traction LEXUS RX450H 2016 Owner's Manual

3844-5. Using the driving support systems
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■Turning off TRAC, VSC and Tr ailer Sway Control systems
To turn the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway Co ntrol systems off, press and hold for
more than 3 seconds whil e the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on an d the “Traction Control Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
*
Press again to turn the systems back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision Sy stem), pre-collision brake assist and pre-
collision braking will also be disabled. ( P. 291)
■When the message is displayed on the mu lti-information display showing that TRAC
has been disabled even if has not been pressed
TRAC and hill-start assist control cannot be operated. Contact your Lexus dealer.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC, Trailer Sway Con-
trol and hill-start assist control systems
Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are operating. None
of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
●Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
●A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
■ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard in the followi ng cases, but it does not indicate that a
malfunction has occurred.
●Operating sound heard from the engine compartment when the brake pedal is oper-
ated.
●Motor sound of the brake system heard from the front part of the vehicle when the
driver’s door is opened.
●Operating sound heard from the engine compartment when 1 or 2 minutes passed
after the stop of the hybrid system.
■EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may be heard.
This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Automatic reactivation of TRAC, VS C and Trailer Sway Control systems
After turning the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway Control systems off, the systems will be
automatically re-enabled in the following situations:
●When the power switch is turned off
●If only the TRAC system is turned off, the TRAC will turn on when vehicle speed
increases
If the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway Control systems are turned off, automatic re-
enabling will not occur when vehicle speed increases.

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4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U4-6. Driving tips
◆Using Eco drive mode
When using Eco drive mode, the torque corresponding to the accelerator
pedal depression amount can be generate
d more smoothly than it is in normal
conditions. In addition, the operation of the air conditioning system (heat-
ing/cooling) will be minimized, improving the fuel economy. (P. 377)
◆Use of Hybrid System Indicator
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by keeping the indicator needle (except F
SPORT models) or bar display (F SPOR T models) of Hybrid System Indicator
within Eco area. ( P. 100)
◆Shift lever operation
Shift the shift lever to D when stopped at a traffic light, or driving in heavy traf-
fic, etc. Shift the shift lever to P when parking. When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consumption. In the N, the gasoline engine operates but
electricity cannot be generated. Also, wh en using the air conditioning system,
etc., the hybrid battery (tractio n battery) power is consumed.
◆Accelerator pedal/brake pedal operation
●Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid ab rupt acceleration and deceleration.
Gradual acceleration and deceleration will make more effective use of the
electric motor (traction motor) without having to use gasoline engine
power.
●Avoid repeated acceleration. Repeated acceleration consumes hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery) power, resulting in poor fuel consumption. Battery
power can be restored by driving with the accelerator pedal slightly
released.
◆When braking
Make sure to operate the brakes gently and in a timely manner. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be regenerated when slowing down.
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological driving, pay attention to the following points:

3954-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
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Your vehicle is not designed to be driven off-road. However, in the event that
off-road driving cannot be avoided, please observe the following precautions to
help avoid the areas prohibited to vehicles.
●Drive your vehicle only in areas wher e off-road vehicles are permitted to
travel.
●Respect private property. Get owner’s permission before entering private
property.
●Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that
restrict travel.
●Stay on established road s. When conditions are wet, driving techniques
should be changed or travel dela yed to prevent damage to roads.
●AWD models: Avoid driving on very steep , slippery roads and other surfaces,
such as sand, where the tires are liable to lose traction. Your vehicle may not
perform as well as conventional AWD on-road vehicles on these surfaces.
■Additional information for off-road driving
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your vehicle off-road, consult the
following organizations.
●State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
●State Motor Vehicle Bureau
●Recreational Vehicle Clubs
●U.S. Forest Service and Bu reau of Land Management
Off-road driving

3964-6. Driving tips
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WARNING
■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 effectiveness 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 underbody, a breakdown or fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rugged terrain , do not drive at excessive speeds, jump,
make sharp turns, strike obje cts, 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 quality. 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 transmissi on case, reducing the gear oil’s lubricat-
ing qualities.
■When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when cro ssing 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 afte r each day of off-road driving that has
taken you through rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For scheduled maintenance
information, refer to the “Warranty and Services Guide/Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment/Scheduled Maintenance”.

