2008 LEXUS RX400H Owners Manual

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
RX400h_U
CAUTION
■Replacing light bulbs
●Turn off the headlights. Do not attempt to replace the bulb immediately after turn-
ing off the headlights.
The bulbs become very hot and may cause burns.
●Do not touch the glass portion of the light bulb with bare hands. Hold the bulb by
the plastic or metal portion.
If the bulb is scratched or dropped it may blow out or crack.
●Fully install light bulbs and any parts used to secure them.
Failing to do so may result in heat damage, fire, or water entering the headlight
unit. This may damage the headlights or cause condensation to build up on the
lens.
●Do not attempt to take apart or repair the low beam discharge headlight bulbs,
connectors, power supply circuits, or related components.
Doing so could result in electric shock and serious injury or death.
■Discharge headlights
●Contact your Lexus dealer before replacing discharge headlights (including light
bulbs).
●Do not touch the high-intensity discharge headlight’s high voltage socket when
the headlights are turned on.
An extremely high voltage of 20000 V will be discharged and could result in
serious injury or death by electric shock.
■To prevent damage or fire
Make sure bulbs are fully seated and locked.

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When trouble arises5
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5-1. Essential information .... 378If your vehicle needs to be towed ...................................... 378
If you think something is wrong ...................................... 385
Event data recorder.............. 386
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency ................... 388
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer
sounds... ................................. 388
If a warning message is displayed................................ 398
If you have a flat tire............... 408
If the hybrid system will not start ................................... 418
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P ........................ 419
If you lose your keys .............. 420
If the 12-volt battery is discharged ............................. 421
If your vehicle overheats ..... 424
If the vehicle becomes stuck......................................... 427

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5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Before towingThe following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Lexus dealer before towing.
● The hybrid system is running, but the vehicle will not move.
● The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available, in an emergency your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency towing
eyelet(s). This should only attempted on hard, surfaced roads for short
distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The vehi-
cle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steer ing and brakes must be in good condi-
tion.
Towing eyelets
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by your
Lexus dealer or a commercial towing se rvice, using a lift-type truck or a flat
bed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by all state/provincial
and local laws.
If towing from the front, the vehicle’s rear wheels and axles must be in good
condition. ( →P. 3 8 2 )
If they are damaged, use a towing dolly or flat bed truck.

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When trouble arises
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5-1. Essential information
RX400h_U
■Emergency towing procedureRelease the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Turn the engine switch to the ACC (hybrid system off) or ON (hybrid sys-
tem on) position.
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive stress on
the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains.
●If the hybrid system is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
Never tow this vehicle from the rear with four wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious damage to the transmission.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

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Installing towing eyeletsRemove the eyelet cover.
Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by hand.
Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
■Location of the emergency towing eyelet
→P. 4 0 8

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When trouble arises
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5-1. Essential information
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Towing with a sling-type truck
CAUTION
■Installing towing eyelets to the vehicle
Make sure that towing eyelets are installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelets may come loose during towing. This may
lead to accidents that cause serious injury or even death.
NOTICE
■To prevent body damage
Do not tow with a sling type truck, either from the front or rear.

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Towing with a wheel lift-type truckFrom the front (2WD models) Release the parking brake.
From the front (AWD models) Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheel.
NOTICE
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at the
opposite end of the raised vehicle.
Without adequate clearance, the vehicle could be damaged while being towed.
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission (AWD models)
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.