2018 LEXUS LS500 service

3796-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care ■
Removing the service cover
1 Pull up the passenger side end of
the rubber strip to disengage it
from the vehicle body.
2 Remove the service cover.Push the tabs and lift away the service
cover.
■
Installing the service cover
1 Install the service cover.Make sure to engage the claws on the
windshield side of the service cover when
installing the service cover. 2 Engage the rubber strip to the vehi-
cle body.
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick. ■
Checking the engine oil
1 Park the vehicle on level ground.
After warming up the engine and
turning it off, wait more than 5 min-
utes for the oil to drain back into the
bottom of the engine.
2 Holding a rag under the end, pull
the dipstick out.
 2WD models
 AWD modelsService cover NOTICE■
Checking the service cover after
installation
Make sure that the cover is securely
installed in its original position.
Checking and adding the engine
oil

3816-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care engine oil may need to be refilled in
between oil maintenance intervals. ●
When the engine is new, for example
directly after purchasing the vehicle or
after replacing the engine●
If low quality oil or oil of an inappropriate
viscosity is used●
When driving at high engine speeds or
with a heavy load, or when driving while
accelerating or decelerating frequently●
When leaving the engine idling for a long
time, or when driving frequently through
heavy traffic■
After changing the engine oil
The engine oil maintena nce data should be
reset. Perform the following procedures:
1 Press or of the meter control
switch to select .
2 Press or to select “Vehicle Set-
tings” and then press .
3 Press or to select “Oil Mainte-
nance” and then press .
4 Press or to select “Yes” and
then press .
A message will be displayed on the
multi-information disp lay when the reset
procedure has been completed.
The coolant level is satisfactory if it is
between the “F” and “L” lines on the
reservoir when the engine is cold. ■
Engine coolant reservoir
Reservoir capWARNING
■
Used engine oil●
Used engine oil contains potentially
harmful contaminants which may
cause skin disorders such as inflamma-
tion and skin cancer, so care should be
taken to avoid prolonged and
repeated contact. To remove used
engine oil from your skin, wash thor-
oughly with soap and water. ●
Dispose of used oil and filters only in a
safe and acceptable manner. Do not
dispose of used oil and filters in house-
hold trash, in sewers or onto the
ground.
Call your Lexus dealer, service station
or auto parts store for information
concerning recycling or disposal. ●
Do not leave used engine oil within the
reach of children.
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 re fill the vehicle.●
Be sure the engine o il filler cap is prop-
erly tightened.
Checking the coolant
A

4016-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that they are equiv-
alent to those removed in load capac-
ity, diameter, rim width and inset *
.
Replacement wheels are available at
your Lexus dealer. *
: Conventionally referred to as offset.
Lexus does not recommend using the
following:
 Wheels of different sizes or types
 Used wheels
 Bent wheels that have been straight-
ened ■
When replacing wheels
The wheels of your vehicle are equipped
with tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters that allow the tire pressure warning
system to provide advance warning in the
event of a loss in tire inflation pressure.
Whenever wheels are replaced, the tire
pressure warning valv es and transmitters
must be installed. ( → P.392)  Use only Lexus wheel nuts and
wheel nut wrenches designed for
use with your aluminum wheels.
 When rotating, repairing or chang-
ing your tires, check that the wheel
nuts are still tight after driving 1000
miles (1600 km).
 Be careful not to damage the alumi-
num wheels when using tire chains.
 Use only Lexus genuine balance
weights or equivalent and a plastic
or rubber hammer when balancing
your wheels.Wheels If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily
corroded, it should be replaced.
Otherwise, the tire may separate
from the wheel or cause a loss of
handling control.
Wheel selection
WARNING
■
When replacing wheels
●
Do not use wheels that are a different
size from those recommended in the
Owner’s Manual, as this may result in a
loss of handling control. ●
Never use an inner tube in a leaking
wheel which is designed for a tubeless
tire.
Doing so may result in an accident,
causing death or serious injury. ■
Use of defective wheels prohibited
Do not use cracked or deformed wheels.
Doing so could cause the tire to leak air
during driving, possibly causing an acci-
dent.
NOTICE■
Replacing tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters ●
Because tire repair or replacement
may affect the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters, make sure to
have tires serviced by your Lexus
dealer or other qua lified service shop.
In addition, make sure to purchase
your tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters at your Lexus dealer. ●
Ensure that only genuine Lexus wheels
are used on your vehicle.
Tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters may not work properly with
non-genuine wheels.
Aluminum wheel precautions

4056-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care 1 Turn the engine switch off.
2 Open the fuse box cover. 
Engine compartment: type A fuse
box Remove the service cover ( → P.379) and
push the tabs in and lift the lid off.

Engine compartment: type B fuse
box Remove the engine compartment cover
( → P.378) and push the ta bs in and lift the
lid off. 
Driver’s side instrument panel Push the tab in and remove the lid.
Make sure to push the tab in during
removal or installation.

Passenger’s side instrument panel Push the tab in and remove the lid.
Make sure to push the tab in during
removal or installation.