4616-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
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NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and components (aluminum
wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on the paint surface
• After driving in an area contaminated wi th soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron pow-
der or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoli ne are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place with low
humidity when storing the wheels.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic subs tances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
●Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■When using an automatic car wash
Set the wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wipers may operate and the wiper blades may be
damaged.
■When using a high pressure car wash
●When washing the vehicle, do not let water of the high pressure washer hit directly or
the vicinity of the camera. Due to the shock from the high pressure water, it is possible
the device may not operate as normal.
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin manufactured cover), con-
nectors or the following parts. The parts may be damaged if they come into contact
with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
●Do not point the nozzle of a high pressure
washer at the areas sh own in the illustration,
as high pressure water may damage the oil
cooler.

4636-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
■Caring for leather areas
Lexus recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year to maintain
the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a sponge or brush to
apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not use water. Wipe dirty surfaces and let
them dry. Excellent results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as possible.
■Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also check the belts
periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle, su ch as on the floor, in the hybrid battery
(traction battery) air vents, and in the luggage compartment.
Doing so may cause the hybrid battery, elec trical components, etc. to malfunction or
catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet. (P. 40)
An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function properly,
resulting in death or serious injury.
●Vehicles with wireless charger:
Do not let the wireless charger ( P. 434) get wet. Failure to do so may cause the
charger to become hot and cause burns or could cause electric shock resulting in
death or serious injury.
■Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. Th e instrument panel may reflect off the wind-
shield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading to an accident, resulting in death or
serious injury.

4916-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
■Tire types
●Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway driving under
dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same traction performance as
snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For
driving on snow-covered roads or icy road s, the use of snow tires is recommended.
When installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
●All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to be adequate for
driving in most winter conditions as well as for use year-round. All season tires, how-
ever, do not have adequate traction perfor mance compared with snow tires in heavy
or loose snow. Also, all season tires fall short in acceleration and handling perfor-
mance compared with summer tires in highway driving.
●Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend using snow tires. If
you need snow tires, select ti res of the same size, construction and load capacity as the
originally installed tires. Since your vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make
sure your snow tires also have radial cons truction. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restrictions. Snow tires should be installed
on all wheels. ( P. 390)
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the system with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to the specified level.
■If the tread on snow tires wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.
■If you press the tire pressure warning reset switch accidentally
If initialization is performed, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level and ini-
tialize the tire pressure warning system again.

5457-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
Take the appropriate actions as instructed in the message displayed.
If any of the following messages are displa yed, also refer to this Owner’s Manual.
■If “Hybrid System Overheated Reduced Output Power” is shown
This message may be displayed when driving under severe operating condi-
tions.
(For example, when driving up a long steep hill.)
Handling method: P. 574
■If “Hybrid Battery Low Shift Ou t of N to Recharge” is shown
Message is displayed when the remainin g charge for the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) is low.
As the hybrid battery (traction battery) cannot be charged when the shift
lever is in N, when stopped for long periods of time shift the shift lever to P.
■If “Hybrid Battery Low Hybrid System Stopped Shift to P and Restart” is
shown
Message is displayed when the remainin g charge for the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) is low, because vehicle has been shifted N for a long period of
time.
When operating the vehicle, restart the hybrid system.
■If “Shift to P Before Exiting Vehicle” is shown
Message is displayed when the driver’s door is opened without turning the
power switch off with the shift lever in any position other than P.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Other messages displayed on the multi-information display

5787-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
Stop the hybrid system. Shift the shift lever to P and set the parking brake.
Remove the mud, snow or sand from around the front wheels.
Place wood, stones or some other materi al under the front wheels to help pro-
vide traction.
Restart the hybrid system.
Shift the shift lever to D or R and rele ase the parking brake. Then, while exer-
cising caution, depress the accelerator pedal.
■When it is difficult to free the vehicle
If the vehicle becomes stuck
Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle becomes
stuck in mud, dirt or snow:
Press to turn off TRAC.
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5848-1. Specifications
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Front
Rear (AWD models)
Engine
Model3.5 L 6-cylinder (2GR-FXS)
Type6-cylinder V type, 4-cycle, gasoline
Bore and stroke3.70  3.27 in. (94.0  83.0 mm)
Displacement210.9 cu. in. (3456 cm3)
Valve clearance (engine cold)Automatic adjustment
Fuel
Fuel typeUnleaded gasoline only
Octane Rating91 (Research Octane Number 96) or higher
Fuel tank capacity (Reference)17.2 gal. (65 L, 14.3 Imp. gal.)
Electric motor (traction motor)
TypePermanent magnet synchronous motor
Maximum output123 kW
Maximum torque247 ft•lbf (335 N•m, 34.2 kgf•m)
TypePermanent magnet synchronous motor
Maximum output50 kW
Maximum torque103 ft•lbf (139 N•m, 14.2 kgf•m)