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608Check 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.
Use mud shields on your wheels. If you drive on salted or
gravel roads, mud shields help protect your vehicle. Full-size
shields, which come as near to the ground as possible, are the
best. We recommend that the fittings and the area where the
shields are installed be treated to resist corrosion. Your Lexus
dealer will be happy to assist in supplying and installing the
shields if they are recommended for your 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 covered with water or snow, your garage may be
so damp and 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 coal tar, tree sap, bird droppings and carcass
of an insect
When driving in the areas where there is a lot of smoke,
soot, dust, iron dust and chemical substances
When the vehicle becomes remarkably dirty with dust and
mud
Hand-washing 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 car-wash 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
Ð let the soap and water remove the dirt.
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609 Fuel filler door: Do not apply water (high-pressure car wash,
for example) at or near the fuel tank inlet with the fuel filler door
opened. If the water enters the air vent, you may experience
trouble with refueling or rough engine idling.
Plastic wheel ornaments: The plastic wheel ornaments are
damaged easily by organic substances. If any organic
substance splashes an ornament, be sure to wash it off with
water and check if the ornament is damaged.
CAUTION
Do not attach the heavily damaged plastic wheel
ornament. It may fly off the wheel and cause accidents
while the vehicle is moving.
Aluminum 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 organic substances (gasoline, kerosene,
benzine or strong solvents), which may be toxic or
cause damage.
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6103. Rinse thoroughly Ð 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 Ð you might scratch the
paint.
Automatic car wash
NOTICE
Vehicles with Lexus link system: To prevent damage to
the antenna, make sure it is removed before driving
your vehicle through an automatic car wash.
Your vehicle may be washed in an automatic car wash, but
remember that the paint can be scratched by some types 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.
Apply wax once a month or if the vehicle surface does not repel
water well.
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 car-cleaning 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.
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611
CLEANING THE INTERIORCAUTION
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
Remove dirt using a soft cloth dampened with 5% solution of
neutral detergent for wool. Then thoroughly wipe off all traces
of detergent with a clean damp cloth.
After cleaning or whenever any part of the leather gets wet, dry
with a soft clean cloth. Allow the leather to dry in a ventilated
shaded area.
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612
NOTICE
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.
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613
Synthetic Leather Areas
(Part of door panels)
The synthetic leather areas may be easily cleaned with a
mild soap or detergent and water.First vacuum over the upholstery to remove loose dirt. Then,
using a sponge or soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the
synthetic leather. After allowing it to soak in for a few minutes
to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt and wipe off the soap with a
clean damp cloth. If all the dirt does not come off, repeat the
procedure. Commercial foaming-type cleaners are also
available which work well. Follow the manufacturer's
instructions.
NOTICE
Do not use solvent, thinner, gasoline or window cleaner
on the interior.
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614
Carpets, Windows and Seat Belts
Begin by vacuuming thoroughly to remove as much dirt as
possible. Several types of foam cleaners are available; some
are in aerosol cans and others are powders or liquids which
you mix with water to produce a foam. To shampoo the
carpets, use a sponge or brush to apply the foam. Rub in
overlapping circles. Do not apply water Ð the best results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as possible. Read the
shampoo instructions and follow them closely.The seat belts may be cleaned with mild soap and water or
with lukewarm water.
Use a cloth or sponge. As you are cleaning, check the belts for
excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
NOTICE
Use a good foam-type shampoo to clean the carpets.
Do not use dye or bleach on the belts Ð it may
weaken them.
Do not use the belts until they become dry.
The windows may be cleaned with any household
window cleaner.
Do not apply detergent to or wet the automatic wiper
control sensor when cleaning the inside of the
windshield.
When cleaning the inside of the quarter and rear
windows, be careful not to scratch or damage the
wire antennas, heater wires or connectors.
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615
Air Conditioning Control Panel, Car Audio,
Instrument Panel, Console Panel and
SwitchesUse a soft damp cloth for cleaning.
Soak a clean soft cloth in water or lukewarm water then lightly
wipe off any dirt.
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (solvents, kerosene,
alcohol, gasoline, etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions.
These chemicals can cause discoloring, staining or
peeling of the surface.
If you use cleaners or polishing agents, make sure
their ingredients do not include the substances
mentioned above.
If you use a liquid car freshener, do not spill the liquid
onto the vehicle's interior surfaces. It may contain
the ingredients mentioned above. Immediately clean
any spill using the method mentioned above.
If you have any questions about the cleaning of your
Lexus, your local Lexus dealer will be pleased to answer
them.RAIN CLEARING MIRRORS
The rear view mirrors have been coated to produce a rain
clearingº effect. This coating causes the raindrops to
spread, clearing the driver's rear view when it rains.
It is sufficient to wash the mirrors with water for day to day care.
The rain clearing effect is reduced in drizzle and light rain.
In the following cases, the rain clearing effect will be reduced
temporarily, but will gradually recover.
After wiping dirt off the mirrors
When the mirrors fog up