stop start LEXUS RX450h 2015 Owners Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS Index
64-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior................... 634
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior .................... 637
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements .... 640
General maintenance ................ 643
Emission inspection and
maintenance (I/M)
programs ...................................... 647
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions ................................. 648
Hood................................................... 651
Positioning a floor jack............... 652
Engine compartment.................. 654
12-volt battery................................ 664
Tires ................................................... 670
Tire inflation pressure ................. 679
Wheels............................................. 683
Air conditioning filter ................. 685
Electronic key battery ................ 687
Checking and replacing
fuses ............................................... 689
Headlight aim................................. 705
Light bulbs ...................................... 708 5-1. Essential information
Emergency flashers..................... 724
If your vehicle needs to be
towed.............................................. 725
If you think something is
wrong ............................................. 732
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on
or a warning buzzer
sounds... ........................................ 733
If a warning message is
displayed ....................................... 743
If you have a flat tire..................... 764
If the hybrid system will not
start ................................................. 777
If the shift lever cannot be
shifted from P .............................. 779
If you lose your keys ................... 780
If the electronic key does
not operate properly ................ 781
If the vehicle 12-volt battery
is discharged ............................... 784
If your vehicle overheats .......... 788
If the vehicle becomes
stuck................................................ 793
If your vehicle has to be
stopped in an em ergency ...... 7954
Maintenance and care 5
When trouble arises

311-1. Hybrid system
1
Before driving
Vehicle Proximity Notification System
When the gasoline engine is off wh ile driving, a sound is produced to
warn pedestrians, people riding bicy cles or other people and vehicles in
the surrounding area that the vehicle is approa ching. The pitch of the
sound adjusts according to vehicle speed. When vehicle speed is approx-
imately 12 mph (20 km/h) or mo re, the warning system turns off.■ When stopped/during start-off
The gasoline engine stops when the vehicle is stopped. During start-
off, the electric motor (traction mo tor) drives the vehicle. At slow
speeds or when traveling down a ge ntle slope, the engine is stopped
and the motor is used.
■ During normal driving
The gasoline engine is predomina ntly used. The electric motor
(traction motor) charges the hybrid battery as necessary.
■ When accelerating sharply
The power of the hybrid battery (tract ion battery) is added to that of
the gasoline engine via the electric motor (traction motor).
■ When braking (regenerative braking)
The electric motor (traction moto r) charges the hybrid battery
(traction battery).

321-1. Hybrid system
■
Regenerative braking
In the following situations, kinetic energy is converted to electric energy and decel-
eration force can be obtained in conjunction with the recharging of the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery). ●
The accelerator pedal is released. ●
The brake pedal is depressed with the shift lever in D or S.■
Conditions in which the gasoline engine may not stop
The gasoline engine starts and stops automatically. However, it may not stop auto-
matically in the following conditions: ●
During gasoline engine warm-up●
During hybrid battery (traction battery) charging●
When the temperature of the hybrid batt ery (traction battery) is high or low●
When the heater is switched on■
Charging the hybrid battery (traction battery) ●
As the gasoline engine charges the hybrid battery (traction battery), the battery
does not need to be charged from an outside source. However, if the vehicle is
left parked for a long time the hybrid ba ttery will slowly discharge. For this rea-
son, be sure to drive the vehicle at least once every few months for at least 30
minutes. If the hybrid battery becomes fully discharged and you are unable to
jump-start the vehicle with the 12-volt battery, contact your Lexus dealer. ●
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid battery (traction battery) will not be charged.
Always put the shift lever in P when the vehicle is stopped. When driving in
heavy traffic, operate the vehicle with the shift lever in D or S to avoid discharg-
ing the battery.■
After the 12-volt battery has discharged or has been changed or removed
The gasoline engine may not st op even if the vehicle is running on the hybrid battery
(traction battery). If this continues for a few days, contact your Lexus dealer.

