check engine LEXUS RX450h 2015 Owners Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS Index
64-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle exterior................... 634
Cleaning and protecting
the vehicle interior .................... 637
4-2. Maintenance
Maintenance requirements .... 640
General maintenance ................ 643
Emission inspection and
maintenance (I/M)
programs ...................................... 647
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service
precautions ................................. 648
Hood................................................... 651
Positioning a floor jack............... 652
Engine compartment.................. 654
12-volt battery................................ 664
Tires ................................................... 670
Tire inflation pressure ................. 679
Wheels............................................. 683
Air conditioning filter ................. 685
Electronic key battery ................ 687
Checking and replacing
fuses ............................................... 689
Headlight aim................................. 705
Light bulbs ...................................... 708 5-1. Essential information
Emergency flashers..................... 724
If your vehicle needs to be
towed.............................................. 725
If you think something is
wrong ............................................. 732
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on
or a warning buzzer
sounds... ........................................ 733
If a warning message is
displayed ....................................... 743
If you have a flat tire..................... 764
If the hybrid system will not
start ................................................. 777
If the shift lever cannot be
shifted from P .............................. 779
If you lose your keys ................... 780
If the electronic key does
not operate properly ................ 781
If the vehicle 12-volt battery
is discharged ............................... 784
If your vehicle overheats .......... 788
If the vehicle becomes
stuck................................................ 793
If your vehicle has to be
stopped in an em ergency ...... 7954
Maintenance and care 5
When trouble arises

23Installation of a mobile two-way radio system The installation of a mobile two-way radio system in your vehicle could affect elec-
tronic systems such as: ●
Hybrid system●
Multiport fuel injection system/sequential multiport fuel injection system●
Cruise control system●
Dynamic radar cruise control system●
Anti-lock brake system●
SRS airbag system●
Seat belt pretensioner system
Be sure to check with your Lexus dealer for precautionary measures or special
instructions regarding installation of a mobile two-way radio system.
High voltage parts and cables on the hybr id vehicles emit approximately the same
amount of electromagnetic waves as the conventional gasoline powered vehicles or
home electronic appliances despite of their electromagnetic shielding.
Unwanted noise may occur in the reception of the mobile two-way radio.
Vehicle data recordings Your Lexus is equipped with several soph isticated computers that will record cer-
tain data, such as:
•Engine speed
• Motor speed
• Accelerator status
•Brake status
•Vehicle speed
•Shift position
• Hybrid battery (traction battery) status
The recorded data varies according to the vehicle grade level and options with
which it is equipped. Furthermore, these computers do not record conversations,
sounds or pictures.

4911-1. Hybrid system
Before driving Hybrid vehicle driving tips For economical and ecological driving, pay attention to the following
points:
■ Use of Hybrid System Indicator More Eco-friendly driving is possib le by keeping the indicate of Hybrid
System Indicator within Eco area.
■ When braking the vehicle Make sure to operate the brakes ge ntly and in good time. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be retained when slowing down.
■ Delays Repeated acceleration and deceleration, as well as long waits at traffic
lights, will lead to bad fu el consumption. Check traffic reports before leav-
ing and avoid delays as much as possible. When encountering a delay,
gently release the brake pedal to allow the vehicle to move forward slightly
while avoiding overuse of the accelerato r pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
■ Highway driving Control your speed and keep at a constant speed. Also, before stopping at
a toll booth or similar, allow plenty of time to release the accelerator and
gently apply the brakes. A greater amount of electrical energy can be
retained when slowing down.
■ Air conditioning Use the air conditioning only when necessary. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: In high temperatures, use the recirculated air mode. Doing so
will help to reduce the burden on the air conditioning and reduce fuel con-
sumption as well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine will not automatically cut out until
the gasoline engine and the interior of the vehicle are warm, it will con-
sume fuel. Also, fuel consumption can be improved by avoiding overuse of
the heater.

501-1. Hybrid system
■ Checking tire inflation pressure Make sure to check the tire inflation pressure frequently.
Improper tire inflation pressure can cause poor fu el consumption.
Also, as snow tires can cause large amounts of friction, their use on dry
roads can lead to poor fuel consumptio n. Use a tire that is appropriate for
the season.
■ Luggage Carrying heavy luggage can lead to poor fuel consumption. Avoid carry-
ing unnecessary luggage. Installing a large roof rack can also cause poor
fuel consumption.
■ Warming up before driving Since the gasoline engine starts up and cuts out automatically when cold,
warming up the engine is unnecessary. Moreover, frequently driving short
distances will cause the engine to repeatedly warm up, which can lead to
poor fuel consumption.

1692-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving CAUTION■
When driving the vehicle ●
Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accelerator
pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerato r pedal instead of the brake pedal will
result in sudden acceleration that may le ad to an accident that could result in
death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your bo dy around, leading to a difficulty in
operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle
only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelerator pedals
properly.
• 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 acci-
dent.●
When the hybrid vehicle is driven using the electric motor only, no engine noise is
made. As such, pedestrians, people riding bicycles or other people and vehicles
in the surrounding area may not realize that the vehicle is approaching. Even with
the Vehicle Proximity Notification System active, people may not realize the vehi-
cle is approaching when the surrounding area is noisy and so forth. Therefore,
take extra care while driving.●
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 flammable material nearby.●
Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or
roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an acci dent or damage to the vehicle.●
If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and check
that the back door is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehicle can cause
driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a serious health hazard.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer immediately.
●
Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.

1702-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION●
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 control.●
Do not shift the shift lever to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle control.●
Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the hybrid
system. Engine braking is not availabl e with the hybrid system disengaged.●
During normal driving, do not turn off the hybrid system. Turning the hybrid sys-
tem off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, however,
power assist to the steering will be lost. This will make it more difficult to steer
smoothly, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop the vehicle
in the normal way:  P. 7 9 5●
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 effec-
tiveness. (  P. 1 8 6 )●
When stopped on an incline, use the brake pedal and parking brake to prevent
the vehicle from rolling backward or forward, causing an accident. ●
Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or outside
rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents, resulting
in death or serious injury.●
Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their body are not
outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.●
Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit permits 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.

1712-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving CAUTION■
When driving on slippery road surfaces ●
Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and reduce
your ability to control the vehi cle, resulting in an accident.●
Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shift changing, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.●
After driving through a pudd le, lightly depress the brak e pedal to make sure that
the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent the brakes from
functioning properly. If the brakes on on ly one side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may be af fected, resulting in an accident.■
When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This 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 no ise (brake pad wear limit indicators)
Have your Lexus dealer check and replac e the brake pads as soon as possible.
Rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads and/or
those of the brake discs are exceeded.

1722-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION■
When the vehicle is stopped ●
Do not depress the accelerator pedal unnecessarily.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly
and unexpectedly, causing an accident.●
Do not leave the vehicle with the hybrid system on for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and
check that exhaust fumes do no t enter the vehicle interior.●
In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the “READY” indicator is on. Apply the parking
brake as necessary.●
If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused by the
vehicle rolling forward or backward, 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.

1762-1. Driving procedures
NOTICE■
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause the
following serious damage to the vehicle: ●
Engine stalling●
Short in electrical components●
Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to
have your Lexus dealer check the following:●
Brake function●
Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, hybrid trans-
mission, etc., and, for AWD models, the rear electric motor (traction motor).●
Lubricant condition for the bearings, susp ension joints (where possible) and the
function of all joints, bearings, etc.

1772-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving Power (ignition) switch Performing the following operations when carrying the electronic key on
your person starts the hybrid system or changes “POWER” switch modes.
■ Starting the hybrid system
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Firmly depress the brake pedal. The “POWER” switch indicator will turn green. If the indicator does
not turn green, the hybrid system cannot be started.
Press the “POWER” switch. After a while, the “READY” indi-
cator comes on with a beep
sound.
The vehicle can move when the
“READY” indicator is on even if
the engine is stopped.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal until the hybrid system is
completely started.
The hybrid system can be
started from any “POWER”
switch mode.
Check that the “READY” indicator is on.
The vehicle will not move when the “READY” indicator is off.STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5