LEXUS RX350 2012 Service Manual

IntroductionThe Impor T ance of Scheduled m a I n T enance
MAINTENANCE
39Regular maintenance is essential to
obtaining the highest level of per -
formance, safety and reliability from
your Lexus. It can also enhance your
vehicle’s resale value. This section of
the Warranty and Services Guide is
designed to help you make sure your
vehicle receives proper and timely
maintenance. It includes factory-rec -
ommended maintenance guidelines
as well as logs in which to document
your vehicle’s maintenance history.
In addition to scheduled maintenance,
your Lexus requires ongoing general
maintenance such as fluid checks and
visual inspections. These procedures
are listed on pages 42–43 of this
booklet and described in detail in
the “Maintenance” section of the
Owner’s Manual . It is especially important to check
your vehicle’s engine oil once a
month and to regularly replace the
engine oil and oil filter. f ailure to
do so can cause oil starvation and/
or oil gelling, which can result in
severe damage to your vehicle
and require costly repairs that are
not covered by the n ew Vehicle
l imited Warranty.
With proper maintenance and care,
your vehicle will last longer and
deliver more dependable, economical
performance. Follow this booklet’s
recommendations and you’ll enjoy
maximum reliability and peace of
mind from your Lexus for many years
to come.

Introductionm a I n T enance and l exu S Warran T y c o V erage
MAINTENANCE40 Maintaining your vehicle according to
the recommendations in this booklet
is required to ensure that your
warranty coverage remains intact.
You should keep detailed records of
vehicle maintenance, including date
of service, mileage at time of service
and a description of service and/
or parts installation performed. The
maintenance logs in this booklet are a
good place to record this information.
If you sell your vehicle, be sure to
give your maintenance records to the
new owner.
Lexus will not deny a warranty claim
solely because you do not have
records to show that you maintained
your vehicle. However, damage
or failures caused by lack of proper
maintenance are not covered
under warranty.
Maintenance and repair services may
be performed by you or by any auto -
motive service provider you choose.
Lexus will not deny a warranty claim
solely because you used a service provider other than a Lexus dealer -
ship for maintenance and repairs.
However, damage or failures caused
by improper maintenance or repairs
are not covered under warranty.
Your dealer may recommend more
frequent maintenance intervals or
more maintenance services than
those listed in the scheduled mainte -
nance log. These additional services
are not required to maintain your
warranty coverage. Ask your dealer
for an explanation of any recom -
mended maintenance not included in
the scheduled maintenance log.
For a complete description of
Lexus warranty coverages, see
pages 16–33 of this booklet.

Introductionl exu S d ealer S h I p Ser VI ce
MAINTENANCE
41To ensure that your vehicle receives
first-quality service and factory-
authorized parts, Lexus recommends
having maintenance performed by
an authorized Lexus dealership. To
locate your nearest authorized Lexus
dealership, log on to www.lexus.com
or contact Lexus Customer Satisfac t ion
at (800) 255-3987.
Lexus dealership technicians are
experts in the maintenance and repair
of Lexus vehicles. They stay current
on the latest service information
through Lexus technical bulletins,
service publications and training
courses. Many are also certified
through the Lexus Commitment to
Perfection Certification Program,
which requires specialized, state-of-
the-art training as well as rigorous
exams through both Lexus and the
National Institute for Automotive
Service Excellence.
Additionally, when you have your
vehicle serviced at a Lexus dealer -
ship, your service information is
recorded in the Lexus National
Service History database. This is the
first database of its kind in the auto -
motive industry. It can be accessed by any Lexus dealership in the U.S. — a
great convenience if you relocate or
need to have your vehicle serviced
while traveling.
You can be confident you’re getting
the best possible service for your
vehicle when you take it to a Lexus
dealership. Don’t trust your invest -
ment to anything less than a team of
Lexus specialists.
Maintenance and repairs not
performed by an authorized
Lexus dealership should be per -
formed by a qualified technician
following procedures in Lexus
service and repair publications.

