sport mode LEXUS RX350 2019 User Guide

2034-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. (  P. 240)
Pull the parking brake switch and parking brake is set manually. (  P. 248)
Release the brake pedal and gently de press the accelerator pedal to acceler-
ate the vehicle.
Press the parking brake switch and pa rking brake is released manually.
(  P. 248) ■
When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. (  P. 378)■
Driving in the rain ●
Drive carefully when it is ra ining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery. ●
Drive carefully when it starts to rain, beca use the road surface will be especially slip-
pery. ●
Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because there may
be a layer of water between the tires and th e road surface, preventing the steering and
brakes from operating properly. ■
Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, th e engine speed may become high while driving. This is due
to automatic up-shifting control or down-shi fting implementation to meet driving condi-
tions. It does not indica te 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 ■
Restraining the engine output (Brake Override System)●
When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the engine
output may be restrained. ●
A warning message is displayed on the mult i-information display while the system is
operating. If a warning messa ge is shown on the multi-in formation display, read the
message and follow the instructions. ■
Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control)●
When the following unusual operation is performed, the engine output may be
restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted from R to D, D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes M or S) with the accelerator pedal depressed, a warning message appears
on the multi-information display. If a wa rning message is shown on the multi-infor-
mation display, read the messa ge and follow the instructions.
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed t oo much while the vehicle is in reverse.●
While Drive-Start Control is being activated, your vehicle may have trouble escaping
from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRAC (  P. 380) to cancel
Drive-Start Control so that the vehicle ma y become able to escape from the mud or
fresh snow.Starting off on a uphill 1
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244 4-2. Driving procedures
RX350/RX350L_U ■
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
First, check whether the brak e pedal is being depressed.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your foot on the brake pedal, there may be a prob-
lem with the shift lock system. Have the vehi cle inspected by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
The following steps may be used as an emergency measure to ensure that the shift lever
can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
Turn the engine switch to IGNITION ON mode and check that the parking brake is
set. (  P. 232, 247)
Turn the engine switch to off.
Depress the brake pedal.
■
AI-SHIFT ●
The AI-SHIFT automatically selects the suitab le gear according to driver performance
and driving conditions.
The AI-SHIFT automatically operates when th e shift lever is in D. (Shifting the shift
lever to the M position cancels the function.) ●
G AI-SHIFT automatically selects a suitable gear for sporty driving according to
driver’s input and driving conditions. G AI-S HIFT operates automatically when the shift
lever is in D and sport mode is selected for the driving mode. (Selecting normal mode
with the driving mode select switch or shifting the shift lever to the M position cancels
this function.) 1
2
3
Pry the cover up with a flathead screwdriver
or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover, cover the tip
of the screwdriver with a rag.
Press the shift lock override button.
The shift lever can be shifted while the button
is pressed 4
5

326 4-5. Using the driving support systems
RX350/RX350L_U Front corner sensors
Front center sensors
Rear corner sensors
Rear center sensors
Press “  ” or “  ” of the meter control
switches, select .
Press “  ” or “  ” of the meter control
switches, select “Parking Assist”.
When on, the indicator light comes on
to inform the driver that the system is
operational.Intuitive parking assist 
 : If equippedThe distance from your vehicle to a ne arby wall or othe r stationary object
when parallel parking or maneuvering into a garage is measured by the sen-
sors and communicated via the displays and a buzzer. Always check the sur-
rounding area when using this system.
Types of sensors 
Except F SPORT models 
F SPORT models
Turning the intuitive parking assist on/off 1
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3394-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U Front corner sensors
Front center sensors
Rear corner sensors
Rear center sensors
Select on the multi-information
display.
Press or of the meter con-
trol switch and select “ICS”.
Press of the meter control
switch.
Select the “Yes” and push . When the Intelligent Clearance Sonar is di sabled, the ICS OFF indicator illuminates.
To re-enable the system when it was disabl ed, select on the multi-information dis-
play, select “ICS” and then “On”. If disabled using this method, the system will not be
re-enabled by turning the engine switch off and then to IGNITION ON mode.Types of sensors 
Except F SPORT models 
F SPORT models
1
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Turning the Intelligent Cle arance Sonar system on/off1
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3734-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U 
Vehicles without Adaptive Variable Suspension System
Normal mode
Provides an optimal balance of fuel ec onomy, quietness, and dynamic perfor-
mance. Suitable for city driving. Press the switch to change the driving mode to normal mode when Eco drive mode or
sport mode is selected.
Eco drive mode
Helps the driver accelerate in an eco-fr iendly manner and improve fuel econ-
omy through moderate throttle charact eristics and by controlling the opera-
tion of the air conditioning system (heating/cooling). When not in Eco drive mode, if the driving mode select switch is tu rned to the left, the
Eco drive mode indicator will come on.
Sport mode
Controls the transmission and engine to provide quick, powerful acceleration.
This mode also changes the steering feel, making it suitable for when agile
driving response is desired, such as wh en driving on roads with many curves.When not in sport mode, if the driving mode select switch is turned to the right, the
“SPORT” indicator will comes on.Driving mode select switch The driving modes can be selected to suit driving conditions.
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374 4-5. Using the driving support systems
RX350/RX350L_U 
Vehicles with Adaptive Variable Suspension System
Normal mode/Customized mode
Normal mode and customized mode ar e selected by pressing the driving
mode select switch. Each time the switch is pressed, the driving mode
changes between normal mode and customized mode. When customized
mode is selected, the “CUSTOMIZE” indicator will be illuminated. When Eco drive mode or sport mode is se lected, pressing the switch changes the
driving mode to normal mode.
• Normal mode
Provides an optimal balance of fuel economy, quietness, and dynamic per-
formance. Suitable for city driving.
• Customized mode
Allows you to drive with the following functions set to your preferred set-
tings.
Customized mode settings can only be changed on the drive mode cus-
tomization display of the audio system screen.
(Displaying the drive mode customization display:  P. 722)1

