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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
IS250
Battery (P. 410)
Engine oil level dipstick
(P. 403)
Engine oil filler cap
(P. 403)
Brake fluid reservoir
(P.  4 0 8 )
Fuse boxes (P.  4 3 6 )Washer fluid tank
(P. 413)
Electric cooling fans
Condenser (P.  4 0 8 )
Radiator (P.  4 0 8 )
Engine coolant reservoir
(P.  4 0 6 ) 
     
        
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403
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Engine oil
With the engine at operating temperature and turned off, check the oil
level on the dipstick.
■Checking the engine oil
Park the vehicle on level ground. After turning off the engine, wait
more than five minutes for the oil to drain back into the bottom of
the engine.
Hold a rag under the end and pull
the dipstick out.
Wipe the dipstick clean.
Reinsert the dipstick fully.
Holding a rag under the end, pull the dipstick out and check the
oil level.
Wipe the dipstick and reinsert it fully.
Low
Full
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP6 
     
        
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Adding engine oil
If the oil level is below or near the
low level mark, add engine oil of
the same type as already in the
engine.
Make sure to check the oil type and prepare the items needed before
adding oil.
Remove the oil filler cap by turning it counterclockwise.
Add engine oil slowly, checking the dipstick.
Install the oil filler cap by turning it clockwise.
Engine oil 
selectionP.  5 2 3
Oil quantity
(Low  Full)1.6 qt. (1.5 L, 1.3 Imp. qt.)
ItemsClean funnel
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3 
     
        
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■Engine oil consumption
●The amount of engine oil consumed depends on the oil viscosity, the quality of
the oil and the way the vehicle is driven.
●More oil is consumed under driving conditions such as high speeds and fre-
quent acceleration and deceleration.
●A new engine consumes more oil.
●When judging the amount of oil consumption, keep in mind that the oil may
have become diluted, making it difficult to judge the true level accurately.
●Oil consumption: Max. 1.1 qt./600 miles (0.9 Imp. qt./600 miles, 1.0 L/1000
km)
●If your vehicle consumes more than 1.1 qt. (1.0 L, 0.9 Imp. qt.) every 600 miles
(1000 km), contact your Lexus dealer.
■After changing the engine oil (U.S.A. only)
The oil change system should be reset. Perform the following procedures:
Switch the display to the odometer (P. 151) when the engine is running.
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch OFF.
While pressing the trip meter reset button, set the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch to IGNITION ON mode (but do not start the engine
because otherwise the reset mode will be cancelled). Continue to press
and hold the button until the trip meter displays “000000”.
CAUTION
■Used engine oil
●Used engine oil contains potentially harmful contaminants which may cause skin
disorders such as inflammation or skin cancer, so care should be taken to avoid
prolonged and repeated contact. To remove used engine oil from your skin, wash
thoroughly with soap and water.
●Dispose of used oil and filters only in a safe and acceptable manner. Do not dis-
pose of used oil and filters in household trash, in sewers or onto the ground.
Call your Lexus dealer, service station or auto parts store for information con-
cerning recycling or disposal.
●Do not leave used engine oil within the reach of children.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3 
     
        
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Engine coolant
The coolant level is satisfactory if it is between the “FULL” and “LOW”
lines on the reservoir when the engine is cold.
Reservoir cap
“FULL”
“LOW”
If the level is on or below the
“LOW” line, add coolant up to the
“FULL” line.
NOTICE
■To prevent serious engine damage
Check the oil level on a regular basis.
■When replacing the engine oil
●Be careful not to spill engine oil on the vehicle components.
●Avoid overfilling, or the engine could be damaged.
●Check the oil level on the dipstick every time you refill the vehicle.
●Be sure the engine oil filler cap is properly tightened. 
     
        
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning message is displayed
Stop the vehicle immediately.
A buzzer sounds and a warning message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display. The following warning indicates the possibility of damage to
the vehicle that may lead to an accident. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and contact your Lexus dealer.
Wa r n i n g  m e s s a g eDetails
(Flashing)
Indicates an abnormal engine oil pressure.
The warning light may turn on if the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If a warning is shown on the multi-information display, stay calm and per-
form the following actions:
Master warning light
The master warning light also
comes on or flashes in order to
indicate that a message is cur-
rently being displayed on the
multi-information display.
Multi-information display
If any of the warning lights turns on again after performing the follow-
ing actions, contact your Lexus dealer. 
     
        
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5
When trouble arises
485
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Indicates that engine oil 
level is low.Check the level of engine 
oil, and add if necessary.
(U.S.A. only)
Indicates that the engine 
oil is scheduled to be 
changed.
Check the engine oil, and 
change if necessary.
Comes on approximately 
4500 miles (7200 km) 
after the engine oil is 
changed. (The indicator 
will not work properly 
unless the oil mainte-
nance data has been 
reset.)
(U.S.A. only)
Indicates that the engine 
oil should be changed.
Check and change the 
engine oil.
Comes on approximately 
5000 miles (8000 km) 
after the engine oil is 
changed (and the oil 
maintenance data has 
been reset).
Wa r n i n g  m e s s a g eDetailsCorrection procedure 
     
        
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When trouble arises
487
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
(Flashing and then con-
tinuously on)
(Flashing)
(If equipped)Indicates that the radar 
cruise control system is 
unable to judge vehicle-
to-vehicle distance.
• Switch the driving mode 
to either the normal or 
power mode.
• If the windshield wipers 
are on, turn them off or 
set them to either the 
intermittent or the slow 
mode.
(Flashing)
(If equipped)
Indicates that your vehi-
cle is nearing the vehicle 
ahead (in radar cruise 
mode).
Slow the vehicle by apply-
ing the brakes.
■Changing the engine oil (U.S.A. only)
Make sure to reset the oil change system. (P.  4 0 3 )
■Warning light display in radar cruise mode
In the following cases, the warning light may not be displayed even if vehicle-to-
vehicle distance decreases.
●When your vehicle and the vehicle ahead are traveling at the same speed or the
vehicle ahead is traveling more quickly than your vehicle
●When the vehicle ahead is traveling at a very low speed
●Immediately after cruise control speed is set
●At the instant the accelerator pedal is depressed
Wa r n i n g  m e s s a g eDetailsCorrection procedure