
5887-2. Maintenance
RX450h_RX450hL_U
■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 performs repairs, confirm the warranty coverage.
■Resetting the message indicating main tenance is required (U.S.A. only)
After the required maintenanc e is preformed according to the maintenance schedule,
please reset the message.
To reset the message, follow the procedures described below:
Select on the multi-information display.( P. 108)
Press or of the meter control swit ch, select the “Scheduled Maintenance”
screen and then press and hold the .
Select the “Yes” and push .
A message will be displayed on the multi- information display when the reset proce-
dure has been completed.
■Allow inspection and repairs to be performed by a Lexus dealer
●Lexus technicians are well-trained specialists and are kept up to date with the latest ser-
vice information. They are well informed about the operat ion of all systems on your
vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repair order. It proves that the maintenance that has been per-
formed is under warranty co verage. If any problem should arise while your vehicle is
under warranty, your Lexus dealer will promptly take care of it.
WARNING
■If your vehicle is not properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in seriou s damage to the vehicle and possible seri-
ous injury or death.
■Handling of the 12-volt 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.
●12-volt battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead com-
pounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hands after handling.
( P. 605)
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5897-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL_U
General maintenance
Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be performed at
the intervals specified in the “Warranty and Service Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”. It is recommende d that any problem you notice should
be brought to the attention of your Lexu s dealer or qualified service shop for
advice.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
Brake fluidIs the brake fluid at the correct level? ( P. 603)
Engine/power control unit
coolantIs the engine/power control unit coolant at the correct
level?( P. 601)
Engine oilIs the engine oil at the correct level?( P. 598)
Exhaust systemThere should not be any fumes or strange sounds.
Radiator/condenserThe radiator and condenser should be free from
foreign objects. (P. 602)
Washer fluidIs there sufficient washer fluid?( P. 604)
Luggage compartment
ItemsCheck points
12-volt batteryCheck the connections. (P. 605)

5947-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX450h_RX450hL_U
*: Vehicles with sing le-beam headlights
Washer fluid
( P. 604)• Water or washer fluid containing antifreeze (for winter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer fluid)
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
●Make sure that the “ACCESSORY” or “I GNITION ON” on the multi-information
display and the “READY” indicator are both off.
●Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan and engine drive belt.
●Be careful not to touch the engine, power co ntrol unit, 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. Fuel fumes are flamma-
ble.
■When working near the electric cooling fans or radiator grille
Be sure the power switch is off.
With the power switch in ON mode, the electric cooling fans may automatically start to
run if the air conditioning is on and/ or the coolant temperature is high. ( P. 602)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid 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.
ItemsParts and tools

6097-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL_U
■Before recharging
When recharging, the 12-volt battery produces hydrogen gas which is flammable and
explosive. Therefore, observe the following precautions before recharging:
●If recharging with the 12-volt battery installed on the vehicle, be sure to disconnect the
ground cable.
●Make sure the power switch on the charger is off when connecting and disconnecting
the charger cables to the 12-volt battery.
■After recharging/reconnecting the 12-volt battery
●The hybrid system may not start. Follow the procedure below to initialize the system.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Open and close any of the doors.
Restart the hybrid system.
●Unlocking the doors using the smart access system with push-button start may not be
possible immediately after reconnecting the 12-volt battery. If this happens, use the
wireless remote control or the mechan ical key to lock/unlock the doors.
●Start the hybrid system with the power sw itch in ACCESSORY mode. The hybrid sys-
tem may not start with the power switch turned off. However, the hybrid system will
operate normally from the second attempt.
●The power switch mode is recorded by the vehicle. If the 12-volt battery is reconnected,
the vehicle will return the power switch mode to the status it was in before the 12-volt
battery was disconnected. Make sure to turn off the power before disconnect the 12-
volt battery. Take extra care when connec ting the 12-volt battery if the power switch
mode prior to discharge is unknown.
If the system will not start even after multip le attempts at all methods above, contact your
Lexus dealer.
WARNING
■Chemicals in the 12-volt battery
The 12-volt battery contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid and may produce
hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive. To reduce the risk of death or serious
injury, take the following precautions while working on or near the 12-volt battery:
●Do not cause sparks by touching the 12-volt battery terminals with tools.
●Do not smoke or light a match near the 12-volt battery.
●Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothes.
●Never inhale or swallow electrolyte.
●Wear protective safety glasses when working near the 12-volt battery.
●Keep children away from the 12-volt battery.
■Where to safely charge the 12-volt battery
Always charge the 12-volt battery in an open area. Do not charge the 12-volt battery in
a garage or closed room where th ere is insufficient ventilation.
■How to recharge the 12-volt battery
Only perform a slow charge (5 A or less). The 12-volt battery may explode if charged
at a quicker rate.
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6117-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL_U
Check if the treadwear indicators are showing on the tires. Also check the tires
for uneven wear, such as excessive wear on one side of the tread.
Check the spare tire condition and pressure if not rotated.New tread
Worn tread
Treadwear indicator
The location of treadwear indica tors is shown by a “TWI” or “” mark, etc., molded
into the sidewall of each tire.
Replace the tires if the treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.
Rotate the tires in the order shown.
To equalize tire wear and extend tire life,
Lexus recommends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same interval as tire
inspection.
Do not fail to initialize the tire pressure
warning system after tire rotation.
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance schedules and tread-
wear.
Checking tires
Tire rotation
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Front

