air condition LEXUS RC300 2018 Owner's Guide

342 5-1. Using the air conditioning system
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)■
Automatic mode for air intake control
In automatic mode, the system detects ex haust gas and other pollutants and auto-
matically switches between outside air and recirculated air modes.
When the dehumidification function is off, and the fan is operating, turning automatic
mode on will activate the dehumidification function. ■
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 performanc e, perform the foll owing operations:●
Adjust the fan speed ●
Turn off Eco drive mode ■
When the outside temperature falls to nearly 32  F (0  C)
The dehumidification function may not oper ate even when is pressed or “A/C” is
selected. ■
Ventilation and air conditioning odors ●
To let fresh air in, set the air conditioning system to the outside air mode. ●
During use, various odors from inside and outside the vehicle may enter into and accu-
mulate in the air conditioning system. This may then cause odor to be emitted from the
vents. ●
To reduce potential odors from occurring:
• It is recommended that the air conditioning system be set to outside air mode prior
to turning the vehicle off.
• The start timing of the blower may be dela yed for a short period of time immediately
after the air conditioning system is started in automatic mode.■
Air conditioning filter
 P. 425 ■
Customization
Settings (e.g. A/C Auto switch operation) can be changed.
(Customizable features:  P. 575)

3435-1. Using the air conditioning system
5
Interior features
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)WARNING ■
To prevent the windshield from fogging up ●
Do not use during cool air operation in extremely humid weather. The differ-
ence between the temperature of the outside air and that of the windshield can cause
the outer surface of the windshield to fog up, blocking your vision.
■
To prevent burns ●
Do not touch the rear view mirror surfaces when the outside rear view mirror defog-
gers are on. ●
Do not touch the glass at lower part of the windshield or to the side of the front pillars
when the windshield wiper de-icer is on.
NOTICE ■
To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the air conditioni ng system on longer than necessary when the engine is
stopped. ●
Do not place anything on the instrument
panel which may cover th e air outlets. Other-
wise, air flow may be obstructed, preventing
the windshield defoggers from defogging.

344 5-1. Using the air conditioning system
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)Turn the heated steering wheel on/off The indicator light comes on when the
heated steering wheel is operating.
●
The heated steering wheel can be used wh en the engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode. ●
The heated steering wheel will automati cally turn off after about 30 minutes.Heated steering wheel 
/seat heaters 
/seat ventila-
tors 
 : If equippedHeated steering wheel and seat heaters heat the side grips of the steering
wheel and seats, respectively. Seat vent ilators maintain good ventilation using
a fan built into the seat. WARNING ●
Care should be taken to prevent injury if anyone in the following categories comes in
contact with the steering wheel or seats when the heater is on:
• Babies, small children, the elderly, the sick and the ph ysically challenged
• Persons with sensitive skin
• Persons who are fatigued
• Persons who have taken alcohol or drugs that induce sleep (sleeping drugs, cold
remedies, etc.) ●
Observe the following precautions to prevent the minor burns or overheating
• Do not cover the seat with a blanket or cushion when using the seat heater.
• Do not use seat heater more than necessary.
NOTICE ●
Do not put heavy objects that have an unev en surface on the seat and do not stick
sharp objects (needles, nails, etc.) into the seat. ●
To prevent battery discharge, do not us e the functions when the engine is off.
Heated steering wheel

3455-1. Using the air conditioning system
5
Interior features
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)Each time the switch is pressed, the
intensity of the seat heater changes and
the level indicator lights (amber) light
as follows:
Hi (3 segments lit)  Mid (2 segments
lit)  Lo (1 segment lit)  Off■
The seat heaters can be used when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode. ■
Seat heater timer control
To enable seat heater timer control, press and hold the driver and front passenger seat
heater switches at the same time when the vehicle is stopped until a buzzer sounds once.
If a seat heater is turned on while seat heater timer control is enabled, the intensity of the
seat heater will automa tically change from Hi  Mid  Lo.
The timing of the change in seat heater in tensity differs depending on the temperature
inside the cabin, etc. when the seat heater is operating.
To disable seat heater timer control, press and hold the driver and front passenger seat
heater switches at the same time until a buzzer sounds twice.Seat heaters Type A Type B

