traction control LEXUS RX450h 2021 Owners Manual

9
Special handling may apply, See
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazard-
ouswaste/perchlorate.
Your vehicle has components that may
contain perchlorate. These compo-
nents may include the airbags, seat belt
pretensioners, wireless remote control
batteries, and the batteries in the tire
pressure warning valve and transmit-
ters.
Perchlorate Material
WARNING
■General precautions while driving
Driving under the infl uence: Never drive
your vehicle when un der the influence of
alcohol or drugs that have impaired your
ability to operate your vehicle. Alcohol
and certain drugs delay reaction time,
impair judgment and reduce coordina-
tion, which could lead to an accident that
could result in death or serious injury.
Defensive driving: Always drive defen-
sively. Anticipate mistakes that other
drivers or pedestrians might make and
be ready to avoid accidents.
Driver distraction: Always give your full
attention to driving. Anything that dis-
tracts the driver, such as adjusting con-
trols, talking on a cellular phone or
reading can result in a collision with
resulting death or serious injury to you,
your occupants or others.
■General precaution regarding chil-
dren’s safety
Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle, and never allow children to have
or use the key.
Children may be able to start the vehicle
or shift the vehicle into neutral. There is
also a danger that children may injure
themselves by playing with the windows,
the moon roof or panoramic moon roof,
or other features of the vehicle. In addi-
tion, heat build-up or extremely cold
temperatures inside the vehicle can be
fatal to children.

691-4. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
The illustration is an example for explanation and may differ from the actual item.
Warning label
Hybrid battery (traction battery)
Rear electric motor (traction motor)
Service plug
High voltage cables (orange)
Front electric motor (traction motor)
Power control unit
Air conditioning compressor
■Running out of fuel
When the vehicle has run out of fuel and the
hybrid system cannot be started, refuel the
vehicle with at least enough gasoline to
make the low fuel level warning light
(  P.421) go off. If there is only a small
amount of fuel, the hybrid system may not be able to start. (The
standard amount of
fuel is about 2.9 gal. [11.0 L, 2.4 Imp. gal.],
when the vehicle is on a level surface. This
value may vary when the vehicle is on a
slope. Add extra fuel when the vehicle is
inclined.)
Hybrid system precautions
Take care when handling the hybrid system, as it is a high voltage system (about
650 V at maximum) as well as contains parts that become extremely hot when
the hybrid system is operating. Obey th e warning labels attached to the vehi-
cle.
System components
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H

862-1. Instrument cluster
being used very often.
The gasoline engine will automatically stop
and restart under various conditions.Eco area
Shows that the vehicle is being driven in an
Eco-friendly manner.
Power area
Shows that an Eco-friendly driving range is
being exceeded (durin g full power driving
etc.)
●Depending on the selected driving mode,
the Hybrid System Indicator or tachome-
ter will be displayed. The Hybrid System
Indicator or tachometer can be set to
always be displayed on of the
multi-information display. ( P.92)
●The Hybrid System Indicator is displayed
in the following situations:
• When the tachometer setting is set to
change according to the driving mode
and a driving mode other than sport
mode is selected
• When the tachometer setting is set to always display the Hybrid System Indica-
tor
●By keeping the indicator needle (except
F SPORT models) or bar display (F
SPORT models) within the Eco area,
more Eco-friendly driving can be
achieved.
●Charge area indicates regeneration* sta-
tus. Regenerated energy will be used to
charge the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery).
*: When used in this manual, regeneration
refers to the conversion of energy cre-
ated by the movement of the vehicle into
electrical energy.
■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 the multi-information dis-
play.
■Engine speed
On hybrid vehicles, engine speed is pre-
cisely controlled in order to help improve
fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust emis-
sions etc.
There are times when the engine speed that
is displayed may differ even when vehicle
operation and driving conditions are the
same.
■Outside temperature display
●In the following situations, the correct
outside temperature may not be dis-
played, 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 system
may be malfunctioning. Take your vehicle
to your Lexus dealer.
■Liquid crystal display
Small spots or light sp ots may appear on the
display. This phenomenon is characteristic
of liquid crystal disp lays, and there is no
problem continuing to use the display.
■Customization
The gauges and meters can be customized
on of the multi-information display.
(  P.92)
C
D
WARNING
■The information display at low tem-
peratures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to warm
up before using the liquid crystal infor-
mation display. At extremely low tem-
peratures, the information display
monitor may respond slowly, and display
changes may be delayed.

