4707-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many mechanisms and fluids that may move suddenly, become hot, or become electrically energize d. To avoid death or serious injury, observe the following precautions.
■When working on the engine compartment
●Make sure that the “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION ON” on the multi-informationdisplay and the “READY” indicator are both off.
●Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan and engine drive belt.
●Be careful not to touch the engine, radiator, exhaust manifold, etc. right after drivingas they may be hot. Oil and other fluids may also be hot.
●Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and rags, in the enginecompartment.
●Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel. Fuel fumes are flamma-
ble.
●Be extremely cautious when working on the 12-volt battery. It contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid.
●Take care because brake fluid can harm your hands or eyes and damage painted sur- faces. If fluid gets on your hands or in your eyes, flush the affected area with cleanwater immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, consult a doctor.
■When working near the electric cooling fans or radiator grille
Be sure the power switch is off.
With the power switch in ON mode, the electric cooling fans may automatically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature is high. ( P. 480)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc. from getting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive engine wear due to dirt
in the air.
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go down slightly as the brake pads wear or when
the fluid level in the accumulator is high. If the reservoir needs frequent refillin g, it may indicate a serious problem.
4887-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
■When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●The treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.
●You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to expose the fabric, and
bulges indicating internal damage
●A tire goes flat repeatedly or cannot be prop erly repaired due to the size or location of a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, consult any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qual- ified and equipped professional.
■Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is not registered, the tire pressure warning system will not work proper ly. After driving for about 10 minutes, the tire pressure warning light blinks for 1 minu te and stays on to indicate a system malfunc-
tion.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if it has seldom
or never been used or damage is not obvious.
■Routine tire inflation pressure checks
The tire pressure warning system does not re place routine tire inflation pressure checks.
Make sure to check tire inflation pressure as part of your routine of daily vehicle checks.
■When rotating the tires
Make sure that the power switch is off. If the tires are rotated while the power switch is in
ON mode, the tire position information will not be updated. If this accidentally occurs, either turn the power switch to off and then to ON mode, orinitialize the system after checking that the tire pressure is properly adjusted.
■Low profile tires
Generally, low profile tires will wear more ra pidly and tire grip performance will be reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when comp ared to standard tires. Be sure to use
snow tires or tire chains on snowy and/or icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appro- priate for road and weather conditions.
■If the tread on snow tires wears down below 4 mm (0.16 in.)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.
4897-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
■Situations in which the tire pressure warning system may not operate properly
●In the following cases, the tire pressure warning system may not operate properly.
• If non-genuine Lexus wheels are used.
• A tire has been replaced with a tire that is not an OE (Original Equipment) tire. • A tire has been replaced with a tire that is not of the specified size.• Tire chains etc. are equipped.
• An auxiliary-supported run-flat tire is equipped. • If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed.• If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehi cle, particularly around the wheels or wheel
housings. • If the tire inflation pressure is extr emely higher than the specified level. • If tires not equipped with tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are used.
• If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters is not registered in the tire pressure warning computer.
●Performance may be affected in the following situations.
• Near a TV tower, electric power plant, gas station, radio station, large display, air- port or other facility that generates st rong radio waves or electrical noise
• When carrying a portable radio, cellular phone, cordless phone or other wireless communication deviceIf tire position information is not correctly displayed due to the radio wave conditions,
the display may be corrected by driving and changing the radio wave conditions.
●When the vehicle is parked, the time taken for the warning to start or go off could be extended.
●When tire inflation pressure declines rapi dly for example when a tire has burst, the warning may not function.
■The initialization operation
●Make sure to carry out initialization af ter adjusting the tire inflation pressure. Also, make sure the tires are cold before carry ing out initialization or tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment.
●If you have accidentally turned the power switch off during initialization, it is not neces- sary to press the reset switch again as init ialization will restart automatically when the
power switch has been turned to ON mode for the next time.
●If you accidentally press the reset switch when initialization is not necessary, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified leve l when the tires are cold, and conduct initial-
ization again.
