Engine repair Lexus IS300h 2015 Owner's Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS6
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
7-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior ................. 442
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ..................446
7-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements............................. 449
7-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions ................................. 451
Hood ...............................................453
Positioning a floor jack ............. 454
Engine compartment................455
12-volt battery..............................463
Tires ..................................................466
Replacing the tire ........................476
Tire inflation pressure................482
Wheels............................................484
Air conditioning filter................486
Electronic key battery ............. 488
Checking and replacing fuses ............................................... 491
Light bulbs .....................................495 8-1. Essential information
Emergency flashers.................... 512
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an
emergency .................................. 513
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be towed ...................................... 514
If you think something is wrong ...........................................520
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer
sounds........................................... 521
If a warning message is displayed..................................... 527
If you have a flat tire (vehicles with
emergency tire
puncture repair kit).................545
If you have a flat tire (vehicles with run-flat
tires) ..............................................559
If the hybrid system will not start ...................................... 560
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P ............................ 562
7Maintenance and care8When trouble arises

811-2. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
■Regenerative braking
In the following situations, kinetic energy is converted to electric energy and decelera-
tion force can be obtained in conjunction with the recharging of the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery).
●The accelerator pedal is released while driving with the shift lever in D or S.
●The brake pedal is depressed while driving with the shift lever in D or S.
■EV indicator
■Conditions in which the gasoline engine may not stop
The gasoline engine starts an d stops automatically. However, it may not stop automati-
cally in the following conditions:
●During gasoline engine warm-up
●During hybrid battery (traction battery) charging
●When the temperature of the hybrid battery (traction battery) is high or low
●When the heater is switched on
■Charging the hybrid battery (traction battery)
●As the gasoline engine charges the hybrid battery (traction battery), the battery does
not need to be charged from an outside source. However, if the vehicle is left parked for
a long time the hybrid battery will slowly discharge. For this reason, be sure to drive the
vehicle at least once every few months for at least 30 minutes or 16 km (10 miles). If the
hybrid battery becomes fully discharged and you are unable to jump-start the vehicle
with a 12-volt battery, contact any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional.
●If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid battery (traction battery) will not be charged. Always
shift the shift lever to P when the vehicle is stopped. When driving in heavy traffic, oper-
ate the vehicle with the shift lever in D or S to avoid discharging the battery.
■Charging the 12-volt battery
→ P. 5 6 8
The EV indicator comes on when the vehicle is
driven using only the electric motor (traction
motor) or the gasoline engine is stopped.

821-2. Hybrid system
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
■After the 12-volt battery has discharged or has been changed or removed
The gasoline engine may not stop even if the vehicle is being driven by the hybrid battery
(traction battery). If this continues for a few days, contact any authorized Lexus dealer or
repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
■Sounds and vibrations specific to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sound or vibration even though the vehicle is able to move. For
safety, apply the parking brake and make sure to shift the shift lever to P when parked.
The following sounds or vibrations may occu r when the hybrid system is operating and
are not a malfunction:
●Motor sounds may be heard from under the vehicle.
●Sounds may be heard from the hybrid battery (traction battery) behind the rear seats
when the hybrid system starts or stops.
●Sounds from the hybrid system may be heard when the trunk lid is open.
●Sounds may be heard from the hybrid transmission when the hybrid system starts or
stops.
●Engine sounds may be heard when accelerating sharply.
●Sounds may be heard due to regenerative braking when the brake pedal is depressed.
●Vibration may be felt when the gasoline engine starts or stops.
●Cooling fan sounds may be heard from the air intake vents on the both sides of the rear
seatback.
■Maintenance, repair, recycling, and disposal
Contact any authorized Lexus dealer or repa irer, or another duly qualified and equipped
professional regarding maintenance, repair, re cycling and disposal. Do not dispose of the
vehicle yourself.
■Customization
Settings (e.g. on/off operation of the EV indicator) can be changed.
(Customizable features →P. 5 9 1 )

