2576-3. Maintenance
RC F Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
Radiator and con-
denser
The radiator and con-
denser should be free
from foreign objects.
(P.268)
Washer fluid
Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
(P.270)
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.
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
2616-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
Light bulbs
(P.286)
•Bulb with same num-
ber and wattage rat-
ing as original
• Phillips-head screw- driver
•Flathead screw- driver
•Wrench
Radiator and con-
denser ( P.268)
Tire inflation pres-
sure ( P.277)• Tire pressure gauge
•Compressed air
source
Washer fluid
(P.270)
• Water or washer
fluid containing anti-
freeze (for winter
use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or
washer fluid)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many
mechanisms and fluids that may move
suddenly, become hot, or become elec-
trically energized. To avoid death or seri-
ous injury, observe the following
precautions.
■When working on the engine com-
partment
●Keep hands, clothi ng and tools away
from the moving fans and engine drive
belt.
●Be careful not to touch the engine,
radiator, exhaust manifold, etc. right
after driving as they may be hot. Oil
and other fluids may also be hot.
●Do not leave anything that may burn
easily, such as paper and rags, in the
engine compartment.
ItemsParts and tools●Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose
an open flame to fuel or the battery.
Fuel and battery fumes are flammable.
●Be extremely cautious when working
on the battery. It contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid.
■When working near the electric cool-
ing fans or radiator grille
Be sure the engine switch is off.
With the engine switch in IGNITION
ON mode, the electric cooling fans may
automatically start to run if the air condi-
tioning is on and/or the coolant tempera-
ture is high. ( P.268)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or
falling material, fluid spray, etc. from get-
ting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter
removed may cause excessive engine
wear due to dirt in the air.
2656-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
Fuse boxes (P.283)
Battery ( P.269)
Engine oil level dipstick ( P.265)
Engine coolant reservoir ( P.267)
Engine oil filler cap ( P.265)
Brake fluid reservoir ( P.268)
Washer fluid tank ( P.270)
Electric cooling fans
Condenser ( P.268)
Radiator ( P.268)
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level on the dipstick.
■Checking the engine oil
1 Park the vehicle on level ground.
After warming up the engine and
turning it off, wait more than 5 min-
Engine compartment
Components
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Checking and adding the engine
oil
2676-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F Owner's Manual
6
Maintenance and care
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
The coolant level is satisfactory if it is between the “FULL” and “LOW” lines
on the reservoir when the engine is
cold.
■Engine coolant reservoir
Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
If the level is on or below the “LOW” line,
add coolant up to the “FULL” line.
( P.336)
■Coolant selection
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or a similar high qua lity ethylene glycol
based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite,
and non-borate coolant with long-life
hybrid organic acid technology.
U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mix-
ture of 50% coolant and 50% deionized
water. (Minimum temperature: -31°F
[-35°C])
Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mix-
ture of 55% coolant and 45% deionized
water. (Minimum temperature: -44°F
[-42°C])
For more details about coolant, contact
your Lexus dealer.
■If the coolant level drops within a short
time of replenishing
Visually check the radiator, hoses, engine
coolant reservoir caps, drain cock and
water pump.
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 refill the vehicle.
●Be sure the engine oi l filler cap is prop-
erly tightened.
Checking the coolant
A
B
C
2686-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC F Owner's Manual
If you cannot find a leak, have your Lexus
dealer test the cap and check for leaks in
the cooling system.
Check the radiator and condenser and
clear away any foreign objects.
If either of the above parts is extremely
dirty or you are not sure of their condi-
tion, have your vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer.
■Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN” lines
on the tank.
■Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid type and
prepare the necessary item.
Fluid type
SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
brake fluid
SAE J1704 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 4
brake fluid
Item
Clean funnel
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from
the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause
a dangerous loss of braking efficiency. Use
only newly opened brake fluid.
WARNING
■When the engine is hot
Do not remove the engine coolant reser-
voir cap. ( P.337)
The cooling system may be under pres-
sure and may spray ho t coolant if the cap
is removed, causing serious injuries, such
as burns.
NOTICE
■When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor
straight antifreeze. The correct mixture
of water and antifreeze must be used to
provide proper lubrication, corrosion
protection and cooling. Be sure to read
the antifreeze or coolant label.
■If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to pre-
vent it from damagi ng parts or paint.
Checking the radiator and con-
denser
WARNING
■When the engine is hot
Do not touch the radiator or condenser
as they may be hot and cause serious
injuries, such as burns.
Checking and adding the brake
fluid
3367-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC F Owner's Manual
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.
