engine LEXUS RX450h 2018 Owner's Manual

2154-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UWARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
When driving the vehicle ●
During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid system off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, however, power assist
to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer smoothly, so you
should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle in
the normal way: → P. 653●
Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving down a steep
hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause th e brakes to overheat and lose effective-
ness. ( → P. 246)●
Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside rear
view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control. ●
Always check that all passengers’ arms, he ads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle. ●
Do not drive the vehicle off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle designed for of f-road driving. Proceed with all due cau-
tion if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road. ●
Do not drive across a river or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic componen ts to short circuit, damage the hybrid
system or cause other serious damage to the vehicle. ●
Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits it, do not
drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-speed capability tires.
Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h ) may result in tire failure , loss of control and possible
injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on your vehicle
are high-speed capability tires or no t before driving at such speeds.

216 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UWARNING
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 while 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 posi tion 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 vehicle is moving will disengage th e hybrid sys-
tem. Engine braking is not av ailable 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.

2174-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UWARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ■
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those
of the brake discs are exceeded. ■
When the vehicle is stopped ●
Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the shift lever is in any position other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an accident. ●
In order to prevent accidents due to the ve hicle rolling away, always keep depressing
the brake pedal while stopped with the “REA DY” indicator is illuminated, and apply
the parking brake as necessary. ●
If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, alwa ys depress the brake pedal and securely
apply the parking brake as needed. ●
Avoid revving or r acing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause the exhaust
system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible material is nearby.■
When the vehicle is parked ●
Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, sp ray cans, or soft drink cans in the vehicle
when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cau se the plastic lenses and plastic mate-
rial of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the
vehicle, and may also cause a short circui t in the vehicle’s electrical components.●
Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a place such as
the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when luggage is loaded or the
seat is adjusted, causing a fire. ●
Do not attach adhesive discs to the windsh ield or windows. Do not place containers
such as air fresheners on th e instrument panel or dashbo ard. Adhesive discs or con-
tainers may act as lenses, ca using a fire in the vehicle.●
Do not leave a door or window open if th e curved glass is coated with a metallized
film such as a silver-colored one. Reflecte d sunlight may cause the glass to act as a
lens, causing a fire. ●
Always apply the parking brake, shift the shif t lever to P, stop the hybrid system and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended whil e the “READY” indicator is illuminated.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift leve r in P but the parking brake is not set, the
vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident. ●
Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the “R EADY” indicator is illuminated or imme-
diately after turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.

2194-1. Before driving
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UNOTICE ■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain driving torque. ●
Do not use the accelerator pedal or depre ss the accelerator and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on a hill. ■
When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the
vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator 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 on 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 following situations . Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake 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. 673)■
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, etc. ●
Lubricant condition for the bearings and su spension joints (where possible), and the
function of all joints, bearings, etc.

232 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U●
To maintain engine braking efficien cy and charging system performance
when using engine braking, do no t put the transmission in D. ( → P. 246)●
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. 702)●
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. 254)
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
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5
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234 4-1. Before driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U■
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 or wheel bearing), Lexus recommends that
you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle ha s 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 ve hicles, rough roads, etc.) can adversely
affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability. ●
If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wh eel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer sway ing by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal im mediately but very gradually to reduce
speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the st eering or brakes, your vehicle and trailer
should stabilize. (if enabled, Trailer Sway Control can also he lp 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 ov erloaded 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.

244 4-2. Driving procedures
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UTurns EV drive mode on/off When EV drive mode is turned on, the
EV drive mode indicator will come on.
Pressing the switch when in EV drive
mode will return the vehicle to normal
driving (using the gasoline engine and
electric motor [traction motor]). ■
Situations in which EV drive mode cannot be turned on
It may not be possible to turn EV drive mode on in the following situ ations. If it cannot be
turned on, a buzzer will sound and a message will be shown on the multi-information dis-
play. ●
The temperature of the hybrid system is high.
The vehicle has been left in the sun, driv en on a hill, driven at high speeds, etc.●
The temperature of the hybrid system is low.
The vehicle has been left in temperatures lower than about 32 ° F (0 ° C) for a long
period of time, etc. ●
The gasoline engine is warming up. ●
The hybrid battery (tra ction battery) is low.
The remaining battery level indicated in the “Energy Monitor” display is low. ( → P. 125)●
Vehicle speed is high. ●
The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly or the vehicle is on a hill, etc. ●
The windshield defogger is in use.EV drive mode In EV drive mode, electric power is su pplied by the hybrid battery (traction
battery), and only the electric motor (traction motor) is used to drive the vehi-
cle.
This mode allows you to drive in reside ntial areas early in the morning and late
at night, or in indoor parking lots, etc., without concern for noises and gas
emissions.
However, when the vehicle proximity noti fication system is active, the vehicle
may produce sound.

2454-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U■
Switching to EV drive mode wh en the gasoline engine is cold
If the hybrid system is started while the gasoline engine is cold, the gasoline engine will
start automatically after a short period of time in order to warm up. In this case, you will
become unable to switch to EV drive mode.
After the hybrid system has started and the “READY” indicator has illuminated, press the
EV drive mode switch before the gasoline engine starts to switch to EV drive mode.■
Automatic cancelation of EV drive mode
When driving in EV drive mode, the gasoline engine may automatically restart in the fol-
lowing situations. When EV drive mode is canceled, a buzzer will sound, the EV drive
mode indicator will go off afte r flashing, and a message is di splayed on the multi-informa-
tion display. ●
The hybrid battery (traction battery) becomes low.
The remaining battery level indicated in the “Energy Monitor” display is low. ( → P. 125)●
Vehicle speed is high. ●
The accelerator pedal is depressed firmly or the vehicle is on a hill, etc. ■
Possible driving distance when driving in EV drive mode
EV drive mode’s possible driving distance ranges from a few hundred meters to approxi-
mately 0.6 mile (1 km). However, dependin g on vehicle conditions, there are situations
when EV drive mode cannot be used. (The distance that is possible depends on the
hybrid battery [traction battery] level and driving conditions.)■
Fuel economy
The hybrid system is designed to achieve th e best possible fuel economy during normal
driving (using the gasoline engine and electr ic motor [traction motor]). Driving in EV
drive mode more than necess ary may lower fuel economy.
WARNING ■
Caution while driving
When driving in EV drive mode no engine noise is made. As such, pedestrians, people
riding bicycles or other people and vehicles in the surrounding area may not be aware
of the vehicle starting off or approaching th em. Therefore, take ex tra care while driving
even if the vehicle proximity notification system is active.

246 4-2. Driving procedures
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85UWhile 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 ra nges using S mode, you 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. 248)

2474-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
RX450h_RX450hL _U_OM48F85U→ P. 379
To drive using temporary shift range select ion, operate the “-” paddle shift switch.
Changing the shift range enables the level of engine braking force to be
selected. The shift range can then be sele cted by operating the “-” and “+” paddle
shift switches.
Upshifting
Downshifting The selected shift range, from D1 to D6,
will be displayed on the meters.
The initial shift rang e when the “-” pad-
dle shift switch is operated is automati-
cally set to D4 or D5 according to the
vehicle speed.
To return to normal D position driving,
the “+” paddle shift switch must be held
down for a period of time.■
Shift ranges and their functions ●
You can choose from 6 levels of engine braking force. ●
A lower shift range will provide greate r engine braking force than a higher
shift range, and the engine revolutions will also increase.Selecting the driving mode
Selecting shift ranges in the D position
(vehicles with paddle shift switches) 1
2