Lexus GS450h 2009 Owner's Manual

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4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
■Automatic car washes
●Fold the mirrors back before washing the vehicle.
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
●Before entering an automatic car wash, check that the fuel filler door is closed.
■High pressure washers
Do not allow the nozzles of the washers to come within close proximity of the win-
dows and fuel filler door.
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime condi-
tion.
●Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any dirt
and dust.
Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a chamois.
●For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thor-
oughly with water.
● Wipe away any water.
● Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle
body is cool.
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■Aluminum wheels
Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use hard brushes
or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical cleaners. Use the same
mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.
■Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If you see dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, ironpowder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled in dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
CAUTION
■Caution about the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe until it has cooled suffi-
ciently, as touching a hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.
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NOTICE
■To protect your vehicle’s painted surfaces
Do not use organic cleaners such as benzene or gasoline.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
●Do not apply wax on the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■When using an automatic car wash (with rain-sensing windshield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wipers
may operate and the wiper blades may be
damaged.OFF
AUTO
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Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
The following procedures will help protect your vehicle’s interior and keep
it in top condition:
■Protecting the vehicle interior
Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surfaces
with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
■ Cleaning the leather areas
● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe any excess dirt and dust with a soft cloth dampened with
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool deter-
gent.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe
off all remaining traces of detergent.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining
moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded and ventilated area.
■ Synthetic leather areas
● Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
● Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather using a sponge
or soft cloth.
● Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the dirt
and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.
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■Caring for leather areas
Lexus recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year to main-
tain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a sponge or
brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not apply water. Excellent
results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as possible.
■Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also check the
belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
CAUTION
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle, such as on the floor, in the hybrid bat-
tery (traction battery) air vents, or in the trunk. Doing so may cause the hybrid
battery, electrical components etc. to malfunction or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(→ P. 1 0 4 )
Electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function properly,
resulting in death or serious injury.
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NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discolor the vehicle inte-
rior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces.
●Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzene or gasoline, alkaline or
acidic solutions, dye, or bleach.
●Seats: Acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, or alcohol.
■Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of leather
surfaces.
●Remove any dust or dirt on leather surfaces immediately.
●Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Park
the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
●Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or that contain wax on the upholstery, 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 under the floor of the vehicle, and may also
cause the body to rust.
■Cleaning the inside of the rear window
●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause damage to
the rear window defogger heater wires. Use a cloth dampened with lukewarm
water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe the window in strokes running par-
allel to the heater wires.
●Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.
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4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Lexus parts be used for repair to ensure perfor-
mance of each system. If non-Lexus parts are used in replacement or if a repair
shop other than a Lexus dealer performs repairs, confirm the warranty coverage.
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and regular main-
tenance is essential. It is the owner’s responsibility to perform regular
checks. Lexus recommends the following maintenance.
■General maintenance
Should be performed on a daily ba sis. This can be done by yourself
or by a Lexus dealer.
■ Scheduled maintenance
Should be performed at specified intervals according to the mainte-
nance schedule.
For details about maintenance items and schedules, refer to the “War-
ranty and Services Guide/Owner’s Manual Supplement/Scheduled
Maintenance”.
■Do-it-yourself maintenance
You can perform some maintenance procedures yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself maintenance may affect war-
ranty coverage.
The use of Lexus Repair Manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, see the separate “Owner’s Guide”,
“Warranty and Services Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement” or
“Warranty Booklet”.
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■Allow inspection and repairs to be performed by a Lexus dealer
●Lexus technicians are well-trained specialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information. They are well informed about the operations of all
systems on your vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repair order. It proves that the maintenance that has been
performed is under warranty coverage. If any problem should arise while your
vehicle is under warranty, your Lexus dealer will promptly take care of it.
CAUTION
■If your vehicle is not properly maintained
It could result in serious damage to the vehicle and possible serious injury or death.
■Hazardous materials
●Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and a wide variety of automobile com-
ponents contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause can-
cer and birth defects and other reproductive harm. Work in a well ventilated area.
●Oils, fuels and fluids contained in vehicles as well as waste produced by compo-
nent wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Avoid exposure and wash
any affected area immediately.
●12 volt battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead
compounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hands after
handling. (→P. 4 4 7 )
●Used engine oil contains chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer in lab-
oratory animals. Avoid prolonged and repeated contact. Always protect your
skin by washing thoroughly with soap and water.
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4-2. Maintenance
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General maintenance
Engine compartment
Luggage compartment
ItemsCheck points
Brake fluid• At the correct level? (→P. 4 4 6 )
Engine/power control unit coolant• At the correct level? (→ P. 444)
Engine oil• At the correct level? (→P. 440)
Exhaust system• No fumes or strange sounds?
Radiator/condenser/hoses• Not blocked with foreign matter?
(→ P. 4 4 5 )
Wa s h e r f l u i d• At the correct level? ( →P. 4 5 1 )
ItemsCheck points
12 volt battery•Maintenance-free ( →P. 4 4 7 )
Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be performed
at the intervals specified in the “Warranty and Services Guide/Owner’s
Manual Supplement”. It is recommended that any problem you notice
should be brought to the attention of your Lexus dealer or qualified service
shop for advice.
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Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal• Moves smoothly (without uneven pedal effort or catching)?
Transmission “Park”
mechanism• Can the vehicle be hold securely on an incline with the shift lever in “P”?
Brake pedal
• Moves smoothly?
• Does it have appropriate clearance and correct amount of free play?
Brakes
• Pulls to one side when applied?
• Loss of brake effectiveness?
• Spongy feeling brake pedal?
• Pedal almost touches floor?
Head restraints• Move smoothly and lock securely?
Indicators/buzzers• Function properly?
Lights• Do all the lights come on?
• Headlights aimed correctly? ( →P. 4 8 9 )
Pa r k i n g b r a ke
• Moves smoothly?
• Can hold the vehicle securely on an
incline?
Seat belts
• Does the seat belt system operate smoothly?
• Are the belts undamaged?
Seats• Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel
• Moves smoothly?
• Has correct free play?
• No strange noises?
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