Release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator pedal to acceler-
ate the vehicle.
Press the parking brake switch and parking brake is released manually.
(

P. 254)

■

When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. (

P. 382)

■

For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles are similar to conventional vehicles, and it is necessary

to refrain from activities such as sudden acceleration. (

P. 388)

■

Driving in the rain

●

Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the windows may

become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.

●

Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be especially slip-

pery.

●

Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because there may

be a layer of water between the tires and the road surface, preventing the steering and

brakes from operating properly.

■

Restraining the hybrid system output (Brake Override System)

●

When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the hybrid sys-

tem output may be restrained.

●

A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is

operating. If a warning message is shown on the multi-information display, read the

message and follow the instructions.

■

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. If a warning message is shown on the multi-informa-

tion display, 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 activated, your vehicle may have trouble escaping

from the mud or fresh snow. In such case, deactivate TRAC (

P. 384) to cancel Drive-

Start Control so that the vehicle may become able to escape from the mud or fresh

snow.

Starting off on a uphill

2
3

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■

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 registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-

rect fuel. (

P. 712)

■

Eco-friendly driving
P. 121

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 accelerator ped-

als to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator 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 difficulty in operat-

ing 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 emergency, 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.

●

Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.

The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. These hot parts may

cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.

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WARNING

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 the 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, heads 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 off-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 components 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 not before driving at such speeds.

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WARNING

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 pedal 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 one 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 accident 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 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 vehicle 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.

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WARNING

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 vehicle rolling away, always keep depressing

the brake pedal while stopped with the “READY” 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, always depress the brake pedal and securely

apply the parking brake as needed.

●

Avoid revving or racing 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, spray 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 cause 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 circuit 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 windshield or windows. Do not place containers

such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard. Adhesive discs or con-

tainers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.

●

Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a metallized

film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause the glass to act as a

lens, causing a fire.

●

Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the hybrid system and

lock the vehicle.

Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the “READY” indicator is illuminated.

If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever 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 “READY” indicator is illuminated or imme-

diately after turning the hybrid system off.

Doing so may cause burns.

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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 ventilated area, exhaust

gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading 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, but the brake pedal should be depressed more

firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase. Have your brakes fixed

immediately.

●

The brake system consists of 2 or more individual 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
Do not spin the wheels excessively 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.

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NOTICE

■

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 depress 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 suspension joints (where possible), and the

function of all joints, bearings, etc.

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Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capacity) — (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit —

(1) Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should

never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.

(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be rid-

ing in your vehicle.

(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kg or

XXX lbs.

(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load

capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150
lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs. (1400

 750 (5150) = 650 lbs.)

(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the

vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage
load capacity calculated in Step 4.

(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be transferred

to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this reduces the avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
(

P. 223)

Vehicles without towing package: Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with

your vehicle. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing.

Cargo and luggage

Take notice of the following information about storage precautions, cargo
capacity and load.

Capacity and distribution

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Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle capacity
weight) (

P. 710)

When 2 people with the combined weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in your vehicle,
which has a total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight) of B lb. (kg), the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage load capacity will be C lb. (kg) as follows:
B

lb. (kg)

 A

lb. (kg) = C

lb. (kg)

: A = Weight of people

: B = Total load capacity

: C = Available cargo and luggage load

In this condition, if 3 more passengers with the combined weight of D lb. (kg) get on,

the available cargo and luggage load will be reduced E lb. (kg) as follows:

C lb. (kg)

 D

lb. (kg) = E

lb. (kg)

: D = Additional weight of people

: E = Available cargo and luggage load

As shown in the example above, if the number of occupants increases, the cargo
and luggage load will be reduced by an amount that equals the increased weight
due to the additional occupants. In other words, if an increase in the number of
occupants causes an excess of the total load capacity (combined weight of occu-
pants plus cargo and luggage load), you must reduce the cargo and luggage on
your vehicle.

Calculation formula for your vehicle

WARNING

■

Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compartment:

●

Receptacles containing gasoline

●

Aerosol cans

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WARNING

■

Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.

Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed properly, may block the

driver’s vision, or may result in items hitting the driver or passengers, possibly causing

an accident.

●

Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever possible.

●

Do not stack cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment higher than the seat-

backs.

●

When you fold down the rear seats, long items should not be placed directly behind

the front seats.

●

Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed for pas-

sengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts properly fastened.

●

Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver

• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)

• On the luggage cover

• On the instrument panel

• On the dashboard

●

Secure all items in the occupant compartment.

■

Capacity and distribution

●

Do not exceed the maximum axle weight rating or the total vehicle weight rating.

●

Even if the total load of occupant’s weight and the cargo load is less than the total load

capacity, do not apply the load unevenly. Improper loading may cause deterioration

of steering or braking control which may cause death or serious injury.

■

Roof luggage carrier precautions
Observe the following precautions:

●

Place the cargo so that its weight is distributed evenly between the front and rear

axles.

●

If loading long or wide cargo, never exceed the vehicle overall length or width.

(

P. 710)

●

Before driving, make sure the cargo is securely fastened on the roof luggage carrier.

●

Loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier will make the center of gravity of the vehi-

cle higher. Avoid high speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns, sudden braking or abrupt

maneuvers, otherwise it may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover due to failure

to operate this vehicle correctly and result in death or serious injury.

●

If driving for a long distance, on rough roads, or at high speeds, stop the vehicle now

and then during the trip to make sure the cargo remains in its place.

●

Do not exceed 165 lb. (75 kg) cargo weight on the roof luggage carrier.

NOTICE

■

When loading cargo (vehicles with a moon roof or panoramic moon roof)
Be careful not to scratch the surface of the moon roof or panoramic moon roof.

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◆

Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight):

P. 710

Total load capacity means the combined weight of occupants, cargo and lug-
gage.

◆

Seating capacity



RX450h

5 occupants (Front 2, Rear 3)



RX450hL

6 occupants (Front 2, Rear 4)
Seating capacity means the maximum number of occupants whose estimated
average weight is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person.

◆

TWR (Trailer Weight Rating) (Vehicles with towing package):
P. 227, 710

TWR means the maximum gross trailer weight (trailer weight plus its cargo
weight) that your vehicle is able to tow.

◆

TWR (Trailer Weight Rating) (Vehicles without towing package)

Lexus does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.

◆

Cargo capacity

Cargo capacity may increase or decrease depending on the weight and the
number of occupants.

■

Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading information label. (

P. 620)

Vehicle load limits

Vehicle load limits include total load capacity, seating capacity, trailer weight
rating and cargo capacity.

WARNING

■

Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.

It may not only cause damage to the tires, but also degrade steering and braking ability,

resulting in an accident.

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