1002-1. Instrument cluster
■Center Display
Press the “MENU” button on the
Remote Touch, then select on the
menu screen.
If a screen other than “Energy Monitor” is
displayed, select “Energy”. This system can also be operated by the
touch screen.
■Multi-information display
Press the or meter control
switch and select , and then press or to select the energy monitor
display.
Energy monitor
When the vehicle is powered by the electric motor (traction motor)
Center DisplayMulti-information display
When the vehicle is powered by both the gaso line engine and the electric motor (traction
motor)
Center DisplayMulti-information display
When the vehicle is powered by the gasoline engine
Center DisplayMulti-information display

1654-1. Before driving
4
Driving
hybrid system output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the
multi-information display and head-up
display (if equipped) while the system is
operating.
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
●When the following unusual operation is
performed, the hybrid system output may
be restrained.
• When the shift lever is shifted from R to D,
D to R, N to R, P to D, or P to R (D
includes S) with the accelerator pedal
depressed, a warning message appears
on the multi-information display and
head-up display (if equipped). If a warn-
ing message is shown on the multi-infor-
mation display and head-up display (if
equipped), read the message and follow
the instructions.
• When the accelerator pedal is depressed
too much while the vehicle is in reverse.
●While Drive-Start Control is being acti-
vated, your vehicle may have trouble
escaping from the mud or fresh snow. In
such case, deactivate TRAC ( P.285)
to cancel Drive-Start Control so that the
vehicle may become able to escape from
the mud or fresh snow.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing
the following precautions is recommended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign
country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registra-
tion laws and confirm the availability of the
correct fuel. ( P.462)
■Eco-friendly driving
 P.85
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the “READY”
indicator is illuminated. This prevents the
vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with
the location of the brake and accelera-
tor pedals to avoid depressing the
wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelera- tor pedal instead of the brake pedal
will result in sudden acceleration that
may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a difficulty in
operating the pedals. Make sure to
operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle
only slightly. This allows you to depress
the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal
using your left foot may delay
response in an emer gency, resulting in
an accident.
●The driver should pay extra attention
to pedestrians when the vehicle is
powered only by the electric motor
(traction motor). As there is no engine
noise, the pedestrians may misjudge
the vehicle’s movement. Even though
the vehicle is equipped with the
Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System,
drive with care as pedestrians in the
vicinity may still not notice the vehicle if
the surrounding area is noisy.

1914-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise, shift the shift lever to D for normal
driving.
*2: By selecting shift ra nges using S mode,
you can control accelerating force and
engine braking force.
■When driving with dynamic radar cruise
control with full-speed range activated
Even when performing the following
actions with the intent of enabling engine
braking, engine braking will not occur
because dynamic radar cruise control with
full-speed range will not be canceled.
●While driving in D or S mode, downshift-
ing to 5 or 4. ( P.238)
●When switching the driving mode to
sport mode while driving in the D position
( P.281)
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start
Control)
 P.165 While the power switch is in ON
mode, move the shift lever with the
brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P
Hybrid transmission
Select the shift position depending
on your purpose and situation.
Shift position purpose and func-
tions
Shift posi- tionObjective or function
PParking the vehicle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 ( P.193)
WARNING
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
Be careful of downsh ifting and sudden
acceleration, as this could result in the
vehicle skidding to the side or spinning.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (t raction battery)
charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid battery
(traction battery) will not be charged
even when the engine is running. There-
fore, if the vehicle is left with the shift
lever in N for a long period of time, the
hybrid battery (traction battery) will dis-
charge, and this may re sult in the vehicle
not being able to start.
Shifting the shift lever

