brakes LEXUS RC300 2021 Owners Manual

1184-1. Before driving
4-1.Before driving
■Starting the engine
 P.127
■Driving
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D. ( P.131)
2 If the parking brake is in manual
mode, release the parking brake.
(P.137)
3 Gradually release the brake pedal
and gently depress the accelerator
pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■Stopping
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an
extended period of time, shift the shift lever
to P or N. ( P.131)
■Parking the vehicle
1 With the shift lever in D, depress the
brake pedal.
2 Set the parking brake ( P.137),
and shift the shift lever to P
( P.131).
3 Press the engine switch to stop the
engine.
4 Lock the door, making sure that you
have the electronic key on your
person.
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as
needed.
■Starting off on a steep uphill
1 With the brake pedal depressed,
shift the shift lever to D.
2 Pull the parking brake switch to set
the parking brake manually.
3 Release the brake pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal to
accelerate the vehicle.
4 Press the parking brake switch to
release the parking brake manually.
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate.
(  P.201)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be reduced, the windows
may become fogged-up, and the road
will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain,
because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on
an expressway in the rain, because there
may be a layer of wa ter between the tires
and the road surface, preventing the
steering and brakes from operating prop-
erly.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine
speed may become high while driving. This
is due to automatic up-shifting control or
down-shifting implementation to meet driv-
ing conditions. It does not indicate sudden
acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill
or downhill
●When the accelerato r pedal is released
●When the brake pedal is depressed while
sport mode is selected
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be
observed to ensure safe driving:
Driving procedure

1204-1. Before driving
WARNING
• 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 emergency, resulting in
an accident.
●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.
●During normal driving, do not turn off
the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be
lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull
over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emer-
gency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
P.286
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (
P.131)
●Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passengers’
arms, heads or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140
km/h) unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driving
over 85 mph (140 km /h) may result in
tire failure, loss of control and possible
injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability tires
or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking
due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
●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 shif t 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 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.

1224-1. Before driving
WARNING
●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 brak e pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual and
the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
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.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at th e same time while
driving, as this may restrain the engine
output.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or
depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the
vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle
may accelerate suddenly if the accelera-
tor pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in
either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time. Doing so may
damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road,
drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the
vehicle, etc.

1404-2. Driving procedures
warning buzzer will sound and a message
will be shown on the multi-information dis-
play. The parking brake will then be set
automatically.
■Brake hold function
●If the brake pedal is left released for a
period of about 3 minutes after the sys-
tem has started holding the brake, the
parking brake will be set automatically. In
this case, a warning buzzer sounds and a
message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display.
●To turn the system off while the system is
holding the brake, firmly depress the
brake pedal and press the button again.
●The brake hold function may not hold the
vehicle when the vehicle is on a steep
incline. In this situation, it may be neces-
sary for the driver to apply the brakes. A
warning buzzer will sound and the
multi-information display will inform the
driver of this situation. If a warning mes-
sage is shown on the multi-information
display, read the message and follow the
instructions.
■When the parking brake is set automati-
cally while the system is holding the
brakes
Perform any of the follo wing operations to
release the parking brake.
●Depress the accelerator pedal. (The
parking brake will not be released auto-
matically if the seat belt is not fastened.)
●Operate the parking brake switch with
the brake pedal depressed.
Make sure that the pa rking brake indicator
light goes off. ( P.137)
■When an inspection at your Lexus
dealer is necessary
When the brake hold standby indicator
(green) does not illuminate even when the
brake hold switch is pressed with the brake
hold system operating conditions met, the
system may be malfun ctioning. Have the
vehicle inspected at your Lexus dealer.
■If “Brake Hold Fault Depress Brake to
Deactivate Visit Your Dealer”, “Brake
Hold Malfunction Pr ess Brake to Deac-
tivate Visit Your Dealer” or “Brake Hold
Malfunction Visit Your Dealer” is dis-
played on the multi-information display
The system may be ma lfunctioning. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
■Warning messages and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to
indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution. If a warn-
ing message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display, read the message and follow
the instructions.
■If the brake hold operated indicator
flashes
 P.295
WARNING
■When the vehicle is on a steep incline
When using the brake hold system on a
steep incline, exercise caution. The brake
hold function may not hold the vehicle in
such a situation.
■When stopped on a slippery road
The system cannot stop the vehicle when
the gripping ability of the tires has been
exceeded. Do not use the system when
stopped on a slippery road.
NOTICE
■When parking the vehicle
The brake hold system is not designed
for use when parking the vehicle for a
long period of time. Turning the engine
switch off while the system is holding the
brake may release the brake, which
would cause the vehicle to move. When
operating the engine switch, depress the
brake pedal, shift the shift lever to P and
set the parking brake.