Cooling fans
Radiator
If a large amount of coolant leaks, immedi-
ately contact your Lexus dealer.
4
The coolant level is satisfactory if it
is between the full (“FULL”) and low
(“LOW”) lines on the reservoir.
Reservoir cap
“FULL”
“LOW”
5 Add coolant if necessary.
Water can be used in an emergency if
If your vehicle overheats
The following may indicate that
your vehicle is overheating.
The engine coolant temperature
gauge ( P.66) 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
A
B
A
B
C
3377-2. Steps to take in an emergency
RC F Owner's Manual
7
When trouble arises
coolant is unavailable.
6Start the engine and turn the air
conditioning system on to check
that the radiator cooling fans oper-
ate and to check for coolant leaks
from the radiator or hoses.
The fans operate when the air conditioning
system is turned on immediately after a
cold start. Confirm that the fans are oper-
ating by checking the fan sound and air
flow. If it is difficult to check these, turn the
air conditioning system on and off repeat-
edly.
(The fans may not operate in freezing tem-
peratures.)
7 If the fans are not operating:
Stop the engine immediately and
contact your Lexus dealer.
If the fans are operating:
Have the vehicle inspected at the
nearest Lexus dealer.
WARNING
■When inspecting under the hood of
your vehicle
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in serious
injury such as burns.
●If steam is seen coming from under the
hood, do not open the hood until the
steam has subsided. The engine com-
partment may be very hot.
●Keep hands and clothing (especially a
tie, a scarf or a muff ler) away from the
fans and belts. Failure to do so may
cause the hands or clothing to be
caught, resulting in serious injury.
●While the engine and radiator are hot,
do not loosen or remove the coolant
reservoircap.
High temperature steam or coolant
couldspray out.
NOTICE
■When adding engine coolant
Add coolant slowly after the engine has
cooled down sufficiently. Adding cool
coolant to a hot engine too quickly can
cause damage to the engine.
■To prevent damage to the cooling sys-
tem
Observe the following precautions:
●Avoid contaminating the coolant with
foreign matter (such as sand or dust
etc.).
●Do not use any coolant additive.
401Alphabetical Index
RC F Owner's Manual
PCS warning light .....................................303
R
Radar cruise control (dynamic radar cruise control) ............................................................ 171
Radiator ........................................................... 268
RCTA Function ............................................................ 179
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) ........... 179
Rear passengers’ seat belt reminder lights
..........................................................................305
Rear seats Seat heaters .................................................... 219
Seat ventilators.............................................. 219
Rear side marker lights Light switch .................................................... 138
Rear turn signal lights Replacing light bulbs................................ 287
Turn signal lever ...........................................136
Wattage.......................................................... 346
Rear view mirror Inside rear view mirror............................. 109
Outside rear view mirrors ....................... 110
Rear window defogger ...............................215
Refueling Capacity ...........................................................341
Fuel types.........................................................341
If the fuel filler door cannot be opened......................................................................... 329
Opening the fuel tank cap ..................... 150
Remote Touch .............................................. 206
Replacing Electronic key battery................................281
Fuses ................................................................ 283
Light bulbs.....................................................286
Tires .................................................................... 321
Resetting the message indicating mainte- nance is required ...................................... 255
Rev indicator .................................................... 70
Rev peak............................................................... 71
S
Seat belt reminder light................. 304, 305
Seat belts............................................................ 24 Automatic Locking Retractor................. 26
Child restraint system installation ......... 43
Cleaning and maintaining the seat belt.......................................................................... 243
Driver’s and front pa ssenger’s seat belt
reminder light and buzzer ................ 304
Emergency Locking Retractor .............. 26
How to wear your seat belt ..................... 25
How your child should wear the seat belt
............................................................................. 25
Pregnant women, proper seat belt use ............................................................................. 24
Rear passengers’ seat belt reminder lights and buzzer ................................... 305
Seat belt extender......................................... 25
Seat belt pretensioners .............................. 27
SRS warning light........................................ 301
Seat heaters .....................................................219
Seat position memory................................. 105
Seat ventilators ...............................................219
Seating capacity.............................................126
Seats Adjustment ..................................................... 103
Child seats/child restraint system installa-tion .................................................................... 42
Cleaning ......................................................... 243
Driving position memory ........................ 105
Power easy access system .................... 105
Properly sitting in the seat ........................ 23
Seat heaters ....................................................219
Seat position memory .............................. 105
Seat ventilators ..............................................219
Sensor Automatic headlight system .................. 138
Automatic High Beam system ............. 140
Inside rear view mirror ............................... 110
LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) ......................................................... 164