
2896-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Engine oil level 
( P.293)
• “Toyota Genuine Motor 
Oil” or equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for  adding engine oil)
Fuses 
( P.319)•Fuse with same amper-
age rating as original
Headlight aim• Phillips-head screw-driver
Light bulbs 
( P.324)
Radiator and 
condenser 
( P.297)
Tire inflation 
pressure 
( P.313)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid 
( P.298)
• Water or washer fluid 
containing antifreeze 
(for winter use)
• Funnel (used only for  adding water or washer 
fluid)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many 
mechanisms and fluids that may move 
suddenly, become hot, or become elec-
trically energized. To avoid death or seri-
ous injury, observe the following 
precautions.
■When working on the engine com-
partment
●LC500h: Make sure that the “IGNI-
TION ON” on the multi-information 
display and the “READY” indicator are 
both off.
●Keep hands, clothi ng and tools away 
from the moving fan and engine drive 
belt.
ItemsParts and tools●LC500: 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.
LC500h: Be careful not to touch the 
engine, power control unit, radiator, 
exhaust manifold, etc. right after driv-
ing 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. Fuel fumes are 
flammable.
■When working near the electric cool-
ing fan or radiator grille
Be sure the engine switch 
With the engine switch 
IGNITION ON mode 
electric cooling fan may automatically 
start to run if the air conditioning is on 
and/or the coolant temperature is high. 
(  P.297)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or 
falling material, fluid spray, etc. from get-
ting 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. 

3146-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Tire pressure gauge
1 Remove the tire valve cap.
2 Press the tip of the tire pressure 
gauge onto the tire valve.
3 Read the pressure using the gauge 
gradations.
4 If the tire inflation pressure is not at 
the recommended level, adjust the 
pressure.
If you add too much air, press the 
center of the valve to deflate.
5 After completing the tire inflation 
pressure measurem ent and adjust-
ment, apply soapy water to the 
valve and check for leakage.
6 Put the tire valve cap back on.
■Tire inflation pressure check interval
You should check tire  inflation pressure 
every two weeks, or at least once a month.
Do not forget to check the spare.
■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pres-
sure
Driving with incorrect ti re inflation pressure 
may result in the following:
●Reduced fuel economy
●Reduced driving comfort and poor han-
dling
●Reduced tire life due to wear
●Reduced safety
●Damage to the drivetrain
If a tire needs frequent inflating, have it 
checked by your Lexus dealer.
■Instructions for checking tire inflation 
pressure
When checking tire inflation pressure, 
observe the following:
●Check only when the tires are cold.
If your vehicle has been parked for at 
least 3 hours or has not been driven for  more than 1 mile or 1.5 km, you will get an 
accurate cold tire inflation pressure read-
ing.
●Always use a tire pressure gauge.
It is difficult to judge if a tire is properly 
inflated based only on its appearance.
●It is normal for the ti
re inflation pressure 
to be higher after driving as heat is gen-
erated in the tire. Do not reduce tire infla-
tion pressure after driving.
●Never exceed the vehicle capacity 
weight.
Passengers and luggage weight should 
be placed so that the vehicle is balanced.
B
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 dam-
age
●Greater possibility  of tire damage 
while driving (due to road hazards, 
expansion joints, sharp edges in the 
road, etc.) 

325
7
7
When trouble arises
When trouble arises
7-1. Essential informationEmergency flashers.................. 326
If your vehicle has to be stopped in  an emergency .......................... 326
If the vehicle is trapped in rising  water............................................ 327
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency If your vehicle needs to be towed........................................................ 329
If you think something is wrong ........................................................ 333
Fuel pump shut off system  (LC500).................................... 334
If a warning light turns on or a  warning buzzer sounds ....... 335
If a warning message is displayed ........................................................ 344
If you have a flat tire.................. 350
If the engine will not start  (LC500)..................................... 351
If the hybrid system will not start  (LC500h) ................................. 352
If you lose your keys ................. 354
If the fuel filler door cannot be  opened........................................ 354
If the electronic key does not  operate properly .................... 355
If the 12-volt battery is discharged ........................................................ 357
If your vehicle overheats  (LC500).................................... 364If your vehicle overheats 
(LC500h)................................. 366
If the vehicle becomes stuck 370 