1624-5. Using the driving support systems
■Pre-collision warning
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high, a
buzzer will sound and a warning mes-
sage will be displayed on the
multi-information display to urge the
driver to take evasive action.
■Pre-collision brake assist
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the system applies greater braking
force in relation to how strongly the
brake pedal is depressed.
■Pre-collision braking
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the system warns the driver. If the sys-
tem determines that the possibility of a
frontal collision is extremely high, the
brakes are automatically applied to
help avoid the collision or reduce the
collision speed.
■Suspension control (if equipped)
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high,
the Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem ( P.201) will control the damping
force of the shock absorbers to help
maintain an appropriate vehicle pos-
ture.
■Steering control (if equipped)
When the system determines that the
possibility of a frontal collision is high
and the driver is op erating the steering
wheel, the LDH system ( P.202) will
control the turning angle of the front
PCS (Pre-Collision System)
The pre-collision system uses a
radar sensor and front camera to
detect vehicles and pedestrians in
front of your vehicle. When the sys-
tem determines that the possibility
of a frontal collision with a vehicle
or pedestrian is high, a warning
operates to urge the driver to take
evasive action and the potential
brake pressure is increased to help
the driver avoid the collision. If the
system determines that the possi-
bility of a frontal collision with a
vehicle or pedestrian is extremely
high, the brakes are automatically
applied to help avoid the collision or
help reduce the impact of the colli-
sion.
The pre-collision system can be dis-
abled/enabled and the warning tim-
ing can be changed. ( P.164)
System functions

1684-5. Using the driving support systems
• The vehicle is wobbling.
• The vehicle is being driven at extremely high speeds.
• When driving on a hill
• If the radar sensor or front camera is mis- aligned
●In some situations such as the following,
sufficient braking force may not be
obtained, preventing the system from
performing properly:
• If the braking functions cannot operate to
their full extent, such as when the brake
parts are extremely cold, extremely hot,
or wet
• If the vehicle is not properly maintained (brakes or tires are excessively worn,
improper tire inflation pressure, etc.)
• When the vehicle is being driven on a gravel road or other slippery surface
●Some pedestrians such as the following
may not be detected by the radar sensor
and front camera, preventing the system
from operating properly:
• Pedestrians shorter than approximately 3.2 ft. (1 m) or tall er than approximately
6.5 ft. (2 m)
• Pedestrians wearing oversized clothing (a rain coat, long skirt, etc.), making their
silhouette obscure
• Pedestrians who are carrying large bag- gage, holding an umbrella, etc., hiding
part of their body
• Pedestrians who are bending forward or squatting
• Pedestrians who are pushing a stroller, wheelchair, bicycle or other vehicle
• Groups of pedestrians which are close
together
• Pedestrians who are wearing white and look extremely bright
• Pedestrians in the dark, such as at night or while in a tunnel
• Pedestrians whose clothing appears to
be nearly the same co lor or brightness as
their surroundings
• Pedestrians near walls , fences, guardrails,
or large objects
• Pedestrians who are on a metal object (manhole cover, steel plate, etc.) on the
road
• Pedestrians who are walking fast
• Pedestrians who are changing speed abruptly • Pedestrians running out from behind a
vehicle or a large object
• Pedestrians who are extremely close to
the side of the vehicle (outside rear view
mirror, etc.)
■If VSC is disabled
●If VSC is disabled ( P.201), the pre-col-
lision brake assist and pre-collision brak-
ing functions are also disabled.
●The PCS warning light will turn on and
“VSC Turned Off Pre-Collision Brake
System Unavailable” will be displayed on
the multi-information display.