■Warning performance of the tire pressure warning system
The warning of the tire pressure warning syst em will change in accordance with the con-
ditions under which it was initialized. For this reason, the system may give a warning even if the tire pressure does not reach a low enough level, or if the pressure is higher than the pressure that was adjusted to when the system was initialized.
4987-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing tires, wheels, tire pressure warning valves, transmitters and tire valve caps
●When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters, contact any authorized Lexus de aler or repairer, or another duly quali- fied and equipped professional as the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may be damaged if not handled correctly.
●Make sure to install the tire valve caps. If the tire valve caps are not installed, water could enter the tire pressure warning valv es and the tire pressure warning valves could be bound.
●When replacing tire valve caps, do not use tire valve caps other than those specified.The cap may become stuck.
■To avoid damage to the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
When a tire is repaired with liquid sealants, the tire pressure warning valve and trans- mitter may not operate properly. If a liquid sealant is used, contact any authorizedLexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qu alified and equipped professional or other
qualified service shop as soon as possible. After use of liquid sealant, make sure to replace the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter when repairing or replacing the tire. ( P. 486)
■Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or potholes. These conditions may cause losses in tire inflation pressure, reducing the cushioning
ability of the tires. In addition, driving on rough roads may cause damage to the tires themselves, as well as the vehicle’s wheels and body.
■Low profile tires
Low profile tires may cause greater damage than usual to the tire wheel when sustain- ing impact from the road surface. Therefore, pay attention to the following:
●Be sure to use proper tire inflation pressu re. If tires are under-inflated, they may be
damaged more severely.
●Avoid potholes, uneven pavement, curbs an d other road hazards. Failure to do so may lead to severe tire and wheel damage.
■If tire inflation pressure of ea ch tire becomes low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.
5067-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
WARNING
■Proper inflation is critical to save tire performance
Keep your tires properly inflated. If the tires are not properly inflated, the following conditions may occur which could
lead to an accident resulting in death or serious injury:
●Excessive wear
●Uneven wear
●Poor handling
●Possibility of blowouts resulting from overheated tires
●Air leaking from between tire and wheel
●Wheel deformation and/or tire damage
●Greater possibility of tire damage while driving (due to road hazards, expansion joints, sharp edges in the road, etc.)
NOTICE
■When inspecting and adjusting tire inflation pressure
Be sure to put the tire valve caps back on. If a valve cap is not installed, dirt or moisture may get into the valve and cause an airleak, resulting in decrease d tire inflation pressure.
5097-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
Turn the power switch off.
Open the glove box. Lift up the side
with the stay, disconnect the stay
tabs and remove the partition by
pulling horizontally.
Press the tabs and remove the filter
cover.
Press the tabs and remove the filter
case.
Air conditioning filter
The air conditioning filter must be changed regularly to maintain air condi-
tioning efficiency.
Removal method
1
2
3
4
5107-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
Remove the air conditioning filter
from the filter case and replace it
with a new one.
The “ UP” marks shown on the filter
and the filter case should be pointing up.
■Checking interval
Inspect and replace the air conditioning filt er according to the maintenance schedule. In dusty areas or areas with heavy traffic fl ow, early replacement may be required. (For
scheduled maintenance information, please refer to the “Lexus Service Booklet” or “Lexus Warranty Booklet”.)
■If air flow from the vents decreases dramatically
The filter may be clogged. Check the filter and replace if necessary.
■Air conditioning filter with deodorizing function
When fragrances are placed in your vehicle, the deodorizing effect may become signifi-
cantly weakened in a short period.
When an air conditioning odor comes out cont inuously, replace the air conditioning filter.
5
NOTICE
■When using the air conditioning system
Make sure that a filter is always installed.
Using the air conditioning system without a filter may cause damage to the system.
5368-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC300h_EE(OM24740E)
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle.
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●Engine coolant temperature gauge continually points higher than normal.
●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
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
●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 fe eling, pedal almost touches the floor
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably needs
adjustment or repair. Contact any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified an d equipped professional as soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms