LEXUS RX270 2014 Owners Manual

4Maintenance and care
451
RX350/270_EE
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior............. 452
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior .............. 455
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance
requirements ........................ 458
4-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions ............................ 461
Hood .......................................... 465
Positioning a floor jack.......... 466
Engine compartment ............ 468
Tires ........................................... 483
Tire inflation pressure ........... 495
Wheels ...................................... 497
Air conditioning filter............ 499
Electronic key battery ........... 501
Checking and replacing
fuses........................................ 504
Light bulbs ................................. 516
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RX350/270_EE
4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
■Automatic car washes
●Before washing the vehicle:
•Fold the mirrors.
• Turn off the power back door system (if equipped).
●Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface and
harm your vehicle’s paint.
●In certain automatic car washes, the rear spoiler may interfere with machine
operation. This may prevent the vehicle from being cleaned properly or result in
damage to the rear spoiler.
■High pressure car washes
●Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity of the
windows and the air suspension unit (if equipped).
●Before using the car wash, check that the fuel filler door on your vehicle is
closed properly.
Perform the following to protect the vehicle and maintain it in prime condi-
tion:
●Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any dirt
and dust.
●Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a
chamois.
●For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thor-
oughly with water.
●Wipe away any water.
●Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehicle
body is cool.
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4-1. Maintenance and care
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Maintenance and care
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■Aluminum wheels
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent. Do not use hard
brushes or abrasive cleaners. Do not use strong or harsh chemical cleaners.
Use the same mild detergent and wax as used on the paint.
●Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, for example after driving
for long distance in the hot weather.
●Wash detergent from the wheels immediately after use.
■Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
CAUTION
■When cleaning the windshield
●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 body or if something bumps into the
raindrop sensor
■Precautions regarding the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gasses cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe until it has cooled suffi-
ciently, as touching a hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the wiper switch is in , the wipers
may operate unexpectedly in the following
situations, and may result in hands being
caught or other serious injuries and cause
damage to the wiper blades.
Off
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4-1. Maintenance and care
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NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration and corrosion on the body and components (alu-
minum wheels etc.)
●Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If you see coal tar or tree sap on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are present on the paint
surface
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust, iron
powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled by dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
●If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediately.
●To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place with
low humidity when storing the wheels.
■Cleaning the exterior lights
●Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a hard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
●Do not apply wax on the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■To prevent damage to the windshield wiper arms
When lifting the wiper arms away from the windshield, pull the driver side wiper
arm upward first, and repeat for the passenger side. When returning the wipers to
their original position, do so from the passenger side first.
■When using an automatic car wash
Set the wiper switch to the off position.
If the wiper switch is in , the wipers may operate and the wiper blades may
be damaged.
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4-1. Maintenance and care
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Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
The following procedures will help protect your vehicle's interior and keep
it in top condition:
■Protecting the vehicle interior
Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surfaces
with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
■Cleaning the leather areas
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
●Wipe any excess dirt and dust with a soft cloth dampened with
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool
detergent.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe
off all remaining traces of detergent.
●Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining
moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded ventilated area.
■Cleaning the synthetic leather areas
●Remove loose dirt using a vacuum cleaner.
●Apply a mild soap solution to the synthetic leather using a sponge
or soft cloth.
●Allow the solution to soak in for a few minutes. Remove the dirt
and wipe off the solution with a clean, damp cloth.
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■Caring for leather areas
Lexus recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year to main-
tain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. Use a sponge or
brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not apply water. Excellent
results are obtained by keeping the carpet as dry as possible.
■Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge. Also check the
belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
CAUTION
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle.
●Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle interior wet.
(→P. 1 3 2 )
An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or not function prop-
erly, resulting in death or severe injury.
■Cleaning the interior (especially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect off the
windshield, obstructing the driver's view and leading to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
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4-1. Maintenance and care
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NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discolor the vehicle inte-
rior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzene or gasoline, alkaline
or acidic solutions, dye, or bleach
• Seats: Acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, or alcohol
●Do not use polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel's or other interior
part’s painted surface may be damaged.
■Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of leather
surfaces:
●Remove any dust or dirt from leather surfaces immediately.
●Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Park
the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
●Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or that contain wax on the upholstery, as
they may stick to the leather surface if the vehicle interior heats up significantly.
■Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.
Vehicle systems such as the audio system may be damaged if water comes into
contact with electrical components under the floor of vehicle. Water may also
cause the body to rust.
■Cleaning the inside of the rear window
●Do not use glass cleaner to clean the rear window, as this may cause damage to
the rear window defogger heater wires or antenna. Use a cloth dampened with
lukewarm water to gently wipe the window clean. Wipe the window in strokes
running parallel to the heater wires or antenna.
●Be careful not to scratch or damage the heater wires or antenna.
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RX350/270_EE
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and regular main-
tenance are essential. Lexus recommends the following maintenance:
■Scheduled maintenance
Scheduled maintenance should be performed at specified intervals
according to the maintenance schedule.
For full details of your maintenance schedule, read the “Lexus Service
Booklet” or “Lexus Warranty Booklet”.
■Do-it-yourself maintenance
What about do-it-yourself maintenance?
Many maintenance items are easy to do yourself if you have a little
mechanical ability and a few basic automotive tools.
Note, however, that some maintenance tasks require special tools and
skills. These are best performed by qualified technicians. Even if you're
an experienced do-it-yourself mechanic, we recommend that repairs
and maintenance be conducted by any authorized Lexus dealer or
repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional. Any autho-
rized Lexus dealer or repairer will keep a record of maintenance, which
could be useful should you ever require Warranty Service. Should you
choose to select a qualified and equipped professional other than an
authorized Lexus repairer to service or maintain your vehicle, we recom-
mend that you request that a record of maintenance be kept.
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4-2. Maintenance
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Maintenance and care
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■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 professionals. 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 advantages in utiliz-
ing 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 econom-
ically 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 indi-
cate 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 condition-
ing system 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 imme-
diately.)
●Flat-looking tires, excessive tire squeal when cornering, uneven tire wear
●Vehicle pulls to one side when driving straight on a level road
●Strange noises related to suspension movement
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling brake pedal, pedal almost touches
the floors, vehicle pulls to one side when braking
●Engine coolant temperature continually higher than normal
If you notice any of these clues, take your vehicle to any authorized Lexus dealer or
repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional, as soon as possible.
Your vehicle may need adjustment or repair.
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CAUTION
■If your vehicle is not properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in serious damage to the vehicle and possible
serious injury or death.
■Handling of the battery
Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead and lead compounds
which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hands after handling.
(→P. 4 7 9 )
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