2018 LEXUS RC350 Owners Manual

3776-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC300_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 mode 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.

3786-1. 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 after 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 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.
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 bo dy or if something bumps into the raindrop
sensor
Set 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_RC300_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 system may malfunction. If
this occurs, consult your Lexus dealer.
NOTICE
■Application of coatings to the vehicle 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.

3806-1. 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_RC300_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 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

3826-1. 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 using 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 leading to an accident, resulting in death or
serious injury.

3836-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC300_RC F_U(OM24748U)
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following liquids, as they may discolor the vehicle interior or cause
streaks or damage to painted surfaces:
• Center Display: Organic substances such as benzine or gasoline, alkaline solu-
tions, 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 polis h cleaner. The instrument pane l’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 su rface 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 ma y be damaged if water comes into contact
with 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
Do not allow glass cleaner to contact the lens. Also, do not touch the lens. ( P. 247)
■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 luke-
warm water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe th e window in strokes running
parallel to the heater wires or antenna.
●Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.

384
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC300_RC F_U(OM24748U)
6-2. Maintenance
General maintenance should be performed
on a daily basis. This can be done by
yourself or by a Lexus dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should be perfor med at specified intervals according to
the maintenance schedule.
For details about maintenance items and sc hedules, refer to the “Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement” or “Scheduled Maintenance”.
You can perform some maintena nce procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect warranty coverage.
The use of Lexus repair manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty co verage, refer to the separate “Owner’s Guide”, “War-
ranty and Service Guide”, “Owner’s Manu al Supplement” or “Warranty Booklet”.
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and regular mainte-
nance are essential. It is the owner’s re sponsibility to perform regular checks.
Lexus recommends the following maintenance:
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance
Do-it-yourself maintenance