3347-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Follow the procedure below to restart 
the engine after the system is activated.
1Turn the engine switch to ACCES-
SORY mode or turn it off.
2 Restart the engine.
Fuel pump shut off system 
(LC500)
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage 
when the engine stalls or when an 
airbag inflates upon collision, the 
fuel pump shut off system stops the 
supply of fuel to the engine.
Restarting the engine
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle. 
If you find that fuel has leaked onto the 
ground, the fuel system has been dam-
aged and is in need of repair. Do not 
restart the engine. 

3397-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
■Brake system warning light
■Low fuel level warning light
■Driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt reminder light (warning buzzer)*
*: Driver’s seat belt buzzer:
The driver’s seat belt buzzer sounds to alert th e driver that his or her seat belt is not fas-
tened. Once the engine switch 
km/h), the buzzer sounds once.  If the seat belt is still unfastened afte r 24 seconds, the 
buzzer will sound interm ittently for 6 seconds. Then, if the seat belt is still unfastened, the 
buzzer will sound in a different tone for 90 more seconds.
Front passenger’s seat belt buzzer:
The front passenger’s seat belt buzzer sounds  to alert the front passenger that his or her 
seat belt is not fasten ed. The buzzer sounds once if the vehicle reaches a speed of 12 mph 
(20 km/h). If the seat belt is  still unfastened after 24 seconds, the buzzer will sound inter-
mittently for 6 seconds. Then, if  the seat belt is still unfastened, the buzzer will sound in a dif-
ferent tone for 90 more seconds.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
(yellow)
Indicates a malfunction in:
 The electronically controlled brake system
 The regenerated braking system (LC500h)
 The parking brake system
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
Indicates that remaining  fuel is approximately 3.3 gal. [12.6 L, 2.8 
Imp.gal.] or less
 Refuel the vehicle.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
Warns the driver and/or front passe nger to fasten their seat belts
 Fasten the seat belt. 
If the front passenger’s seat is occupied, the front passenger’s seat 
belt also needs to be fastened to  make the warning light (warning 
buzzer) turn off. 

3417-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■Hybrid system overheat warning light (warning buzzer)* (LC500h)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■SRS warning light
This warning light system monitors the airbag  sensor assembly, front impact sensors, side 
impact sensors (door), side impa ct sensors (front), side impact sensors (rear), driver’s seat 
position sensor, driver’s seat  belt buckle switch, front passeng er occupant classification sys-
tem (ECU and sensors), “AIR BAG ON” indicat or light, “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light, 
front passenger’s seat be lt buckle switch, seat belt preten sioners, airbags, interconnecting 
wiring and power sources. ( P.29)
■Front passenger detection sensor, seat  belt reminder and warning buzzer
If luggage is placed on the front passenger seat, the front  passenger detection sensor may 
cause the warning light to flash and the warning buzzer to sound even if a passenger is not 
sitting in the seat.
■If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on while driving
First check the following:
●Is the fuel tank empty?
If it is, fill the fuel tank immediately.
●Is the fuel tank cap loose?
If it is, tighten it securely.
The light will go off af ter several driving trips.
If the light does not go off even after several trips, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
■Electric power steering system  warning light (warning buzzer)
When the 12-volt battery charge becomes insufficient or the voltage temporarily drops, the 
electric power steering syst em warning light may come on and the warning buzzer may 
sound.
■Tire pressure warning light
When a malfunction occurs in the tire pressure warning system, the tire pressure warning 
light blinks to warn the driver . However, if the warning light  blinks for 1 minute, and then 
remains illuminated, making it  difficult to determine whether the warning light is blinking, 
turn the engine switch 
check if the warning light blinks.
■When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate level. Pushing the tire pres-
sure warning reset switch will not turn  off the tire pressure warning light.
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
Indicates that the hybrid system has overheated
This light may be displayed when driving under severe operating condi-
tions. (For example, when driving up a long steep hill.)
 Stop the vehicle in a safe place and the hybrid system. ( P.366) 

