engine overheat LEXUS RC300 2020 Owners Manual

4TABLE OF CONTENTS
Checking and replacing fuses........................................................... 269
Headlight aim.................................. 271
Light bulbs ....................................... 272
7-1. Essential information Emergency flashers..................... 276
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency ............................. 276
If the vehicle is trapped in rising water............................................... 277
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency If your vehicle needs to be towed........................................................... 279
If you think something is wrong ........................................................... 282
Fuel pump shut off system ........ 283
If a warning light turns on or a warn- ing buzzer sounds ..................... 284
If a warning message is displayed ........................................................... 292
If you have a flat tire..................... 296
If the engine wi ll not start .......... 303
If you lose your keys .................... 305
If the fuel filler door cannot be opened........................................... 305
If the electronic key does not oper- ate properly ................................. 306
If the vehicle battery is discharged ........................................................... 308
If your vehicle overheats ............. 311
If the vehicle becomes stuck .... 3158-1. Specifications
Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .................................................. 318
Fuel information............................ 329
Tire information ............................. 331
8-2. Customization Customizable features ................341
8-3. Items to initialize Items to initialize ............................ 351
8-4. Certifications Certifications ................................. 352
9-1. For owners Reporting safety defects for U.S. owners ........................................... 362
Seat belt instructions for Canadian owners (in French) ................... 362
SRS airbag instructions for Cana- dian owners (in French) ......... 364
Headlight aim instructions for Canadian owners (in French).......................................................... 370
What to do if... (Troubleshooting) .......................................................... 372
Alphabetical Index ...................... 375
7When trouble arises
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index

12Pictorial index
Windshield wipers .................................................................................................. P.142
Precautions for winter season ...................................................................................... P.198
To prevent freezing (windshield wiper de-icer)
*.................................................... P.211
Precautions against car wash ...................................................................................... P.235
Fuel filler door .......................................................................................................... P.149
Refueling method .............................................................................................................. P .149
Fuel type/fuel tank capacity ...... ...................................................................................P.320
Tires.......................................................................................................................... .. P.257
Tire size/inflation pressure ........................................................................................... P.324
Winter tires/tire chain ..................................................................................................... P.1 98
Checking/rotation/tire pressure warning system.............................................. P.257
Coping with flat tires........................................................................................................ P .296
Hood .......................................................................................................................... P.247
Opening ........................................................................................................................ ....... P.247
Engine oil ..................................................................................................................... .........P.320
Coping with overheating .................................................................................................. P.311
Warning messages .......................................................................................................... P.292
Headlights ................................................................................................................. P.13 7
Parking lights/daytime running lights............................................................... P.137
Turn signal lights ...................................................................................................... P.134
Cornering lights ...................................................................................................... P.137
Side marker lights ................................................................................................... P.137
Tail lights .................................................................................................................... P.137
Stop lights
Back up light
Shifting the shift lever to R .............................................................................................. P.13 0
License plate lights ................................................................................................. P.137
*:If equipped
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P.272, Watts: P.328)
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O

682-1. Instrument cluster
outside temperature may not be dis-
played, or the display may take longer
than normal to change:
• When stopped, or driving at low speeds (less than 12 mph [20 km/h])
• When the outside temperature has
changed suddenly (at the entrance/exit of
a garage, tunnel, etc.)
●When “_ _”or “E” is displayed, the system
may be malfunctioning.
Take your vehicle to your Lexus dealer.
■Pop-up display
●In some situations, su ch as when a switch
operation is performed, a pop-up display
will be temporarily displayed on the
multi-information display or the odome-
ter/trip meter screen (F SPORT models).
●Some pop-up displays can be set on/off.
(  P.74)
■Customization
The meter display can be customized on
the multi-information display. ( P.341)
■Display items
 Odometer
Displays the total distance the vehicle has
been driven.
Trip meter A/trip meter B
Displays the distance the vehicle has been
driven since the meter was last reset. Trip
meters A and B can be used to record and
display different distances independently.
Distance until next engine oil
change
Displays the distance the vehicle can be
driven until an oil change is necessary.
■Changing the display
Each time the “ODO TRIP” switch is
pressed, the displayed item will be
changed. When the trip meter is dis-
played, pressing and holding the switch
will reset the trip meter.
WARNING
■The information display at low tem-
peratures
Allow the interior of the vehicle to warm
up before using the liquid crystal infor-
mation display. At extremely low tem-
peratures, the information display
monitor may respond slowly, and display
changes may be delayed.
For example, there is a lag between the
driver’s shifting and the new gear number
appearing on the display. This lag could
cause the driver to downshift again,
causing rapid and excessive engine brak-
ing and possibly an accident resulting in
death or injury.
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the engine and
its components
●Do not let the indicator needle of the
tachometer enter the red zone, which
indicates the maximum engine speed.
●The engine may be overheating if the
engine coolant temperature gauge is
in the red zone (H). In this case, imme-
diately stop the vehicle in a safe place,
and check the engine after it has
cooled completely. ( P.311)
Odometer and trip meter dis-
play