6137-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL_U
■How to initialize the tire pressure warning systemPark the vehicle in a safe place and turn the power switch off.
Initialization cannot be performed while the vehicle is moving.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to th e specified cold tire inflation pressure
level. ( P. 717)
Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire inflation pressure
level. The tire pressure warning system will operate based on this pressure level.
Turn the power switch to ON mode.
Select on the multi-information display. ( P. 108)
Press or of the meter control sw itch, select the “Vehicle Settings”
screen and then press the .
Press or of the meter con-
trol switch, select the “TPMS”
screen and then press and hold
the
until the tire pressure
warning light blinks slowly 3
times.
“- -” will be displayed for inflation
pressure of each tire on the multi-
information displa y while the tire
pressure warning system determines
the position of each tire.
When position of each tire is determined, the inflation pressure of each tire will be
displayed on the mult i-information display.
Drive the vehicle at approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more for approx-
imately 10 to 30 minutes until the inflat ion pressure of each tire is displayed
on the multi-information display.
If tire inflation pressure becomes low before the inflation pressure is displayed, the
tire pressure warning light will come on.
Depending on the vehicle and driving co nditions, initialization may take up to
approximately 1 hour to complete.
◆Registering ID codes
The tire pressure warning valve and tran smitter is equipped with a unique ID
code. When replacing a tire pressure warning valve and transmitter, it is nec-
essary to register the ID code. Have the ID code registered by your Lexus
dealer.
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6157-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL_U
■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, whichever is
greater.
■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 tires are inadequate for driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For
driving on snow-covered roads or icy road s, the use of snow tires is recommended.
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, how-
ever, do not have adequate traction perfor mance compared with snow tires in heavy
or loose snow. Also, all season tires fall short in acceleration and handling perfor-
mance 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 ti res of the same size, construction and load capacity as the
originally installed tires. Since your vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make
sure your snow tires also have radial cons truction. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restrictions. Snow tires should be installed
on all wheels. ( P. 390)
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the system with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to the specified level.
■If the tread on snow tires wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.
■If you press the tire pressure warning reset switch accidentally
If initialization is performed, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level and ini-
tialize the tire pressure warning system again.
For the GAWR, see the Ce
rtification Label. For
the maximum load of the tire, see the load limit
at maximum cold tire inflation pressure men-
tioned on the sidewall of the tire. ( P. 723)

6177-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
RX450h_RX450hL_U
■Warning performance of the tire pressure warning system
The warning of the tire pressure warning system will change in accordance with the con-
ditions under which it was init ialized. For this reason, the system may give a warning even
if the tire pressure does not reach a low enough level, or if the pressure is higher than the
pressure that was adjusted to when the system was initialized.
■When initialization of the tire pressure warning system has failed
Initialization may take longer to complete if the vehicle is driven on an unpaved road.
When performing initialization, drive on a pa ved road if possible. Depending on the driv-
ing environment and condition of the tires, initialization will be completed in approxi-
mately 10 to 30 minutes. If initialization is not complete after driving approximately 10 to
30 minutes, continue driving for a while.
If the inflation pressure of each tire is not displayed after driving for approximately 1 hour,
perform the following procedure.
●Park the vehicle in a safe place for approxim ately 20 minutes. Then drive straight (with
occasional left and right turns) at appr oximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more for
approximately 10 to 30 minutes.
However, in the following situations, the tire inflation pressure will not be recorded and
the system will not operate proper ly. Perform initialization again.
●When operating the tire pressure warning reset switch, the tire pressure warning light
does not blink 3 times.
●After performing initia lization, the tire pressure warning light blinks for 1 minute then
stays on while driving.
If the inflation pressure of each tire is still not displayed, have the vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer.