires.
■If you have a flat fron t tire on a road cov-
ered with snow or ice
Install the compact spare tire on one of the
rear wheels of the vehicle. Perform the fol-
lowing steps and fit tire chains to the front
tires:
1 Replace a rear tire with the compact
spare tire.
2 Replace the flat front tire with the tire
removed from the rear of the vehicle.
3 Fit tire chains to the front tires.
WARNING
■When using the compact spare tire
●Remember that the spare tire provided
is specifically desi gned for use with
your vehicle. Do not use your spare
tire on another vehicle.
●Do not use more than one spare tire
simultaneously.
●Replace the spare tire with a standard
tire as soon as possible.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt
steering, sudden braking and shifting
operations that cause sudden engine
braking.
■When the compact spare tire is
attached
The vehicle speed may not be correctly
detected, and the following systems may
not operate correctly:
• ABS & Brake assist
•VSC
•TRAC
• Dynamic radar cruise control with full- speed range
• PCS (Pre-Collision System)
•EPS
• AVS (Adaptive Variable Suspension System) (if equipped)
• LTA (Lane Tracing Assist) (if equipped)
• LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) (if equipped)
• Panoramic view monitor (if equipped)
• Lexus parking assist monitor (if equipped)
• Intuitive parking assist (if equipped)
• Navigation system (if equipped)
• BSM (Blind spot monitor) (if equipped)
• Automatic high Beam (if equipped)
Also, not only can the following system
not be utilized fully, bu t it may even nega-
tively affect the drive-train components:
•E-Four
■Speed limit when using the compact
spare tire
Do not drive at speeds in excess of 50
mph (80 km/h) when a compact spare
tire is installed on the vehicle.
The compact spare tire is not designed
for driving at high speeds. Failure to
observe this precaution may lead to an
accident causing death or serious injury.