331-1. Hybrid system
1
Before driving ■
Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sounds or vibration even though the vehicle is able to
move. Always shift the shift lever to P when parked.
The following sounds or vibrations may o ccur when the hybrid system is operating,
and are not a malfunction: ●
Motor sounds may be heard fr om the engine compartment.●
Sounds may be heard from the hybrid battery (traction battery) under the rear
seat when the hybrid system starts or stops.●
Sounds from the hybrid system may be heard when the back door is open.●
Sounds may be heard from the hybrid transmission when the engine is started
or stopped, or while the engine is idling.●
Engine sounds may be heard when accelerating sharply.●
Sounds may be heard due to regenerative braking when the brake pedal is
depressed and accelerator is loosened.●
Vibration may be felt when the gasoline engine starts or stops.●
Cooling fan sounds may be heard from th e air intake vents un der the rear seat.■
Vehicle Proximity Notification System
In the following cases, the Vehicle Proximit y Notification System sound may be diffi-
cult for pedestrians, people riding bicycles or other peop le and vehicles in the sur-
rounding area to hear: ●
When there is a lot of noise in the vicinity ●
When it is raining or during strong winds●
When in the area surrounding the rear of the vehicle, rather than in front of the
vehicle■
Maintenance, repair, recycling, and disposal
Contact your Lexus dealer regarding main tenance, repair, recycling and disposal.
Do not dispose of the vehicle yourself.

351-1. Hybrid system
1
Before driving Hybrid battery air vents
There are air intake vents under
the rear seats for the purpose of
cooling the hybrid battery (traction
battery). If the vents become
blocked, the hybrid battery may
overheat, leading to a reduction in
hybrid battery output.
Emergency shut off system
When a certain level of impact is detected by the impact sensor, the
emergency shut off system blocks off the high voltage current and stops
the fuel pump to minimize the risk of electrocution and fuel leakage. If the
emergency shut off system activates, your vehicle will not restart. To
restart the hybrid system, contact your Lexus dealer.
Hybrid warning message
A message is automatically displayed when a malfunction occurs in the
hybrid system or an impr oper operation is attempted.
If a warning message is shown on
the multi-information display, read
the message and follow the
instructions. ( 
P. 743)

651-3. Opening, closing and locking the doors
1
Before driving ■
To operate the system properly
Make sure to carry the electronic key wh en operating the system. Do not get the
electronic key too close to the vehicle wh en operating the system from the outside
of the vehicle.
Depending on the position and holding condition of the electronic key, the key may
not be detected corr ectly and the system may not operate properly. (The alarm may
go off accidentally, or the door lock prevention function may not operate.)■
If the smart access system with push-button start does not operate properly ●
Locking and unlocking the doors: Use the mechanical key. (  P. 7 8 1 )●
Starting the hybrid system:  P. 7 8 2■
Electronic key battery depletion ●
The standard battery life is 1 to 2 years. (The card key battery life is about a year
and a half.)●
If the battery becomes low, an alarm will sound in the cabin when the hybrid sys-
tem stops. (  P. 7 5 6 )●
As the electronic key always receives radio waves, the battery will become
depleted even if the electronic key is not used. The following symptoms indicate
that the electronic key battery may be depleted. Replace the battery when nec-
essary. (  P. 6 8 7 )
• The smart access system with push-but ton start or the wireless remote con-
trol does not operate.
• The detection area becomes smaller.
• The LED indicator on the key surface does not turn on.●
To avoid serious deterioration, do not leave the electronic key within 3 ft. (1 m) of
the following electrical appliances that produce a magnetic field:
•TVs
• Personal computers
• Cellular phones, cordless phones and battery chargers
• Recharging cellular phones or cordless phones
• Induction cookers
• Table lamps

