2012 Lexus HS250h engine coolant

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HS250h_U_75050U
Radiator and condenserCheck the radiator and condenser and clear away any foreign objects.
If either of the above parts is extremely dirty or you are not sure of their
condition, have your vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
CAUTION
■When the hybrid system is hot
Do not remove the engine/power control unit coolant reservoir caps.
The cooling system may be under pressure and may spray hot coolant if the cap is
removed, causing serious injuries, such as burns.
NOTICE
■When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor straight antifreeze. The correct mixture of water
and antifreeze must be used to provide proper lubrication, corrosion protection
and cooling. Be sure to read the antifreeze or coolant label.
■If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to prevent it from damaging parts or paint.
CAUTION
■When the hybrid system is hot
Do not touch the radiators or condenser as they may be hot and cause serious inju-
ries, such as burns.

5
When trouble arises
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5-1. Essential information
HS250h_U_75050U
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably needs
adjustment or repair. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.
■Visible symptoms
● Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● High engine coolant temperature warning light flashes or comes
on
■ Audible symptoms
● Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the hybrid system
■ Operational symptoms
● Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road.
● Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor

5
When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HS250h_U_75050U
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to the
system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident. Have the
vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
High engine coolant temperatur e warning light (flashes or
comes on)
Indicates that the engine is overheating →P. 552
• Flashes: Engine is overheating. Drive carefully.
• Comes on: Engine is overheated. Stop the vehicle.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
Brake system warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The regenerative brake system; or
• The electronically controlled brake system
(U.S.A.)

(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lampIndicates a malfunction in:
• The hybrid system;
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The hybrid transmission control system
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system
(U.S.A.)

(Canada)
“ABS” warning lightIndicates a malfunction in:
•The ABS; or
• The brake assist system
Warning lightWarning light/Details

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HS250h_U_75050U
If your vehicle overheats
Correction procedures■ If the engine coolant temperature warning light comes on or flashes
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off the air conditioning
system.
Check to see if steam is coming out from the engine area.
If you see steam:
Stop the hybrid system. Carefully lift the hood after the steam
subsides and then restart the hybrid system.
If you do not see steam:
Leave the hybrid system operating and carefully lift the hood.
Check to see if the cooling fans are operating.
If the fans are operating:
Wait until the high engine coolant temperature warning light goes
off and then stop the hybrid system.
If the fans are not operating:
Stop the hybrid system immediat ely and call your Lexus dealer.
The following may indicate that your vehicle is overheating:
●The high engine coolant temperature warning light comes on or
flashes:
The engine may be overheating.
● “HYBRID SYSTEM OVERHEAT” is shown on the multi-information
display:
The power control unit may be overheating.
Follow the correction procedure as described below.

5
When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HS250h_U_75050UAfter the hybrid system has cooled
down sufficiently, check the engine
coolant level and inspect the cool-
ing system for leaks.
If the engine compartment cover
needs to be removed. (
→P. 4 3 8 )
Add engine coolant if necessary.
Water can be used in an emer-
gency if engine coolant is unavail-
able. ( →P. 5 6 4 )
Have the vehicle inspected at the nearest Lexus dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
■If “HYBRID SYSTEM OVERHEAT” is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display
Stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Stop the hybrid system (press the “POWER” switch once), and
then carefully lift the hood.
Wait until the hybrid system has
fully cooled down. When the sys-
tem has fully cooled down, check if
coolant has leaked from the radia-
tor core.
If a large amount of coolant leak-
age is found, contact your Lexus
dealer immediately.

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HS250h_U_75050UCheck that the coolant level of the
power control unit is between the
“FULL” and “LOW” lines of the
reservoir tank.
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
If the coolant level of the power
control unit is insufficient, add
more coolant.
If power control unit coolant is
unavailable, water can be used as
an emergency substitute.
Restart the hybrid system (depress and hold the brake pedal, and
press the “POWER” switch once). Check that the “HYBRID
SYSTEM OVERHEAT” message has gone off.
If the warning message remains on, stop the hybrid system and
contact your Lexus dealer.
Have the vehicle inspected at the nearest Lexus dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
■Overheating
The following symptoms may occur when your vehicle is overheating:
●The high engine coolant temperature warning light comes on or flashes, or the
hybrid system output decreases.
●Steam comes out from the engine area.
●“HYBRID SYSTEM OVERHEAT” is displayed on the multi-information display.

5
When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HS250h_U_75050U
CAUTION
■To prevent an accident or injury when inspecting under the hood of your vehicle
●If steam is seen coming from under the hood, do not open the hood until the
steam has subsided. The engine compartment may be very hot, causing serious
injuries such as burns.
●Check that the indicator on the “POWER” switch and the READY indicator are
off.
●For vehicles with a hybrid system, there are times when the gasoline engine auto-
matically starts to run or the cooling fans suddenly start to operate. Do not touch
or approach the rotating parts of the belt or fans. Doing so may lead to fingers,
clothes or tools getting caught, resulting in injury.
●Do not loosen the coolant reservoir cap while the hybrid system and radiator are
hot.
Serious injuries, such as burns, may result from hot coolant and steam released
under pressure.
NOTICE
■When adding engine/power control unit coolant
Wait until the hybrid system has cooled down before adding engine/power control
unit coolant.
When adding coolant, do so slowly. Adding cool coolant to a hot hybrid system too
quickly can cause damage to the hybrid system.
■To prevent damage to the cooling system
Observe the following precautions:
●Avoid contaminating the coolant with foreign matter (such as sand or dust etc.)
●Do not use commercially available coolant additives

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6-1. Specifications
HS250h_U_75050U
Oil viscosity (0W-20 is explained here as an example):
●The 0W in 0W-20 indicates the characteristic of the oil which allows cold
startability. Oils with a lower value before the W allow for easier starting of
the engine in cold weather.
● The 20 in 0W-20 indicates the viscosity characteristic of the oil when the
oil is at high temperature. An oil with a higher viscosity (one with a higher
value) may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or
under extreme load conditions.
How to read oil container label:
The ILSAC (International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Com-
mittee) Certification Mark is added to some oil containers to help you
select the oil you should use.
Cooling system
Capacity
Gasoline engine
Po w e r c o n t ro l u n i t
7.7 qt. (7.3 L, 6.4 Imp. qt.)
3.1 qt. (2.9 L, 2.6 Imp. qt.)
Coolant type
Use either of the following.• “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
• A similar high-quality ethylene glycol-based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite,
and non-borate coolant with long-life
hybrid organic acid technology
Do not use plain water alone.