2020 LEXUS RC300 overheating

12Pictorial index
Windshield wipers .................................................................................................. P.142
Precautions for winter season ...................................................................................... P.198
To prevent freezing (windshield wiper de-icer)
*.................................................... P.211
Precautions against car wash ...................................................................................... P.235
Fuel filler door .......................................................................................................... P.149
Refueling method .............................................................................................................. P .149
Fuel type/fuel tank capacity ...... ...................................................................................P.320
Tires.......................................................................................................................... .. P.257
Tire size/inflation pressure ........................................................................................... P.324
Winter tires/tire chain ..................................................................................................... P.1 98
Checking/rotation/tire pressure warning system.............................................. P.257
Coping with flat tires........................................................................................................ P .296
Hood .......................................................................................................................... P.247
Opening ........................................................................................................................ ....... P.247
Engine oil ..................................................................................................................... .........P.320
Coping with overheating .................................................................................................. P.311
Warning messages .......................................................................................................... P.292
Headlights ................................................................................................................. P.13 7
Parking lights/daytime running lights............................................................... P.137
Turn signal lights ...................................................................................................... P.134
Cornering lights ...................................................................................................... P.137
Side marker lights ................................................................................................... P.137
Tail lights .................................................................................................................... P.137
Stop lights
Back up light
Shifting the shift lever to R .............................................................................................. P.13 0
License plate lights ................................................................................................. P.137
*:If equipped
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P.272, Watts: P.328)
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O

682-1. Instrument cluster
outside temperature may not be dis-
played, or the display may take longer
than normal to change:
• When stopped, or driving at low speeds (less than 12 mph [20 km/h])
• When the outside temperature has
changed suddenly (at the entrance/exit of
a garage, tunnel, etc.)
●When “_ _”or “E” is displayed, the system
may be malfunctioning.
Take your vehicle to your Lexus dealer.
■Pop-up display
●In some situations, su ch as when a switch
operation is performed, a pop-up display
will be temporarily displayed on the
multi-information display or the odome-
ter/trip meter screen (F SPORT models).
●Some pop-up displays can be set on/off.
(  P.74)
■Customization
The meter display can be customized on
the multi-information display. ( P.341)
■Display items
 Odometer
Displays the total distance the vehicle has
been driven.
Trip meter A/trip meter B
Displays the distance the vehicle has been
driven since the meter was last reset. Trip
meters A and B can be used to record and
display different distances independently.
Distance until next engine oil
change
Displays the distance the vehicle can be
driven until an oil change is necessary.
■Changing the display
Each time the “ODO TRIP” switch is
pressed, the displayed item will be
changed. When the trip meter is dis-
played, pressing and holding the switch
will reset the trip meter.
WARNING
■The information display at low tem-
peratures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to warm
up before using the liquid crystal infor-
mation display. At extremely low tem-
peratures, the information display
monitor may respond slowly, and display
changes may be delayed.
For example, there is a lag between the
driver’s shifting and the new gear number
appearing on the display. This lag could
cause the driver to downshift again,
causing rapid and excessive engine brak-
ing and possibly an accident resulting in
death or injury.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the engine and
its components
●Do not let the indicator needle of the
tachometer enter the red zone, which
indicates the maximum engine speed.
●The engine may be overheating if the
engine coolant temperature gauge is
in the red zone (H). In this case, imme-
diately stop the vehicle in a safe place,
and check the engine after it has
cooled completely. ( P.311)
Odometer and trip meter dis-
play

1204-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Do not leave a door or window open if
the curved glass is coated with a met-
allized film such as a silver-colored
one. Reflected sunlight may cause the
glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, stop the engine and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if
you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is
parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more
cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the
brakes are wet, and this may cause one
side of the vehicle to brake differently
than the other side. Also, the parking
brake may not securely hold the vehi-
cle.
●If the brake booster device does not
operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp turns
that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but
the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up
the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2 individ-
ual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other w ill still operate. In
this case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual and
the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when
any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may
damage the driveline components or
propel the vehicle forward or backward,
causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at th e same time while
driving, as this may restrain the engine
output.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or
depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the
vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle
may accelerate suddenly if the accelera-
tor pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in
either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time. Doing so may
damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road,
drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the
vehicle, etc.

1254-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
4-2.Driving procedures
1Check that the parking brake is set.
2 Check that the shift lever is in P.
3 Firmly depress the brake pedal.
and a message will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
If it is not displayed, the engine cannot be
started.
4 Press the engine switch shortly and
firmly.
When operating the engine switch, one
short, firm press is enough.
It is not necessary to press and hold the
switch.
The engine will crank until it starts or for up
to 30 seconds, whichever is less.
Continue depressing the brake pedal until
the engine is completely started.
The engine can be started from any engine
switch mode.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (
P.56)
Contact your Lexus dealer.
●Check that the shift leve r is securely set in
P. The engine may not start if the shift
lever is displaced out of P. “To Start Vehi-
cle. Put Shift Lever into P” will be dis-
played on the multi-information display.
■Electronic key battery depletion
 P.82
■Conditions affecting operation
 P.94
■Notes for the entry function
 P.95
■Steering lock function
●After turning the engine switch off and
opening and closing the doors, the steer-
ing wheel will be lock ed due to the steer-
ing lock function. Operating the engine
switch again automatically cancels the
steering lock.
●When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Steering Wheel Lock Press
Engine Switch while Turning Wheel” will
be displayed on the multi-information dis-
play.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the
engine switch while turning the steering
wheel left and right.
●To prevent the steering lock motor from
overheating, operation of the motor may
be suspended if the engine is turned on
and off repeatedly in a short period of
time. In this case, refrain from operating
the engine switch. After about 10 sec-
onds, the steering lock motor will resume
functioning.
Engine (ignition) switch
Performing the following opera-
tions when carryin g the electronic
key on your person starts the
engine or changes engine switch
modes.
Starting the engine

