engine coolant LEXUS RCF 2021 User Guide

2636-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Light bulbs
( P.288)
•Bulb with same num-
ber and wattage rat-
ing as original
• Phillips-head screw- driver
•Flathead screw- driver
•Wrench
Radiator and con-
denser ( P.270)
Tire inflation pres-
sure ( P.279)• Tire pressure gauge
•Compressed air
source
Washer fluid
( P.272)
• Water or washer
fluid containing anti-
freeze (for winter
use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or
washer fluid)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many
mechanisms and fluids that may move
suddenly, become hot, or become elec-
trically energized. To avoid death or seri-
ous injury, observe the following
precautions.
■When working on the engine com-
partment
●Keep hands, clothi ng and tools away
from the moving fans 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.
ItemsParts and tools●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 corrosive sulfuric acid.
■When working near the electric cool-
ing fans or radiator grille
Be sure the engine switch is off.
With the engine switch in IGNITION
ON mode, the electric cooling fans may
automatically start to run if the air condi-
tioning is on and/or the coolant tempera-
ture is high. ( P.270)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or
falling material, fluid spray, etc. from get-
ting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter
removed may cause excessive engine
wear due to dirt in the air.

2676-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Fuse boxes (P.285)
Battery ( P.271)
Engine oil level dipstick ( P.267)
Engine coolant reservoir ( P.269)
Engine oil filler cap ( P.267)
Brake fluid reservoir ( P.270)
Washer fluid tank ( P.272)
Electric cooling fans
Condenser ( P.270)
Radiator ( P.270)
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level on the dipstick.
■Checking the engine oil
1 Park the vehicle on level ground.
After warming up the engine and
turning it off, wait more than 5 min-
Engine compartment
Components
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Checking and adding the engine
oil

2696-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
with a heavy load, or when driving while
accelerating or decelerating frequently
●When leaving the engine idling for a long
time, or when driving frequently through
heavy traffic
The coolant level is satisfactory if it is between the “FULL” and “LOW” lines
on the reservoir when the engine is
cold.
■Engine coolant reservoir
Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
If the level is on or below the “LOW” line,
add coolant up to the “FULL” line.
(  P.337)
■Coolant selection
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or a similar high qua lity ethylene glycol
based non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite,
and non-borate coolant with long-life
hybrid organic acid technology.
U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mix-
ture of 50% coolant and 50% deionized
water. (Minimum temperature: -31°F
[-35°C])
Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mix-
ture of 55% coolant and 45% deionized
water. (Minimum temperature: -44°F
[-42°C])
For more details about coolant, contact
your Lexus dealer.
■If the coolant level drops within a short
time of replenishing
Visually check the radi ator, hoses, engine
coolant reservoir caps, drain cock and
water pump.
WARNING
■Used engine oil
●Used engine oil contains potentially
harmful contaminants which may
cause skin disorders such as inflamma-
tion and skin cancer, so care should be
taken to avoid prolonged and
repeated contact. To remove used
engine oil from your skin, wash thor-
oughly with soap and water.
●Dispose of used oil and filters only in a
safe and acceptable manner. Do not
dispose of used oil and filters in house-
hold trash, in sewers or onto the
ground. Call your Lexus dealer, ser-
vice station or auto parts store for
information concerning recycling or
disposal.
●Do not leave used engine oil within the
reach of children.
NOTICE
■To prevent serious engine damage
Check the oil level on a regular basis.
■When replacing the engine oil
●Be careful not to spill engine oil on the
vehicle components.
●Avoid overfilling, or the engine could
be damaged.
●Check the oil level on the dipstick
every time you refill the vehicle.
●Be sure the engine oi l filler cap is prop-
erly tightened.
Checking the coolant
A
B
C

2706-4. Do-it-yourself maintenance
If you cannot find a leak, have your Lexus
dealer test the cap and check for leaks in
the cooling system.
Check the radiator and condenser and
clear away any foreign objects.
If either of the above parts is extremely
dirty or you are not sure of their condi-
tion, have your vehicle inspected by
your Lexus dealer.
■Checking fluid level
The brake fluid level should be
between the “MAX” and “MIN” lines
on the tank.
■Adding fluid
Make sure to check the fluid type and
prepare the necessary item.
 Fluid type
SAE J1703 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 3
brake fluid
SAE J1704 or FMVSS No.116 DOT 4
brake fluid
Item
Clean funnel
■Brake fluid can absorb moisture from
the air
Excess moisture in the brake fluid can cause
a dangerous loss of braking efficiency. Use
only newly opened brake fluid.
WARNING
■When the engine is hot
Do not remove the engine coolant reser-
voir cap. ( P.338)
The cooling system may be under pres-
sure and may spray hot coolant if the cap
is removed, causing serious injuries, such
as burns.
NOTICE
■When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor
straight antifreeze. The correct mixture
of water and antifreeze must be used to
provide proper lubrication, corrosion
protection and cooling. Be sure to read
the antifreeze or coolant label.
■If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to pre-
vent it from damagi ng parts or paint.
Checking the radiator and con-
denser
WARNING
■When the engine is hot
Do not touch the radiator or condenser
as they may be hot and cause serious
injuries, such as burns.
Checking and adding the brake
fluid