1184-1. Before driving
WARNING
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal
using your left foot may delay
response in an emergency, resulting in
an accident.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop
the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases
can be extremely hot. These hot parts
may cause a fire if there is any flamma-
ble material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not turn off
the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be
lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull
over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emer-
gency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way:
P.276
●Use engine braking (downshift) to
maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (
P.129)
●Do not adjust the positions of the
steering wheel, the seat, or the inside
or outside rear view mirrors while driv-
ing.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passengers’
arms, heads or other parts of their
body are not outside the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140
km/h) unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driving
over 85 mph (140 km /h) may result in
tire failure, loss of control and possible
injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability tires
or not before driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery road sur-
faces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and
steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehi-
cle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine braking
due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle, lightly
depress the brake pedal to make sure
that the brakes are functioning prop-
erly. Wet brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning properly. If the
brakes on only one side are wet and
not functioning properly, steering con-
trol may be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll backward
while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever
is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall
or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the shif t lever to P while
the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.
●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 con-
trol.

1194-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●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 con-
trol.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the
vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. 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 limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible. Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when needed.
Front brakes on F SPORT models
(RC350 [2WD]/RC300 [2WD] only):
Moderate levels of brake pad and disc
wear allow enhanced front 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 mea-
sured. It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are
exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P
or N, the vehicle may accelerate sud-
denly and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
●In order to prevent accidents due to
the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the
engine is running, and apply the park-
ing brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or back-
ward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake
as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which
could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters,
spray cans, or soft drink cans in the
vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plas-
tic material of glasses to deform or
crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior
of the vehicle, and may also cause a
short circuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in the
vehicle. If a cigare tte lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the
floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is
adjusted, causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to the
windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on
the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act
as lenses, causing a fire in the vehicle.

1204-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Do not leave a door or window open if
the curved glass is coated with a met-
allized film such as a silver-colored
one. Reflected sunlight may cause the
glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift
the shift lever to P, stop the engine and
lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift
lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, pos-
sibly leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes while
the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if
you accidentally move the shift lever or
depress the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is
parked in a poorly ventilated area,
exhaust gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a serious
health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive more
cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the
brakes are wet, and this may cause one
side of the vehicle to brake differently
than the other side. Also, the parking
brake may not securely hold the vehi-
cle.
●If the brake booster device does not
operate, do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp turns
that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but
the brake pedal should be depressed
more firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up
the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2 individ-
ual hydraulic systems; if one of the sys-
tems fails, the other w ill still operate. In
this case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual and
the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when
any of the tires is up in the air, or the vehi-
cle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may
damage the driveline components or
propel the vehicle forward or backward,
causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator and
brake pedals at th e same time while
driving, as this may restrain the engine
output.
●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 set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may
cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle
may accelerate suddenly if the accelera-
tor 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.

