2018 LEXUS RC300 maintenance

375
Maintenance and care
6
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior ................ 376
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior................... 381
6-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements ............................384
General maintenance.............. 387
Emission inspection and
maintenance (I/M)
programs ....................................390
6-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions................................. 391
Hood ............................................... 393
Positioning a floor jack ............ 394
Engine compartment ............... 397
Tires ...................................................412
Tire inflation pressure............... 420
Wheels ........................................... 423
Air conditioning filter ............... 425
Electronic key battery .............. 427
Checking and replacing
fuses .............................................. 429
Light bulbs..................................... 432

376
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)6-1. Maintenance and care
●
Working from top to bott om, liberally apply water to the vehicle body, wheel
wells and underside of the vehicl e 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 wa sh soap and rins e 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.■
CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) part (if equipped)●
As the CFRP parts may change color if th ey are exposed to ultraviolet rays for
extended periods of time, Lexus recommends that your vehicle be stored in a place
where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight. ●
Do not use wax that contains abrasives. ■
Black stainless steel window moldings (vehicles with matte black painted wheels)
■
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.
* : CFRP parts (if equipped) do not have a self-restoring coat.Cleaning and protect ing the vehicle exteriorPerform the following to protect the ve hicle and maintain it in prime condi-
tion:
The stainless steel window moldings are made
of black oxide coated stainless steel.
When cleaning the vehicle, do not scrub the
moldings with an abrasive cleaner as their finish
may be damaged or the color may change.

3776-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)■
Automatic car washes (vehicles without CFRP parts) ●
Fold the mirrors before washing the vehicle. Start washing from the front of the vehicle.
Make sure to extend the mirrors before driving. ●
RC F: Wash the vehicle with the active rear wing retracted. If the vehicle is washed with
the active rear wing raised, depending on the type of automatic car wash, the brushes
of the automatic car wash may become stuck on the active rear wing. In this case, the
active rear wing may not be washed very well or may even be scratched or damaged.●
Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle body and damage the
paint. ■
Automatic car washes (vehicles with CFRP parts)
Do not use automatic car washes as they may scratch the CFRP parts 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. ■
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 6 ft. (2 m) 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 mo de to disable the sm art access system with
push-button start. (  P. 158)■
Aluminum wheels (vehicles without matte black painted wheels) ●
Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. ●
Wash detergent off with water immediately after use. ●
To protect the paint from damage, make sure to observe the following precautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such as after driving or park-
ing in hot weather■
Aluminum wheels (vehicles with matte black painted wheels)
As matte black painted wheels require differ ent cleaning methods than conventional alu-
minum wheels. For details, consult your Lexus dealer. ●
Remove dirt using water. If the wheels are excessively dirty, use a sponge or soft cloth
dampened with a diluted neutral detergent to remove the dirt. ●
When using detergent, make sure to rinse it off with water immediately. Then use a soft
cloth to wipe off the water. ●
To prevent the matte black paint from being damaged, make sure to observe the follow-
ing precautions:
• Do not scrub or polish the whee ls using a brush or dry cloth.
• Do not use any wheel coatings or abrasive detergents.
• When using an automatic car wash, disable/do not select the wheel brush function
(if such an option is available).
• Do not use a high pressure pre ssure washer or steam cleaner.
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such as after driving or park-
ing in hot weather.

378 6-1. Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)■
Brake ●
Painted brake calipers (if equipped)
• When using detergent, use ne utral detergent. Do not use hard brushes or abrasive
cleaners, as they will damage the paint.
• Do not use detergent on the brake calipers when they are hot.
• Wash detergent off immediately after use. ●
RC F: Rust may form if the vehicle is parked with wet brake pads or disc rotors, causing
them to stick. Before parking the vehicle af ter it is washed, drive slowly and apply the
brakes several times to dry the parts. ■
Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners. ■
Side windows water-repelle nt coating (if equipped)●
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 your Lexus dealer.
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 se nsor 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 bo dy or if something bumps into the raindrop
sensorSet the wipers to the intermittent windshield
wipers. (  P. 236)
If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers may
operate unexpectedly in the following situa-
tions, and may result in hands being caught or
other serious injuries and cause damage to the
wiper blades.

3796-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING ■
Precautions regarding the exhaust pipes
As exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipes to become quite hot, do not touch the
exhaust pipes while the engine is running 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 syst em may malfunction. If
this occurs, consult your Lexus dealer.
NOTICE ■
Application of coatings to the vehi cle body (vehicles with CFRP parts)
Do not apply any kind of coating to the vehicle body as doing so may damage the paint
or reduce its durability. ■
To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and components (aluminum
wheels etc.) ●
Wash the vehicle immediatel y 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 gasoli ne 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 their
original 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. 236)
If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers may operate and the wiper blades may be dam-
aged.

380 6-1. Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)NOTICE ■
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 appli ed 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.
■
Hood vent (RC F)• Traction related parts
• Steering parts • Suspension parts
• Brake parts●
RC F: Do not point the nozzle of a high pres-
sure washer at the areas shown in the illustra-
tion, as high pressure water may damage the
oil coolers.
When washing the vehicle, do not allow a large
amount of water to enter the hood vent at once,
such as when using a bucket, etc. or point the
nozzle of a high pressure washer at the hood
vent.
Water may get inside the engine compartment
and affect the engine and other components.

3816-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)●
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 clot h 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 clot h and thoroughly wipe off all remain-
ing traces of detergent. ●
Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cl oth 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 clot h and thoroughly wipe off remaining
traces of detergent and water.Cleaning and protect ing the vehicle interiorThe 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

382 6-1. Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)●
Brush the surfaces using a soft brush. Do not brush hard as doing so may cause damage.●
Wipe the surfaces clean with a soft clot h that has been dampened in cold or
lukewarm water and squeezed out. ●
Allow the artificial leather (Alcantara ®
* ) to dry in a shaded and ventilated
area.
* :“Alcantara ®
” is a registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A.■
Caring for leather areas
Lexus recommends cleaning the interior 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 cl eaners available. Use a sponge or brush to
apply the foam. Rub in overlapp ing 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 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.Cleaning the artificial leather (Alcantara ®
* ) areas
WARNING ■
Water in the vehicle ●
Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle.
Doing so may cause electrical components etc. to malfunction or catch fire. ●
Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(  P. 41)
An electrical malfunction ma y cause the airbags to deploy or not function properly,
resulting in death or serious injury. ■
Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. Th e instrument panel may reflect off the wind-
shield, obstructing the driver’s view and le ading to an accident, resulting in death or
serious injury.