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6
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
.6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehi-cle exterior ................................ 232
Cleaning and protecting the vehi- cle interior ................................. 235
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements........................................................ 238
General maintenance ............. 239
Emission inspection and mainte- nance (I/M) programs ......... 242
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions243
Hood............................................... 245
Positioning a floor jack............ 245
Engine compartment............... 247
Tires ................................................ 255
Tire inflation pressure ............... 261
Wheels........................................... 263
Air conditioning filter...............264
Electronic key battery ............. 265
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................................ 267
Headlight aim.............................. 269
Light bulbs .................................... 270
2326-1. Maintenance and care
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6-1.Maintenance and care
Working from top to bottom, liber-
ally apply water to the vehicle body,
wheel wells and underside of the
vehicle 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
wash soap and rinse thoroughly with
water.
Wipe away any water.
Wax the vehicle when the water-
proof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface,
apply wax when the vehicle body is cool.
■Black stainless steel window moldings (F
SPORT models)
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.
■Self-restoring coat
The vehicle body has a self-restoring coat-
ing 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.
■Automatic car washes
●Fold the mirrors befo re washing the vehi-
cle. Start washing from the front of the
vehicle. Make sure to extend the mirrors
before driving.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes
may scratch the vehicle body and dam-
age the paint.
■High pressure car washes
As water may enter the cabin, do not bring
the nozzle tip near the gaps around the
doors or perimeter of the windows, or spray
these areas continuously.
■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
procedures to wash the vehicle:
●Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2 m) or
more separate from the vehicle while the
vehicle is being wash ed. (Take care to
ensure that the key is not stolen.)
●Set the electronic key to battery-saving
mode to disable the smart access system
with push-button start. ( P.93)
■Aluminum wheels
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a
neutral detergent.
●Wash detergent off with water immedi-
Cleaning and protecting the
vehicle exterior
Perform cleaning in a manner
appropriate to each component
and its material.
Cleaning instructions
2336-1. Maintenance and care
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6
Maintenance and care
ately after use.
●To protect the paint from damage, make
sure to observe the following precau-
tions.
• Do not use acidic, a lkaline 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
■Brake caliper coating (F SPORT mod-
els)
●When using detergent, use neutral deter-
gent. Do not use hard brushes or abra-
sive cleaners, as they will damage the
paint.
●Do not use detergent on the brake cali-
pers when they are hot.
●Wash detergent off immediately after
use.
■Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■Side windows water-repellent coating
(if equipped)
●The following precautions can extend the
effectiveness of the water-repellent coat-
ing.
• Remove any dirt, etc. from the side win- dows 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 win-
dows.
• Do not use any metallic objects to remove condensation build up.
●When the water-repellent performance
has become insufficie nt, 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 (vehi-
cles with rain-sensing windshield wip-
ers)
Set the wipers to the intermittent wind-
shield wipers. ( P.141)
If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers
may operate unexpectedly in the follow-
ing situations, and may result in hands
being caught or other serious injuries
and cause damage to the wiper blades.
●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 wind-
shield
●If you directly touch the raindrop sen-
sor body or if something bumps into
the raindrop sensor
■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 run-
ning or immediately after the engine is
turned off.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not
to touch the exhaust pi pes until they have
cooled sufficiently, as touching hot
exhaust pipes can cause burns.
2346-1. Maintenance and care
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WARNING
■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 malfunc-
tion. If this occurs, consult your Lexus
dealer.
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and
corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (aluminum wheels, etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately 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 with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron
powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chip ped 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
substances 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 pas-
senger side. When returning the wipers
to their original position, do so from the
passenger side first.
■When using an automatic car wash
(vehicles with rain-sensing windshield
wipers)
Set the wipers to the intermittent wind-
shield wipers. ( P.141)
If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers
may operate and the wiper blades may
be damaged.
■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 applied from high pres-
sure water may cause the device to not
operate normally.
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close to
boots (rubber or resin manufactured
cover), connectors or the following
parts. The parts may be damaged if
they come into contact with high-pres-
sure water.
• Traction related parts
• Suspension parts
• Steering parts
• Brake parts
●Keep the cleaning nozzle at least 11.9
in. (30 cm) away from the vehicle
body. Otherwise resin section, such as
moldings and bumpers, may be
deformed and damaged.
Also, do not continuously hold the nozzle
in the same place.
2386-2. Maintenance
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6-2.Maintenance
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Lexus parts
be used for repairs to ensure performance
of each system. If non-Lexus parts are used
in replacement or if a repair shop other than
a Lexus dealer perfor ms repairs, confirm
the warranty coverage.
■Allow inspection and repairs to be per-
formed by a Lexus dealer
●Lexus technicians are well-trained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information. They are well
informed about the operations of all sys-
tems on your vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repa ir order. It proves
that the maintenance that has been per-
formed is under warra nty coverage. If any
problem should arise while your vehicle is
under warranty, your Lexus dealer will
promptly take care of it.
General maintenance should be per-
formed on a daily basis. This can be
done by yourself or by a Lexus dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should be
performed at specified intervals
according to the maintenance sched-
ule.
For details about ma intenance items and
schedules, refer to the “Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment” or “Scheduled Maintenance”.
