2021 LEXUS RC300 engine overheat

4TABLE OF CONTENTS
Air conditioning filter..................275
Electronic key battery ................ 277
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................................... 278
Headlight aim................................. 280
Light bulbs ........................................ 281
7-1. Essential information Emergency flashers..................... 286
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency ............................. 286
If the vehicle is trapped in rising water............................................... 287
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency If your vehicle needs to be towed........................................................... 289
If you think something is wrong ........................................................... 293
Fuel pump shut off system ........ 294
If a warning light turns on or a warn- ing buzzer sounds ..................... 295
If a warning message is displayed ........................................................... 303
If you have a flat tire..................... 307
If the engine wi ll not start ........... 314
If you lose your keys ..................... 316
If the fuel filler door cannot be opened............................................ 316
If the electronic key does not oper- ate properly .................................. 317
If the vehicle battery is discharged ............................................................ 319
If your vehicle overheats ........... 322
If the vehicle becomes stuck ... 3268-1. Specifications
Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) ................................................. 328
Fuel information............................ 339
Tire information .............................. 341
8-2. Customization Customizable features ............... 351
8-3. Items to initialize Items to initialize ............................ 361
8-4. Certifications Certifications ................................. 362
9-1. For owners Reporting safety defects for U.S. owners ........................................... 372
Seat belt instructions for Canadian owners (in French) ................... 372
SRS airbag instructions for Cana- dian owners (in French) ......... 374
Headlight aim instructions for Canadian owners (in French).......................................................... 380
What to do if... (Troubleshooting) .......................................................... 382
Alphabetical Index ...................... 385
7When trouble arises
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index

12Pictorial index
Windshield wipers .................................................................................................. P.147
Precautions for winter season .....................................................................................P.205
To prevent freezing (windshield wiper de-icer)
*...................................................P.219
Precautions against car wash ............................. ......................................................... P.243
Fuel filler door .......................................................................................................... P.155
Refueling method .............................................................................................................. P .155
Fuel type/fuel tank capacity ...... ...................................................................................P.330
Tires.......................................................................................................................... ..P.265
Tire size/inflation pressure ........................................................................................... P.334
Winter tires/tire chain ....................................................................................................P.20 5
Checking/rotation/tire pressure warning system.............................................. P.265
Coping with flat tires........................................................................................................ P .307
Hood ..........................................................................................................................P.255
Opening ........................................................................................................................ ....... P.255
Engine oil ..................................................................................................................... .........P.330
Coping with overheating ............................................................................................... P.322
Warning messages ..........................................................................................................P.303
Headlights ................................................................................................................. P.14 2
Parking lights/daytime running lights............................................................... P.142
Turn signal lights ...................................................................................................... P.136
Cornering lights ...................................................................................................... P.142
Side marker lights ................................................................................................... P.142
Tail lights .................................................................................................................... P.142
Stop lights
Back up light
Shifting the shift lever to R ...............................................................................................P.1 32
License plate lights ................................................................................................. P.142
*:If equipped
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P. 281, Watts: P.338)
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O

702-1. 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.76)
■Customization
The meter display can be customized on
the multi-information display. ( P.351)
■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 in formation 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.322)
Odometer and trip meter dis-
play

1204-1. Before driving
WARNING
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle
only slightly. This allows you to depress
the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal
using your left foot may delay
response in an emergency, resulting in
an accident.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop
the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases
can be extremely hot. These hot parts
may cause a fire if there is any flamma-
ble material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn off
the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be
lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull
over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emer-
gency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
P.286
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (
P.131)
●Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passengers’
arms, heads or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140
km/h) unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driving
over 85 mph (140 km /h) may result in
tire failure, loss of control and possible
injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability tires
or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking
due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly
depress the brake pedal to make sure
that the brakes are functioning prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever
is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall
or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shif t lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a driving
position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.

1214-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while
the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the
vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine
braking is not available when N is
selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other
than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that
may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping
noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when
the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P
or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the
engine is running, and apply the park-
ing brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or back-
ward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake
as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which
could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters,
spray cans, or soft drink cans in the
vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plas-
tic material of glasses to deform or
crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior
of the vehicle, and may also cause a
short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the
vehicle. If a cigare tte lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the
floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is
adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the
windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on
the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act
as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.
●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.

1224-1. Before driving
WARNING
●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 brak e 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.

1274-2. 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.84
■Conditions affecting operation
 P.96
■Notes for the entry function
 P.97
■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

1384-2. Driving procedures
■Turns automatic mode off
While the vehicle is stopped, pull and
hold the parking brake switch until
“EPB Shift Interlock Function Deacti-
vated” will be displayed on the
multi-information display.
■Parking brake operation
●When the engine swit ch is not in IGNI-
TION ON mode, the parking brake can-
not be released using the parking brake
switch.
●When the engine swit ch is not in IGNI-
TION ON mode, automatic mode (auto-
matic brake setting and releasing) is not
available.
■Parking brake automatic release func-
tion
The parking brake is automatically released
when slowly depress the accelerator pedal.
The parking brake will be released auto-
matically under the fo llowing conditions:
• The driver’s door is closed.
•The driver’s seat belt is fastened.
• Shift the shift lever is in a forward or reverse position.
• The malfunction indicator lamp or brake system warning light is not illuminated.
If the automatic release function does not
operate, manually release the parking
brake.
■If “Parking Brake Temporarily Unavail-
able” is displayed on the multi-informa-
tion display
If the parking brake is operated repeatedly over a short period of time, the system may
restrict operation to prevent overheating. If
this happens, refrain from operating the
parking brake. Normal operation will return
after about 1 minute.
■If “EPB Activation
Stopped Incom-
pletely” or “Parking Brake Unavailable”
is displayed on th e multi-information
display
Operate the parking brake switch. If the
message does not disappear after operat-
ing the switch several times, the system may
be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer immedi-
ately.
■Parking brake operation sound
When the parking brake operates, a motor
sound (whirring sound) may be heard. This
does not indicate a malfunction.
■Parking brake operation
●Depending on the engine switch mode,
the parking brake indicator light will turn
on and stay on as described below:
IGNITION ON mode: Comes on until
the parking brake is released.
Not in IGNITION ON mode: Stays on
for approximately 15 seconds.
●When the engine switch is turned off with
the parking brake set, the parking brake
indicator light will stay on for about 15
seconds. This does not indicate a mal-
function.
■Parking the vehicle
 P.118
■Parking brake engaged warning buzzer
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven
with the parking brake engaged. “Parking
Brake ON” is displayed on the multi-infor-
mation display.
■Warning messages and buzzers
Warning messages and buzzers are used to
indicate a system malfunction or to inform
the driver of the need for caution. If a warn-
ing message is shown on the multi-informa-
tion display, read the message and follow
the instructions.