319
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
6
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
6-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehi-cle exterior ................................ 320
Cleaning and protecting the vehi- cle interior ................................. 323
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements .. 326
General maintenance ............. 327
Emission inspection and mainte- nance (I/M) programs ......... 330
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions......................................................... 331
Hood............................................... 333
Positioning a floor jack............ 333
Engine compartment............... 335
Tires ................................................ 343
Tire inflation pressure ............... 351
Wheels........................................... 353
Air conditioning filter...............355
Electronic key battery ............. 356
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................................ 358
Headlight aim.............................. 360
Light bulbs ..................................... 361
3226-1. Maintenance and care
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
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 wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wip-
ers may operate and the wiper blades
may be damaged.
■When using a high pressure car wash
●When washing the vehicle, do not let
water of the high pressure washer hit
directly or the vicinity of the camera.
Due to the shock from the high pres-
sure water, it is possible the device may
not operate as normal.
●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
• Steering parts
• Suspension 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.
●Do not spray the lower part of the
windshield continuously. If water
enters the air conditioning system
intake located near the lower part of
the windshield, the air conditioning
system may not operate correctly.
3246-1. Maintenance and care
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
●If the windows are very dirty, do not open
and close them repeatedly.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehi-
cle.
Doing so may cause electrical compo-
nents, etc. to malfunction or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components
or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
( P.32)
An electrical malfunction may cause
the airbags to deploy or not function
properly, resulting in death or serious
injury.
■Cleaning the interior (especially
instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner.
The instrument panel may reflect off the
windshield, obstructing the driver’s view
and leading to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following types of
detergent, as they may discolor the
vehicle interior or cause streaks or
damage to painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic sub- stances such as benzene or gasoline,
alkaline or acidic solutions, dye, and
bleach
• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, and alcohol
●Do not use polish wax or polish
cleaner. The instrument panel’s or
other interior part’s painted surface
may be damaged.
■Preventing damage to leather sur-
faces
Observe the following precautions to
avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces:
●Remove any dust or dirt from leather
surfaces immediately.
●Do not expose the vehicle to direct
sunlight for extended periods of time.
Park the vehicle in the shade, espe-
cially during summer.
●Do not place items made of vinyl, plas-
tic, or containing wax on the uphol-
stery, as they may stick to the leather
surface if the vehicle interior heats up
significantly.
■Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.
Vehicle systems such as the audio system
may be damaged if water comes into
contact with electrical components such
as the audio system above or under the
floor of the vehicle. Water may also
cause the body to rust.
■When cleaning the inside of the wind-
shield (vehicles with Lexus Safety
System+ 2.0)
Do not allow glass cleaner to contact the
lens. Also, do not touch the lens.
( P.193)
■Cleaning the inside of the rear win-
dow
●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the
rear window, as this may cause dam-
age to the rear window defogger
heater wires or antenna. Use a cloth
dampened with lukewarm water to
gently wipe the window clean. Wipe
the window in strokes running parallel
to the heater wires or antenna.
●Be careful not to scratch or damage
the heater wires or antenna.
3286-2. Maintenance
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
Radiator/con-
denser
The radiator and con-
denser should be free
from foreign objects.
( P.339)
Washer fluidIs there sufficient washer
fluid? ( P.342)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator
pedal
The accelerator pedal
should move smoothly
(without uneven pedal
effort or catching).
Automatic
transmission
“Park” mecha-
nismWhen 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?
• Does the brake pedal have the correct
amount of free play?
ItemsCheck points
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 not get too
close to the floor
when the brakes are
applied.
Head restraints
Do the head restraints
move smoothly and lock
securely?
Indica-
tors/buzzersDo the indicators and
buzzers function prop-
erly?
LightsDo all the lights come
on?
Parking brake
• Does the parking brake switch operate
normally?
• When parked on a slope and the parking
brake is on, is the vehi-
cle securely stopped?
Seat belts
•Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
ItemsCheck points
3316-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
6
Maintenance and care
6-3.Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service pre-
cautions
If you perform maintenance by
yourself, be sure to follow the cor-
rect procedure as given in these
sections.
Maintenance
ItemsParts and tools
Battery condi-
tion (P.340)
•Warm water
• Baking soda
•Grease
• Conventional wrench
(for terminal clamp
bolts)
Brake fluid level
( P.340)
•FMVSS No.116 DOT
3 or SAE J1703;
FMVSS No.116 DOT
4 or SAE J1704 brake
fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine/inter-
cooler coolant
level ( P.338)
•“Toyota Super Long
Life Coolant” or a sim-
ilar high quality eth-
ylene glycol-based
non-silicate, non-
amine, non-nitrite and
non-borate coolant
with long-life hybrid
organic acid technol-
ogy
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long
Life Coolant” is pre-
mixed with 50% cool-
ant and 50% deion-
ized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super Long
Life Coolant” is pre-
mixed with 55% cool-
ant and 45% deion-
ized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil level
( P.336)
•“Toyota Genuine
Motor Oil” or equiva-
lent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses
( P.358)Fuse with same amper-
age rating as original
Light bulbs
( P.361)Bulb with same number
and wattage rating as
original
Headlight aimPhillips-head screw-
driver
Radiator and
condenser
( P.339)
—
ItemsParts and tools
3336-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
6
Maintenance and care
1Pull the hood lock release lever.