831-3. Opening, closing and locking the doors
1
Before driving CAUTION●
In the following situations, the power b ack door may detect an abnormality and
automatic operation may be stopped. In this case, the back door has to be oper-
ated manually. Take extra care when on an incline, as the back door may open or
close abruptly.
• When the back door contacts an obstacle
• When the 12-volt battery voltage suddenly drops, such as when the
“POWER” switch is turned to ON mode or the hybrid system is started dur-
ing automatic operation●
If a bicycle carrier or similar heavy object is attached to the back door, the power
back door may not operate, causing itself to malfunction, or the back door may
suddenly shut again after being opened, causing someone’s hands, head or neck
to be caught and injured. When installing an accessory part to the back door,
using a genuine Lexus part is recommended.■
Jam protection function
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury. ●
Be careful while the jam protection function is operating. Being hit by the back
door may result in an injury.●
Although the back door stops closing wh en the jam protection function detects
an object, take extra care as you may still be injured if part of your body is already
caught.●
If anything obstructs the power back door while it is closing, the jam protection
function will cause the back door to automatically operate in the opposite direc-
tion. However, be careful not to jam body parts in the doorframe, as an injury may
result.●
Never use any part of your body to intent ionally activate the jam protection func-
tion.
●
The jam protection function may not work if something gets caught just before
the back door fully closes. Be careful not to catch fingers or anything else.

1131-5. Opening and closing the windows and moon roof
1
Before driving ■
The power windows can be operated when
The “POWER” switch is in ON mode.■
Operating the power windows after turning the hybrid system off
The power windows can be operated for ap proximately 45 seconds even after the
“POWER” switch is turned to ACCESSORY mode or turned off. They cannot,
however, be operated once either front door is opened. ■
Jam protection function
If an object becomes caught between th e window and the window frame, window
travel is stopped and the window is opened slightly. ■
When the power window does not close normally
If the jam protection function is oper ating abnormally and a window cannot be
closed, perform the following operations using the power window switch on the rel-
evant door. ●
After stopping the vehicle, the window can be closed by holding the power win-
dow switch in the one-touch closing position while the “POWER” switch is
turned to ON mode.●
If the window still cannot be closed even by carrying out the operation
explained above, initialize the function by performing the following procedure.
Hold the power window switch in the one-touch closing position. Con-
tinue holding the switch for a further 6 seconds after the window has
closed.
Hold the power window switch in the one-touch opening position. Con-
tinue holding the switch for a further 2 seconds after the window has
opened completely.
Hold the power window switch in the one-touch closing position once
again. Continue holding the switch for a further 2 seconds after the win-
dow has closed.
If you release the switch while the window is moving, start again from the beginning.
If the window continues to close but then re-open slightly even after performing the
above procedure correctly, have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer. STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

1241-7. Theft deterrent system
Immobilizer system The vehicle's keys have built-in tran sponder chips that prevent the hybrid
system from starting if the key has not been previously registered in the
vehicle's on-board computer.
Never leave the keys inside the vehicle when you leave the vehicle.
This system is designed to help prev ent vehicle theft but does not guaran-
tee absolute security ag ainst all vehicle thefts.
Vehicles with a navigation system or the Lexus Display Audio sys-
tem
The indicator light flashes after
the “POWER” switch has been
turned off to indicate that the
system is operating.
The indicator light stops flashing
after the “POWER” switch has
been turned to ACCESSORY
or ON mode to indicate that the
system has been canceled.
Vehicles without a navigation sy stem or the Lexus Display Audio
system
The indicator light flashes after
the “POWER” switch has been
turned off to indicate that the
system is operating.
The indicator light stops flashing
after the “POWER” switch has
been turned to ACCESSORY
or ON mode to indicate that the
system has been canceled.

1271-7. Theft deterrent system
1
Before driving ■
System maintenance
The vehicle has a maintenance-free type alarm system.■
Items to check before locking the vehicle
To prevent unexpected triggering of the alarm and vehicle theft, make sure of the
following: ●
Nobody is in the vehicle.●
The windows and moon roof are closed before the alarm is set.●
No valuables or other personal items are left in the vehicle.■ Deactivating or stopping the alarm
Do one of the following to deactivate or stop the alarms:
● Unlock the doors.
● Turn the “POWER” switch to ACCESSORY or ON mode, or
start the hybrid system. (The alarm will be deactivated or stopped
after a few seconds.)