wheel LEXUS RX270 2014 Workshop Manual

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2-4. Using other driving systems
2
When driving
RX350/270_EE
CAUTION
■The electronically modulated air suspension must be turned off when
The electronically modulated air suspension must be turned off in the following situ-
ations as vehicle height may change due to the automatic leveling function, and, you
may catch part of your body in the vehicle and cause an accident, resulting in death
or serious injury.
●Any of the wheels is stuck in a ditch.
●It is necessary to jack up the vehicle.
●It is necessary to tow the vehicle with part of it lifted.
●When connecting/disconnecting a trailer
For safety, stop the engine if necessary.
■“HI” mode
●“HI” mode should only be used when driving on rough roads, for example when
driving off-road. Because the vehicle's center of gravity will become higher when
in the mode, the vehicle may become unstable when turning abruptly and cause
an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
●Do not select “HI” mode when loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier.
Because the vehicle's center of gravity will become higher when in the mode, the
vehicle may become unstable when turning abruptly, and cause an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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When driving
RX350/270_EE
■Flicker effect
When the camera is used under fluorescent light, sodium lights, or mercury lights
etc., the lights and the illuminated areas may appear to flicker.
CAUTION
■When using the rear view monitor system, observe the following precautions to
avoid an accident that could result in death or serious injuries:
●Never depend solely on the monitor system when reversing.
●Always check visually and with the mirrors to confirm your intended path is clear.
●Use your own eyes to confirm the vehicle’s surroundings, as the displayed image
may become faint or dark, and moving images will be distorted, or not entirely
visible when the outside temperature is low. When backing up, be sure to check
behind and all around the vehicle visually and with the mirrors before proceeding.
●Always check the vehicle surrounding area, because the guide lines are ancillary
lines.
●The guide lines are ancillary lines and do not change even if the steering wheel is
turned.
●Depicted distances between objects and flat surfaces differ from actual dis-
tances.
●Do not use the system if the back door is open.
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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When driving
RX350/270_EE
Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following systems
operate automatically in response to various driving situations. Be aware,
however, that these systems are supplementary and should not be relied
upon too heavily when operating the vehicle.
■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
■TRC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent any of the drive wheels from
spinning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
■Hill-start assist control
→P. 2 7 8
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel
■Active Torque Control 4WD system (AWD models)
Automatically switches from front-wheel drive to AWD (All-Wheel Drive)
according to 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 or rain etc.
■VSC+ (Vehicle Stability Control +) (if equipped)
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
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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When the VSC/TRC systems are operating
If the vehicle is in danger of slip-
ping or if any of the drive wheels
spins, the slip indicator flashes to
indicate that the VSC/TRC sys-
tems are operating.
■VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) (if equipped)
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 sur-
faces by controlling the brakes and engine output
■PCS (Pre-Crash Safety system) (if equipped)
→P. 2 8 0
■Emergency brake signal
In order to reduce the risk of a rear-end collision, when the brakes are
applied suddenly the stop lights will automatically flash to alert the vehicle
behind
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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When driving
RX350/270_EE
Disabling the TRC/VSC systems
If the vehicle gets stuck in fresh snow or mud, the TRC/VSC systems may
reduce power from the engine to the wheels. You may need to turn the
system off to enable you to rock the vehicle in order to free it.
■Turning off the TRC system only
To turn the TRC system off, quickly
press and release the switch.
A message will be shown on the
multi-information display.
Press the switch again to turn the
system back on.
■Turning off both TRC and VSC systems
To turn the TRC and VSC systems
off, press and hold the switch for 3
seconds or more while the vehicle
is stopped.
A message will be shown on the
multi- information display and VSC
off indicator light will come on.
Press the switch again to turn the
systems back on.
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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■When the message is displayed on the multi-information display showing that
TRC has been disabled even if the VSC off switch has not been pressed
TRC and hill-start assist control cannot be operated. Contact your any authorized
Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, VSC, TRC and brake assist
●A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to move. This sound does not indicate that
a malfunction has occurred in any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are operat-
ing. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.
■EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Reactivation of the TRC/VSC systems
Turning off the engine after turning off the TRC/VSC systems will automatically
reactivate them.
■Reactivation of the TRC system linked to vehicle speed
When only the TRC system is turned off, the TRC system will turn on when vehicle
speed increases. However, when both TRC and VSC systems are turned off, the
systems will not turn on even when vehicle speed increases.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS system
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, refrain from excessive
steering input or stop the vehicle and turn the engine off. The EPS system should
return to normal within 10 minutes.
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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CAUTION
■When the VSC is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always drive carefully. Reckless driving may cause
an accident, resulting in death or serious injury. Exercise particular care when the
indicator light flashes.
■When the TRC/VSC systems are turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed appropriate to the road conditions. As
these are the systems to help ensure vehicle stability and driving force, do not turn
the TRC/VSC systems off unless necessary.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the same size, brand, tread pattern and total load
capacity. In addition, make sure that the tires are inflated to the recommended tire
inflation pressure level.
The ABS and VSC systems will not function correctly if different tires are installed
on the vehicle.
Contact any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and
equipped professional, for further information when replacing tires or wheels.
■Handling of tires and suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or modifying the suspension will affect the driv-
ing assist systems, and may cause a system malfunction.
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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When driving
RX350/270_EE
All-wheel drive lock switch (AWD models)
■All-wheel drive lock mode
●All-wheel drive lock mode is canceled when the brakes are applied to ensure
the ABS and VSC systems operate effectively.
●All-wheel drive lock mode is canceled when the vehicle speed exceeds 40
km/h (25 mph).
All-wheel drive lock mode can be used when a large amount of drive power
needs to be applied to all the wheels, such as when the vehicle gets stuck in
mud and you need to free it.
Press the switch.
The torque of the engine is dis-
tributed to the rear wheels to
the maximum extent possible in
accordance with driving condi-
tions.
Pressing the switch again can-
cels all-wheel drive lock mode
and returns the active torque
control 4WD system to normal
mode. (→P. 2 7 1 )
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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
RX350/270_EE●Stay on established roads. When conditions are wet, driving tech-
niques should be changed or travel delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
CAUTION
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death or serious
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.
●Always check your brakes for effectiveness 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 breakdown or fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive speeds,
jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss of control or vehi-
cle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive dam-
age to your vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
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2-5. Driving information
RX350/270_EE
NOTICE
■To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the engine or
other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine air intake will cause severe engine damage.
●Water entering the automatic transmission will cause deterioration in shift quality,
locking up of your transmission accompanied by vibration, and ultimately dam-
age.
●Water can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and premature
failure, and may also enter the differentials, transmission and transfer case (AWD
models), 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 stream 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 effi-
ciency and may damage brake system components.
●Always perform a maintenance inspection after each day of off-road driving that
has taken you through rough terrain, sand, mud, or water.
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