Lexus IS250C 2010 Do-It-Yourself Maintenance / LEXUS 2010 IS350C IS250C OWNERS MANUAL (OM53A24U)

Maintenance and care4
379
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior............ 380
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ............. 383
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ....................... 386
General maintenance ......... 388
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs................................. 391 4-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ........................... 392
Hood .......................................... 395
Positioning a floor jack ......... 396
Engine compartment ........... 398
Tires............................................. 412
Tire inflation pressure........... 422
Wheels ...................................... 426
Air conditioning filter ........... 428
Electronic key battery........... 431
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................ 433
Headlight aim ......................... 448
Light bulbs ................................ 450

380
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
■Automatic car washes
●Before washing the vehicle, do the following.
•Fold the mirrors back.
• Remove the antenna. (if detachable)
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
■High pressure car washes
●Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of the
windows.
●Before car wash, check that the fuel filler door on your vehicle is closed prop-
erly.
■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.
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.

381
4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
■Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■Outside rear view mirror rain-clearing coating (if equipped)
Observe the following precautions in order to retain the rain-clearing properties of
the mirror.
●Clean the mirrors using car shampoo or glass cleaner that does not contain sili-
cone or an abrasive compound, and rinse thoroughly with water.
●Allow the mirrors to be exposed to direct sunlight for 1 to 2 days.
■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, insect dro ppings or bird 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.

382
4-1. Maintenance and care
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.
■Detachable pole antenna installation and removal precautions
●Before driving, ensure that the antenna is installed.
●When the antenna is removed, such as before entering an automatic car wash,
make sure to store it in a suitable place so as not to lose it. Also, before driving,
make sure to reinstall the antenna in its original position.
■To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away from th e windshield, pull the driver side wiper
arm upward first, and repeat for the passenger side. When returning the wipers to
their original position, do so from the passenger side first.
■When using an automatic car wash (vehicles with the rain-sensing windshield
wipers only)
Set the wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in “AUTO”, the wipers
may operate and the wiper blades may be
damaged.Off

383
4-1. Maintenance and care
4
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
detergent.
● 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.

384
4-1. Maintenance and care
■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 when 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.
Doing so may cause 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 1 )
Electrical malfunction may cause the airbag s to deploy or not function properly,
resulting in death or severe injury.
■Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect off the
windshield, obstructing the driver's view and leading to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.

385
4-1. Maintenance and care
4
Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use organic substances such as benzene or gasoline, acidic or alkaline
solutions, dye, bleach or other detergent. Doing so may discolor the vehicle inte-
rior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces.
●Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel's or other interior
part's painted surface may be damaged.
■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 th e 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 windshield/rear window
●Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.
●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the wi ndshield/rear window, as this may cause
damage to the rear window defogger heater wires or wire antenna in the wind-
shield. Use a cloth dampened with lukewarm water to gently wipe the window
clean. Wipe the window in strokes running parallel to the heater wires or antenna.

386
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
“Warranty 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-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”,
“Warranty and Services Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supplement” or
“Warranty Booklet”.

387
4-2. Maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■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 de aler 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.
■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 brai n damage. Wash your hands after han-
dling. ( P. 4 0 8 )

388
4-2. Maintenance
General maintenance
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
BatteryMaintenance-free. (P. 4 0 8 )
Brake fluidAt the correct level? ( P. 4 0 6 )
Engine coolantAt the correct level? ( P. 4 0 4 )
Engine oilAt the correct level? ( P. 4 0 1 )
Exhaust systemNo fumes or strange sounds?
Radiator/condenser/hosesNot blocked with foreign matter?
( P. 4 0 6 )
Wa s h e r f l u i dAt the correct level? ( P. 4 1 1 )
Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be performed
at the intervals specified in the “War ranty and Services Guide” or “Owners
Manual Supplement”. It is recomme nded that any problem you notice
should be brought to the attention of your Lexus dealer or qualified service
shop for advice.