2844-5. Using the driving support systems
Helps to maintain directional stability
when swerving on slippery road sur-
faces by controlling steering perfor-
mance.
■Trailer Sway Control (if equipped)
Helps the driver to control trailer sway
by selectively applying brake pressure
for individual wheels and reducing
driving torque when trailer sway is
detected.
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and pre-
vent the drive wheels from spinning
when starting the vehicle or accelerat-
ing on slippery roads
■Active Cornering Assist (ACA)
Helps to prevent the vehicle from drift-
ing to the outer side by performing
inner wheel brake control when
attempting to accelerate while turning
■Hill-start assist control
Helps to reduce the backward move-
ment of the vehicle when starting on an
uphill
■EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce
the amount of effort needed to turn the
steering wheel
■E-Four
Electronic On-Demand AWD system.
Automatically switches from
front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive
(AWD) according to the driving condi-
tions, helping to ensure reliable han-
dling and stability. Examples of
conditions where the system will switch to AWD are when cornering, going
uphill, starting off or accelerating, and
when the road surface is slippery due
to snow, rain, etc.
■Adaptive Variable Suspension Sys-
tem (if equipped)
Controls the damping force of the
shock absorber of each wheel accord-
ing to the road and driving conditions,
helping achieve a comfortable ride,
excellent driveability and a high level of
stability.
If Sport S+ mode is selected using the
driving mode select switch, the damp-
ing force will become more suitable for
sporty driving. ( P.281)
■VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Inte-
grated Management)
Provides integrated control of the
ABS, brake assist, TRAC, VSC,
hill-start assist control and EPS systems
Helps to maintain vehicle stability when
swerving on slippery road surfaces by
controlling the brakes, hybrid system
output and steering assist.
■The Secondary Collision Brake
When the SRS airbag sensor detects a
collision and the system operates, the
brakes and brake lights are automati-
cally controlled to reduce the vehicle
speed and help reduce the possibility
of further damage due to a secondary
collision.
■When the TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer
Sway Control systems are operating
The slip indicator light will flash while the
TRAC/VSC/ABS/Trailer Sway Control
systems are operating.

2854-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
■Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow,
the TRAC system may reduce power from
the hybrid system to the wheels. Pressing
the switch to turn the system off may
make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in
order to free it.
To turn the TRAC system off, quickly press
and release the switch.
The “Traction Control Turned Off” will be
shown on the multi-information display.
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on.
■Turning off both TR AC, VSC and Trailer
Sway Control systems
To turn the TRAC, VSC and Trailer Sway
Control systems off, press and hold the
switch for more th an 3 seconds while
the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on
and the “Traction Cont rol Turned Off” will
be shown on the mult i-information display.
*
Press the switch again to turn the sys-
tem back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Collision
System), PCS will also be disabled (only Pre-Collision warning is available). The
PCS warning light will come on and a
message will be di
splayed on the
multi-information display. ( P.220)
■When the message is displayed on the
multi-information display showing that
TRAC has been disabled even if the
switch has not been pressed
TRAC is temporary deactivated. If the infor-
mation continues to show, contact your
Lexus dealer.
■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/back-
ward 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 shifted to P or N
●The accelerator pedal is depressed
●The parking brake is engaged
●2 seconds at maximum elapsed after the
brake pedal is released
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VSC, Trailer Sway
Control, TRAC and hill-start assist con-
trol systems
●A sound may be heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed repeatedly, when the hybrid
system is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This sound does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred in
any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions may
occur when the above systems are oper-
ating. None of these indicates that a mal-
function has occurred.

2894-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the accelera-
tor pedal depression amount can be
generated more smoothly than it is in
normal conditions. In addition, the
operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be mini-
mized, improving the fuel economy.
( P.281)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicator needle (except F
SPORT models) or bar display (F
SPORT models) of Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( P.85)
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, when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) power is consumed. 
Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid
abrupt acceleration and decelera-
tion. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effec-
tive use of the electric motor (trac-
tion motor) without having to use
gasoline engine power.
 Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (traction battery)
power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be
restored by driving with the acceler-
ator pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes gently
and in a timely manner. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fuel economy.
Check traffic reports before leaving
and avoid delays as much as possible.
When driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly while
avoiding overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological
driving, pay attention to the follow-
ing points:
Using Eco drive mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays

2944-6. Driving tips
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
where off-road vehicles are permit-
ted 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 roads. When
conditions are wet, driving tech-
niques should be changed or travel
delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
 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 informatio n for off-road driv-
ing
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 Bureau of Land
Management
WARNING
●In a rollover crash, an unbelted person
is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt. Therefore,
the driver and all passengers should
always fasten th eir seat belts.
●Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible.
Failure to operate this vehicle correctly
may result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover causing death or serious
injury.
●Loading cargo on the roof luggage
carrier will make the center of the
vehicle gravity higher. Avoid high
speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneuvers,
otherwise it may result in loss of con-
trol or vehicle rollover due to failure to
operate this vehicle correctly.
●Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
Because of its profile and higher cen-
ter of gravity, your vehicle is more sen-
sitive to side winds than an ordinary
passenger car. Slowing down will allow
you to have better control.
●Do not drive horizontally across steep
slopes. Driving straig ht up or straight
down is preferred. Your vehicle (or any
similar off-road vehicle) can tip over
sideways much more easily than for-
ward or backward.
Off-road driving
WARNING
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of death, seri-
ous injury or damage to your vehicle:
●Drive carefully when off the road. Do
not take unnecessary risks by driving in
dangerous places.