1254-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
4-2.Driving procedures
1Check that the parking brake is set.
2 Check that the shift lever is in P.
3 Firmly depress the brake pedal.
and a message will be displayed on
the multi-information display.
If it is not displayed, the engine cannot be
started.
4 Press the engine switch shortly and
firmly.
When operating the engine switch, one
short, firm press is enough.
It is not necessary to press and hold the
switch.
The engine will crank until it starts or for up
to 30 seconds, whichever is less.
Continue depressing the brake pedal until
the engine is completely started.
The engine can be started from any engine
switch mode.
■If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (
P.56)
Contact your Lexus dealer.
●Check that the shift leve r is securely set in
P. The engine may not start if the shift
lever is displaced out of P. “To Start Vehi-
cle. Put Shift Lever into P” will be dis-
played on the multi-information display.
■Electronic key battery depletion
 P.82
■Conditions affecting operation
 P.94
■Notes for the entry function
 P.95
■Steering lock function
●After turning the engine switch off and
opening and closing the doors, the steer-
ing wheel will be lock ed due to the steer-
ing lock function. Operating the engine
switch again automatically cancels the
steering lock.
●When the steering lock cannot be
released, “Steering Wheel Lock Press
Engine Switch while Turning Wheel” will
be displayed on the multi-information dis-
play.
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the
engine switch while turning the steering
wheel left and right.
●To prevent the steering lock motor from
overheating, operation of the motor may
be suspended if the engine is turned on
and off repeatedly in a short period of
time. In this case, refrain from operating
the engine switch. After about 10 sec-
onds, the steering lock motor will resume
functioning.
Engine (ignition) switch
Performing the following opera-
tions when carryin g the electronic
key on your person starts the
engine or changes engine switch
modes.
Starting the engine

1354-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
To set the parking brake, fully depress
the parking brake pedal with your left
foot while depressing the brake pedal
with your right foot.
(Depressing the pedal again releases
the parking brake.)U.S.A.
Canada
■Parking the vehicle
 P.116
■Parking brake engaged warning buzzer
A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven
with the parking brake engaged. “Release
Parking Brake” is displayed on the
multi-information display.
■Usage in winter time
 P.199
*: If equipped
1Louder
2
Lower
The indicator comes on when the ASC
system is on.
When the dial is turned to the lowest
volume, the ASC system will be turned
off and the indicator will go off.
Parking brake
Operating instructions
NOTICE
■Before driving
Fully release the parking brake.
Driving the vehicle with the parking
brake set will lead to brake components
overheating, which may affect braking
performance and increase brake wear.
A
B
ASC (Active Sound Con-
trol)*
The ASC system is an electronic
sound system that generates
engine sound, conveying the
kinetic situations of the vehicle’s
acceleration and deceleration to
the driver through the speakers
inside the instrument panel.
The vehicle’s response to the
driver’s acceleration behavior and
shift operations are also conveyed
in sound.
When sport mode is selected, the
sound conveyed to the driver will be
louder.
Controlling volume

2155-2. Using the air conditioning system
5
Interior features
heated steering wheel is operating.
■Operation condition
The engine switch is in IGNITION ON
mode.
■Timer function
The heated steering wheel will automati-
cally turn off after about 30 minutes.
Vehicles without seat ventilators
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
Vehicles with seat ventilators
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
■Operation condition
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 w ill automatically change
from Hi Mid Lo.
The timing of the chan ge in seat heater
intensity differs depending on the tempera-
ture 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
A
WARNING
■To prevent overheating and minor
burn injuries
Observe the following precautions when
using the seat heaters.
●Do not cover the seat with a blanket or
cushion when using the seat heater.
●Do not use seat heater more than nec-
essary.
A

275
7
7
When trouble arises
When trouble arises
.7-1. Essential informationEmergency flashers.................. 276
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency .......................... 276
If the vehicle is trapped in rising water............................................ 277
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency If your vehicle needs to be towed........................................................ 279
If you think something is wrong ........................................................ 282
Fuel pump shut off system ..... 283
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds ....... 284
If a warning message is displayed ........................................................ 292
If you have a flat tire.................. 296
If the engine wi ll not start .......303
If you lose your keys ................. 305
If the fuel filler door cannot be opened........................................ 305
If the electronic key does not operate properly .................... 306
If the vehicle battery is discharged ........................................................ 308
If your vehicle overheats .......... 311
If the vehicle becomes stuck ......................................................... 315