wheel LEXUS RX450h 2016 Owner's Guide

210 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U WA R N I N G
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. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could caus e an accident or fire due to hybrid system
overheating. 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 not
securely hold the vehicle. ●
If the electronically controlled brake function does not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is st ill possible, but the brake pedal should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the braking distan ce will increase. Have your brakes fixed
immediately. ●
The brake system consists of 2 or more indi vidual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other(s) wi ll 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 (AWD models)
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.

2114-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U NOTICE ■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not depress the accelerator and brake peda ls at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain driving torque. ●
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on a hill. ■
When parking the vehicle
Always shift the shift lever to P, set the parking brake. Failure to do so may cause the
vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the acce lerator pedal is acci-
dentally depressed. ■
Avoiding damage to vehicle parts ●
Do 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. ●
When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damaging
the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc. ■
If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the follo wing situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brak e pedal to slow down the vehicle.●
It may be difficult to control your vehicle. ●
The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations. ●
The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire (  P. 5 4 9 )■
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain, etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle: ●
Engine stalling ●
Short in electrical components ●
Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to have
your Lexus dealer check the following: ●
Brake function ●
Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid transmis-
sion, rear differential (AWD models), etc. ●
Lubricant condition for the bearings and susp ension joints (where possible), and the
function of all joints, bearings, etc.

224 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid an acci-
dent, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when towing: ●
Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not exceed the
posted towing speed limit. ●
Lexus recommends that the vehicle-trailer speed limit is 65 mph (104 km/h)
on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this limit, the posted towing speed
limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner’s man-
ual, whichever is lowest. Instability of the towing vehicle-trailer combination
(trailer sway) increases as speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause
loss of control. ●
Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-trailer con-
nections. Recheck after driving a short distance. ●
Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in an area
away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel of the vehicle-
trailer combination. ●
Reversing with a trailer attached is di fficult 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 guid e you when reversing to reduce the
risk of an accident. ●
As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to vehicle dis-
tance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of speed, allow at least
one vehicle and trailer length. ●
Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, re sulting in the traile r jackknifing and a
loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces. ●
Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration. ●
Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before making a turn. ●
Note that when making a turn, the traile r wheels will be closer than the vehicle
wheels to the inside of the turn. Comp ensate by making a wider than normal
turning radius. ●
Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery surfaces,
etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer. ●
Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires considerable dis-
tance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of your trailer, and be
sure you have plenty of room before changing lanes.Trailer towing tips

2254-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U ●
To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system performance
when using engine braking, do no t put the transmission in D. (  P. 2 3 9 )●
Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or long downhill
grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do not make sudden
downshifts while descending steep or long downhill grades. ●
Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes too fre-
quently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced braking
efficiency. ●
Due to the added load of the trailer, yo ur vehicle’s engine may overheat on hot
days (at temperatures over 85  F [30  C]) when driving up a long or steep
grade. If the engine coolant temperat ure gauge indicates overheating, imme-
diately turn off the air cond itioning (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. (  P. 5 74 )●
Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s wheels
when parking. Put the transmission in P and apply the parking brake. Avoid
parking on a slope, but if unavoidable, do so only after performing the follow-
ing:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and trailer’s
wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in place, release the brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
Shift into P and apply the parking brake.
Turn off the hybrid system.●
When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the hybrid system. Be sure to keep the
brake pedal depressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
If the parking brake is in manual mode, release the parking brake.
(  P. 2 4 6 )
Release the brake pedal, and slowly pull or back away from the wheel
blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks. 1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5

2274-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U ■
Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train components (such as an
engine, hybrid transmission, rear differenti al (AWD models) or wheel bearing), Lexus
recommends that you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle has been driven for over 500
miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km), you can start towing.
However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the vehicle at a speed of less than
50 mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and avoid full throttle acceleration.■
Maintenance ●
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will requir e more frequent maintenance due to the addi-
tional load. (See “Warranty and Services Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement” or
“Scheduled Maintenance”.) ●
Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ba ll and bracket after approximately 600 miles
(1000 km) of trailer towing. ■
If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can adversely
affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.●
If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer sway ing by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal i mmediately but very gradually to reduce
speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer
should stabilize. (if enabled, Trailer Sway Cont rol can also help to stabilize the vehicle and
trailer.) ●
After the trailer sw aying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying occurred is beyond
the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combination.
Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that swaying of the towing vehi-
cle-trailer increases as speed increases.

230 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013UTrailer towing (vehicles without towing package) Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Lexus also does
not recommend the installation of a tow hitch or the use of a tow hitch carrier
for a wheelchair, scooter, bicycle, etc. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer
towing or for the use of tow hitch mounted carriers.