3754-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U Eco drive mode
Helps the driver accelerate in an eco-fr iendly manner and improve fuel econ-
omy through moderate throttle charact eristics and by controlling the opera-
tion of the air conditioning system (heating/cooling). When not in Eco drive mode, if the driving mode select switch is tu rned to the left, the
Eco drive mode indicator will come on.
Sport mode
•SPORT S mode
Controls the transmission and engine to provide quick, powerful accelera-
tion. This mode is suitable for when agile driving response is desired, such
as when driving on roads with many curves. When not in SPORT S mode, if the driving mode select switch is turned to the
right, the “SPORT S” indicator will come on.
•SPORT S+ mode
Helps to ensure steering performanc e and driving stability by simultane-
ously controlling the steeri ng and suspension in addition to the transmis-
sion and engine. Suitable for sportier driving. When in SPORT S mode, if the driving mode select switch is turned to the right,
the “SPORT S+” indicator will come on. Function Setting
Powertrain Normal
Power
Eco
Chassis Normal
Sport
Air conditioning system Normal
Eco2
3

376 4-5. Using the driving support systems
RX350/RX350L_U ■
Operation of the air conditioning system in Eco drive mode
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cooling operations and fan speed of the air condi-
tioning system to enhance fuel efficiency. To improve air conditioning performance,
adjust the fan speed or turn off Eco drive mode. ■
Automatic deactivation of sport mode and customized mode
If the engine switch is turned off after dr iving in sport mode or customized mode, the
drive mode will be changed to normal mode. ■
Driving mode pop-up display (12.3-inch display only)
When the driving mode is changed, the sele cted driving mode will be temporarily dis-
played on the side display. (  P. 500)

3794-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
RX350/RX350L_U ◆ Dynamic Torque Control AWD system (AWD models)
Automatically switches from front-wh eel drive to all-wheel drive (AWD)
according to the driving conditions, help ing to ensure reliable handling and
stability. Examples of conditions wher e the system will switch to AWD are
when cornering, going uphill, starting off or accele rating, and when the road
surface is slippery due to snow, rain, etc.
◆ Adaptive Variable Suspen sion System (if equipped)
Controls the damping force of the shock absorber of each wheel according to
the road and driving conditions, helpin g achieve a comfortable ride, excellent
driveability and a high level of stability.
If SPORT S+ mode is selected using the driving mode select switch, the
damping force will become more su itable for sporty driving. (  P. 374)
◆ VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integr ated Management) (if equipped)
Provides integrated control of the ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC, hill-start
assist control and EPS systems
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes and engine output

650 8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RX350/RX350L_U ■
While towing
If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering will not function,
marking steering and braking more difficult. ■
Wheel nut wrench
Wheel nut wrench is installe d in luggage compartment. (  P. 667)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
When towing the vehicle 
2WD models 
AWD models
■
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 damaged, broken debris ma y hit people, and cause serious damage.●
Do not turn the engine switch off.
There is a possibility that the steering wheel is locked and cannot be operated.■
Installing towing eyelets to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyel ets are installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing ey elets may come loose during towing.Be sure to transport the vehicle with the front
wheels raised or with all four wheels raised off
the ground. If the vehicle is towed with the front
wheels contacting the ground, the drivetrain
and related parts may be damaged.
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.