Page 379 of 636

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.
Page 382 of 636

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.
Page 386 of 636
386 6-2. Maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING ■
If your vehicle is not properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in se rious damage to the vehicle and possible
death or serious injury. ■
Handling of the battery ●
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and a wide variety of automobile compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals known to th e State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects and other reproductive ha rm. Work in a well ventilated area.●
Oils, fuels and fluids contained in vehicles as well as waste produced by component
wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm. Avoid exposure and wash any affected area
immediately. ●
Battery posts, terminals and related acce ssories contain lead and lead compounds
which are known to cause brain damage . Wash your hands after handling. ( P. 408)
Page 389 of 636
3896-2. Maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care Vehicle exterior Items Check points
Doors/trunk • Do the doors/trunk operate smoothly?
Engine hood • Does the engine hood lock system work properly?
Fluid leaks • There should not be any si gns of fluid leakage after
the vehicle has been parked.
Tires • Is the tire inflation pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or excessively
worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the mainte-
nance schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Windshield wipers •The wiper blades should no t show any signs of crack-
ing, splitting, wear, contamination or deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the windshield without
streaking or skipping.
WARNING ■
If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation before performing
maintenance checks.
Page 392 of 636

392 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING
The engine compartment contains many mechan isms 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 ●
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 driving
as 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 engine
compartment. ●
Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel or the battery. Fuel and
battery fumes are flammable. ●
Be extremely cautious when working on the battery. It contains poisonous and corro-
sive sulfuric acid. ■
When working near the electric cooling fans or radiator grille
Be sure the engine switch is off.
With the engine switch in IGNITION ON mode, the electric cooling fans may auto-
matically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature is high.
( P. 406) ■
Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, flui d spray, etc. from getting in
your eyes.
NOTICE ■
If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner f ilter removed may cause excessive engine wear due to dirt
in the air.
Page 393 of 636
3936-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care Pull the hood lock release lever. The hood will pop up slightly.
Pull up the auxiliary catch lever and
lift the hood.
Hood Release the lock from the inside of the vehicle to open the hood.1
2
WARNING ■
Pre-driving check
Check that the hood is fully closed and locked.
If the hood is not locked properly, it may op en while the vehicle is in motion and cause
an accident, which may result in death or serious injury.
Page 403 of 636

4036-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care ■
Engine oil consumption
A certain amount of engine oil will be consumed while driving. In th e following situations,
oil consumption may increase, and 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 accel-
erating or decelerating frequently ●
When leaving the engine idling for a long time, or when drivin g frequently through
heavy traffic ■
After changing the engine oil (except RC F)
The engine oil maintenance data should be reset. Perform the following procedures:
Select on the multi-information display. ( P. 111)
Press the or meter control switch on the steering wheel to select “Vehicle
Settings” then “Oil Maintenance” . (To confirm setting, press .)
Select “Yes” an d then press .
A message is displayed on th e multi-information display.
WARNING ■
Used engine oil ●
Used engine oil contains potentially harm ful contaminants which may cause skin dis-
orders such as inflammation and skin cance r, so care should be taken to avoid pro-
longed and repeated contact. To remove used engine oil from your skin, wash
thoroughly with soap and water. ●
Dispose of used oil and filters only in a sa fe and acceptable manner. Do not dispose of
used oil and filters in household tras h, 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 reac h 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 refill the vehicle.●
Be sure the engine oil fille r cap is properly tightened. 1
2
3
4
Page 406 of 636

406 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)Check the radiator, condenser and interc ooler radiator and clear away any for-
eign objects.
If any of the above parts are extremely dirt y or you are not sure of their condition,
have your vehicle inspecte d by your Lexus dealer.WARNING ■
When the engine is hot (RC350/RC300)
Do not remove the engine coolant reservoir cap, intercooler coolant reservoir cap and
coolant inlet cap. ( P. 530)
The cooling system may be under pressure and may spray hot coolant if the cap is
removed, causing serious injuries, such as burns. ■
When the engine is hot (RC F)
Do not remove the engine coolant reservoir cap. ( P. 530)
The cooling system may be under pressure and may spray hot coolant if the cap is
removed, causing serious injuries, such as burns.
NOTICE ■
When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor straight antifreeze. The correct mixture of water and
antifreeze must be used to provide proper lubrication, corrosion protection and cool-
ing. Be sure to read the antifreeze or coolant label.■
If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to prevent it from damaging parts or paint.
Radiator, condenser and intercooler radiator (if equipped)
WARNING ■
When the engine is hot
Do not touch the radiator, condenser or inte rcooler as they may be hot and cause seri-
ous injuries, such as burns.