1354-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
To set the parking brake, fully depress
the parking brake pedal with your left
foot while depressing the brake pedal
with your right foot.
(Depressing the pedal again releases
the parking brake.)U.S.A.
Canada
■Parking the vehicle
 P.116
■Parking brake engaged warning buzzer
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven
with the parking brake engaged. “Release
Parking Brake” is displayed on the
multi-information display.
■Usage in winter time
 P.199
*: If equipped
1Louder
2
Lower
The indicator comes on when the ASC
system is on.
When the dial is turned to the lowest
volume, the ASC system will be turned
off and the indicator will go off.
Parking brake
Operating instructions
NOTICE
■Before driving
Fully release the parking brake.
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake set will lead to brake components
overheating, which may affect braking
performance and increase brake wear.
A
B
ASC (Active Sound Con-
trol)*
The ASC system is an electronic
sound system that generates
engine sound, conveying the
kinetic situations of the vehicle’s
acceleration and deceleration to
the driver through the speakers
inside the instrument panel.
The vehicle’s response to the
driver’s acceleration behavior and
shift operations are also conveyed
in sound.
When sport mode is selected, the
sound conveyed to the driver will be
louder.
Controlling volume

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

3117-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
1Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
turn off the air conditioning system,
and then stop the engine.
2
If you see steam:
Carefully lift the hood after the
steam subsides.
If you do not see steam:
Carefully lift the hood.
3
After the engine has cooled down
sufficiently, inspect the hoses and
radiator core (radiator) for any
leaks.
WARNING
●When working with the battery, always
wear safety glasses and take care not
to allow any battery fluids (acid) to
come into contact with skin, clothing
or the vehicle body.
●Do not lean over the battery.
●In the event that battery fluid comes
into contact with the skin or eyes,
immediately wash the affected area
with water and seek medical attention.
Place a wet sponge or cloth over the
affected area until medical attention
can be received.
●Always wash your hands after handling
the battery support, terminals, and
other battery-related parts.
●Do not allow children near the battery.
NOTICE
■When handling jumper cables
When connecting the jumper cables,
ensure that they do not become entan-
gled in the cooling fans or engine drive
belt.
If your vehicle overheats
The following may indicate that
your vehicle is overheating.
 The engine coolant temperature
gauge ( P.64) is in the red zone
or a loss of engine power is expe-
rienced. (For example, the vehicle
speed does not increase.)
 “Engine Coolant Temp High Stop
in a Safe Place See Owner’s
Manual” is shown on the
multi-information display.
 Steam comes out from under the
hood.
Correction procedures

376Alphabetical Index
Exterior ........................................................... 234
Interior ............................................................. 237
Seat belts........................................................ 237
Cargo capacity...............................................123
Cargo hooks ................................................... 221
Center Display ............................................. 204
Chains ................................................................199
Child restraint system Child seats definition................................... 40
Child seats installation........................ 44, 47
Front passenger occupant classification system ............................................................. 36
Installing a CRS to the front passenger seat ....................................................................42
Installing CRS with LATCH anchors . 48
Installing CRS with top tether strap.....50
Riding with children ..................................... 40
Types of child restraint system installation method ............................................................. 41
Using an anchor bracket .......................... 49
Child safety Airbag precautions.......................................32
Battery precautions ....................... 256, 310
Child restraint system.......................... 40, 41
Heated steering wheel or seat heater precautions.................................................. 214
How your child should wear the seat belt ............................................................................ 25
Installing child restraints ............................ 40
Moon roof precautions ..............................114
Power window lock switch........................ 111
Removed electronic key battery precau- tions ...............................................................268
Seat belt extender precautions ............. 25
Seat belt precautions .................................. 40
Trunk precautions ........................................ 89
Cleaning Aluminum wheels ...................................... 234
Exterior ........................................................... 234
Interior ............................................................. 237
Radar sensor..................................................152
Seat belts........................................................ 237 Clock ........................................................ 64, 222
Clock settings ............................................... 222
Coat hooks..................................................... 222
Compass ......................................................... 229
Condenser ..................................................... 254
Console box .................................................. 220
Consumption screen ..................................... 77
Cooling system............................................. 252
Engine overheating...................................... 311
Cornering lights ............................................ 138 Replacing light bulbs ................................ 272
Cruise control Dynamic radar cruise control............... 170
Cup holders ................................................... 220
Current fuel consumption ............................ 71
Curtain shield airbags .................................. 28
Customizable features ................................341
D
Daytime running light system ................... 137
Daytime running lights Replacing light bulbs ................................ 272
Defogger Outside rear view mirrors........................ 211
Rear window ................................................... 211
Windshield ....................................................... 211
Differential Front differential oil............. ....................... 323
Rear differential oil......... ..................... ....... 323
Dimension ....................................................... 318
Dinghy towing................................................. 124
Display Center Display ............................................204
Drive information ............................................ 71
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) ......................................................... 165
Multi-information display .......................... 69
Warning messages...................................293
Distance until next engine oil change .... 68
Do-it-yourself maintenance ......................241
Door courtesy lights ..................................... 217