■Resetting the message indicating main-
tenance is required
After the required maintenance is pre-
formed according to the maintenance
schedule, please reset the message.
To reset the message, follow the procedures
described below:
1
Select on the multi-information dis-
play. ( P.76)
2
Press the or meter control
switch on the steering wheel to select
“Vehicle Settings” then “Scheduled
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driv-
ing, day-to-day care and regular
maintenance are essential. It is the
owner’s responsibility to perform
regular checks. Lexus recommends
the maintenance below.
WARNING
■If your vehicle is not properly main-
tained
Improper maintenanc e could result in
serious damage to the vehicle and possi-
ble death or serious injury.
■Handling of the battery
●Engine exhaust, some of its constitu-
ents, and a wide variety of automobile
components contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and
other reproductive harm. Work in a
well ventilated area.
●Oils, fuels and fluids contained in vehi-
cles as well as waste produced by
component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of Cali-
fornia to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
Avoid exposure and wash any affected
area immediately.
●Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds which are known to cause
brain damage. Wash your hands after
handling. ( P.253)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance
2416-2. Maintenance
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6
Maintenance and care
Seats• Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steering wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the cor-
rect amount of free
play?
•There should not be any strange sounds
coming from the
steering wheel.
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck 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 signs of fluid
leakage after the
vehicle has been
parked.
ItemsCheck points
Tires
• Is the tire inflation pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or
excessively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to
the maintenance
schedule?
•The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Windshield wip-
ers
• The wiper blades should not show any
signs of cracking,
splitting, wear, con-
tamination or defor-
mation.
• The wiper blades should clear the
windshield without
streaking or skip-
ping.
ItemsCheck points
2506-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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RC300
1
Remove the oil filler cap by turning
it counterclockwise.
2
Add engine oil slowly, checking the
dipstick.
3
Install the oil filler cap by turning it
clockwise.
■Engine oil consumption
A certain amount of engine oil will be con-
sumed while driving. In the following situa-
tions, 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
accelerating or decelerating frequently
●When leaving the engine idling for a long
time, or when driving frequently through
heavy traffic
■After changing the engine oil
The engine oil maintenance data should be
reset. Perform the following procedures:
1
Select on the multi-information dis-
play. ( P.76)
2
Press the or meter control
switch on the steering wheel to select
“Vehicle Settings” then “Oil Mainte-
nance”. (To confirm setting, press .) 3
Select “Yes” and then press .
4
A message is displayed on the
multi-information display.
The coolant level is satisfactory if it is
between the “FULL” and “LOW” lines
WARNING
■Used engine oil
●Used engine oil contains potentially
harmful contaminants which may
cause skin disorders such as inflamma-
tion and skin cancer, so care should be
taken to avoid prolonged and
repeated contact. To remove used
engine oil from your skin, wash thor-
oughly with soap and water.
●Dispose of used oil and filters only in a
safe and acceptable manner. Do not
dispose of used oil and filters in house-
hold trash, in sewers or onto the
ground. Call your Lexus dealer, ser-
vice station or auto parts store for
information concerning recycling or
disposal.
●Do not leave used engine oil within the
reach 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 o il filler cap is prop-
erly tightened.
Checking the coolant
2566-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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■When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●The treadwear indicators are showing on
a tire.
●You have tire damage such as cuts, splits,
cracks deep enough to expose the fabric,
and bulges indicating internal damage
●A tire goes flat repeatedly or cannot be
properly repaired due to the size or loca-
tion of a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, consult your Lexus
dealer.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked
by a qualified technician even if it has sel-
dom or never been used or damage is not
obvious.
■Low profile tires
Generally, low profile tires will wear more
rapidly and tire grip performance will be
reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when
compared to standard ti res. Be sure to use
snow tires or tire chains on snowy and/or icy
roads and drive carefully at a speed appro-
priate for road and weather conditions.
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the
replacement tire is greater than 1/2 of the
Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of
either the front axle or the rear axle, which-
ever is greater.
For the GAWR, see the Certification Label.
For the maximum load of the tire, see the
load limit at maximum cold tire inflation
pressure mentioned on the sidewall of the
tire. ( P.329)
■Tire types
●Summer tires Summer tires are high-speed performance
tires best suited to
highway driving under
dry conditions. Since summer tires do not
have the same traction performance as
snow tires, summer ti res are inadequate for
driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For
driving on snow-covered roads or icy
roads, the use of snow tires is recom-
mended. When installing snow tires, be
sure to replace all four tires.
●All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
better traction in snow and to be adequate
for driving in most winter conditions as well
as for use year-round. All season tires,
however, do not have adequate traction
performance compared with snow tires in
heavy or loose snow. Also, all season tires
fall short in accelerati on and handling per-
formance compared with summer tires in
highway driving.
●Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy
roads, we recommend using snow tires. If
you need snow tires, select tires of the
same size, construction and load capacity
as the originally instal led tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equip-
ment, make sure your snow tires also have
radial construction. Do not install studded
tires without first checking local regula-
tions for possible restrictions. Snow tires
should be installed on all wheels. ( P.196)
■If the tread on snow tires wears down
below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is
lost.