steering LEXUS RX350 2011 Workshop Manual

151
2-1. Driving procedures
2

When driving
NOTICE
nWhen driving the vehicle
lDo not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving.
If the brake pedal is depressed while driving with the accelerator pedal
depressed, driving torque may be restrained.
lDo not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at
the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
nWhen parking the vehicle
Always shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
nAvoiding damage to vehicle parts
lDo 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.
lWhen driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damag-
ing the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
nIf you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replace the brake pads as soon as possible.
The rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.
nIf you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
lIt may be difficult to control your vehicle.
lThe vehicle will make abnormal sounds.
lThe vehicle will behave abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (→P. 5 6 4 )

156
2-1. Driving procedures
nIf the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (→P. 1 0 1 )
nSteering lock
After turning the “ENGINE START STOP” switch off and opening and closing the
doors, the steering wheel will be locked due to the steering lock function. Operat-
ing the “ENGINE START STOP” switch again automatically cancels the steering
lock.
nWhen the steering lock cannot be released
nSteering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from overheating, the motor may be suspended
if the engine is turned on and off repeatedly in a short period of time. In this case,
refrain from operating the engine. After about 2 seconds, the steering lock motor
will resume functioning.
nWhen the “ENGINE START STOP” switch indicator flashes in amber
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus
dealer immediately.
nIf the electronic key battery is depleted
→P. 4 9 6
The green indicator light on the “ENGINE
START STOP” switch will flash and a mes-
sage will be shown on the multi-information
display. Press the “ENGINE START STOP”
switch again while turning the steering wheel
left and right.

157
2-1. Driving procedures
2

When driving
CAUTION
nWhen starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress the acceler-
ator pedal while starting the engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
nCaution while driving
If the vehicle begins to slide due to engine failure or other circumstances, do not
lock or open the doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activa-
tion of the steering lock in this circumstance may lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
nStopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop the engine in an emergency while driving the vehicle, press and
hold the “ENGINE START STOP” switch for more than 3 seconds.
However, do not touch the “ENGINE START STOP” switch while driving unless in
an emergency. If the engine stops while driving, this could lead to an accident.

186
2-3. Operating the lights and windshield wipers
Turning on the high beam headlights
With the headlights on, push the
lever away from you to turn on
the high beams.
When the light switch is in “AUTO”
position, the Automatic High Beam
system will be activated. (→P. 1 8 9 )
Pull the lever toward you to the
center position to turn the high
beams off.
Pull the lever toward you to turn
on the high beams.
Release to turn them off. You can
flash the high beams with the head-
lights on or off.
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) (if equipped)
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) improves visibility at intersections
and on curves by automatically adjusting the direction of the light axis of
the headlights according to vehicle speed and the degree of the tire
angle that are controlled by steering input.
AFS operates at speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher.
nDeactivating AFS
Press the menu switch.
The multi-information display will
change modes to electronic fea-
tures control mode.
Press the “ENTER” switch
upwards or downwards until
“AFS” appears.
STEP1

219
2-4. Using other driving systems
2

When driving
CAUTION
nConditions under which the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control may not function
correctly
Apply the brakes as necessary in the following conditions as the radar sensor may
not be able to correctly detect vehicles ahead, and an accident may result:
lWhen water or snow thrown up by the surrounding vehicles hinders the function-
ing of the radar sensor
lWhen your vehicle is pointing upwards (caused by a heavy load in the luggage
compartment etc.)
lWhen the road curves or when the lanes are narrow
lWhen steering wheel operation or your position in the lane is unstable
lWhen the vehicle ahead of you decelerates suddenly
nTo ensure the radar sensor functions correctly
Do not do the following to the sensor or grille as doing so may cause the sensor not
to function correctly and could result in an accident:
lSticking or attaching anything to them
lLeaving them dirty
lDisassembling or subjecting them to strong shocks
lModifying or painting them
lReplacing them with non-genuine parts
nHandling the radar sensor
Observe the following to ensure the cruise control system can function effectively:
lKeep the sensor and front grille clean at all times.
Clean the sensor and front grille with a soft cloth so you do not mark or damage
them.
lDo not subject the sensor or surrounding area to a strong impact.
If the sensor moves even slightly off position, the system may malfunction. If the
sensor or surrounding area is subject to a strong impact, always have the area
inspected and adjusted by your Lexus dealer.
lDo not disassemble the sensor.
lDo not attach accessories or stickers to the sensor, grille or surrounding area.
lDo not modify or paint the sensor and grille.

231
2-4. Using other driving systems
2

When driving
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.
nABS (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
nBrake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal is
depressed, when the system detects a panic stop situation
nVSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or turning on
slippery road surfaces
nTRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
nHill-start assist control
→P. 2 3 8
nEPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel
nActive torque control 4WD system (AWD models only)
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.

232
2-4. Using other driving systems
When the VSC/TRAC systems are operating
If the vehicle is in danger of slip-
ping or rolling backward when
starting on an incline, or if any of
the drive wheels spins, the slip indi-
cator light flashes to indicate that
the VSC/TRAC systems are oper-
ating.
A buzzer (intermittent) sounds to
indicate that VSC is operating.
nEnhanced VSC (Enhanced vehicle 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 performance.
nVDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) (if equipped)
Provides integrated control of the ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC,
enhanced VSC, and hill-start assist control systems.
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling the brakes and engine output.
nPCS (Pre-Collision System) (if equipped)
→P. 2 4 0

247
2-5. Driving information
2

When driving
CAUTION
nOff-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death or serious
injury or damage to your vehicle:
lDrive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving in
dangerous places.
lDo 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.
lAlways check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in sand,
mud, water or snow.
lAfter 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.
lWhen 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.
NOTICE
nTo prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the engine or
other components does not occur.
lWater entering the engine air intake will cause severe engine damage.
lWater entering the automatic transmission will cause deterioration in shift quality,
locking up of your transmission accompanied by vibration, and ultimately dam-
age.
lWater can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and premature
failure, and may also enter the differentials, transmission and transfer case, reduc-
ing the gear oil’s lubricating qualities.

253
2-5. Driving information
2

When driving
Vehicle load limits
nTotal load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading information label.
(→P. 4 8 7 )
CAUTION
nOverloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to the tires, but also degrade steering and braking
ability, resulting in an accident.
Vehicle load limits include total load capacity, seating capacity, towing
capacity and cargo capacity.
nTotal load capacity: 885 lb. (400 kg)
Total load capacity means the combined weight of occupants, cargo and
luggage.
nSeating capacity: 5 occupants (Front 2, Rear 3)
Seating capacity means the maximum number of occupants whose esti-
mated average weight is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person.
nTowing capacity
Without a towing package: 2000 lb. (907 kg)
With a towing package: 3500 lb. (1588 kg)
Towing capacity means the maximum gross trailer weight (trailer weight
plus its cargo weight) that your vehicle is able to tow.
nCargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or decrease depending on the weight and
the number of occupants.

264
2-5. Driving information
Trailer towing tips
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. In order to avoid
accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when towing:
lBefore starting out, check the trailer lights and the vehicle-trailer con-
nections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
lPractice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in an
area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel of the
vehicle.
lReversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice. Grip
the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to
move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to move the
trailer to right. (This is generally opposite to reversing without a trailer
attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone guide
you when reversing to reduce the risk of an accident.
lAs stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length.
lAvoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing and loss
of control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
lAvoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
lAvoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before making
turns.
lNote that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than the
vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making a
larger than normal turning radius.