3007-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Fluid leaks under the vehicle.
(Water dripping from the air condi-
tioning after use is normal.)
 Flat-looking tires or uneven tire
wear
 Engine coolant temperature gauge
continually points higher than nor-
mal.
 Changes in exhaust sound
 Excessive tire squeal when corner-
ing
 Strange noises related to the sus-
pension system
 Pinging or other noises related to
the engine
 Engine missing, stumbling or run-
ning roughly
 Appreciable loss of power
 Vehicle pulls heavily to one side
when braking 
Vehicle pulls heavily to one side
when driving on a level road
 Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy
feeling, pedal almost touches the
floor
If you think something is
wrong
If you notice any of the following
symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Con-
tact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms

3027-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■Brake system warning light
■High coolant temperature warning light* (warning buzzer)
*: This light illuminates on the multi-information display.
■Charging system warning light
■Low engine oil pressure warning light* (warning buzzer)
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights comes on or
flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, bu t then goes off, this does not necessar-
ily indicate a malfunction in the system. However, if this continues to occur,
have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
Actions to the warning lights or warning buzzers
Warning lightDetails/Actions
(U.S.A.)
or
(Canada)
Indicates that:
 The brake fluid level is low; or
 The brake system is malfunctioning
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer. Continuing to drive the vehicle may be dangerous.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine coolant temperature is too high
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place.
Handling method ( P.337)
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.
Warning lightDetails/Actions
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your Lexus
dealer.

3127-2. Steps to take in an emergency
power off function. Next time when starting
the engine, increase the engine speed
slightly and maintain that level for approxi-
mately 5 minutes to recharge the battery.
■If “Headlight System Malfunction Visit
Your Dealer” is displayed
The following systems may be malfunction-
ing. Have the vehicle inspected by your
Lexus dealer immediately.
●The LED headlight system
●The automatic headlight leveling system
●Automatic High Beam
■If “Radar Cruise Control Unavailable” is
displayed
The dynamic radar cruise control system
cannot be used temporar ily. Use the system
when it becomes available again.
■If a message that indicates the malfunc-
tion of front camera is displayed
The following systems may be suspended
until the problem shown in the message is
resolved. ( P.155, 305)
●PCS (Pre-Collision System)
●LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering
control)
●Dynamic radar cruise control
●Automatic High Beam
■If “Maintenance Required Soon” is dis-
played
Indicates that all maintenance according to
the driven distance on the maintenance
schedule
* should be performed soon.
Comes on approximately 4500 miles
(7200 km) after the message has been
reset. If necessary, perform maintenance.
Please reset the message after the mainte-
nance is performed. ( P.257)
*: Refer to the separa te “Scheduled Main-
tenance” or “Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment” for the maintenance interval
applicable to your vehicle.
■If “Maintenance Required Visit Your
Dealer” is displayed
Indicates that all maintenance is required to
correspond to the driven distance on the maintenance schedule
*.
Comes on approximately 5000 miles
(8000 km) after the message has been
reset. (The indicator will not work properly
unless the message ha s been reset.) Per-
form the necessary maintenance. Please
reset the message after the maintenance is
performed. ( P.257)
*: Refer to the separate “Scheduled Main-
tenance” or “Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment” for the main tenance interval
applicable to your vehicle.
■If “Active Rear Wing Off Go to Settings
to turn On” is displayed
The active rear wing switch was pressed
when the active rear wing
* was disabled.
Enable the active rear wing before pressing
the active rear wing switch. ( P.195)
*: If equipped
■If “TVD System Overheated Reduce
Engine Speed and Load” is displayed
The TVD system
* has overheated, this mes-
sage may be displayed when driving under
high load conditions, such as the following:
●When driving at high speeds or through
sharp turns continuously
●When either rear tire has lost traction
and spun continuously
Drive the vehicle for a while, while avoiding
high load conditions.
*: If equipped
■If a message that indicates the need for
visiting your Lexus dealer is displayed
The system or part shown on the
multi-information display is malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus
dealer immediately.
■If “See Owner’s Manual” is displayed
●If the following messages are shown, fol-
lowing the instruct ions, accordingly.
• “Engine Coolant Temp High” ( P.337)
• “Transmission Fluid Temp High” ( P.132)
●If any of the following messages are
shown on the multi-information display, it
may indicate a malfunction. Have the

3377-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
1Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
turn off the air conditioning system,
and then stop the engine.
2 If you see steam:
Carefully lift the hood after the
steam subsides.
If you do not see steam:
Carefully lift the hood.
3 After the engine has cooled down
sufficiently, inspect the hoses and
WARNING
●When working with the battery, always
wear safety glasses and take care not
to allow any battery fluids (acid) to
come into contact with skin, clothing
or the vehicle body.
●Do not lean over the battery.
●In the event that battery fluid comes
into contact with the skin or eyes,
immediately wash the affected area
with water and seek medical attention.
Place a wet sponge or cloth over the
affected area until medical attention
can be received.
●Always wash your hands after handling
the battery support, terminals, and
other battery-related parts.
●Do not allow children near the battery.
NOTICE
■When handling jumper cables
When connecting the jumper cables,
ensure that they do not become entan-
gled in the cooling fans or engine drive
belt.
If your vehicle overheats
The following may indicate that
your vehicle is overheating.
 The engine coolant temperature
gauge ( P.66) is in the red zone
or a loss of engine power is expe-
rienced. (For example, the vehicle
speed does not increase.)
 “Engine Coolant Temp High Stop
in a Safe Place See Owner’s
Manual” is shown on the
multi-information display.
 Steam comes out from under the
hood.
Correction procedures

3387-2. Steps to take in an emergency
radiator core (radiator) for any
leaks.
Cooling fans
Radiator
If a large amount of coolant leaks, immedi-
ately contact your Lexus dealer.
4The coolant level is satisfactory if it
is between the full (“FULL”) and low
(“LOW”) lines on the reservoir.
Reservoir cap
“FULL”
“LOW”
5 Add coolant if necessary.
Water can be used in an emergency if coolant is unavailable.
6
Start the engine and turn the air
conditioning system on to check
that the radiator cooling fans oper-
ate and to check for coolant leaks
from the radiator or hoses.
The fans operate when the air conditioning
system is turned on immediately after a
cold start. Confirm that the fans are oper-
ating by checking the fan sound and air
flow. If it is difficult to check these, turn the
air conditioning system on and off repeat-
edly.
(The fans may not oper ate in freezing tem-
peratures.)
7 If the fans are not operating:
Stop the engine immediately and
contact your Lexus dealer.
If the fans are operating:
Have the vehicle inspected at the
nearest Lexus dealer.
A
B
A
B
C
WARNING
■When inspecting under the hood of
your vehicle
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in serious
injury such as burns.
●If steam is seen coming from under the
hood, do not open the hood until the
steam has subsided. The engine com-
partment may be very hot.

3397-2. Steps to take in an emergency
7
When trouble arises
1Stop the engine. Set the parking
brake and shift the shift lever to P.
2 Remove the mud, snow or sand
from around the rear wheels.
3 Place wood, stones or some other
material under the rear wheels to
help provide traction.
4 Restart the engine.
5 Shift the shift lever to D or R and
release the parking brake. Then,
while exercising caution, depress
the accelerator pedal.
■When it is difficult to free the vehicle
Press the switch to turn off TRAC.
WARNING
●Keep hands and clothing (especially a
tie, a scarf or a muffler) away from the
fans and belts. Failure to do so may
cause the hands or clothing to be
caught, resulting in serious injury.
●While the engine and radiator are hot,
do not loosen or remove the coolant
reservoircap.
High temperature steam or coolant
couldspray out.
NOTICE
■When adding engine coolant
Add coolant slowly after the engine has
cooled down sufficiently. Adding cool
coolant to a hot engine too quickly can
cause damage to the engine.
■To prevent damage to the cooling sys-
tem
Observe the following precautions:
●Avoid contaminating the coolant with
foreign matter (such as sand or dust
etc.).
●Do not use any coolant additive.
If the vehicle becomes stuck
Carry out the following proce-
dures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt or snow:
Recovering procedure