1784-5. Using the driving support systems
This mode employs a radar sensor to detect the presence of vehicles up to approx-
imately 328 ft. (100 m) ahead, determines the current vehicle-to-vehicle following
distance, and operates to maintain a suit able following distance from the vehicle
ahead.
Note that vehicle-to-vehicle distance will close in when traveling on downhill slopes.
Example of constant speed cruising
When there are no vehicles ahead
The vehicle travels at the speed set by the driver. The desired vehicle-to-vehicle distance
can also be set by operating the vehicle-to-vehicle distance switch.
Example of deceleration cruising and follow-up cruising
When a preceding vehicle driving slower than the set speed appears
When a vehicle is detected running ahead of you, the system automatically decelerates
your vehicle. When a greater reduction in vehicle speed is necessary, the system applies
the brakes (the stop lights will come on at this time). The system will respond to changes in
the speed of the vehicle ahead in order to maintain the vehicle-to-vehicle distance set by
the driver. Approach warning warns you when th e system cannot decelerate sufficiently to
prevent your vehicle from closing in on the vehicle ahead.
When the vehicle ahead of you stops, your vehi cle will also stop (vehicle is stopped by sys-
tem control). After the vehicle ahead starts off, pushing the cruise control lever up or
depressing the accelerator pedal will resume follow-up cruising.
Example of acceleration
When there are no longer any preceding vehicles driving slower than the set
speed
The system accelerates until the set speed is re ached. The system then returns to constant
speed cruising.
Driving in vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
A
B
C

1834-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
mately 30 mph (50 km/h).
However, when a preceding vehicle is
detected, the dynamic radar cruise con-
trol with full-speed range can be set even
if the vehicle speed is below approxi-
mately 30 mph (50 km/h).
■Accelerating after setting the vehicle
speed
The vehicle can accelerate by operating the
accelerator pedal. After accelerating, the
set speed resumes. However, during vehi-
cle-to-vehicle distance control mode, the
vehicle speed may decrease below the set
speed in order to maintain the distance to
the preceding vehicle.
■When the vehicle stops while follow-up
cruising
●Pushing the lever up while the vehicle
ahead stops will resume follow-up cruis-
ing if the vehicle ahead starts off within
approximately 3 seconds after the lever
is pushed up.
●If the vehicle ahead starts off within 3 sec-
onds after your vehicle stops, follow-up
cruising will be resumed.
■Automatic cancelation of vehi-
cle-to-vehicle distance control mode
Vehicle-to-vehicle dist ance control mode is
automatically canceled in the following situ-
ations:
●Actual vehicle speed falls at or below
approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) when
there are no vehicles ahead.
●The preceding vehicle leaves the lane
when your vehicle is following at a vehicle
speed at or below approximately 25 mph
(40 km/h). Otherwise, the sensor can
not properly detect the vehicle. (“Radar
Cruise Control Not Available No Pre-
ceding Vehicles” is displayed on the
multi-information display)
●VSC is activated.
●TRAC is activated for a period of time.
●When the VSC or TRAC system is
turned off.
●When snow mode is set.
●The sensor cannot detect correctly
because it is covered in some way.
●Pre-collision braking is activated.
●The parking brake is operated.
●The vehicle is stopped by system control
on a steep incline.
●The following are detected when the
vehicle has been stopped by system con-
trol:
• The driver is not wearing a seat belt.
• The driver’s door is opened.
• The vehicle has been stopped for about 3 minutes.
If vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode
is automatically canceled for any reasons
other than the above, there may be a mal-
function in the system. Contact your Lexus
dealer.
■Automatic cancelation of constant
speed control mode
Constant speed control mode is automati-
cally canceled in the following situations:
●Actual vehicle speed is more than
approximately 10 mph (16 km/h) below
the set vehicle speed.
●Actual vehicle speed falls below approxi-
mately 25 mph (40 km/h).
●VSC is activated.
●TRAC is activated for a period of time.
●When the VSC or TRAC system is
turned off.
●Pre-collision braking is activated.
If constant speed control mode is automati-
cally canceled for any other reason, there
may be a malfunction in the system. Con-
tact your Lexus dealer.
■Brake system operation sound
If the brakes are app lied automatically while
the vehicle is in vehicle-to-vehicle distance
control mode, a brake system operation
sound may be heard. This does not indicate
a malfunction.
■Warning messages and buzzers for
dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range
Warning messages and buzzers are used to
indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution while driv-
ing. If a warning messa ge is shown on the