The hood will pop up slightly.
2Pull up the auxiliary catch lever and
lift the hood.■Front
Hood
Opening the hood
WARNING
■Pre-driving check
Check that the hood is fully closed and
locked.
If the hood is not locked properly, it may
open while the vehicle is in motion and
cause an accident, which may result in
death or serious injury.
Positioning a floor jack
When using a floor jack, follow the
instructions in the manual provided
with the jack and perform the oper-
ation safely.
When raising your vehicle with a
floor jack, position the jack cor-
rectly.
Improper placement may damage
your vehicle or cause injury.
Location of the jack point
3406-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
■Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN” lines
on the tank.
■Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid type and
prepare the necessary item.
Fluid type
FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703;
FMVSS No.116 DOT 4 or SAE J1704
brake fluid
Items
Clean funnel
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from
the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause a dangerous loss of braking efficiency. Use
only newly opened brake fluid.
Check the battery as follows.
■Battery exterior
Make sure that the battery terminals
are not corroded and that there are no
loose connections, cracks, or loose
clamps.
Terminals
Hold-down clamp
WARNING
■When the electric cooling fans are
operating
Do not touch the engine compartment.
With the engine switch in IGNITION
ON mode, the electric cooling fans may
automatically start to run if the air condi-
tioning is on and/or the coolant tempera-
ture is high. Be sure the engine switch is
off when working near the electric cool-
ing fans or radiatorgrille.
Checking and adding the brake
fluid
WARNING
■When filling the reservoir
Take care as brake fluid can harm your
hands and eyes and damage painted sur-
faces.
If fluid gets on your hands or in your eyes,
flush the affected area with clean water
immediately.
If you still experience discomfort, see a
doctor.
NOTICE
■If the fluid level is low or high
It is normal for the brake fluid level to go
down slightly as the brake pads wear out
or when the fluid leve l in the accumulator
is high.
If the reservoir need s frequent refilling,
there may be a serious problem.
Checking the battery
A
B
3416-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LEXUS NX300 Owners Manual_USA_M78389_en
6
Maintenance and care
■Before recharging
When recharging, the battery produces
hydrogen gas which is flammable and
explosive. Therefore, observe the following
precautions 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 char-
ger is off when connecting and discon-
necting the charger cables to the battery.
■After recharging/reconnecting the bat-
tery
●The engine may not start. Follow the pro-
cedure below to initialize the system.
1
Shift the shift lever to P.
2
Open and close any of the doors.
3
Restart the engine.
●Unlocking the doors using the smart
access system with pu sh-button start may
not be possible immediately after recon-
necting 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 nor-
mally from the second attempt.
●The engine switch mode is recorded by
the vehicle. If the battery is reconnected,
the vehicle will return the engine switch
mode to the status it was in before the
battery was disconnected. Make sure to
turn off the power before disconnect the
battery. Take extra care when connecting
the battery if the engine switch mode
prior to discharge is unknown.
If the system will not st art even after multiple
attempts at all methods above, contact your
Lexus dealer.
WARNING
■Chemicals in the battery
Battery contains poisonous and corro-
sive sulfuric acid and may produce
hydrogen gas which is flammable and
explosive. To reduce the risk of death or
serious injury, take the following precau-
tions while working on or near the bat-
tery:
●Do not cause sparks by touching the
battery terminals with tools.
●Do not smoke or light a match near the
battery.
●Avoid contact with eyes, skin and
clothes.
●Never inhale or swallow electrolyte.
●Wear protective sa fety glasses when
working near the battery.
●Keep children away from the battery.
■Where to safely charge the battery
Always charge the battery in an open
area. Do not charge the battery in a
garage or closed room where there is
insufficient ventilation.
■Emergency measures regarding
electrolyte
●If electrolyte gets in your eyes
Flush your eyes with clean water for at
least 15 minutes and get immediate
medical attention. If possible, continue
to apply water with a sponge or cloth
while traveling to the nearest medical
facility.
●If electrolyte gets on your skin
Wash the affected area thoroughly. If
you feel pain or burning, get medical
attention immediately.
●If electrolyte gets on your clothes
It can soak through clothing on to your
skin. Immediately take off the clothing
and follow the procedure above if nec-
essary.