transmission LEXUS RX450h 2016 Owners Manual

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RX450h_U_OM0E013U 53-5. Opening, closing
the windows and
moon roof
Power windows ............................ 189
Moon roof .......................................193
Panoramic moon roof ................ 197
4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle .................... 204
Cargo and luggage..................... 212
Vehicle load limits ........................216
Trailer towing (vehicles with
towing package) ....................... 217
Trailer towing (vehicles
without towing
package)..................................... 230
Dinghy towing ...............................231
4-2. Driving procedures
Power (ignition) switch ............ 232
EV drive mode .............................237
Hybrid transmission .................. 239
Turn signal lever ...........................244
Parking brake ...............................245
Brake Hold ....................................249
4-3. Operating the lights and
wipers
Headlight switch ..........................251
Automatic High Beam............. 255
Fog light switch ........................... 259
Windshield wipers and
washer ......................................... 260
Rear window wiper and
washer ......................................... 265 4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank
cap ................................................. 267
4-5. Using the driving
support systems
Lexus Safety System+ ................ 271
PCS
(Pre-Collision System) ..........279
LKA
(Lane-Keeping Assist) .......... 292
LDA (Lane Departure
Alert with steering
control)........................................ 302
Dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed
range ............................................... 311
Dynamic radar cruise
control ......................................... 323
Cruise control ............................. 335
Intuitive parking assist .............. 339
Lexus parking assist
monitor........................................ 347
BSM
(Blind Spot Monitor) ............. 363
• BSM function..........................367
• RCTA function ........................ 371
Driving mode select
switch ............................................ 377
Driving assist systems ............... 381
4-6. Driving tips
Hybrid vehicle driving
tips ................................................. 387
Winter driving tips ..................... 390
Utility vehicle precautions...... 3944
Driving

791-3. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
RX450h_U_OM0E013U ■
Sounds and vibrations spec ific to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sound or vibration even though the vehicle is able to move with
the “READY” indicator is illuminated. For safety, make sure to shift the shift lever to P and
apply the parking brake when parked.
The following sounds or vibrat ions may occur when the hybrid system is operating and
are not a malfunction: ●
Motor sounds may be heard from the engine compartment. ●
Sounds may be heard from the hybrid battery (traction battery) behind the rear seats
when the hybrid system starts or stops. ●
Relay operating sounds such as a snap or soft clank will be emitted from the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery), behind the rear seats, when the hybrid system is started or
stopped. ●
Sounds from the hybrid system may be heard when the back door is open. ●
Sounds may be heard from the transmission wh en the gasoline engine starts or stops,
when driving at low speeds, or during idling. ●
Engine sounds may be heard when accelerating sharply. ●
Sounds may be heard due to regenerative braking when the brake pedal is depressed
or as the accelerator pedal is released. ●
Vibration may be felt when the gasoline engine starts or stops. ●
Cooling fan sounds may be heard from the air intake vents under the rear seats. ■
Vehicle proximity notification system
In the following cases, the ve hicle proximity notification system may be difficult for sur-
rounding people to hear. ●
In very noisy areas ●
In the wind or the rain
Also, as the vehicle proximity notification system is installed on the front of the vehicle, it
may be more difficult to hear from the re ar of the vehicle compared to the front.■
Maintenance, repair, re cycling, and disposal
Contact your Lexus dealer regarding maintenance, repair, recycling and disposal. Do
not dispose of the vehicle yourself. ■
Customization
Some functions can be customized. (  P. 6 0 7 )

202
RX450h_U_OM0E013U 4-1. Before driving
Driving the vehicle..................... 204
Cargo and luggage.....................212
Vehicle load limits ........................216
Trailer towing (vehicles with
towing package)........................217
Trailer towing (vehicles
without towing
package).....................................230
Dinghy towing .............................. 231
4-2. Driving procedures
Power (ignition) switch ............ 232
EV drive mode ............................ 237
Hybrid transmission .................. 239
Turn signal lever .......................... 244
Parking brake............................... 245
Brake Hold.................................... 249
4-3. Operating the lights and
wipers
Headlight switch.......................... 251
Automatic High Beam ............. 255
Fog light switch ........................... 259
Windshield wipers and
washer ......................................... 260
Rear window wiper and
washer ......................................... 265
4-4. Refueling
Opening the fuel tank
cap..................................................2674 Driving

