2008 LEXUS RX400H flat tire

Maintenance and care4
297
RX400h_U
4-1. Maintenance and care ............................... 298
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior............ 298
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ............... 301
4-2. Maintenance .................. 304 Maintenance requirements ....................... 304
General maintenance .......... 306
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs............................... 309 4-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance ................. 310
Do-it-yourself service precautions ............................ 310
Hood ........................................... 313
Positioning a floor jack .......... 314
Engine compartment ............ 316
Tires............................................. 331
Tire inflation pressure........... 340
Wheels ...................................... 344
Air conditioning filter ........... 346
Wireless remote control battery .................................... 348
Rear seat entertainment system controller ................ 350
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................ 352
Headlight aim (vehicles with discharge
headlights) ............................ 364
Light bulbs................................ 365

308
4-2. Maintenance
RX400h_U
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Steering wheel
• Moves smoothly?
• Has correct free play?
• No strange noises?
ItemsCheck points
Door• Operate smoothly?
Engine hood• The lock system works properly?
Fluid leaks• Is there any leakage after parking?
Ti r e
• Inflation pressure is correct?
• Tire surfaces not worn or dam-aged?
• Tires rotated according to the maintenance schedule?
• Wheel nuts are not loose?
CAUTION
■If the hybrid system is running
Turn the hybrid system off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation before per-
forming maintenance checks.

311
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
RX400h_U
ItemsParts and tools
Engine oil level (→P. 3 1 8 )
• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or
equivalent
• Rag or paper towel, funnel (used
only for adding engine oil)
Fuses (→ P. 3 5 2 )• Fuse with same amperage rating as
original
Headlight aim ( →P. 364)• Phillips-head screwdriver
Radiator and condenser (→P. 3 2 5 )
Tire inflation pressure ( →P. 3 4 0 )• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Wa s h e r f l u i d ( →P. 3 2 9 )
• Water washer fluid containing anti-
freeze (for winter use)
•Funnel

331
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
RX400h_U
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance schedules and
treadwear.
■Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear indi-
cators is shown by the “TWI” or
“∆ ” marks, etc., molded on the
sidewall of each tire.
Check spare tire condition and
inflation pressure if not rotated.
■ Tire rotation
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and extend
tire life, Lexus recommends that
tire rotation is carried out at the
same interval as tire inspection.
■The tire pressure warning system
Your Lexus is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses
tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect low tire infla-
tion pressure before serious problems arise. ( →P. 391, 398)
Front

332
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX400h_U
Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
When replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters must also be installed.
When new tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are installed,
new tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes must be regis-
tered in the tire pressure warning computer and tire pressure warning
system must be initialized. Have tire pressure warning valve and transmit-
ter ID codes registered by your Lexus dealer. ( →P. 3 3 4 )
Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■ The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the following
circumstances:
● When changing the tire inflation pressure by changing traveling
speed.
● When changing the tire size.
When the tire pressure warning system is initialized, the current tire
inflation pressure is set as the pressure benchmark.

333
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
RX400h_U■
How to initialize the tire pressure warning system
Park the vehicle in safe place and turn off the hybrid system.
While the vehicle is moving, initialization is not performed.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire inflation
pressure level. (→ P. 4 3 9 )
Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire inflation
pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will operate based on
this pressure level.
Turn the engine switch to the ON position.
Push and hold the tire pressure
warning reset switch until the tire
pressure warning light blinks
slowly three times.
Wait for a few minutes with the engine switch is in the ON posi-
tion, and then turn the engine switch to the OFF position.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
RX400h_U■
Selecting ID codes
When replacing tires, make sure to select the ID code set that matches
the new tire set. If the tire pressure select switch is set to the wrong tire
setting, the tire pressure warning system will not operate properly.
After driving for about 20 minutes, the tire pressure warning light
comes on after blinking for 1 minute to indicate a system malfunction.
“MAIN”
“2nd”
■When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to expose the fab-
ric or bulges indicating internal damage.
●A tire goes flat repeatedly or cannot be properly repaired due to the size or loca-
tion of a cut or other damage.
If you are not sure, consult with your Lexus dealer.
■Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is not registered,
the tire pressure warning system will not work properly. After driving for about 20
minutes, the tire pressure warning light comes on after blinking for 1 minute to indi-
cate a system malfunction.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if they
have seldom or never been us ed or damage is not obvious.
■If the tread wears down below 0. 16 in. (4 mm) on snow tires
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX400h_U
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the replaced tire is greater than 1 /2 of the Gross
Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of either the front axle or the rear axle, whichever is
greater.
As for the maximum load of the tire, see the load limit at maximum cold tire inflation
pressure mentioned on the sidewall of the tire, and as for the Gross Axle Weight
Ratings (GAWR), see the Certification Label. (
→P. 3 4 0 , 4 4 5 ) .
■Tire types
1 Summer tiresSummer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway driving
under dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same traction perfor-
mance as snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for driving on snow-covered
or icy roads. For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires
is recommended. When installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2 All season tires All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to be ade-
quate for driving in most winter conditions, as well as for use year round. All sea-
son tires, however, do not have adequate traction performance compared with
snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Also, al l season tires fall short in acceleration
and handling performance compared with summer tires in highway driving.
3Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend using snow tires.
If you need snow tires, select tires of the same size, construction and load capac-
ity as the originally installed tires. Since your vehicle has radial tires as original
equipment, make sure your snow tires also have radial construction. Do not install
studded tires without first checking local regulations for possible restriction.
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. ( →P. 1 8 2 )
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the tires with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to the specified level.