2446-1. Maintenance and care
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
Remove dirt and dust using a vac-
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehi-
cle.
Doing so may cause electrical compo-
nents, etc. to malfun ction or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components
or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
( P.28)
An electrical malfunction may cause the
airbags to deploy or not function prop-
erly, 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 liquids, as
they may discolor the vehicle interior
or cause streaks or damage to painted
surfaces:
• Center Display: Organic substances such as benzine or gasoline, alkaline
solutions, and alcohol
• Seats: Alkaline solutions, organic sub- stances such as thinner or benzine,
and alcohol
• Other parts: Organic substances such as benzine or gasoline, alkaline or
acidic solutions, dye, and bleach
●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
Do not allow glass cleaner to contact the
lens. Also, do not touch the lens.
( P.156)
■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.
Cleaning the leather areas
2476-2. Maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance”. (To confirm setting,
press .)
3 Select “Yes” and then press .
4 A message will be displayed on the
multi-information display when the
reset procedure has been completed.
You can perform some maintenance
procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself
maintenance may affect warranty cov-
erage.
The use of Lexus repair manuals is recom-
mended.
For details about warra nty coverage, refer
to the separate “Owner’s Guide”, “War-
ranty and Service Guide”, “Owner’s Man-
ual Supplement” or “Warranty Booklet”.
Do-it-yourself maintenance
General maintenance
Listed below are the general main-
tenance items that should be per-
formed at the intervals specified in
the “Warranty and Service Guide”
or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
It is recommended that any prob-
lem you notice should be brought to
the attention of your Lexus dealer
or qualified service shop for advice.
WARNING
■If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there
is adequate ventilation before perform-
ing maintenance checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
Battery
Check the indicator (if
equipped) and con-
nections. ( P.261)
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at the
correct level?
( P.260)
Engine/inter-
cooler coolant
Is the engine/inter-
cooler coolant at the
correct level?
( P.258)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at the
correct level?
( P.256)
Exhaust system
There should not be
any fumes or strange
sounds.
2536-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
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.
■If a symbol indicating the hood opens is
shown on the multi-information display
P.88
■Front
2WD models
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
2586-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
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 consumptio n 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 oi l 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 maintena nce data should be
reset. Perform the following procedures:
1 Select on the multi-information dis-
play. ( P.76)
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 re fill the vehicle.
●Be sure the engine o il filler cap is prop-
erly tightened.
Checking the coolant
2626-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
If any washer does not work or the
warning message appears on the
multi-information display, the washer
tank may be empty. Add washer fluid.
RC350/RC300 AWD
WARNING
■Chemicals in the battery
Batteries contain 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.
■How to recharge the battery
Only perform a slow charge (5 A or
less). The battery may explode if charged
at a quicker rate.
■Emergency measures regarding
electrolyte
●If electrolyte gets in your eyes
Flush your eyes with clean water for at
least 15 minutes and get immediate med-
ical attention. If po ssible, continue to
apply water with a sp onge 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 atten-
tion 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 neces-
sary.
●If you accidentally swallow electrolyte
Drink a large quantity of water or milk.
Get emergency medical attention imme-
diately.
NOTICE
■When recharging the battery
Never recharge the battery while the
engine is running. Also, be sure all acces-
sories are turned off.
Adding the washer fluid
2666-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
information will not be updated.
If this accidentally occurs, either turn the
engine switch to off and then to IGNITION
ON mode, or initialize the system after
checking that the tire pressure is properly
adjusted.
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure warning system that uses tire
pressure warning valves and transmit-
ters to detect low tire inflation pressure
before serious problems arise.
The tire pressure detected by the
tire pressure warning system can be
displayed on the multi-information
display. ( P.71)
The illustration used is intended as an
example, and may differ from the image
that is actually displayed on the multi-infor-
mation display.
If the tire pressure drops below a
predetermined level, the driver is
warned by a screen display and a
warning light. ( P.298)
■Routine tire inflation pressure checks
The tire pressure warning system does not
replace routine tire inflation pressure
checks. Make sure to check tire inflation
pressure as part of your routine of daily
vehicle checks.
■Tire inflation pressure
●It may take a few minutes to display the
tire inflation pressu re after the engine
switch is turned to IGNITION ON mode.
It may also take a few minutes to display
the tire inflation pressure after inflation
pressure has b een adjusted.
●Tire inflation pressure changes with tem-
perature. The displayed values may also
be different from the values measured
using a tire pressure gauge.
■Situations in which the tire pressure
warning system may not operate prop-
erly
●In the following cases, the tire pressure
warning system may not operate prop-
erly.
• If non-genuine Lexus wheels are used.
• A tire has been replaced with a tire that is
not an OE (Original Equipment) tire.
• A tire has been replaced with a tire that is
not of the specified size.
• Tire chains, etc. are equipped.
• An auxiliary-supported run-flat tire is
equipped.
• If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed.
• If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehi-
cle, particularly around the wheels or
wheel housings.