1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
■When starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. (→P. 2 9 6 )
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, becaus e visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, beca use the road surface will be especially slip-
pery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain, because there may
be a layer of water between the tires and the road surface, preventing the steering and
brakes from operating properly.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving. This is due
to automatic up-shifting control or down-shi fting implementation to meet driving condi-
tions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
●When the accelerator pedal is released
●When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected
■Restraining the hybrid system output (Brake Override System)
●When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the hybrid sys-
tem output may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed on the mult i-information display while the system is
operating. If a warning message is shown on the multi-information display, read the
message and follow the instructions.
■Breaking in your new Lexus
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recommended:
●For the first 300 km (186 miles):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 800 km (500 miles):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 km (621 miles):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parkin g brake system. This type of brake system
needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified and equipped professional, perform the bedding down operation.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel. ( →P. 5 8 0 )

1984-1. Before driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce your
ability to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine speed
could cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle, depress the brake pedal to make sure that the brakes
are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from functioning
properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet and not functioning properly, steering
control may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll
forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the hybrid sys-
tem. Engine braking is not available when N is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. Shifting the
shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of
the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by any authorized Lexus dealer or
repairer, or another duly qualified and equi pped professional as soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
Moderate levels of brake pad and disc wear allow enhanced braking power. As a
result, the discs may wear more quickly than conventional brake discs. Therefore, when
replacing the brake pads, Lexus recommends that you also have the thickness of the
discs measured.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or those
of the brake discs are exceeded.

2014-1. Before driving
4
Driving
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during driving, as
this may restrain driving torque.
●Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the
vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for an
extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damaging
the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire ( →P. 545, 559)
■When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to have
any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped pro-
fessional check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid transmis-
sion, differential, etc.
●Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints (where
possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.

3244-6. Driving tips
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
CAUTION
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and cause death or serious injury.
●Use tires of the specified size.
●Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
●Do not drive at speeds in excess of the speed limit or the speed limit specified for the
snow tires being used.
●Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
●Do not use LKA (Lane Keeping Assist) system.
■Driving with tire chains (except vehicles with 18-inch tires)
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle being unable to be driven safely, and may
cause death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit sp ecified for the tire chains being used, or 50
km/h (30 mph), whichever is lower.
●Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steeri ng, sudden braking and shifting operations
that cause sudden engine braking.
●Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that vehicle control is main-
tained.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from Lexus dealers or legitimate tire
retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affects the operation of the
tire pressure warning valves and transmitters.
■Fitting tire chains (except vehicles with 18-inch tires)
The tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not function correctly when tire
chains are fitted.

4216-1. Using the air conditioning system
6
Interior features
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
■Registering air conditioning settings to electronic keys (vehicles with driving position
memory)
●Unlocking the vehicle using an electronic key and turning the power switch to ON
mode will recall that key’s regist ered air conditioning settings.
●When the power switch is turned off, the cu rrent air conditioning settings will automati-
cally be registered to the electronic key that was used to unlock the vehicle.
●The system may not operate correctly if more than one electronic key is in the vicinity or
if the smart entry & start system is used to unlock a passenger door.
●The doors that can recall the air conditioni ng setting when unlocked using the smart
entry & start system can be changed.* For details, contact any authorized Lexus dealer
or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
*: The doors that can recall the driving position memory are changed at the same time.
■Using automatic mode
Fan speed is adjusted automatically according to the temperature setting and the ambi-
ent conditions.
Therefore, the fan may stop for a while until wa rm or cool air is ready to flow immediately
after is pressed or “AUTO” is selected.
■Fogging up of the windows
The windows will easily fog up when the humidity in the vehicle is high. Turning
(“A/C”) on will dehumidify the air from the outlets and defog the windshield effectively.
●If you turn (“A/C”) off, the windows may fog up more easily.
●The windows may fog up if the recirculated air mode is used.
■Outside/recirculated air mode
●When driving on dusty roads such as tunnels or in heavy traffic, set the outside/recircu-
lated air mode button to the recirculated air mode. This is effective in preventing out-
side air from entering the vehicle interior. During cooling operation, setting the
recirculated air mode will also cool the vehicle interior effectively.
●Outside/recirculated air mode may automatically switch depending on the tempera-
ture setting or the inside temperature.
■Operation of the air conditioning system in Eco drive mode
In Eco drive mode, the air conditioning system is controlled as follows to prioritize fuel
efficiency:
●Engine speed and compressor operation controlled to restrict heating/cooling capac-
ity
●Fan speed restricted when automatic mode is selected
To improve air conditioning performance, perform the following operations:
●Adjust the fan speed
●Turn off Eco drive mode

