2017 LEXUS RC300H maintenance

459
7Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
7-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior ................460
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior.................. 464
7-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements ............................ 467
7-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions................................ 469
Hood ................................................. 471
Positioning a floor jack ............ 472
Engine compartment ............... 473
12-volt battery .............................. 481
Tires .................................................484
Replacing the tire....................... 499
Tire inflation pressure ..............505
Wheels ........................................... 507
Air conditioning filter ...............509
Electronic key battery................. 511
Checking and replacing
fuses............................................... 514
Light bulbs...................................... 518

460
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
7-1. Maintenance and care
●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 thoroughly 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.
■Self-restoring coat
The vehicle body has a self-restoring coating that is resistant to small surface scratches caused in a car wash etc.
●The coating lasts for 5 to 8 years from when the vehicle is delivered from the plant.
●The restoration time differs depending on the depth of the scratch and outside tem-perature.
The restoration time may become shorter when the coating is warmed by applying warm water.
●Deep scratches caused by keys, coins, etc. cannot be restored.
●Do not use wax that contains abrasives.
■Automatic car washes
●Fold the mirrors before washing the vehicle. Start washing from the front of the vehicle.
Make sure to extend th e mirrors before driving.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle body and damage the 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 prop-
erly.
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime condi-
tion:

4617-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
■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. In that case, follow the following correction proce-
dures to wash the vehicle:
●Place the key in a position 2 m (6 ft.) or more separate from the vehicle while the vehi- cle is being washed. (Take care to ensure that the key is not stolen.)
●Set the electronic key to battery-saving mode to disable the smart entry & start system.( P. 157)
■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 a longdistance in hot weather.
●Wash detergent from the wheels immediately after use.
■Bumpers
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 co ntain 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 any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.

4627-1. Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
WARNING
■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 wipers)
●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 pipes
As exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipes to become quite hot, do not touch the
exhaust pipes while the hybrid system is op erating or immediately after the engine is turned off.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the exhaust pipes until they have
cooled sufficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipes can cause burns.
■Precaution regarding the rear bumper with Blind Spot Monitor (if equipped)
If the paint of the rear bumper is chipped or scratched, the system may malfunction. If
this occurs, consult any authorized Lexus deal er or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
Set the wipers to the intermittent windshield
wipers. ( P. 244) If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers mayoperate unexpectedly in the following situa-
tions, and may result in hands being caught or other serious injuries and cause damage to thewiper blades.

4637-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and components (aluminum wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast • After driving on salted roads• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on the paint surface • After driving in an area contaminated wi th soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron pow- der or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud • If liquids such as benzene and gaso line 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 subs tances or scrub with a hard brush. This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
●Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away from the windshield, pull the driver side wiper arm upward first, and repeat for the passenger side. When returning the wipers to theiroriginal position, do so from the passenger side first.
■When using an automatic car wash (vehicle s with rain-sensing windshield wipers)
Set the wipers to the intermittent windshield wipers. ( P. 244) If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers may operate and the wiper blades may be dam-
aged.
■When using a high pressure car wash
●When washing the vehicle, do not spray the camera or its surrounding area directly
with a high pressure washer. Shock applied from high pressure water may cause the device to not operate normally.
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin manufactured cover), con-
nectors or the following parts. The parts may be damaged if they come into contact with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts• Steering parts •Suspension parts • Brake parts

4647-1. Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surfaces with a cloth
dampened with lukewarm water.
●If dirt cannot be removed, wipe it off with a soft cloth dampened with neutral
detergent diluted to approximately 1%.
Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe off remaining
traces of detergent and water.
●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 appr oximately 5% neutral wool detergent.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe off all remain-
ing 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.
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
●Wipe it off with a soft cloth dampened with neutral detergent diluted to
approximately 1%.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe off remaining
traces of detergent and water.
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
The following procedures will help prot ect your vehicle’s interior and keep it
in top condition:
Protecting the vehicle interior
Cleaning the leather areas
Cleaning the synthetic leather areas

4657-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
■Caring for leather areas
Lexus recommends cleaning the in terior of the vehicle at least twice a year to maintain 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 letthem dry. Excellent results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as possible.
■Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water us ing a cloth or sponge. Also check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
■When cleaning the carpeted portions of the glove box, console box, etc.
If a strong adhesive tape is used, there is a possibility that the surface of the carpet could be damaged.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle, such as on the floor, in the hybrid battery (traction battery) air vents, and in the trunk. Doing so may cause the hybrid battery, elec trical components, etc. to malfunction or
catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet. ( P. 44)
An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■Cleaning the interior (esp ecially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect off the wind- shield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading to an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.

4667-1. Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following liquids, as they may discolor the vehicle interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces:
• Audio system screen: Organic substances such as benzine or gasoline, alkaline solutions, and alcohol• Seats: Alkaline solutions, organic substances such as thinner or benzine, and alco-
hol • Other parts: Organic substances such as benzine or gasoline, alkaline or acidic solutions, dye, and bleach
●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 theymay 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 contactwith electrical components such as the au dio system above or under the floor of the
vehicle. Water may also cause the body to rust.
■When cleaning the inside of the windshield (vehicles with LDA [Lane Departure Alert])
Be careful not to touch the camera sensor ( P. 273). If the camera is accidentally scratched or hit, LDA may not operate properly or maycause a malfunction.
■Cleaning the inside of the rear window
●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause damage to therear window defogger heater wires or antenna. Use a cloth dampened with luke-
warm 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.