Lexus IS250 2006 Do-it-yourself maintenance / LEXUS 2006 IS350/250 THROUGH APRIL 2006 PROD. OWNER'S MANUAL (OM53508U)

Maintenance and care4
243
4-1. Maintenance and care ......... 244Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior ................ 244
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ................. 246
4-2. Maintenance ........................... 249 Maintenance requirements ............................ 249
General maintena nce .............. 251
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ................................... 254
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance ......................... 255
Do-it-yourself service precautions ............................... 255
Hood.............................................. 258
Positioning the jack................... 259
Engine compartment................. 261
Tires ................................................. 275
Tire inflation pressure.............. 285
Wheels........................................... 289 Air conditioning filter ............... 291
Electronic key battery ............. 293
Checking and replacing
fuses ............................................. 295
Headlight aim ............................. 309
Light bulbs..................................... 310

244
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.
■High pressure automatic car washes
Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of the win-
dows. Before entering an automatic car wash, check that the fuel filler door on your
vehicle is closed properly.
■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 point.
■Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime condi-
tion.
● Working from top to bottom, liber ally 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.

245
4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
■To prevent deterioration and do by corrosion
●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 or insect droppings on the paint
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron
powder 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 exhaus t 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.
NOTICE
■To protect your vehicle’s painted surfaces
Do not use organic cleaners su ch as benzene or gasoline.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
Wash carefully. Do not use organic subs tances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.

246
4-1. Maintenance and care
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, so ft cloth to remove any remaining
moisture. Allow the leather to dr y in shaded and ventilated area.
■ Synthetic leather areas
●Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
● Apply a mild soap solution to th e synthetic leather using a sponge
or soft cloth.
● Allow the solution to soak in fo r a few minutes. Remove the dirt
and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.

247
4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
■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 parallel to the
heater wires.
■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 overlappin g circles. Do not apply water. The excel-
lent results are obtained by keep ing 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
●Be careful not to splash or spill liquid on the floor.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(  P. 5 7 )
Electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function properly,
resulting in death or severe injury.

248
4-1. Maintenance and care
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 su ch 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 pe riods 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 syst em 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
Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.

249
4
Maintenance and care
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 owne r’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
“Owner’s Manual Supplement/Scheduled Maintenance”.
■ Do-it-yourself maintenance
You can perform some maintenance procedures yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-your self 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”,
“Owner’s Manual Supplement” or “Warranty Booklet”.

250
4-2. Maintenance
■Allow inspection and repairs to be performed by a Lexus dealer
●Lexus technicians are well-trained speciali sts 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 de aler will promptly take care of it.
CAUTION
■Warning in handling of battery
●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.
●Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead com-
pounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hands after han-
dling. (P. 2 7 1 )
●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 thorough ly with soap and water.

251
4-2. Maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
General maintenance
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
BatteryMaintenance-free. (P. 2 7 1 )
Brake fluidAt the correct level? ( P. 2 7 0 )
Engine coolantAt the correct level? ( P. 2 6 8 )
Engine oilAt the correct level? (P. 2 6 4 )
Exhaust systemNo fumes or strange sounds?
Radiator/condenser/hosesNot blocked with foreign matter?
( P. 2 7 0 )
Wa s h e r f l u i dAt the correct level? ( P. 2 74 )
Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be performed
at the intervals specified in the “Own ers Manual Supplement”. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice sh ould be brought to the attention of
your Lexus dealer or qualified service shop for advice.

252
4-2. Maintenance
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal• Moves smoothly (without uneven pedal effort or catching)?
Automatic 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
• Not pull 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. 3 0 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 prop- erly?