2014-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
4
Driving
ever, the position will return to normal after
VGRS is reactivated.
■When the battery is disconnected (vehi-
cles with VGRS)
The steering wheel may move from its
straight forward position, but this will be
corrected automatically when driving.
■Sounds and vibrations caused by the
ABS, brake assist, VS C, TRAC, hill-start
assist control and VGRS systems
●A sound may be heard from the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed repeatedly, when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to
move. This sound does not indicate that a
malfunction has occurred in any of these
systems.
●Any of the following conditions may
occur when the above systems are oper-
ating. None of these indicates that a mal-
function has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after
the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.
■EPS, VGRS and DR S operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a
motor sound (whirring sound) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■Automatic reactivation of TRAC/VSC
systems
After turning the TRAC and VSC systems
off, the systems w ill be automatically
re-enabled in the following situations:
●When the engine switch is turned off
●If only the TRAC system is turned off, the
TRAC will turn on when vehicle speed
increases
If both the TRAC and VSC systems are
turned off, automatic re-enabling will not
occur when vehicle speed increases.
■Reduced effectiveness of the EPS sys-
tem
The effectiveness of the EPS system is
reduced to prevent the system from over-
heating when there is frequent steering
input over an extended period of time. The
steering wheel may feel heavy as a result.
Should this occur, re frain from excessive
steering input or stop the vehicle and turn
the engine off. The EPS system should
return to normal within 10 minutes.
WARNING
■The ABS does not operate effectively
when
●The limits of tire gripping performance
have been exceeded (such as exces-
sively worn tires on a snow covered
road).
●The vehicle hydroplanes while driving
at high speed on wet or slick roads.
■Stopping distance when the ABS is
operating may exceed that of normal
conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the
vehicle’s stopping di stance. Always main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you, especially in the following
situations:
●When driving on dirt, gravel or
snow-covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the road
●When driving over roads with potholes
or uneven surfaces
■TRAC/VSC may not operate effec-
tively when
Directional control and power may not
be achievable while driving on slippery
road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC
system is operating. Drive the vehicle
carefully in conditions where stability and
power may be lost.
2024-5. Using the driving support systems
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
WARNING
■Hill-start assist control does not oper-
ate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on hill-start assist
control. Hill-start assist control may
not operate effectively on steep
inclines and roads covered with ice.
●Unlike the parking brake, hill-start
assist control is not intended to hold
the vehicle stationary for an extended
period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehi-
cle on an incline, as doing so may lead
to an accident.
■When the TRAC/VSC is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always
drive carefully. Re ckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular
care when the indicator light flashes.
■When the TRAC/VSC systems are
turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed
appropriate to the road conditions. As
these are the systems to help ensure
vehicle stability and driving force, do not
turn the TRAC/VSC systems off unless
necessary.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all ti res are of the speci-
fied size, brand, tread pattern and total
load capacity. In addition, make sure that
the tires are inflated to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure level.
The ABS, TRAC and VSC systems will
not function correctly if different tires are
installed on the vehicle.
Contact your Lexus dealer for further
information when replacing tires or
wheels.
■Handling of tires and the suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or
modifying the suspension will affect the
driving assist systems, and may cause a
system to malfunction.
2044-6. Driving tips
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
warm water over the frozen area to
melt the ice. Wipe away the water
immediately to prevent it from
freezing.
To ensure proper operation of the
climate control system fan, remove
any snow that has accumulated on
the air inlet vents in front of the
windshield.
Check for and remove any excess
ice or snow that may have accumu-
lated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s
roof, chassis, around the tires or on
the brakes.
Remove any snow or mud from the
bottom of your shoes before getting
in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a
safe distance between you and the
vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced
speed suitable to road conditions.
Park the vehicle and move the shift
lever to P without setting the park-
ing brake. The parking brake may
freeze up, preventing it from being
released. If the vehicle is parked
without setting the parking brake,
make sure to block the wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerous
because it may cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly, possibly lead-
ing to an accident.
When the parking brake is in automatic mode, release the parking brake after shift-
ing the shift lever to P. (
P.135)
If the vehicle is parked without set-
ting the parking brake, confirm that
the shift lever cannot be moved out
of P
*.
*: The shift lever will be locked if it is
attempted to be shifted from P to any
other position with out depressing the
brake pedal. If the shift lever can be
shifted from P, ther e may be a problem
with the shift lock sy stem. Have the vehi-
cle inspected by your Lexus dealer
immediately.