1874-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
■The intuitive parking assist can be oper-
ated when
●Front center sensors:
• The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode.
• The shift lever is in a position other than P or R.
• The vehicle speed is less than about 6 mph (10 km/h).
●Front corner sensors:
• The engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode.
• The shift lever is in a position other than P.
• The vehicle speed is less than about 6 mph (10 km/h).
(At any speed when the shift lever is in R)
●Rear corner and rear center sensors:
• The engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode.
• The shift lever is in R.
■Muting the buzzer sound
●To mute the buzzer sound:
The buzzer can be temporarily muted by
pressing “OK” of the meter control
switches while an obstacle detection dis-
play is shown on the multi-information dis-
play.
●To cancel the mute:
Mute will be automatically canceled in the
following situations.
• When the shift position is changed (except shifting from D to N, or N to D).
• When the vehicle speed has reached or
exceeded 6 mph (10 km/h) with the shift
position in D.
• When the intuitive par king assist is turned
off once and turned on again.
• When the engine switch is turned off once and turned to IGNITION ON
mode again.
■If “Clean Parking Assist Sensor” is dis-
played on the multi-information display
A sensor may be covered with ice, snow,
dirt, etc. Remove the ice, snow, dirt, etc.,
from the sensor to return the system to nor-
mal.
Also, due to ice forming on a sensor at low
temperatures, a warning message may be displayed or the sensor may not be able to
detect an object. Once the ice melts, the
system will return to normal.
■Sensor detection information
●The following situations may occur
during use.
• The sensors may be able to only detect objects near the fron t and rear bumpers.
• Depending on the shape of the object
and other factors, the detection distance
may shorten, or detection may be impos-
sible.
• There will be a short delay between object detection and di splay. Even at low
speeds, there is a possibility that the
object will come within the sensor’s
detection areas befo re the display is
shown and the warning beep sounds.
• It might be difficult to hear the buzzer due to the volume of the audio system or air
flow noise of the air conditioning system.
• It may be difficult to hear the buzzer if buzzers for other systems are sounding.
■Conditions under wh ich the function
may not function correctly
Certain vehicle conditions and the sur-
rounding environment may affect the ability
of a sensor to correctly detect objects. Par-
ticular instances where this may occur are
listed below.
●There is dirt, snow or ice on a sensor.
(Cleaning the sensors will resolve this
problem.)
●A sensor is frozen. (Thawing the area will
resolve this problem.)
In especially cold weather, if a sensor is
frozen the sensor display may be dis-
played abnormally, or objects, such as a
wall, may not be detected.
●A sensor is covered in any way.
●When a sensor or the area around a sen-
sor is extremely hot or cold.
●On an extremely bumpy road, on an
incline, on gravel, or on grass.
●The vicinity of the vehicle is noisy due to
vehicle horns, motorcycle engines, air
brakes of large vehicles, or other loud
noises producing ultrasonic waves.
●There is another vehicle equipped with

2014-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
■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.
■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
■VGRS (Variable Gear Ratio Steer-
ing) (if equipped)
Adjusts the front wheel turning angle in
accordance with the vehicle speed and
steering wheel movement
■DRS (Dynamic Rear Steering) (if
equipped)
Contributes to the turning characteris-
tics and responsiveness of the vehicle
by adjusting the rear wheel angle of the
vehicle in accordance with steering
wheel movement.
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce
the amount of effort needed to turn the
steering wheel
■Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem (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 combines riding comfort with
superior vehicle stability, and helps
good vehicle posture.
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