3676-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
6
Maintenance and care
When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that they are equiv-
alent to those removed in load capac-
ity, diameter, rim width and inset
*.
Replacement wheels are available at
your Lexus dealer.
*: Conventionally referred to as offset.
Lexus does not recommend using the
following:
Wheels of different sizes or types
Used wheels
Bent wheels that have been straight-
ened
■When replacing wheels
The wheels of your vehicle are equipped
with tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters that allow the tire pressure warning
system to provide advance warning in the
event of a loss in tire inflation pressure.
Whenever wheels are replaced, tire pres-
sure warning valves an d transmitters must
be installed. ( P.359, 367) Use only Lexus wheel nuts and
wrenches designed for use with
your aluminum wheels.
When rotating, repairing or chang-
ing your tires, check that the wheel
nuts are still tight after driving 1000
miles (1600 km).
Be careful not to damage the alumi-
num wheels when using tire chains.
Use only Lexus genuine balance
weights or equivalent and a plastic
or rubber hammer when balancing
your wheels.
Wheels
If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily
corroded, it should be replaced.
Otherwise, the tire may separate
from the wheel or cause a loss of
handling control.
Wheel selection
WARNING
■When replacing wheels
●Do not use wheels that are a different
size from those recommended in the
Owner’s Manual, as this may result in a
loss of handling control.
●Never use an inner tube in a leaking
wheel which is designed for a tubeless
tire. Doing so may result in an acci-
dent, causing death or serious injury.
■Use of defective wheels prohibited
Do not use cracked or deformed wheels.
Doing so could cause the tire to leak air
during driving, possibly causing an acci-
dent.
NOTICE
■Replacing tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters
●Because tire repair or replacement
may affect the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters, make sure to
have tires serviced by your Lexus
dealer or other qua lified service shop.
In addition, make sure to purchase
your tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters at your Lexus dealer.
●Ensure that only genuine Lexus wheels
are used on your vehicle.
Tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters may not work properly with
non-genuine wheels.
Aluminum wheel precautions
3817-1. Essential information
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
7
When trouble arises
press it briefly 3 times or more in
succession.
5 Stop the vehicle in a safe place by
the road.
Remove the seat belt first.
If the door can be opened, open the
door and exit the vehicle.
If the door can not be opened, open
the window using the power window
switch and exit the vehicle through
the window.
If the window can not be opened
using the power window switch,
remain calm, wait until the water
level inside the vehicle rises to the
point that the water pressure inside
of the vehicle equals the water pres-
sure outside of the vehicle, and then
open the door and exit the vehicle.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system has to be turned
off while driving
Power assist for the steering wheel will
be lost, making th e steering wheel
heavier to turn. Decelerate as much as
possible before turning off the hybrid sys-
tem.
If the vehicle is trapped in
rising water
In the event the vehicle is sub-
merged in water, remain calm and
perform the following.
WARNING
■Using an emergency hammer* for
emergency escape
The front side wind ows and rear side
windows, as well as the rear window can
be shattered with an emergency ham-
mer
* used for emergency escape. How-
ever, an emergency hammer can not
shatter the windshield as it is laminated
glass.
*: Contact your Lexus dealer or after-
market accessory manufacturer for
further information about an emer-
gency hammer.
3837-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
7
When trouble arises
7-2.Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be
towed
If towing is necessary, we recom-
mend having your vehicle towed by
your Lexus dealer or commercial
towing service, using a wheel-lift
type truck or flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all
towing, and abide by all state/pro-
vincial and local laws.
If towing your vehicle with a wheel-
lift type truck, use a towing dolly.
( P.383, 384)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or
serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
Be sure to transport the vehicle with all
four wheels raised off the ground. If the
vehicle is towed with the tires contacting
the ground, the drivetrain or related
parts may be damaged, the vehicle may
fly off the truck, or electricity generated
by the operation of the motor may cause
a fire to occur depending on the nature
of the damage or malfunction.
■While towing
●When towing using cables or chains,
avoid sudden starts, etc., which place
excessive stress on the towing eyelets,
cables or chains. The towing eyelets,
cables or chains may become dam-
aged, broken debris may hit people,
and cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the power switch off.
There is a possibility that the steering
wheel is locked and cannot be oper-
ated.
■Installing towing eyelets to the vehi-
cle
Make sure that towing eyelets are
installed securely.
If not securely installed, towing eyelets
may come loose during towing.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing using a wheel-lift type
truck
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear
when the power switch is off. The
steering lock mechanism is not strong
enough to hold the front wheels
straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure ade-
quate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle.
Without adequate clearance, the vehi-
cle could be damaged while being
towed.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either
from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle
during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the
suspension components.
3847-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
The following may indicate a problem
with your hybrid transmission. Contact
your Lexus dealer or commercial tow-
ing service before towing. ( P.383)
The hybrid system warning message
is shown on the multi-information
display and the vehicle does not
move.
The vehicle makes an abnormal
sound.
From the front
Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the front
wheels.
When using a flat-bed truck to trans-
port the vehicle, use tire strapping
belts. Refer to the owner’s manual of
the flat-bed truck for the tire strapping
method.
NOTICE
■Recreational towing (behind motor
home, etc.)
Never dinghy tow your vehicle to pre-
vent causing serious damage to the
Hybrid AWD system and transmission.
( P.173)
Situations when it is necessary to
contact dealers before towing
Towing with a wheel-lift type
truck
NOTICE
■Towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck to pre-
vent body damage.
Using a flatbed truck
3857-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
7
When trouble arises
In order to suppress vehicle movement
during transportation, set the parking
brake and turn the power switch off.