Introductiong eneral m a I n T enance and r egular uS e
MAINTENANCE42 In addition to scheduled maintenance,
your Lexus requires ongoing general
maintenance such as fluid checks and
visual inspections. The recommended
guidelines for inspections are listed
below. Please refer to the “Mainte-
nance” section of the Owner’s Manual
for a detailed description of inspection
procedures.
Every 30 Days At least once every 30 days, perform
these inspections:
• Check engine oil level using
the dipstick
• Visually check engine coolant
level on the see - t hrough reservoir
• Visually check brake fluid level
on the see-through reservoir
• Visually check condition
of battery
• Check level of windshield
washer fluid
• Check tire pressure
• Check tires for damage
and wear
• Check installation of driver’s
floor mat After a Car Wash • Check installation of driver’s
floor mat
After Off-Road Driving Whenever you drive off-road through
deep sand, mud or water, perform
these inspections daily:
• Check axle shaft boots
• Check ball joints and dust covers
• Check brake lines and hoses
• Check brake pads/rotors and
parking brake linings/drums
• Check differential oil
• Check engine air filter
• Check nuts and bolts on chassis
• Check steering linkage
and boots
• Check transfer case oil
(AWD models)
• Check transmission for
signs of leakage

Introductiong eneral m a I n T enance and r egular uS e
MAINTENANCE
43When Cleaning the Interior • Remove dirt and dust with a
vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty
surfaces with a soft cloth damp -
ened with warm water.
• When cleaning leather interior,
remove dirt and dust with a
vacuum cleaner. Using a sponge,
apply a small amount of neutral
wool detergent mixed in water,
rubbing in a circular motion.
Wipe off any excess detergent
and let leather dry in an
open-air location.
• When cleaning carpet, remove
dirt and dust with a vacuum
cleaner. Apply a foaming-type
carpet cleaner with a sponge or
brush, allowing cleaner to work
for a few minutes to loosen dirt.
Continue by rubbing carpet in
a circular motion. Wipe off any
excess cleaner with a clean cloth.
If any dirt remains, repeat process.
Best results are obtained by
keeping the carpet as dry
as possible. When Cleaning the Exterior • Working from top to bottom,
apply lots of low-pressure water
to the body, wheel wells and
underside of vehicle to remove
dirt and dust. Wash the vehicle
body using a soft sponge or
cotton cloth with mild car-wash
soap. Rinse off with water.
• If water does not bead on a clean
vehicle surface, apply car wax
using a soft cotton cloth when
the body of the vehicle is cool.
When Cleaning the Wheels • Wait for hot wheels to cool
before getting wheels wet.
• Using a soft sponge or cotton
cloth, apply same mild car-wash
soap as used for the vehicle
body. Quickly rinse off with
water. Using a soft cotton cloth,
apply same car wax as used for
the vehicle body.

Scheduled Maintenance LogScheduled m a I n T enance l og
MAINTENANCE44 Determining Your
Maintenance Interval:
Months vs. Mileage Lexus recommends obtaining sched -
uled maintenance for your vehicle
every six months or 5,000 miles,
whichever occurs first.
For example:
• I f at six months you have driven
less than 5,000 miles, you
should obtain maintenance at
six months ; don’t wait until
5,000 miles.
• I f you drive 5,000 miles in less
than six months, you should
obtain maintenance at 5,000
miles ; don’t wait until six months.
Be sure to keep an eye on your
mileage so that you obtain mainte -
nance when recommended. If you
are a low-mileage driver, mark your
calendar to remind yourself to obtain
maintenance every six months. Special Operating
Conditions In addition to standard maintenance
items, vehicles that are driven
under special operating conditions
require further maintenance service.
These special operating conditions,
which put added demands on a
vehicle, include:
• Driving on dirt roads or on
dusty roads
• Repeated trips of less than five
miles in temperatures below
32° F or 0° C
• Extensive idling and/or low-
speed driving for long distances,
such as police, taxi or door-to-
door delivery use
If you drive primarily under any
of the conditions noted, you
should replace the engine oil
and oil filter every six months
or 5,000 miles. Some of these
special operating conditions
require other maintenance items;
these items are indicated in each
maintenance chart.

