
2155-2. Using the air conditioning system
5
Interior features
heated steering wheel is operating.
■Operation condition
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON 
mode.
■Timer function
The heated steering wheel will automati-
cally turn off after about 30 minutes.
Vehicles without seat ventilators
Each time the switch is pressed, the 
intensity of the seat heater changes 
and the level indicator lights (amber)   light as follows:
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 segments 
lit)  Lo (1 segment lit) Off
Vehicles with seat ventilators
Each time the switch is pressed, the 
intensity of the seat heater changes 
and the level indicator lights (amber)   light as follows:
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 segments 
lit)  Lo (1 segment lit) Off
■Operation condition
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON 
mode.
■Seat heater timer control
To enable seat heater timer control, press 
and hold the driver and front passenger 
seat heater switches at the same time when 
the vehicle is stopped until a buzzer sounds 
once. If a seat heater is turned on while seat 
heater timer control is  enabled, the intensity 
of the seat heater w ill automatically change 
from Hi Mid Lo.
The timing of the chan ge in seat heater 
intensity differs depending on the tempera-
ture inside the cabin, etc. when the seat 
heater is operating.
To disable seat heater timer control, press 
and hold the driver and front passenger 
seat heater switches at the same time until a 
buzzer sounds twice.
Seat heaters
A
WARNING
■To prevent overheating and minor 
burn injuries
Observe the following precautions when 
using the seat heaters.
●Do not cover the seat with a blanket or 
cushion when using the seat heater.
●Do not use seat heater more than nec-
essary.
A 

233
6
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
.6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehi-cle exterior ................................ 234
Cleaning and protecting the vehi- cle interior ................................. 237
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements........................................................ 240
General maintenance .............. 241
Emission inspection and mainte- nance (I/M) programs ......... 244
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions........................................................ 245
Hood............................................... 247
Positioning a floor jack............ 247
Engine compartment............... 249
Tires ................................................ 257
Tire inflation pressure .............. 263
Wheels........................................... 265
Air conditioning  filter...............266
Electronic key battery ............. 267
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................................ 269
Headlight aim............................... 271
Light bulbs .................................... 272 

2346-1. Maintenance and care
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 surface, parts 
(wheel, etc.) and damage 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)
■Wheels and wheel ornaments
●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 

2356-1. Maintenance and care
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.
■Plated portions
If dirt cannot be removed, clean the parts as 
follows:
●Use a soft cloth dampened with an 
approximately 5% solution of neutral 
detergent and water to clean the dirt off.
●Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to  remove any remaining moisture.
●To remove oily deposits, use alcohol wet 
wipes or a similar product.
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.142)
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 

2366-1. Maintenance and care
WARNING
■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 pipes until they have 
cooled sufficiently, as touching hot 
exhaust pipes can cause burns.
■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.142)
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 

2406-2. Maintenance
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.74)
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.255)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance 

2436-2. Maintenance
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 

2526-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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.74)
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