brakes LEXUS RC300H 2017 Owners Manual

2074-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist co ntrol will activate. (P. 304)
■For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles are similar to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary
to refrain from activities such as sudden acceleration. ( P. 334)
■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 especially slip- pery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because there maybe a layer of water between the tires and the road surface, preventing the steering andbrakes from operating properly.
■Restraining the hybrid system output (brake override system)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals are de pressed at the same time, the hybrid sys- tem output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is operating. ( P. 552)
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recommended:
●For the first 300 km (186 miles): Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 1000 km (621 miles):
• 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.
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parkin g brake system. This type of brake system needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or whenever the parking brakeshoes and/or drum are replaced. Have any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified and equipped professional, perform the bedding down operation.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. ( P. 598)

2084-1. Before driving
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
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 accelerator ped-als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator 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 a difficulty in oper- ating 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 emergency, 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 flammable material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid system off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, however, power assist to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer smoothly, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 529
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a steep
hill. Using the brakes continuously may cause th e brakes to overheat and lose effective- ness. ( P. 222)
●Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside rear view mirrors while driving.Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body are notoutside the vehicle.

2094-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your ability to control the vehicle.
●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 properly. Wet brak e pads may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.Doing so may result 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 control.
●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 control.
●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 control.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the hybrid sys- tem. 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 unexpected rapid accelera- tion of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equi pped professional as soon as possible. Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Moderate levels of the brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced braking power. As a result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional brake discs. Therefore, when replacing the brake pads, Lexus recommends that you also have the thickness of the
discs measured. It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when th e wear limits of the brake pads and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.

2114-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the hybrid system off. Otherwis e, if you accidentally move the shift lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire due to hybrid systemoverheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the vehicle, lead ing 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 notsecurely hold the vehicle.
●If the electronically controlled brake system does not operate, do not follow othervehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.In this case, braking is still possible, bu t the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2 or more individual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other(s) will 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
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage th e driveline components or propel the vehi-
cle forward or backward, causing an accident.

2584-5. Using the driving support systems
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
This mode employs a radar sensor to detect the presence of vehicles up to
approximately 120 m (400 ft.) ahead, determines the current vehicle-to-vehicle
following distance, and operates to maintain a suitable following distance from
the vehicle ahead.
Note that vehicle-to-vehicle distance will close in when traveling on long 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 dis- tance can also be set by operating the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control.
Example of deceleration cruising
When a preceding vehicle driving slower than the set speed appears
When a vehicle is detected running ahead of you, the system automatically deceler- ates your vehicle. When a greater reductio n in vehicle speed is necessary, the system applies the brakes (the stop lights will come on at this time). A warning tone warns you
when the system cannot decelerate sufficiently to prevent your vehicle from closing in on the vehicle ahead.
Example of follow-up cruising
When following a preceding vehicle driving slower than the set speed
The system continues follow-up cruising wh ile adjusting for changes in the speed of
the vehicle ahead in order to maintain the vehicle-to-vehicle distance set by the driver.
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 reached. The system then returns to con- stant speed cruising.
Driving in vehicle-to-veh icle distance control mode
1
2
3
4

2684-5. Using the driving support systems
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
WARNING
■Before using dynamic radar cruise control
Do not overly rely on vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode. Be aware of the set speed. If automatic deceleration/acceleration is not appropriate,
adjust the vehicle speed, as well as the distance between your vehicle and vehicles ahead by applying the brakes, etc.
■Cautions regarding the driving assist systems
Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
●Assisting the driver to measure following distance
The dynamic radar cruise control is only in tended to help the driver in determining the following distance between the driver’s own vehicle and a designated vehicletraveling ahead. It is not a mechanism that allows careless or inattentive driving, and it
is not a system that can assist the driver in low-visibility conditions. It is still necessary for driver to pay close attention to the vehicle’s surroundings.
●Assisting the driver to judge proper following distance
The dynamic radar cruise control determines whether the following distance between the driver’s own vehicle and a designated vehicle traveling ahead is appro-priate or not. It is not capable of making any other type of judgement. Therefore, it is
absolutely necessary for the driver to remain vigilant and to determine whether or not there is a possibility of danger in any given situation.
●Assisting the driver to operate the vehicle
The dynamic radar cruise control has no ca pability to prevent or avoid a collision with a vehicle traveling ahead. Therefore, if there is ever any danger, the driver must takeimmediate and direct control of the vehicle and act appropriately in order to ensure
the safety of all involved.
■To avoid inadvertent dynamic radar cruise control activation
Switch the dynamic radar cruise control off using the “ON/OFF” button when not in
use.

