Page 377 of 636

3776-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
RC F_U ■
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 mo de 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. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 388 of 636

388 6-2. Maintenance
RC F_U Vehicle interior Items Check points
Accelerator pedal • The accelerator pedal sh ould move smoothly (with-
out uneven pedal effort or catching).
Automatic transmission
“Park” mechanism • When parked on a slope and  the shift lever is in P, is
the vehicle securely stopped?
Brake pedal • Does the brake pedal move smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appropriate clearance
from the floor?  (  P. 547)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of
free play?  (  P. 547)
Brakes • The vehicle should not pull to one side when the
brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should no t get too close to the floor
when the brakes are applied.
Head restraints 
(RC350/RC300) • Do the head restraints move smoothly and lock
securely?
Indicators/buzzers • Do the indicators and buzzers function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake • Does the parking brake pedal move smoothly?
• When parked on a slope and the parking brake is on,
is the vehicle securely stopped?
Seat belts • Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
Seats • Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel • Does the steering wheel rotate smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correct amount of
free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds coming
from the steering wheel. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 389 of 636
3896-2. Maintenance
RC F_U 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 393 of 636
3936-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F_U 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 402 of 636
402 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F_U ■
Adding engine oil
If the oil level is below or near the lo w level mark, add engine oil of the same
type as that already in the engine.
Make sure to check the oil type and  prepare the items needed before adding
oil.
Remove the oil filler cap by  turning it counterclockwise.
Add engine oil slowly, checking the dipstick.
Install the oil filler cap  by turning it clockwise.
RC350/RC300 AWD 
RC300
RC F
Engine oil selection  P. 541, 543
Oil quantity (Low    Full) 1.6 qt. (1.5 L, 1.3 Imp. qt.)
Items Clean funnel1
2
3 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 409 of 636

4096-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F_U 6
Maintenance and care ■
Before recharging
When recharging, the battery produces hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive.
Therefore, observe the following before recharging: ●
If recharging with the battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect the ground
cable. ●
Make sure the power switch on the charge r is off when connecting and disconnecting
the charger cables to the battery. ■
After recharging/reconnecting the battery
The engine may not start. Follow the procedure below to initialize the system.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Open and close either door.
Restart the engine. ●
Unlocking the doors using the smart access  system with push-button start may not be
possible immediately after reconnecting the battery. If this happens, use the wireless
remote control or the mechanical  key to lock/unlock the doors.●
Start the engine with the engine switch in ACCESSORY mode. The engine may not
start with the engine switch turned off. However, the engine will operate normally from
the second attempt. ●
The engine switch mode is recorded by the vehicle. If the battery is disconnected and
reconnected, the vehicle will return the engi ne switch mode to the status it was in
before the battery was disconnected. Make su re to turn off the engine before discon-
necting the battery. Take extra care when connecting the battery if the engine switch
mode prior to the battery being disconnected is unknown.
If the system will not start even after mult iple attempts, contact  your Lexus dealer.1
2
3 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 434 of 636
434 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F_U ■
Front turn signal lights (bulb type)
To ensure enough space to per-
form work, turn the steering
wheel to move the front wheel
toward the bulb to be replaced.
Remove the fender liner clip. To remove the clip , turn the head of
the clip to unlock it, then pull it out.
Disengage the fender liner from
the clamp then pull it back.
Turn the bulb base counterclock-
wise.Replacing light bulbs 1
2
3 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 435 of 636
4356-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F_U 6
Maintenance and care Remove the light bulb.
Install a new light bulb then install
the bulb base to the light unit by
inserting it and turning the bulb
base clockwise. After installing the light bulb, turn on
the front turn signal light to visually
check that there is  no light leaking
from the bulb base.
Engage the clamp to reinstall the
fender liner and install the clip. Insert the clip with  its groove aligned
vertically to install it. 4
5
6