• If the tire inflation pressure is extremely
higher than the specified level.
• If tires not equipped with tire pressure
Tire pressure warning system
2676-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
warning valves and transmitters are used.
• If the ID code on the tire pressure warn- ing valves and transm itters is not regis-
tered in the tire pressure warning
computer.
●Performance may be affected in the fol-
lowing situations.
• Near a TV tower, electric power plant,
gas station, radio stat ion, large display,
airport or other faci lity that generates
strong radio waves or electrical noise
• When carrying a portable radio, cellular phone, cordless phon e or other wireless
communication device
If tire position information is not correctly
displayed due to the radio wave conditions,
the display may be corrected by driving and
changing the radio wave conditions.
●When the vehicle is parked, the time
taken for the warning to start or go off
could be extended.
●When tire inflation pressure declines rap-
idly for example when a tire has burst, the
warning may not function.
When replacing the tires or wheels, the
tire pressure warning valve and trans-
mitters must be installed to the wheels
which will be installed to the vehicle.
When new tire pressure warning
valves and transmitte rs are installed,
new ID codes must be registered in the
tire pressure warning computer and
the tire pressure warning system must
be initialized. ( P.269)
■Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter is not registered, the
tire pressure warning system will not work
properly. After driving for about 20 min-
utes, the tire pressure warning light blinks
for 1 minute and stays on to indicate a sys- tem malfunction.
■The tire pressure warning system
must be initialized in the following
circumstances:
When rotating the tires.
When the tire inflation pressure is
changed such as when changing
traveling speed or load weight.
When changing the tire size.
Installing tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters
NOTICE
■Repairing or replac ing tires, wheels,
tire pressure warning valves, trans-
mitters and tire valve caps
●When removing or fitting the wheels,
tires or the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters, contact your
Lexus dealer as the tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitters may be
damaged if not handled correctly.
●Make sure to install the tire valve caps.
If a tire valve cap is not installed, water
may enter the valve and cause it to
corrode, possibly leading to the valve
sticking or air to leak from the tire.
●When replacing tire valve caps, do not
use tire valve caps other than those
specified. The cap may become stuck.
■To avoid damage to the tire pressure
warning valves and transmitters
When a tire is repaired with liquid seal-
ants, the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter may not operate properly. If a
liquid sealant is used , contact your Lexus
dealer or other qualified service shop as
soon as possible. Afte r use of liquid seal-
ant, make sure to re place the tire pres-
sure warning valve and transmitter when
repairing or replacing the tire. ( P.267)
Initializing the tire pressure
warning system
2686-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
When the tire pressure warning system
is initialized, the current tire inflation
pressure is set as the benchmark pres-
sure.
■How to initialize the tire pressure
warning system
1 Park the vehicle in a safe place, turn
the engine switch off and wait 20
minutes or more.
Initialization cannot be performed while
the vehicle is moving.
2 Adjust the tire inflation pressure to
the specified cold tire inflation pres-
sure level.
Make sure to adjust th e tire pressure to the
specified cold tire infl ation pressure level.
The tire pressure warning system will oper-
ate based on this pressure level.
3 Start the engine. ( P.125)
4 Press and hold the tire pressure
warning reset switch until the tire
pressure warning light blinks slowly
3 times.
Then a message will be displayed on the
multi-information display.
5 Drive straight (with occasional left
and right turns) at approximately
25 mph (40 km/h) or more for
approximately 10 to 30 minutes.
Initialization is complete when the position
of each tire is determined and the inflation pressure of each tire is displayed on the
multi-information display.
■Initialization procedure
●Make sure to carry out initialization after
adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Also, make sure the tires are cold before
carrying out initialization or tire inflation
pressure adjustment.
●If you have accidentally turned the engine
switch off during initialization, it is not
necessary to press the reset switch again
as initialization will restart automatically
when the engine switch has been turned
to IGNITION ON mode for the next
time.
●If you accidentally press the reset switch
when initialization is
not necessary, adjust
the tire inflation pressure to the specified
level when the tires are cold, and conduct
initialization again.
●While the position of each tire is being
determined and the inflation pressures
are not being displayed on the
multi-information display, if the inflation
pressure of a tire drops, the tire pressure
warning light will come on.
■If the tire pressure warning system is not
initialized properly
●In the following situations, initialization
may take longer than usual to be com-
pleted or may not be possible. (Usually,
the vehicle will need to be driven for
approximately 10 to 30 minutes to com-
plete initialization.) If initialization is not
complete after drivin g approximately 30
minutes, continue driving for a while.
• If the vehicle is driven on an unpaved road, it may take longer to complete ini-
tialization.
• If the vehicle is backed up while perform- ing initialization, data collected during ini-
tialization will be cleared and it will take
longer than normal to complete.
• If the vehicle is driven in heavy traffic or another situation where other vehicles
are driven close by, it may take time for
the system to recognize the tire pressure
warning valve and transmitters of your
vehicle over those of other vehicles.
If initialization is not complete after driving