2012 Lexus HS250h Owner's Manual

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4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
■Automatic car washes
●Fold the mirrors before washing the vehicle. Start washing from the front of the
vehicle. Make sure to extend the mirrors before driving.
●Roof antenna, rear spoiler (if equipped) may not be washable in some automatic
car washes. There may also be an increased risk of damage to vehicle.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
■High pressure car washes
●Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of the
windows.
●Before using the car wash, check that the fuel filler door on your vehicle is
closed properly.
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime condi-
tion:
●Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any dirt
and dust.
● Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a
chamois.
● For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thor-
oughly with water.
● Wipe away any water.
● Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle
body is cool.

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■When using a car wash
If the door handle becomes wet while the electronic key is within the effective
range, the door may lock and unlock repeatedly. Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2
m) or more separate from the vehicle while the vehicle is being washed. (Take care
to ensure that the key is not stolen.)
■Aluminum wheels
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use hard
brushes or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical cleaners.
Use the same mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.
●Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, for example after driving
for long distance in the hot weather.
●Wash detergent from the wheels immediately after use.
■Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■Side windows water-repellent coating
●The following precautions can extend the effectiveness of the water-repellent
coating.
• Remove any dirt, etc. from the side windows regularly.
• Do not allow dirt and dust to accumulate on the windows for a long period.Clean the windows with a soft, damp cloth as soon as possible.
• Do not use wax or glass cleaners that contain abrasives when cleaning the windows.
• Do not use any metallic objects to remove condensation build up.
●When the water-repellent performance has become insufficient, the coating
can be repaired. Contact your Lexus dealer.
■Outside rear view mirror rain-clearing coating (if equipped)
Observe the following precautions in order to retain the rain-clearing properties of
the mirrors:
●Clean the mirrors using a car shampoo or glass cleaner that does not contain
silicone or an abrasive compound, and rinse thoroughly with water.
●Allow the mirrors to be exposed to direct sunlight for 1 to 2 days.

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CAUTION
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the engine compartment. Doing so may cause
the electrical components etc. to catch fire.
■When cleaning the windshield (vehicles with rain-sensing windshield wiper)
●When the upper part of the windshield where the raindrop sensor is located is
touched by hand
●When a wet rag or similar is held close to the raindrop sensor
●If something bumps against the windshield
●If you directly touch the raindrop sensor body or if something bumps into the
raindrop sensor
■Precautions regarding the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe until it has cooled suffi-
ciently, as touching a hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wipers
may operate unexpectedly in the following
situations, and may result in hands being
caught or other serious injuries and cause
damage to the wiper blades.
Off

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NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and components (alu-
minum wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, ironpowder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled in dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place with
low humidity when storing the wheels.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surface of the lights.
●Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■When using an automatic car wash (vehicles with rain-sensing windshield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wipers may operate and the wiper blades may
be damaged.
■High pressure car washes (vehicles with wide view front monitor system and/or
rear view monitor system)
When washing the vehicle, do not apply intensive bursts of water to the camera or
camera area. Doing so may result in the camera malfunctioning.

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Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
The following procedures will help protect your vehicle’s interior and keep
it in top condition:
■ Protecting the vehicle interior
Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surfaces
with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
■ Cleaning the leather areas
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe off any excess dirt and dust with a soft cloth dampened with
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool
detergent.
● Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe
off all remaining traces of detergent.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining
moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded and ventilated area.
■ Cleaning the synthetic leather areas
●Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
● Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather using a sponge
or soft cloth.
● Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the dirt
and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.

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■Caring for leather areas
Lexus recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year to main-
tain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a sponge or
brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not use water. Wipe dirty
surfaces and let them dry. Excellent results are obtained by keeping the carpet as
dry as possible.
■Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also check the
belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
CAUTION
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle, such as on the floor, in the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery) air vents, and in the trunk.
Doing so may cause the hybrid battery, electrical components, etc. to malfunc-
tion or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(→ P. 111)
An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function prop-
erly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect off the
windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.

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NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discolor the vehicle inte-
rior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzene or gasoline, alkalineor acidic solutions, dye, and bleach
• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, and alcohol
●Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel’s or other interior
part’s painted surface may be damaged.
■Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of leather
surfaces:
●Remove any dust or dirt from leather surfaces immediately.
●Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Park
the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
●Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or containing wax on the upholstery, as
they may stick to the leather surface if the vehicle interior heats up significantly.
■Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.
Vehicle systems such as the audio system may be damaged if water comes into
contact with electrical components such as the audio system above or under the
floor of the vehicle. Water may also cause the body to rust.
■Cleaning the inside of the rear window
●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause damage to
the rear window defogger heater wires or antenna. Use a cloth dampened with
lukewarm water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe the window in strokes
running parallel to the heater wires or antenna.
●Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.

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4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Lexus parts be used for repairs to ensure perfor-
mance of each system. If non-Lexus parts are used in replacement or if a repair
shop other than a Lexus dealer performs repairs, confirm the warranty coverage.
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and regular main-
tenance are essential. It is the owner’s responsibility to perform regular
checks. Lexus recommends performing the following maintenance:
■General maintenance
General maintenance should be performed on a daily basis. This
can be done by yourself or by a Lexus dealer.
■ Scheduled maintenance
Scheduled maintenance should be performed at specified intervals
according to the maintenance schedule.
For details about maintenance items and schedules, refer to the “War-
ranty and Service Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement” or “Scheduled
Maintenance”.
■Do-it-yourself maintenance
You can perform some maintenance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect war-
ranty coverage.
The use of Lexus repair manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, refer to the separate “Owner’s
Guide”, “Warranty and Service Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement”
or “Warranty Booklet”.