heating LEXUS RX450H 2016 Owners Manual

841-3. Hybrid system
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WARNING
■Hybrid battery (traction battery)
●Never resell, hand over or modify the hybrid battery. To prevent accidents, hybrid
batteries that have been removed from a disposed vehicle are collected through
Lexus dealer. Do not dispose of the battery yourself.
Unless the battery is properly collected, the following may occur, resulting in death
or serious injury:
• The hybrid battery may be illegally disposed of or dumped, and it is hazardous to
the environment or someone may touch a high voltage part, resulting in an electric
shock.
• The hybrid battery is intended to be used exclusively with your hybrid vehicle. If the hybrid battery is used outside of your vehicle or modified in any way, accidents
such as electric shock, heat generation , smoke generation, an explosion and elec-
trolyte leakage may occur.
When reselling or handing over your vehicle, the possibility of an accident is
extremely high because the person receiving the vehicle may not be aware of these
dangers.
●If your vehicle is disposed of without the hybrid battery having been removed, there is
a danger of serious electric shock if high voltage parts, cables and their connectors
are touched. In the event that your vehicle must be disposed of, the hybrid battery
must be disposed of by your Lexus dealer or a qualified service shop. If the hybrid bat-
tery is not disposed of properly, it may cause electric shock that can result in death or
serious injury.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction battery) air intake/discharge vents
●Do not place objects that will block the air intake vents. The hybrid battery (traction
battery) may overheat and be damaged.
●Clean the air intake/discharge vents regularl y to prevent the hybrid battery (traction
battery) from overheating.
●Do not get water or foreign materials in either the air intake/discharge vents as this
may cause a short circuit and damage the hybrid battery (traction battery).
●Do not carry large amounts of water such as water cooler bottles in the vehicle. If
water spills onto the hybrid battery (tract ion battery), the battery may be damaged.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.

1012. Instrument cluster
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Instrument cluster
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■Tachometer
Hybrid System Indicator switches to the tachometer when driving mode is in sport mode.
The settings of the tachometer display can be changed on of the multi-information
display. ( P. 109)
■Engine speed
On hybrid vehicles, engine speed is precisel y controlled in order to help improve fuel
efficiency and reduce exhaust emissions etc.
There are times when the engine speed that is displayed may differ even when vehicle
operation and driving conditions are the same.
■Brightness of the meters (d ay mode and night mode)
The brightness of the meters is changed between day mode and night mode.
●Day mode: When the tail lights are off or when the tail lights are on but the surrounding
area is bright
●Night mode: When the tail lights are on and the surrounding area is dark
■Outside temperature display
●In the following situations, the correct outside temperature may not be displayed, or the
display may take longer than normal to change.
• When stopped, or driving at low speeds (less than 12 mph [20 km/h])
• When the outside temperature has changed suddenly (at the entrance/exit of a garage, tunnel, etc.)
●When “ ” or “E” is displayed, the sy stem may be malfunctioning.
Take your vehicle to your Lexus dealer.
■Clock settings screen
If the clock adjustment screen is displayed continuously when attempting to change the
clock settings, the system may be malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
■Customization
Some functions can be customized. ( P. 109)
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the engine and its components
●Do not let the indicator needle of the tachometer enter the red zone, which indicates
the maximum engine speed.
●The engine may be overheating if the engine coolant temperature gauge is in the red
zone (H). In this case, immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place, and check the
engine after it has cooled completely. ( P. 574)

2104-1. Before driving
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WARNING
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 cause an accident or fire due to hybrid system
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly ve ntilated 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 still possible, bu t 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) will 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 excessive ly when any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehicle is
stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline components or propel the vehi-
cle forward or backward, causing an accident.

2254-1. Before driving
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Driving
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●To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system performance
when using engine braking, do no t put the transmission in D. (P. 239)
●Instability happens more fr equently when descending steep or long downhill
grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do not make sudden
downshifts while descending st eep 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 conditioning (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and
stop in a safe spot. ( P. 574)
●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 afte r 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. 246)
Release the brake pedal, and slowly pull or back away from the wheel
blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
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2354-2. Driving procedures
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Driving
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■Steering lock
After turning the power switch off and opening and closing the doors, the steering wheel
will be locked due to the steering lock func tion. 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 overheating, operation of the motor may be sus-
pended if the hybrid system is turned on an d off repeatedly in a short period of time. In
this case, refrain from operating the hybrid system. Afte r about 10 seconds, the steering
lock motor will resume functioning.
■When “Access System with Elec. Key Malf unction See Owner’s Manual” is displayed
on the multi-information display
The system may be malfunctio ning. 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 vehicl e, contact your Lexus dealer immediately.
■If the hybrid system is malfunctioning
P. 81
■If the electronic key battery is depleted
P. 506
■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 seco nds before restarting the hybrid system.
■If the smart access system wi th push-button start has been deactivated by a customized
setting
 P. 564
“Steering Wheel Lock Pr
ess 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.