Vehicles with front and rear tires of
the same size except for vehicles
with LDH and 19-inch tires
Use the correct tire chain size when
mounting the tire chains.
Chain size is regulated for each tire
size.
Side chain (0.12 in. [3 mm] in diam-
eter)
Cross chain (0.16 in. [4 mm] in
diameter)
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
Selecting tire chains
A
B
2416-1. Maintenance and care
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
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, al kaline 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.
■Brake pads and calipers
Rust may form if the vehicle is parked with
wet brake pads or disc rotors, causing them
to stick. Before parking the vehicle after it is
washed, drive slowly and apply the brakes
several times to dry the parts.
■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 insufficient, 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.145)
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
2436-1. Maintenance and care
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
Remove dirt and dust using a vac-
uum cleaner. Wipe dirty surfaces
with a cloth dampened with luke-
warm water.
If dirt cannot be removed, wipe it off
with a soft cloth dampened with
neutral detergent diluted to approx-
imately 1%.
Wring out any excess water from the cloth
and thoroughly wipe off remaining traces
of detergent and water.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type
cleaners available. Use a sponge or brush
to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping cir-
cles. Do not use water. Wipe dirty surfaces
and let them dry. Excellent results are
obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as
possible.
■Handling the seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water
using a cloth or spon ge. Also check the
belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying
or cuts.
■When cleaning the carpeted portions of
the glove box, console box, etc.
If a strong adhesive tape is used, there is a
possibility that the su rface of the carpet
could be damaged.
NOTICE
●Do not bring the nozzle tip close to
boots (rubber or re sin 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
• Brake parts
●Keep the cleaning nozzle at least 11.9
in. (30 cm) away from the vehicle
body. Otherwise resin section, such as
moldings and bumpers, may be
deformed and damaged.
Also, do not continuously hold the nozzle
in the same place.
●Do not spray the lower part of the
windshield continuously.
If water enters the air conditioning sys-
tem intake located near the lower part of
the windshield, the air conditioning sys-
tem may not oper ate correctly.
●Do not wash the underside of the vehi-
cle using a high pressure car washer.
Cleaning and protecting the
vehicle interior
Perform cleaning in a manner
appropriate to each component
and its material.
Protecting the vehicle interior
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.
2486-2. Maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
Radiator, con-
denser and inter-
cooler radiator
The radiator, con-
denser and inter-
cooler radiator should
be free from foreign
objects. (P.260)
Washer fluid
Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
(P.262)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator
pedal
• The accelerator
pedal should move
smoothly (without
uneven pedal effort
or catching).
Automatic trans-
mission “Park”
mechanism
•When parked on a slope and the shift
lever is in P, is the
vehicle securely
stopped?
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appro-
priate clearance
from the floor?
• Does the brake pedal have the cor-
rect amount of free
play?
ItemsCheck points
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to one side
when the brakes are
applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel
spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get too
close to the floor
when the brakes are
applied.
Head restraints
•Do the head restraints move
smoothly and lock
securely?
Indicators/buzz-
ers•Do the indicators and buzzers function
properly?
Lights• Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake
•Does the parking brake pedal move
smoothly?
• When parked on a slope and the park-
ing brake is on, is the
vehicle securely
stopped?
Seat belts
• Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
ItemsCheck points
2516-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350/RC300 Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
6-3.Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service pre-
cautions
If you perform maintenance by
yourself, be sure to follow the cor-
rect procedure as given in these
sections.
Maintenance
ItemsParts and tools
Battery condition
(P.261)
•Warm water
•Baking soda
•Grease
• Conventional
wrench (for terminal
clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level
(P.260)
• SAE J1703 or
FMVSS No.116 DOT
3 brake fluid
• SAE J1704 or FMVSS No.116 DOT
4 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine/inter-
cooler coolant
level( P.258)
• “Toyota Super Long
Life Coolant” or a
similar high quality
ethylene gly-
col-based non-sili-
cate, non-amine,
non-nitrite and
non-borate coolant
with long-life hybrid
organic acid tech-
nology
•For the U.S.A.:“Toyota
Super Long Life
Coolant” is
pre-mixed with 50%
coolant and 50%
deionized water.
•For Canada:“Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” is
pre-mixed with 55%
coolant and 45%
deionized water.
•Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil level
( P.256)
•“Toyota Genuine
Motor Oil” or equiv-
alent
• Rag or paper towel
•Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses ( P.276)
•Fuse with same
amperage rating as
original
ItemsParts and tools