346 5-1. Using the air conditioning system
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)Each time the switch is pressed, the
intensity of the seat ventilator changes
and the level indicator lights (green)
light as follows:
Hi (3 segments lit)  Mid (2 segments
lit)  Lo (1 segment lit)  Off■
The seat ventilators can be used when
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode. ■
Air conditioning system-linke d control mode (RC350/RC300)
When a seat ventilator is set to Hi, the fa n speed of the seat ventilator may increase
according to the fan speed of the air conditioning system.Seat ventilators

372 5-4. Using the other interior features
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U)■
Languages
The Safety Connect response ce nter will offer support in mu ltiple languages. The Safety
Connect system will offer voice prompts in En glish, Spanish, and Fr ench. Please indicate
your language of ch oice when enrolling.■
When contacting the response center
You may be unable to contact the resp onse center if the network is busy.
When the engine switch is turned to IGNITION ON mode, the red indicator
light comes on for 2 seconds then turns off. Afterward, the green indicator light
comes on, indicating that the service is active.
The following indicator light patterns indicate specific system usage conditions: ●
Green indicator light on = Active service ●
Green indicator light flashing = Safety Connect call in process●
Red indicator light (except at vehicle start-up) = System malfunction (contact
your Lexus dealer) ●
No indicator light (off) = Safety Connect service not active ■
Automatic Collision Notification
In case of either airbag deployment or severe rear-end collision, the system is
designed to automatically call the re sponse center. The responding agent
receives the vehicle’s location and attempts to speak with the vehicle occu-
pants to assess the level of emergency. If the occupants are unable to commu-
nicate, the agent automatically treats the call as an emergency, contacts the
nearest emergency services provider to describe the situation, and requests
that assistance be sent to the location.Safety Connect LED light Indicators
Safety Connect services

375
Maintenance and care
6
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior ................ 376
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior................... 381
6-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements ............................384
General maintenance.............. 387
Emission inspection and
maintenance (I/M)
programs ....................................390
6-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions................................. 391
Hood ............................................... 393
Positioning a floor jack ............ 394
Engine compartment ............... 397
Tires ...................................................412
Tire inflation pressure............... 420
Wheels ........................................... 423
Air conditioning filter ............... 425
Electronic key battery .............. 427
Checking and replacing
fuses .............................................. 429
Light bulbs..................................... 432

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.

4156-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RC350_RC300 AWD_RC3 00_RC F_U(OM24748U) 6
Maintenance and care ■
When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if: ●
The treadwear indicators are showing on a tire. ●
You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enou gh to expose the fabric, and
bulges indicating internal damage ●
A tire goes flat repeatedly or cannot be properly repaired due to the size or location of
a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, consult your Lexus dealer. ■
Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is not registered, the tire
pressure warning system will not work proper ly. After driving for about 20 minutes, the
tire pressure warning light blinks for 1 minu te and stays on to indicate a system malfunc-
tion. ■
Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if it has seldom
or never been used or damage is not obvious.■
Routine tire inflation pressure checks
The tire pressure warning syst em does not replace routine tire inflation pressure checks.
Make sure to check tire inflat ion pressure as part of your routine of daily vehicle checks.■
When rotating the tires
Make sure that the engine switch is off. If the tires are rotated while the engine switch is in
IGNITION ON mode, the tire position information will not be updated.
If this accidentally occurs, either turn the engine switch to off and then to IGNITION ON
mode, or initialize the system after checking th at the tire pressure is properly adjusted.■
Low profile tires
Generally, low profile tires will wear more rapidly and tire grip performance will be
reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when comp ared to standard tires. Be sure to use
snow tires or tire chains on snowy and/or icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appro-
priate for road and weather conditions.