2464-2. Driving procedures
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The parking brake can be set and released manually. Sets the parking brake
The parking brake indicator light and
parking brake lamp will turn on.
Pull and hold the parking brake switch if
an emergency occurs and it is necessary
to operate the parking brake while driv-
ing.
Releases the parking brake
Operate the parking brake switch while
depressing the brake pedal. Make sure
that the parking brake indicator light
and parking brake lamp turn off.
If the parking brake indicator light and
parking brake lamp flashes, operate the
switch again. ( P. 536)
■Parking brake operation
●When the power switch is not in ON mode, the parking brake cannot be released using
the parking brake switch.
●When the power switch is not in ON mode , automatic mode (automatic brake setting
and releasing) is not available.
■If “Parking Brake Overheated Parking Brak e Unavailable” is displayed on the multi-
information display
If the parking brake is operated repeatedly over a short period of time, the system may
restrict operation to prevent overheating. If this happens, refrain from operating the
parking brake. Normal operation wi ll return after about 1 minute.
■If “EPB Activation Stopped Incompletely” or “Parking Brake Unavailable” is displayed
on the multi-information display
Operate the parking brake switch. If the message does not disappear after operating the
switch several times, the system may be ma lfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer immediately.
Manual mode
U.S.A. Canada
Parking
brake lamp
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3774-5. Using the driving support systems
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Driving
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Vehicles without Adaptive Variable Suspension System
Normal mode
Provides an optimal balance of fuel economy, 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 turned to the left, the
Eco drive mode indicator will come on.
Sport mode
Controls the hybrid system to provide quick, powerful acceleration. This
mode also changes the steering feel, maki ng it suitable for when agile driving
response is desired, such as when 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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3794-5. Using the driving support systems
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Driving
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Eco drive mode
Helps the driver accelerate in an eco-friendly 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 turned to the left, the
Eco drive mode indicator will come on.
Sport mode
•SPORT S mode
Controls the hybrid system to provide quick, powerful acceleration. This
mode is suitable for when agile drivin g 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 steering and suspension in addition to the hybrid sys-
tem. 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.
FunctionSetting
Powertrain
Normal
Power
Eco
ChassisNormal
Sport
Air conditioning systemNormal
Eco
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3804-5. Using the driving support systems
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■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 power switch is turned off after driv ing 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. 402)

3854-5. Using the driving support systems
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Driving
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■Reactivation of the TRAC system linked to vehicle speed
When only the TRAC system is turned off, the TRAC system will turn on when vehicle
speed increases. However, when TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway Control systems are
turned off, the systems will not turn on even when vehicle speed increases.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS system
The effectiveness of the EPS system is reduced to prevent the system from overheating
when there is frequent steering input over an extended period of time. The steering
wheel may feel heavy as a result . Should this occur, refrain from excessive steering input
or stop the vehicle and turn the hybrid system off. The EPS system should return to nor-
mal within 10 minutes.
■Operating conditions of hill-start assist control
When the following four conditions are met, the hill-start assist control will operate:
●The shift lever is in a position other than P or N (when starting off forward/backward on
an upward incline).
●The vehicle is stopped.
●The accelerator pedal is not depressed.
●The parking brake is not engaged.
■Automatic system cancelation of hill-start assist control
The hill-start assist control will turn off in any of the following situations:
●The shift lever is moved to P or N.
●The accelerator pedal is depressed.
●The parking brake is engaged.
●Approximately 2 seconds elapse af ter the brake pedal is released.
WARNING
■The ABS does not operate effectively when
●The limits of tire gripping performance have been exceeded (such as excessively
worn tires on a snow covered road).
●The vehicle hydroplanes while driving at high speed on wet or slick roads.
■Stopping distance when the ABS is operating may exceed that of normal conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the vehi cle’s stopping distance. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, especially in the following situations:
●When driving on dirt, grav el or snow-covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the road
●When driving over roads with potholes or uneven surfaces
■TRAC may not operate effectively when
Directional control and power may not be achievable wh ile driving on slippery road
surfaces, even if the TRAC system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in conditions where stability and power may be lost.