3437-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
WARNING
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold and 
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended  by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehi-
cle placard or tire inflation pr essure label (tire and load info rmation label). (If your vehicle 
has tires of a different size th an the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation 
pressure label [tire and load  information label], you should  determine the proper tire 
inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has  been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS-tire pressure  warning system) that illuminates a low tire pressure tell-
tale (tire pressure warning light) when one or  more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressu re telltale (tire pressure warning light) illu-
minates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the 
proper pressure. Driving on a si gnificantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat 
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation al so reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, 
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure warning system) is not a substitute for proper 
tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s respon sibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even 
if under-inflation has not reac hed the level to trigger illumina tion of the TPMS low tire 
pressure telltale (tire  pressure warning light).
Your vehicle has also been equipped with  a TPMS (tire pressure warning system) mal-
function indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS (tire 
pressure warning system) malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure 
telltale (tire pressure warning  light). When the system detect s a malfunction, the telltale 
will flash for approximately one minute and th en remain continuously illuminated. This 
sequence will continue upon subsequent vehi cle start-ups as long as the malfunction 
exists. When the malfunction in dicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to 
detect or signal low tire  pressure as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning  system) malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, 
including the installation of re placement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that 
prevent the TPMS (tire pressure warning sy stem) from functioning properly. Always 
check the TPMS (tire pressure warning system ) malfunction telltale after replacing one or 
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensu re that the replacement or alternate tires and 
wheels allow the TPMS (tire pr essure warning system) to cont inue to function properly.
NOTICE
■To ensure the tire pressure warning system operates properly
Do not install tires with differ ent specifications or makers, as the tire pressure warning 
system may not operate properly. 

3467-2. Steps to take in an emergency
●Malfunction in the EPS (Electric Power Steering) system
The electric power steering sy stem warning light comes on. ( P.336)
●Malfunction in the tire pressure warning system
The tire pressure warn ing light comes on. ( P.340)
●Remaining fuel level is low
The low fuel level warning light comes on. ( P.339)
■If “Hybrid System Overheated Reduce d Output Power” is shown (LC500h)
This message may be displayed when driving under severe operating conditions. (For exam-
ple, when driving up a long  steep hill.) Stop and check. ( P.366)
■If “Traction Battery Needs to be Protected Re frain from the Use of N Position” is shown 
(LC500h)
This message may be displayed wh en the shift position is in N.
As the hybrid battery (traction battery) cannot  be charged when the shift position is in N, 
shift the shift position to P when the vehicle is stopped.
■If “Traction Battery needs to be Protected  Shift into P to Restart” is shown (LC500h)
This message is displayed when the hybrid ba ttery (traction battery) charge has become 
extremely low because the vehicle has been left with the N shift position selected for a cer-
tain amount of time.
When operating the vehicle, shift to  P and restart the hybrid system.
■If “Shift to P Before Exiting Vehicle” is shown
The driver’s door is opened without turning the  engine switch 
shift lever in any position other than  P. Shift the shift position to P.
■If “Shift Is in N Release Accelerator Before Shifting” is shown
The accelerator pedal has been depressed when th e shift position is in N. Release the accel-
erator pedal and shift the shift position to D or R.
■If “Depress Brake when Vehicle Is Stoppe d Hybrid System May Overheat” is shown 
(LC500h)
The message may be displayed when the accelerator pedal is depressed to hold the vehicle 
while the vehicle is stopped on  an uphill etc. The hybrid system may overheat. Release the 
accelerator pedal and de press the brake pedal.
■If “Shift system malfunction Driving unavailable” is shown
There is a malfunction in the shift control system. Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus 
dealer immediately.
■If “Auto Power Off to Conserve Battery” is shown
LC500:
Power was turned off due to the automatic power off function. Next time when starting the 
engine, increase the engine speed slightly an d maintain that level for approximately 5 min-
utes to recharge the battery.
LC500h:
Power was turned off due to the automatic power off function. Next time when starting the 
hybrid system, operate the hybrid system for approximately 5 minutes to recharge the 12-
volt battery.