Trunk Remove the luggage mat. ( → P.339)
Push the tab in and lift the lid off.Checking and replacing
fuses If any of the electrical components
do not operate, a fuse may have
blown. If this happens, check and
replace the fuses as necessary.
Checking and replacing fuses

412 7-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 7-2.Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be
towed If towing is ne cessary, we recom-
mend having your vehicle towed by
your Lexus dealer or commercial
towing service, using a wheel-lift
type truck or flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all
towing, and abide by all state/pro-
vincial and local laws. WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury. ■
When towing the vehicle 
2WD models
Be sure to transport the vehicle with all
four wheels raised off the ground. If the
vehicle is towed with the tires contacting
the ground, the driv etrain and related
parts may be damaged or an accident
may occur due to a change in direction
of the vehicle. 
AWD models
Be sure to transport the vehicle with all
four wheels raised off the ground. If the
vehicle is towed with the tires contacting
the ground, the driv etrain or related
parts may be damaged, the vehicle may
fly off the truck.
■
While towing ●
When towing using cables or chains,
avoid sudden starts, etc. which place
excessive stress on the towing eyelets,
cables or chains. The towing eyelets,
cables or chains may become dam-
aged, broken debris may hit people,
and cause serious damage.
●
Make sure to disable all functions of
the vehicle height control of the elec-
tronically modulated air suspension.
Otherwise, the vehicle height may
change and part of your body may be
caught under the vehicle, possibly
causing injury. ( → P.293)
●
Do not turn the engine switch off.
This may lead to an accident as the
rear wheels will be locked by the park-
ing lock.
Also, there is a possibility that the
steering wheel is locked and cannot be
operated.

4137-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 7
When trouble arises
In the following situations, it is not pos-
sible to be towed by another vehicle
using cables or chains, as the rear
wheels may be locked due to the park-
ing lock. Contact your Lexus dealer or
commercial towing service.
 There is a malfunction in the shift control system. ( → P.163, 428)
 There is a malfunction in the engine
immobilizer system. ( → P.58)
 There is a malfunction in the smart
access system with push-button
start. ( → P.436)
 The battery is discharged.
( → P.438)
The following may indicate a problem
with your transmission. Contact your
Lexus dealer or commercial towing
service before towing.
 The engine is running but the vehi-
cle does not move.
 The vehicle makes an abnormal
sound.
Do not tow with a sling-type truck to
prevent body damage.WARNING■
Installing towing eyelets to the vehi-
cle
Make sure that towing eyelets are
installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelets
may come loose during towing.
NOTICE■
To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing using a wheel-lift type
truck●
Do not tow the vehicle from the rear
when the engine switch is off. The
steering lock mechanism is not strong
enough to hold the front wheels
straight.●
When raising the vehicle, ensure ade-
quate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle.
Without adequate clearance, the vehi-
cle could be damaged while being
towed.■
To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either
from the front or rear.
■
To prevent damage to the vehicle
during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the
suspension components.
Situations when it is not possible
to be towed by another vehicle Situations when it is necessary to
contact dealers before towing
Towing with a sling-type truck

4337-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 7
When trouble arises One of the following may be the cause
of the problem:
 There may not be sufficient fuel in
the vehicle’s tank.
Refuel the vehicle.
 The engine may be flooded.
Try to restart the engine again fol-
lowing correct starting procedures.
( → P.160)
 There may be a malfunction in the
engine immobilizer system.
( → P.58)
 There may be a malfunction in the
shift control system. *
( → P.163, 431) *
: It may not be possible to shift the shift
position from P.
One of the following may be the cause
of the problem:
 The battery may be discharged. NOTICE■
When replacing the tires
When removing or fitting the wheels,
tires or the tire pressure warning valve
and transmitter, contact your Lexus
dealer as the tire pr essure warning valve
and transmitter may be damaged if not
handled correctly. ■
When driving over bumps
If a vehicle has a flat tire, the vehicle
height will be lower than usual. Ensure
that nothing strikes the bottom of the
vehicle. ■
To avoid damage to the tire pressure
warning valves and transmitters
When a tire is repaired with liquid seal-
ants, the tire pressu re warning valve and
transmitter may not operate properly. If a
liquid sealant is used , contact your Lexus
dealer or other qualified service shop as
soon as possible. Make sure to replace
the tire pressure warning valve and trans-
mitter when replacing the tire. ( → P.392) If the engine will not start If the engine will not start even
though correct starting procedures
are being followed ( → P.160), con-
sider each of the following points:
The engine will not start even
though the starter motor oper-
ates normally.
The starter motor turns over
slowly, the interior lights and
headlights are dim, or the horn
does not sound or sounds at a low
volume.

4357-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 7
When trouble arises
Remove the cover inside the trunk and
pull the lever.If you lose your keys New genuine mechanical keys can
be made by your Lexus dealer using
another mechanical key and the
key number stamped on your key
number plate.
Keep the plate in a safe place such
as your wallet, not in the vehicle. NOTICE■
When an electronic key is lost
If the electronic key remains lost, the risk
of vehicle theft increases significantly.
Visit your Lexus deal er immediately with
all remaining electronic keys and the
card key (if equipped) that were pro-
vided with your vehicle. If the fuel filler door cannot
be opened If the fuel filler door opener switch
cannot be operated, contact your
Lexus dealer to service the vehicle.
In case where refueling is urgently
necessary, the following procedure
can be used to open the fuel filler
door.
Opening the fuel filler door