1998 Lexus LS400 lexus LS400 1998 Engine / LEXUS 1998 LS400 OWNER'S MANUAL (OM50498U)

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
266A: HB3 halogen bulbs
B: D2R discharge bulbs
C: HB4 halogen bulbs
D: Wedge base bulbs
E: Double end bulbs
F: Single end bulbs

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
267

SECTION 6 5
268
SERVICE PROCEDURES AND
SPECIFICATIONS
Body
Specifications 269. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Protecting your vehicle from corrosion 270. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Washing and waxing 271. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning the interior 273. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BODY
269
SPECIFICATIONS
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT
Overall length
Overall width
Overall height
Wheelbase
Tread Front
Rear
Vehicle capacity weight (occupants + luggage)
4995 mm (196.7 in.)
1830 mm (72.0 in.)
1435 mm (56.4 in.)*
2850 mm (112.2 in.)
1575 mm (62.0 in.)
1575 mm (62.0 in.)
410 kg (900 lb.)
*: Unladen vehicle
FUEL TANK
Capacity
85 L (22.5 gal., 18.7 lmp.gal.)

BODY
270
PROTECTING YOUR VEHICLE
FROM CORROSION
Proper care of your Lexus can help ensure longterm corrosion
prevention.
The most common causes of corrosion to your vehicle are:
The accumulation of road salt, dirt and moisture in hardtoreach
areas under the vehicle.
Chipping of paint or undercoating caused by minor accidents or
by stones and gravel.
The following conditions will cause or accelerate corrosion of
your vehicle, so it is important to keep your vehicle, particularly
the underside, as clean as possible and to repair any damage to
paint or protective coatings as soon as possible.
The presence of road salt or dust control chemicals, salt in the air
near the sea coast, industrial air pollution.
High humidity, especially at temperatures just above freezing
point.
Certain parts of your vehicle are wet or damp for an extended
period of time, even though other parts of the vehicle are dry.
Components of the vehicle which are prevented from
quickdrying due to lack of proper ventilation are exposed to high
temperature.To help prevent corrosion on your Lexus, follow these
guidelines:
Keep your vehicle clean by regular washing. In addition, observe
the following points.
If you drive on salted roads in the winter or if you live near the
ocean, you should hose off the undercarriage at least once a
month to minimize corrosion.
High pressure water or steam is effective for cleaning the
vehicle’s underside and wheel housings. Pay particular attention
to these areas as it is difficult to see all the mud and dirt. It will
do more harm than good to simply wet the mud and debris without
removing them. The lower edge of doors, rocker panels and
frame members have drain holes which should not be allowed to
clog with dirt as trapped water in these areas can cause corrosion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle thoroughly when winter is over.
See ”Washing and waxing” for more tips.
Check the condition of your vehicle’s paint and trim. If you find
any chips or scratches in the paint, touch them up immediately to
prevent corrosion from starting. If the chips or scratches have gone
through the bare metal, have a qualified body shop make the repair.

BODY
271 Check the interior of your vehicle. Water and dirt can accumulate
under the floor mats and could cause corrosion. Occasionally check
under the mats to make sure the area is dry. Be particularly careful
when transporting chemicals, cleansers, fertilizers, salt, etc. These
should be transported in proper containers. If a spill or leak should
occur, immediately clean and dry the area.
Keep your vehicle in a well ventilated garage or a roofed place.
Do not park your vehicle in a damp, poorly ventilated garage.
If you wash your vehicle in the garage, or if you drive it in covered
with water or snow, your garage may be so damp it will cause
corrosion. Even if your garage is heated, a wet vehicle can corrode
if the ventilation is poor.
WASHING AND WAXING
Washing your Lexus
Keep your vehicle clean by regular washing.
The following cases may cause weakness to the paint or corrosion
to the body and parts. Wash your vehicle as soon as possible.
When driving in a coastal area
When driving on a road sprinkled with antifreeze
When having stuck of coal tar, tree sap, bird droppings and
carcass of an insect.
When driving in the areas where there are a lot of smoke, soot,
dust, iron dust and chemical substance
When the vehicle becomes remarkably dirty with dust and mud
Handwashing your Lexus
Work in the shade and wait until the vehicle body is not hot to the
touch.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Remove any mud or road salt
from the underside of the vehicle or in the wheel wells.
2. Wash with a mild carwash soap, mixed according to the
manufacturer ’s instructions. Use a soft cotton mitt and keep it wet
by dipping it frequently into the wash water. Do not rub hard let
the soap and water remove the dirt.

BODY
272Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap or neutral detergent.
Urethane bumpers and side moldings: Wash carefully. Do not
scrub with abrasive cleaners. The bumper and side molding faces are
soft.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or cleaners that are marked safe
for painted surfaces.
NOTICE
Do not use gasoline or strong solvents, which may be toxic or
cause damage.
3. Rinse thoroughly dried soap can cause streaking. In hot weather
you may need to rinse each section right after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle using a clean soft cotton
towel. Do not rub or press hard you might scratch the paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an automatic car wash, but remember
that the paint can be scratched by some type of brushes, unfiltered
washing water, or the washing process itself. Scratching reduces
paint durability and gloss, especially on darker colors. The manager
of the car wash should be able to advise you whether the process is
safe for the paint on your vehicle.
Waxing your Lexus
Polishing and waxing is recommended to maintain the original
beauty of your Lexus’ finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle does not repel water well, apply wax.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle before you begin waxing, even
if you are using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become
extremely weathered, use a carcleaning polish, followed by a
separate wax. Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions and
precautions. Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim as well as
the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water does not bead but remains on
the surface in large patches.

BODY
273
CLEANING THE INTERIOR
CAUTION
Be careful not to splash water or spill liquid on the floor.
This may prevent the side airbags from activating
correctly, resulting in serious injury.
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water, or allow water to
get onto the floor when cleaning the vehicle interior or
exterior. Water may get into audio components or other
electrical components above or under the floor carpet (or
mat) and cause a malfunction; and it may cause body
corrosion.
Leather Interior
The selected leather is used in your Lexus. Due to a leather product,
some parts of leather may be rough, uneven or scratched originally.
To keep good appearance, we recommend you to clean it
periodically twice a year.
Remove dirt on the leather in the following ways:
1. Wipe it off lightly using a soft cloth (e.g. gauze) dampened with
5% solution of neutral detergent for wool.
2. Wring water from a clean cloth and thoroughly wipe off all traces
of detergent with it.3. Wipe off the surface of the leather with a dry soft cloth. Allow
the leather to dry in a ventilated shaded area. Excess of wet may
cause the hardening or shrinking of the leather.
NOTICE
Dirt or sand adhered to the leather may damage the treated
surface and cause it to wear earlier. Remove dirt or sand
using a vacuum cleaner.
If a stain should fail to come out with a neutral detergent,
apply a cleaner that does not contain an organic solvent.
Never use organic substances such as benzine, alcohol or
gasoline, or alkaline or acid solutions for cleaning the leather
as these could cause discoloring.
Use of a nylon brush or synthetic fiber cloth, etc. may scratch
the fine grained surface of the leather.
Mildew may develop on soiled leather upholstery. Be
especially careful to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your
upholstery always clean.
Long exposure to direct sunlight may cause the leather
surface to harden and shrink. Keep your vehicle in a shaded
area, especially in the summer.
The interior of your vehicle is apt to heat up on hot summer
days, so avoid placing on the upholstery items made of vinyl
or plastic or containing wax as these tend to stick to leather
when warm.
Improper cleaning of the leather upholstery could result in
discoloration or staining.