2003 Lexus ES300 radiator

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
269
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
If your engine coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, if you experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a loud knocking or pinging noise, the engine has
probably overheated.
When the engine overheats
Pull safely off the road, stop the vehicle and turn on your
emergency flashers. Put the transmission in “P” and apply the
parking brake.
A: If steam is coming from your engine:
Turn off the engine. Leave the hood closed until there is no sign
of steam or coolant. Your engine could have been seriously
damaged already. Call your Lexus dealer for assistance.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep the hood closed until
there is no steam. Escaping steam or coolant is sign of
very high pressure.
B: If no steam is coming from your engine:
Leave the engine running and turn off the air conditioning.
Check the following.
 Is the cooling fan operating?
 Is the coolant in the acceptable range?
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep hands and clothing
away from the moving fan and engine drive belt.
 Do not attempt to remove the radiator cap when the
engine and radiator are hot. Serious injury could
result from scalding hot fluid and steam blown out
under pressure.
If the cooling fan is not operating or the coolant is not in the
acceptable range, turn off the engine and call your Lexus
dealer.
If both conditions are O.K., after the engine coolant
temperature has cooled to normal, continue driving your
vehicle.
If the engine coolant temperature does not cool down, or your
vehicle overheats again, have it checked as soon as possible
by your Lexus dealer.

MAINTENANCE
291
Accelerator pedal
Check
the pedal for smooth operation and uneven pedal ef fort
or catching.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation and the proper
clearance and freeplay. Check the brake booster function.
Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do not pull to one side
when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the pedal has the proper travel and that, on a safe
incline, your vehicle is held securely with only the parking
brake applied.
Automatic transmission “Park” mechanism
On a safe incline, check that your vehicle is held securely with
the selector lever in “P” position and all brakes released.
Engine compartment
Items listed below should be checked from time to time,
e.g. each time when refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is suf ficient fluid in the tank. See page 348 for
additional information.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between the “F” and “L” lines on
the see− through reservoir when the engine is cold. See page
315 for additional information.
Radiator, condenser and hoses
Check that the front of the radiator and condenser are clean
and not blocked with leaves, dirt, or insects. See page 317 for
additional information.
Battery
Check the battery condition by the indicator color. See page
341 for additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct. See page 322 for
additional information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the engine turned off and
the vehicle parked on a level spot. See page 312 for additional
information.

INTRODUCTION
297
ENGINE COMPARTMENT OVERVIEW
1 Power steering fluid
reservoir
2 Engine oil filler cap
3 Brake fluid reservoir
4 Fuse box
5 Battery
6 Fuse box
7 Radiator
8 Condenser
9 Electric cooling fans
10 Engine oil level
dipstick
11 Washer fluid tank
12 Engine coolant
reservoir

INTRODUCTION
298
DOITYOURSELF SERVICEPRECAUTIONS
If you perform maintenance yourself, be sure to follow the
correct procedure given in this section.
You should be aware that improper or incomplete servicing
may result in operating problems.
Performing do −it−yourself maintenance during the warranty
period may affect your warranty coverage. Read the separate
Lexus Warranty statement for details and suggestions.
This section gives instructions only for those items that are
relatively easy for an owner to perform. As explained in
Section 5, there are still a number of items that must be
performed by a qualified technician with special tools.
For information on tools and parts for do −it −yourself
maintenance, see “Parts and tools” on page 299.
Utmost care should be taken when working on your vehicle to
prevent accidental injury. Here are a few precautions that you
should be especially careful to observe:
CAUTION
 When the engine is running, keep hands, clothing,
and tools away from the moving fan and engine drive
belt. (Removing rings, watches, and ties is
advisable.)
 Right after driving, the engine compartment the
engine, radiator, exhaust manifold and power
steering fluid reservoir, etc. will be hot. So be
careful not to touch them. Oil and other fluids may
also be hot.
 Do not smoke, cause sparks or allow open flames
around fuel or the battery. Their fumes are
flammable.
 Do not get under your vehicle with just the body jack
supporting it. Always use automotive jack stands or
other solid supports.
 Be sure that the ignition is off if you work near the
electric cooling fans or radiator grille. With the
ignition on, the electric cooling fans will
automatically start to run if the engine coolant
temperature is high and/or the air conditioning is on.
 Use eye protection whenever you work on or under
your vehicle where you may be exposed to flying or
falling material, fluid spray, etc.

SECTION 6 – 2
304
SERVICE PROCEDURES AND
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine
Specifications305
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . .
Fuel 308
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Facts about engine oil consumption 310
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Used engine oil 311
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . .
Checking the engine oil level 312
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the engine coolant level 315
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the radiator and condenser 317
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Spark plugs 317
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\
. . . . . . . .

ENGINE
316If the coolant level drops within a short time after replenishing,
there
may be a leak in the system. V isually check the radiator,
hoses, engine coolant filler cap, radiator cap and drain cock
and water pump.
If you can find no leak, have your Lexus dealer test the cap
pressure and check for leaks in the cooling system.
CAUTION
To prevent burning yourself, do not remove the radiator
cap when the engine is hot.
Coolant type selection
Use of improper coolants may damage your engine cooling
system. Your coolant must contain ethylene −glycol type
coolant for a proper corrosion protection of your engine that
contains aluminum components. We have used “Toyota
Genuine Long Life Coolant” in your Lexus vehicle. In order to
avoid technical problems, we strongly recommend using
“Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant” or equivalent.
In addition to preventing freezing and subsequent damage to
the engine, this type of coolant will also prevent corrosion.
Further supplemental inhibitors or additives are neither
needed nor recommended.
Read the coolant container for information on freeze
protection. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for how much
to mix with plain water (preferably demineralized water or
distilled water). The total capacity of the cooling system is
given on page 307. We recommend to use 50% solution for your Lexus, to provide
protection
down to about −35C (− 31F). When it is extremely
cold, to provide protection down to about −50C (−58F), 60%
solution is recommended. Do not use more than 70% solution
for better coolant performance.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or plain water alone.
The engine cooling system is integral to maximizing
performance of your Lexus vehicle. In line with this, it is
strongly recommended that you use “Toyota Genuine Long
Life Coolant” for protecting the system, as it is an
ethylene− glycol based premium antifreeze coolant with
excellent corrosion protection properties that has been
specifically formulated for use in Lexus vehicles.
Please contact your Lexus dealer for further details of the
“Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant” range.

ENGINE
317
CHECKING THE RADIATOR ANDCONDENSER
If either of the above parts are extremely dirty or you are not
sure of their condition, take your vehicle to Lexus dealer.
CAUTION
To prevent burning yourself, be careful not to touch the
radiator, condenser or intercooler when the engine is
hot.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the radiator and condenser, do
not perform the work by yourself.
SPARK PLUGS
Your engine is fitted with iridiumtipped spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only iridiumtipped spark plugs and do not adjust
gaps for your engine performance and smooth
drivability.