4447-1. Maintenance and care
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
CAUTION
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the engine compartment. Doing so may cause the
electrical components etc. to catch fire.
■When cleaning the windshield (vehicles with rain-sensing windshield wipers)
●When the upper part of the windshield where the raindrop sensor is located is
touched by hand
●When a wet rag or similar is held close to the raindrop sensor
●If something bumps against the windshield
●If you directly touch the raindrop sensor bo dy or if something bumps into the raindrop
sensor
■Precautions regarding the exhaust pipes
Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipes to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipes until they have cooled suf-
ficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipes can cause burns.
■Precaution regarding the rear bumper with Blind Spot Monitor (if equipped)
If the paint of the rear bumper is chipped or scratched, the system may malfunction. If
this occurs, consult any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified
and equipped professional.
Set the wipers to the intermittent windshield
wipers. ( →P. 2 4 1 )
If AUTO mode is selected, the wipers may
operate unexpectedly in the following situa-
tions, and may result in hands being caught or
other serious injuries and cause damage to the
wiper blades.

4507-2. Maintenance
IS300h_EE(OM53D56E)
■Where to go for maintenance service?
In order to maintain your vehicle in the best possible condition, Lexus recommends that
maintenance service operations as well as other inspections and repairs be carried out
by authorized Lexus dealers or repairers or other duly qualified and equipped profes-
sionals. For repairs and services covered by your warranty, please visit an authorized
Lexus dealer or repairer, who will use genuine Lexus parts in repairing any difficulties you
may encounter. There can also be advantag es in utilizing authorized Lexus dealers or
repairers for non-warranty repairs and services, as members of the Lexus network will be
able to expertly assist you with any difficulties you may encounter.
Your Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional will
perform all of the scheduled maintenance on your vehicle reliably and economically due
to their experience with Lexus vehicles.
■Does your vehicle need repairs?
Be on the alert for changes in performance and sounds, and visual tip-offs that indicate
service is needed. Some important clues are:
●Engine missing, stumbling or pinging
●Appreciable loss of power
●Strange engine noises
●A fluid leak under the vehicle (However, water dripping from the air conditioning sys-
tem after use is normal.)
●Change in exhaust sound (This may indicate a dangerous carbon monoxide leak. Drive
with the windows open and have the exhaust system checked immediately.)
●Flat-looking tires, excessive tire squeal when cornering, uneven tire wear
●Vehicle pulls to one side when driven straight on a level road
●Strange noises related to suspension movement
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling brake pedal, pedal almost touches the floor,
vehicle pulls to one side when braking
●Engine coolant temperature continually higher than normal ( →P. 1 0 9 )
If you notice any of these clues, take your vehicle to any authorized Lexus dealer or
repairer, or another duly qualified and equipp ed professional as soon as possible. Your
vehicle may need adjustment or repair.
CAUTION
■If your vehicle is not properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in serious damage to the vehicle and possible
death or serious injury.
■Handling of the 12-volt battery
12-volt battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead com-
pounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hands after handling.
( → P. 4 6 3 )