208 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 driving on slippery road surfaces ●
Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your
ability to control the vehicle. ●
Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid. ●
After driving through a puddle , lightly depress the brake pe dal to make sure that the
brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on only on e side are wet and not functioning properly,
steering control may be affected. ■
When shifting the shift lever ●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll
forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an acci dent or damage to the vehicle.●
Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Do not shift the shift lever to R wh ile the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Shifting the shift lever to N while the vehicl e is moving will disengage the hybrid sys-
tem. Engine braking is not available when N is selected. ●
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to any position other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid
acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious
injury.

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.

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.

2394-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U While the power switch is in ON mode, move the shift lever with the brake
pedal depressed. When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
* 1
: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise, shift the shift lever to D for normal driv-
ing.
* 2
: By selecting shift ranges using S mode, yo u can control accelerating force and engine
braking force.Hybrid transmission Shifting the shift lever
Shift position purpose Shift position Objective or function
P Parking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
R Reversing
N Neutral
D Normal driving
* 1
S S mode driving
* 2
(  P. 2 4 1 )

396 4-6. Driving tips
RX450h_U_OM0E013U WA R N I N G ■
Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death, serious injury
or damage to your vehicle: ●
Drive carefully when off the road. Do not ta ke unnecessary risks by driving in danger-
ous 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 effectivenes s immediately after driving in sand, mud,
water or snow. ●
After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that there is no
grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the underbody.
Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the vehicle is used with these materi-
als trapped or adhering to the underb ody, a breakdown or fire could occur.●
When driving off-road or in rugged terrai n, do not drive at excessive speeds, jump,
make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You are also risking expensive damage to your vehi-
cle’s suspension and chassis.
NOTICE ■
To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the hybrid battery
(traction battery), hybrid system or other components does not occur. ●
Water entering the engine compartment may cause severe damage to the hybrid
system. Water entering the interior may cause the hybrid battery (traction battery)
stowed under the rear seats to short circuit. ●
Water entering the hybrid transmission and rear electric motor (traction motor)
(AWD models only) will cause deterioration in transmission qua lity. The malfunction
indicator may come on, and the vehicle may not be drivable. ●
Water can wash the grease from wheel be arings, causing rusting and premature fail-
ure, and may also enter the hybrid transmission case, reducing the gear oil’s lubricat-
ing 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 riverbed 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 efficiency
and may damage brake system components. ●
Always perform a maintenance inspection after each day of off-road driving that has
taken you through rough terr ain, sand, mud, or water. For scheduled maintenance
information, refer to the “Warranty and Services Guide/Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment/Scheduled Maintenance”.

468 6-2. Maintenance
RX450h_U_OM0E013U * : Vehicles with sing le-beam headlightsVehicle interior Items Check points
Accelerator pedal • The accelerator pedal should move smoothly (with-
out uneven pedal effort or catching).
Brake pedal • Does the brake pedal move smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appropriate clearance
from the floor? (  P. 588)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of
free play? (  P. 588)
Brakes • The vehicle should not pull to one side when the
brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get too close to the floor
when the brakes are applied.
Head restraints • Do the head restraints move smoothly and lock
securely?
Hybrid transmission “Park”
mechanism • When parked on a slope and the shift lever is in P, is
the vehicle securely stopped?
Indicators/buzzers • Do the indicators and buzzers function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
• Are the headlights aimed correctly?
* (  P. 511)
Parking brake • Does the parking brake switch operate normally?
• When parked on a slope and the parking brake is on,
is the vehicle securely stopped?
Seat belts •Do the seat belt s operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
Seats • Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel • Does the steering wheel rotate smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correct amount of
free play?
• There should not be an y strange sounds coming
from the steering wheel.