maintenance LEXUS RC300 2018 Owner's Manual

3876-2. Maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care
General maintenance Listed below are the general maintenanc e items that should be performed at
the intervals specified in the “Warranty and Service Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”. It is recommende d that any problem you notice should
be brought to the attention of your Lexu s dealer or qualified service shop for
advice.
Engine compartment Items Check points
Battery Check the indicator (if equipped) and connections.
(  P. 408)
Brake fluid Is the brake fluid at the correct level? (  P. 407)
Engine/intercooler coolant Is the engine/intercooler c oolant at the correct level?
(  P. 404)
Engine oil Is the engine oil at the correct level? (  P. 400)
Exhaust system There should not be any fumes or strange sounds.
Radiator, condenser and
intercooler radiator The radiator, condenser and intercooler radiator
should be free from foreign objects. (  P. 406)
Washer fluid Is there sufficient washer fluid? (  P. 411)

388 6-2. Maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)Vehicle interior Items Check points
Accelerator pedal • The accelerator pedal sh ould move smoothly (with-
out uneven pedal effort or catching).
Automatic transmission
“Park” mechanism • When parked on a slope and the shift lever is in P, is
the vehicle securely stopped?
Brake pedal • Does the brake pedal move smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appropriate clearance
from the floor? (  P. 547)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of
free play? (  P. 547)
Brakes • The vehicle should not pull to one side when the
brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should no t get too close to the floor
when the brakes are applied.
Head restraints
(RC350/RC300) • Do the head restraints move smoothly and lock
securely?
Indicators/buzzers • Do the indicators and buzzers function properly?
Lights • Do all the lights come on?
Parking brake • Does the parking brake pedal move smoothly?
• When parked on a slope and the parking brake is on,
is the vehicle securely stopped?
Seat belts • Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
Seats • Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel • Does the steering wheel rotate smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correct amount of
free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds coming
from the steering wheel.

3896-2. Maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care Vehicle exterior Items Check points
Doors/trunk • Do the doors/trunk operate smoothly?
Engine hood • Does the engine hood lock system work properly?
Fluid leaks • There should not be any si gns of fluid leakage after
the vehicle has been parked.
Tires • Is the tire inflation pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or excessively
worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the mainte-
nance schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Windshield wipers •The wiper blades should no t show any signs of crack-
ing, splitting, wear, contamination or deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the windshield without
streaking or skipping.
WARNING ■
If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation before performing
maintenance checks.

390 6-2. Maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)The OBD system determines that a problem exists somewhere in the emission
control system. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test and may need to be
repaired. Contact your Lexus dealer to service the vehicle. ●
When the battery is disconnected or discharged
Readiness codes that are set duri ng ordinary driving are erased.
Also, depending on your driving habits , the readiness codes may not be com-
pletely set. ●
When the fuel tank cap is loose
The malfunction indicator lamp comes on indicating a temporary malfunction
and your vehicle may not pass the I/M test.
The error code in the OBD system will not be cleared unless the vehicle is driven
40 or more times.
Contact your Lexus dealer to pr epare the vehicle for re-testing.Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs Some states have vehicle emission in spection programs which include OBD
(On Board Diagnostics) checks. The OBD system monitors the operation of
the emission control system.
If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on
Your vehicle may not pass the I/M te st in the following situations:
When the malfunction indicator lamp still remains on after several driv-
ing trips
If your vehicle does not pass the I/M test

391
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions If you perform maintenance by yourself, be sure to follow the correct proce-
dure as given in these sections. Items Parts and tools
Battery condition
(  P. 408) •Warm water • Baking soda •Grease
• Conventional wrench (for terminal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level
(  P. 407) • SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 brake fluid
• SAE J1704 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 4 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine/intercooler
coolant level
(  P. 404) • “Toyota Super Long Life Coolan t” or a similar high quality
ethylene glycol-based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite
and non-borate coolant with long-life hybrid organic acid
technology
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed with 50%
coolant and 50% deionized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Cool ant” is pre-mixed with 55%
coolant and 45% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil level
(  P. 400) • “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses
(  P. 429) • Fuse with same amperage rating as original
Light bulbs
(  P. 432) • Bulb with same number and wattage rating as original
• Phillips-head screwdriver •Flathead sc rewdriver
•Wrench
Radiator, condenser
and intercooler radi-
ator (  P. 406)

Tire inflation pres-
sure (  P. 420) • Tire pressure gauge • Compressed air source
Washer fluid
(  P. 411) • Water or washer fluid containing antifreeze (for winter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer fluid)

392 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING
The engine compartment contains many mechan isms and fluids that may move suddenly,
become hot, or become electrically energize d. To avoid death or serious injury, observe
the following precautions. ■
When working on the engine compartment ●
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan and engine drive belt.●
Be careful not to touch the engine, radiator, exhaust manifold, etc. right after driving
as they may be hot. Oil and other fluids may also be hot. ●
Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and rags, in the engine
compartment. ●
Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel or the battery. Fuel and
battery fumes are flammable. ●
Be extremely cautious when working on the battery. It contains poisonous and corro-
sive sulfuric acid. ■
When working near the electric cooling fans or radiator grille
Be sure the engine switch is off.
With the engine switch in IGNITION ON mode, the electric cooling fans may auto-
matically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant temperature is high.
(  P. 406) ■
Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, flui d spray, etc. from getting in
your eyes.
NOTICE ■
If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner f ilter removed may cause excessive engine wear due to dirt
in the air.

3936-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care Pull the hood lock release lever. The hood will pop up slightly.
Pull up the auxiliary catch lever and
lift the hood.
Hood Release the lock from the inside of the vehicle to open the hood.1
2
WARNING ■
Pre-driving check
Check that the hood is fully closed and locked.
If the hood is not locked properly, it may op en while the vehicle is in motion and cause
an accident, which may result in death or serious injury.

394 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)◆ Front 
2WD models 
AWD modelsPositioning a floor jack When using a floor jack, follow the inst ructions in the manual provided with
the jack and perform the operation safely.
When raising your vehicle with a floor jack, position the jack correctly.
Improper placement may damage your vehicle or cause injury.
Jack point
Jack point

3956-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care ◆ Rear 
RC350/RC300 
RC F (vehicles with LSD [Limited Slip Differential]) Jack point
Jack point

396 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 
RC F (vehicles with TVD [Torque Vectoring Differential])
* : Do not place the floor jack under either torque transfer module. Torque transfer modules
* Jack point