2606-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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■The tire pressure warning system
must be initialized in the following
circumstances:
When rotating the tires.
When the tire inflation pressure is
changed such as when changing
traveling speed.
When changing the tire size.
When the tire pressure warning system
is initialized, the cu rrent tire inflation
pressure is set as the benchmark pres-
sure.
■How to initialize the tire pressure
warning system
1 Park the vehicle in a safe place and
turn the engine switch off.
Initialization cannot be performed while
the vehicle is moving.
2 Adjust the tire inflation pressure to
the specified cold tire inflation pres-
sure level.
Make sure to adjust th e tire pressure to the
specified cold tire infl ation pressure level.
The tire pressure warning system will oper-
ate based on this pressure level.
3 Turn the engine switch to IGNI-
TION ON mode.
4 Press and hold the tire pressure
warning reset switch until the tire pressure warning light blinks slowly
3 times.
5 Wait for a few minutes with the
engine switch in IGNITION ON
mode and then turn the engine
switch off.
■Initialization procedure
●Make sure to carry out initialization after
adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Also, make sure the tires are cold before
carrying out initialization or tire inflation
pressure adjustment.
●If you have accidentally turned the engine
switch off during initialization, it is not
necessary to press the reset switch again
as initialization will restart automatically
when the engine switch has been turned
to IGNITION ON mode for the next
time.
●If you accidentally press the reset switch
when initialization is not necessary, adjust
the tire inflation pressure to the specified
level when the tires are cold, and conduct
initialization again.
■When initialization of the tire pressure
warning system has failed
Initialization ca n be completed in a few min-
utes. However, in the following cases, the
settings have not been recorded and the
system will not operate properly. If repeated
attempts to record tire inflation pressure
settings are unsuccessf ul, have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer.
●When operating the tire pressure warn-
ing reset switch, the tire pressure warning
light does not blink 3 times.
Initializing the tire pressure
warning system
2626-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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1Remove 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 in flation 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.
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 on the
road, etc.)
NOTICE
■When inspecting and adjusting tire
inflation pressure
Be sure to put the tire valve caps back on.
If a valve cap is not installed, dirt or mois-
ture may get into the valve and cause an
air leak, resulting in decreased tire infla-
tion pressure.
2636-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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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, tire pres-
sure warning valves an d transmitters must
be installed. ( P.259)
Use only Lexus wheel nuts and
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 acci-
dent, causing death or serious injury.
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
2777-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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7
When trouble arises
7-2.Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be
t
owed
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 drivetrain 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.
●Do not turn the engine switch off.
There is a possibility that the steering
wheel is locked and cannot be oper-
ated.
■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.
2807-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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4Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench
or hard metal bar.
5 Securely attach cables or chains to
the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehi-
cle body.
6 Enter the vehicle being towed and
start the engine.
If the engine does not start, turn the
engine switch to IGNITION ON
mode.
7 Shift the shift lever to N and release
the parking brake.
When the shift lever cannot be
shifted: P.129
■While towing
If the engine is not running, the power assist
for the brakes and steering will not function,
making steering and braking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench
Wheel nut wrench is installed in trunk.
( P.294)
Fluid leaks under the vehicle.
(Water dripping from the air condi-
tioning after use is normal.)
Flat-looking tires or uneven tire
wear
Engine coolant temperature gauge
continually points higher than nor-
mal.
Changes in exhaust sound
Excessive tire squeal when corner-
ing
Strange noises related to the sus-
pension system
Pinging or other noises related to
the engine
Engine missing, stumbling or run-
ning roughly
Appreciable loss of power
Vehicle pulls heavily to one side
when braking
If you think something is
wrong
If you notice any of the following
symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Con-
tact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms
2887-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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■When the tire pressure warning light
comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust
to the appropriate level. Pushing the tire
pressure warning reset switch will not turn
off the tire pressure warning light.
■The tire pressure warning light may
come on due to natural causes
The tire pressure warning light may come
on due to natural causes such as natural air
leaks and tire inflation pressure changes
caused by temperature. In this case, adjust-
ing the tire inflation pressure will turn off the
warning light (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with the spare
tire
The spare tire is not equipped with a tire
pressure warning valve and transmitter. If a
tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning light
will not turn off even though the flat tire has
been replaced with the spare tire.
■Conditions that the tire pressure warn-
ing system may not function properly
P.258
■If the tire pressure warning light fre-
quently comes on after blinking for 1
minute
If the tire pressure wa rning light frequently
comes on after blinking for 1 minute when
the engine switch is turned to IGNITION
ON mode, have it checked by your Lexus
dealer.
■Warning buzzer
In some cases, the buzzer may not be heard
due to being in a noisy location or audio
sound.
WARNING
■If both the ABS and the brake system
warning lights remain on
Stop your vehicle in a safe place immedi-
ately and contact your Lexus dealer. The
vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking, and the ABS system may
fail, which could cause an accident
resulting in death or serious injury.
■When the electric power steering
system warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become
extremely heavy.
When steering wheel operations are
heavier than usual, grip the steering
wheel firmly and operate it using more
force than usual.
■If the tire pressure warning light
comes on
Be sure to observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to do so could cause a loss
of vehicle control and result in death or
serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as
soon as possible. Adjust the tire infla-
tion pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes
on even after tire inflation pressure
adjustment, it is prob able that you have
a flat tire. Check the tire s. If a tire is flat,
change it with the spare tire and have
the flat tire repaired by the nearest
Lexus dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and brak-
ing. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you
could lose control of the steering
wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage
should occur
The tire pressure warning system may
not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if pro-
vided), should be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label (tire and load
information label). (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indi-
cated on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label [tire and load
information label], you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for
those tires.)
2897-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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7
When trouble arises
WARNING
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS-tire pressure
warning system) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warn-
ing light) when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
(tire pressure warnin g light) illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping abil-
ity.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure
warning system) is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver’s responsibility to maintain correct
tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached 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)
malfunction 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 pres-
sure warning light). When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and
then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator 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
replacement or alternate tires or wheels
on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
(tire pressure warning system) from func-
tioning properly. Always check the
TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction telltale after replacing one
or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire
pressure warning system) to continue to
function properly.
NOTICE
■To ensure the tire pressure warning
system operates properly
Do not install tires with different specifi-
cations or makers, as the tire pressure
warning system may not operate prop-
erly.
2947-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC350AWD_RC350_RC300AWD_RC30
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Stop the vehicle in a safe place on a
hard, flat surface.
Set the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Stop the engine.
Turn on the emergency flashers.
( P.274)
Type A
Jack handle
Wheel nut wrench
Screwdriver
Towing eyelet
If you have a flat tire
Your vehicle is equipped with a
spare tire. The flat tire can be
replaced with the spare tire.
For details about tires: P.255
WARNING
■If you have a flat tire
Do not continue driving with a flat tire.
Driving even a short distance with a flat
tire can damage the tire and the wheel
beyond repair, which could result in an
accident.
Before jacking up the vehicle
Location of the spare tire, jack and tools
A
B
C
D