If a tow truck is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed using cables or chains
secured to the emergency towing eye-
lets. This should only be attempted on
hard surfaced roads for short distance
at under 18 mph (30 km/h).
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer
and operate the brakes. The vehicle’s
wheels, drivetrain, ax les, steering and
brakes must be in good condition.
To have your vehicle towed by another
vehicle, the towing eyelet must be
installed to your vehicle. Install the tow-
ing eyelet by following the specified
procedure.
1 Take out the wheel nut wrench, flat-
head screwdriver and towing eye-
let. ( P.402)
2 Remove the eyelet cover using a
flathead screwdriver.
To protect the bodywork, place a rag
between the screwdriver and the vehicle
body as shown in the illustration.
Type A
Type B
3 Insert the towing eyelet into the
hole and tighten partially by hand.
Emergency towing
To have your vehicle towed
3867-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
4Tighten down the towing eyelet
securely using a wheel nut wrench
or hard metal bar.
5 Securely attach cables or chains to
the towing eyelet.
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
6Enter the vehicle being towed and
start the hybrid system.
If the hybrid system does not start, turn the
power switch to ON mode.
7Shift the shift lever to N and release
the parking brake.
Turn automatic mode off. ( P.184)
When the shift lever cannot be shifted:
P.181
■While towing
If the hybrid system is off, the power assist
for the brakes and steering will not function,
making steering and braking more difficult.
■Wheel nut wrench
Wheel nut wrench is installed in luggage
compartment. ( P.402)
Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air condi-
tioning after use is normal.)
Flat-looking tires or uneven tire
wear
Engine coolant temperature gauge
needle continually points higher
than normal
Changes in exhaust sound
Excessive tire squeal when corner-
ing
Strange noises related to the sus-
pension system
Pinging or other noises related to
the hybrid system
Engine misfire or misses, stumbling
or running roughly
Appreciable loss of power
Vehicle pulls heavily to one side
when braking
If you think something is
wrong
If you notice any of the following
symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Con-
tact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms
3967-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
The light will go off after several driving
trips.
If the light does not go off even after several
trips, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
■When the tire pressure warning light
comes on
Inspect the appearance of the tire to check
that the tire is not punctured.
If the tire is punctured: P.402
If the tire is not punctured:
Carry out the following procedure after the
tire temperature has lowered sufficiently.
●Check the tire inflation pressure and
adjust to the appropriate level.
●If the warning light does not go out even
after several minutes, check that the tire
inflation pressure is at the specified level
and carry out initialization. ( P.363)
The warning light may come on again if the
above operations are conducted without
first allowing the tire temperature to lower
sufficiently.
■The tire pressure warning light may
come on due to natural causes
The tire pressure wa rning light may come
on due to natural causes such as natural air
leaks and tire inflation pressure changes
caused by temperature. In this case, adjust-
ing the tire inflation pressure will turn off the
warning light (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
The compact spare tire is not equipped with
a tire pressure warning valve and transmit-
ter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warn-
ing light will not turn off even though the flat
tire has been replaced with the spare tire.
Replace the spare tire with the repaired tire
and adjust the tire inflation pressure. The
tire pressure warning lig ht will go off after a
few minutes.
■Conditions that the tire pressure warn-
ing system may not function properly
P.359
■If the tire pressure warning light fre-
quently comes on after blinking for 1
minute
If the tire pressure wa rning light frequently comes on after blinking
for 1 minute when
the power switch is turned to ON mode,
have it checked by your Lexus dealer.
■Warning buzzer
In some cases, the buzzer may not be heard
due to being in a noisy location or audio
sound.
WARNING
■If both the ABS and the brake system
warning lights remain on
Stop your vehicle in a safe place immedi-
ately and contact your Lexus dealer. The
vehicle will become extremely unstable
during braking, and the ABS system may
fail, which could cause an accident
resulting in death or serious injury.
■When the electric power steering
system warning light comes on
When the light comes on yellow, the
assist to the power st eering is restricted.
When the light comes on red, the assist
to the power steering is lost and handling
operations of the steering wheel become
extremely heavy. When steering wheel
operations are heavier than usual, grip
the steering wheel firmly and operate it
using more force than usual.
■If the tire pressure warning light
comes on
Be sure to observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to do so could cause a loss
of vehicle control and result in death or
serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as
soon as possible. Adjust the tire infla-
tion pressure immediately.
WARNING
●If the tire pressure warning light comes
on even after tire inflation pressure
adjustment, it is prob able that you have
a flat tire. Check the tire s. If a tire is flat,
change it with the spare tire and have
the flat tire repaired by the nearest
Lexus dealer.
3977-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LEXUS NX300h Owners Manual_USA_M78578_en
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When trouble arises
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and brak-
ing. If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you
could lose control of the steering
wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage
should occur
The tire pressure warning system may
not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if pro-
vided), should be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label (tire and load
information label). (I f your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indi-
cated on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label [tire and load
information label], yo u should determine
the proper tire infl ation pressure for
those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS-tire pressure
warning system) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warn-
ing light) when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
(tire pressure warnin g light) illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping abil-
ity.
Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure
warning system) is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver’s responsibility to maintain correct
tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumina-
tion of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale
(tire pressure warning light).
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale (tire pres-
sure warning light) . When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and
then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels
on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
(tire pressure warning system) from func-
tioning properly. Always check the
TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction telltale after replacing one
or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire
pressure warning system) to continue to
function properly.
NOTICE
■To ensure the tire pressure warning
system operates properly
Do not install tires with different specifi-
cations or makers, as the tire pressure
warning system may not operate prop-
erly.