2314-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013UDinghy towing Your vehicle is not designed to be ding hy towed (with 4 wheels on the ground)
behind a motor home.
NOTICE ■
To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with the four wheels on the ground. ■
To prevent causing serious damage to the hybrid transmission and Hybrid AWD sys-
tem (AWD models)
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from the
rear with the front wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious damage to the hybrid
transmission.
AWD models: Never tow this vehicle with any
of the wheels on the ground. This may cause
serious damage to the hybrid transmission and
AWD system.

2354-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U ■
Steering lock
After turning the power switch off and opening and closing the doors, the steering wheel
will be locked due to the stee ring lock function. Operating the power switch again auto-
matically cancels the steering lock. ■
When the steering lock cannot be released
■
Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from over heating, operation of the motor may be sus-
pended if the hybrid system is turned on and off repeatedly in a short period of time. In
this case, refrain from operating the hybrid system. After about 10 seconds, the steering
lock motor will resume functioning. ■
When “Access System with Elec. Key Malfunction See Owner’s Manual” is displayed
on the multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately. ■
If the “READY” indicator does not come on
In the event that the “READY” indicator does not come on even after performing the
proper procedures for starting the vehicle, contact your Lexus dealer immediately. ■
If the hybrid system is malfunctioning
 P. 8 1 ■
If the electronic key battery is depleted
 P. 5 0 6 ■
Operation of the power switch ●
When operating the power switch, one short, firm press is enough. If the switch is
pressed improperly, the hybrid system may no t start or the power switch mode may not
change. It is not necessary to press and hold the switch. ●
If attempting to restart the hybrid system immediately after turning the power switch off,
the hybrid system may not start in some cases. After turning the power switch off,
please wait a few seconds before restarting the hybrid system.■
If the smart access system with push-butto n start has been deactivated by a customized
setting
 P. 5 6 4“Steering Wheel Lock Press Power Switch while
Turning Wheel” will be displayed on the multi-
information display.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the power
switch while turning the steering wheel left and
right.

252 4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
RX450h_U_OM0E013U With the headlights on, push the
lever away from you to turn on the
high beams. Pull the lever toward you to the center
position to turn the high beams off.
Pull the lever toward you and release
it to flash the high beams once. You can flash the high beams with the
headlights on or off.
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) secure s excellent 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’s angle as con-
trolled by steering input. AFS operates at speeds of 6 mph (10 km/h) or higher.
●
When the steering wheel or turn signal lever is operated while the headlights
are on (low beam), a cornering light w ill turn on and light up the direction of
movement of the vehicle. The cornerin g lights are designed to ensure excel-
lent visibility when making a turn at an intersection.However, when vehicle speed is approximately 22 mph (35 km/h) or higher, the cor-
nering lights will not turn on.●
When the shift lever is in R while the headlights are on (low beam), both cor-
nering lights will turn on. This is desi gned to enhance visibility when parking.Turning on the high beam headlights 1
2
AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) (if equipped)
Cornering lights (if equipped)

2574-3. Operating the lights and wipers
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U ■
Conditions to turn the high beams on/off automatically ●
When all of the following conditions are met, the high beams will be turned on automat-
ically (after approximately 1 second):
• The vehicle speed is approximately 21 mph (34 km/h) or more.
• The area ahead of the vehicle is dark.
• There are no vehicles ahead with headlights or tail lights turned on.
• There are few streetlights on the road ahead. ●
If any of the following conditions is met, the high beams will turn off automatically:
• The vehicle speed is below approximately 17 mph (27 km/h).
• The area ahead of the vehicle is not dark.
• Vehicles ahead have their headli ghts or tail lights turned on.
• There are many streetlights on the road ahead. ■
Camera sensor dete ction information●
The high beams may not be automatically turned off in the fo llowing situations:
• When a vehicle suddenly appears from around a curve
• When the vehicle is cut in front of by another vehicle
• When vehicles ahead cannot be detected du e to repeated curves, road dividers or
roadside trees
• When vehicles ahead appear in a faraway lane on a wide road
• When the lights of vehicles ahead are not on ●
The high beams may be turned off if a vehicl e ahead that is using fog lights without its
headlights turned on is detected. ●
House lights, street lights, traffic signals, and illuminated billboards or signs and other
reflective objects may cause the high beams to change to the low beams, or the low
beams to remain on. ●
The following factors may affect the amount of time taken for the high beams to turn on
or off:
• The brightness of the headlights, fog li ghts, and tail lights of vehicles ahead
• The movement and direction of vehicles ahead
• When a vehicle ahead only has operational lights on one side
• When a vehicle ahead is a two-wheeled vehicle
• The condition of the road (gradient, curve, condition of the road surface, etc.)
• The number of passengers and amount of luggage in the vehicle ●
The high beams may turn on or off unexpectedly.●
Bicycles or similar vehicles may not be detected.