2844-5. Using the driving support systems
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
■If a message is displayed on the multi-information display
 P. 545
WARNING
■When using the Lexus parking assist-sensor
Observe the following precautions.
Failing to do so may result in the vehicle be ing unable to be driven safely and possibly cause an accident.
●Do not use the sensor at speeds in excess of 10 km/h (6 mph).
●The sensors’ detection areas and reaction times are limited. When moving forward or reversing, check the areas surrounding the vehicle (especially the sides of the vehi-cle) for safety, and drive slowly, using the brake to control the vehicle’s speed.
●Do not install accessories within the sensors’ detection areas.
■Limitations of the sensors
●The detection areas of the sensors are limited to the areas around the vehicle’s front
and rear bumpers.
●Certain vehicle conditions and surrounding environments, such as the following, may affect the ability of the sensors to correctly detect objects. Pay particular attention in
the following situations. Failure to do so may result in the vehicle being driven unsafely, possibly leading to an accident.
• When there is dirt, snow or ice on a sens or (Cleaning the sensor will resolve this
problem.) • When the sensor is frozen (Thawing the area will resolve this problem.)In especially cold weather, if a sensor is frozen the screen may show an abnormal
display, or objects may not be detected • When a sensor is covered in any way• When the vehicle is leaning considerably to one side
• When driving on an extremely bumpy road, incline, gravel, or grass • When 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
• When there is another vehicle equipped with parking assist sensor in the vicinity • When the sensor is coated with a sheet of spray or heavy rain• When the vehicle is equipped with a fender pole or wireless antenna
• When a towing eyelet is installed • When a bumper or sensor receives a strong impact• When the vehicle is approaching a tall or curved curb
• When driving in harsh sunlight or intense cold weather • When an object is directly under a bumper• When objects become too close to the sensors
• When a non-genuine Lexus suspension (l owered suspension, etc.) is installed In addition to the situations above, there are instances in which, because of theirshape, signs and other objects may be judged by the sensor to be closer than they
are.

3044-5. Using the driving support systems
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
◆ECB (Electronically Controlled Brake System)
The electronically controlled system generates braking force corresponding
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 braking 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 suddenly or turning on
slippery road surfaces
◆VSC+ (Vehicle Stability Control+)
Provides cooperative control of the ABS, TRC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering performance.
◆TRC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
◆Hill-start assist control
Helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward when starting on an incline
or slippery slope
◆EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn the
steering wheel
Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following systems oper-
ate automatically in response to various driving situations. Be aware, however,
that these systems are suppl ementary and should not be relied upon too heav-
ily when operating the vehicle.

3054-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
◆Adaptive Variable Suspension System (if equipped)
By independently controlling the damp ing force of the shock absorbers for
each of the 4 wheels according to the road and driving conditions, this system
helps riding comfort with superior stee ring stability, and helps good vehicle
posture ( P. 302)
◆VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management)
Provides integrated control of the ABS, brake assist, TRC, VSC, hill-start
assist control and EPS systems
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes, hybrid system output
◆PCS (Pre-Crash Safety system) (if equipped)
 P. 311
◆Emergency brake signal
When the brakes are applie d suddenly, the stop lights automatically flash to
alert the vehicle behind
◆BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if equipped)
 P. 319
The slip indicator light will flash while
the TRC/VSC systems are operating.
When the TRC/VSC systems are operating

3114-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
◆Pre-crash warning
When a high possibility of a frontal
collision is detected, the pre-crash
safety system warning light flashes, a
buzzer sounds and a message is
shown on the multi-information dis-
play to urge the driver to take eva-
sive action.
◆Pre-crash brake assist
When there is a high possibility of a frontal collision, the system applies
greater braking force in relation to how strongly the brake pedal is depressed.
The system may not warn the driver using a warning light, warning display and
buzzer when the system detects and judges braking operations.
◆Pre-crash braking
When there is a high possibility of a frontal collision, the system warns the
driver using a warning ligh t, warning display and buzzer. If the system deter-
mines that a collision is unavoidable, the brakes are automatically applied to
reduce the collision speed.
◆Suspension control (if equipped)
When the system determines that there is a high possibility of a frontal colli-
sion, the operation of Adaptive Variable Suspension System ( P. 305) opti-
mally controls the damping force of the shock absorber.
PCS (Pre-Crash Safety system)
: If equipped
When the radar sensor detects the possibil ity of a frontal collision, brakes are
automatically engaged to lessen im pact as well as vehicle damage.
The pre-crash safety system can be turn ed on and off as necessary by operat-
ing the switch. ( P. 312)