Scheduled Maintenance LogScheduled m a I n T enance l og
MAINTENANCE
45If you drive only occasionally under
any of the special operating condi -
tions noted, it is not necessary to
change the oil every six months or
5,000 miles or to perform the addi -
tional services listed in the charts. This
added maintenance is required only
if you drive primarily under any of the
special operating conditions.
Complimentary First
Scheduled Maintenance
Service: Six Months or
5,000 Miles Lexus provides your first scheduled
maintenance service at no charge.
The service is performed at six
months or 5,000 miles, whichever
occurs first. To obtain this service,
contact your Lexus dealership. Your
complimentary service will include
these items:
• Inspect and adjust all fluid levels
• Program Lexus Personalized
Settings, if requested
• Reset maintenance reminder light
• Rotate tires • Visually inspect brake pads,
calipers and rotors
• Check installation of driver’s
floor mat
• Inspect wiper blades
• Road-test vehicle
What are Lexus
Personalized Settings?
Your vehicle includes a variety of
electronic features that can be pro -
grammed to your preferences. For
example, doors can be programmed
to remain locked when you shift into
“Park.” (For more information, see the
“Customizable Features” section of the
Specifications chapter in your Owner’s
Manual .) Programming of these fea -
tures is performed once at no charge,
provided you obtain the service at the
six-month/5,000-mile scheduled
maintenance service. Programming
of some Lexus Personal iz ed Settings
requires special equipment and may
be performed only by an authorized
Lexus dealership.

Scheduled Maintenance LogComplimentary Second
Scheduled Maintenance
Service: 12 Months or
10,000 Miles Lexus also provides your second
scheduled maintenance service at no
charge. The service is performed at
12 months or 10,000 miles, whichever
occurs first. To obtain this service,
contact your Lexus dealership. Your
complimentary service will include
these items:
• Replace engine oil with 0W-20
oil; replace oil filter
• Reset maintenance
reminder light
• Rotate tires
• Visually inspect brake pads,
calipers and rotors
• Check installation of driver’s
floor mat
• Inspect wiper blades
• Road-test vehicle
If you do the majority of your driving
under certain special operating con -
ditions, additional items are included
in this service. See the “12 Months or
10,000 Miles” chart on page 48.Scheduled m a I n T enance l og
MAINTENANCE46

Scheduled Maintenance LogN O t ES Scheduled m a I n T enance l og
MAINTENANCE
47

Scheduled Maintenance l og
MAINTENANCE Scheduled Maintenance Log48 6 Months or 5,000 Miles 1
12 Months or 10,000 Miles 2
❑ Replace engine oil with 0W-20 oil; replace
oil filter
❑ Reset maintenance reminder light
❑ Rotate tires
❑ Visually inspect brake pads, calipers and rotors
❑ Check installation of driver’s floor mat
❑ Inspect wiper blades
❑ Road-test vehicle
I f you drive primarily under any of
these special operating conditions,
perform these additional items:
D
riving off-road, on dirt roads or on
dusty roads:
❑ Inspect axle shaft boots
❑ Inspect ball joints and dust covers
❑ Inspect engine air filter
❑ Inspect steering linkage and boots
❑ Re-torque nuts and bolts of drive shaft (AWD)
❑ Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis
Towing a trailer, using a car-top carrier
or heavy vehicle loading:
❑ Re-torque nuts and bolts of drive shaft (AWD)
❑ Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis
Driving on roads on which road salt has
been applied:
❑ Re-torque nuts and bolts of drive shaft (AWD)
d ate: _______ Mileage: ________
1
This service, excluding maintenance required for special operating conditions, is complimentary when performed by an
authorized Lexus dealership.
2
This service is complimentary when performed by an authorized Lexus dealership.❑ Inspect and adjust all fluid levels
❑ Program Lexus Personalized Settings,
if requested
❑ Reset maintenance reminder light
❑ Rotate tires
❑ Visually inspect brake pads, calipers and rotors
❑ Check installation of driver’s floor mat
❑ Inspect wiper blades
❑ Road-test vehicle
Note: If you drive primarily under certain special
operating conditions, you should also replace
the engine oil with 0W-20 oil and replace the
oil filter. See page 44 for conditions that apply.
Some conditions require additional maintenance.
See below.
I f you drive primarily under any of

these special operating conditions,
perform these additional items:
D
riving off-road, on dirt roads or on
dusty roads:
❑ Inspect axle shaft boots
❑ Inspect ball joints and dust covers
❑ Inspect engine air filter
❑ Inspect steering linkage and boots
❑ Re-torque nuts and bolts of drive shaft (AWD)
❑ Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis
Towing a trailer, using a car-top carrier
or heavy vehicle loading:
❑ Re-torque nuts and bolts of drive shaft (AWD)
❑ Tighten nuts and bolts on chassis
Driving on roads on which road salt has
been applied:
❑ R e-torque nuts and bolts of drive shaft (AWD)
d ate: _______ Mileage: ________