tires LEXUS RX450H 2016 Owner's Manual

3884-6. Driving tips
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
◆Delays
Repeated acceleration and deceleration, as well as long waits at traffic lights,
will lead to bad fuel economy. Check traffic reports before leaving and avoid
delays as much as possible. When drivin g in a traffic jam, gently release the
brake pedal to allow the vehicle to move forward slightly while avoiding over-
use of the accelerator pedal. Doing so can help control excessive gasoline
consumption.
◆Highway driving
Control and maintain the vehicle at a co nstant speed. Before stopping at a toll
booth or similar, allow plenty of ti me to release the accelerator and gently
apply the brakes. A greater amount of electrical energy can be regenerated
when slowing down.
◆Air conditioning
Use the air conditioning only when necessary. Doing so can help reduce
excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: When the ambient temperature is high, use the recirculated air
mode. Doing so will help to reduce the burden on the air conditioning system
and reduce fuel consumption as well.
In winter: Because the gasoline engine will not automatically cut out until it
and the interior of the vehicle are warm , it will consume fuel. Also, fuel con-
sumption can be improved by av oiding overuse of the heater.
◆Checking tire inflation pressure
Make sure to check the tire inflation pr essure frequently. Improper tire infla-
tion pressure can cause poor fuel economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause large amou nts of friction, their use on dry roads
can lead to poor fuel economy. Use tires that are appropriate for the season.

3904-6. Driving tips
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
●Use fluids that are appropriate to the prevailing outside temperatures.
•Engine oil
• Engine/power cont rol unit coolant
• Washer fluid
●Have a service technician inspect the condition of the 12-volt battery.
●Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set of tire chains for
the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are of the specified size and the same brand, and that chains
match the size of the tires.
Perform the following according to the driving conditions:
●Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is frozen. Pour
warm water over the frozen area to me lt the ice. Wipe away the water imme-
diately to prevent it from freezing.
●To ensure proper operation of the c limate control system fan, remove any
snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents in front of the windshield.
●Check for and remove any excess ice or snow that may have accumulated on
the exterior lights, vehicle’s roof, chassi s, around the tires or on the brakes.
●Remove any snow or mud from the bottom of your shoes before getting in the
vehicle.
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations an d inspections before driving the vehi-
cle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a manner appropriate to the prevail-
ing weather conditions.
Pre-winter preparations
Before driving the vehicle

3924-6. Driving tips
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
To enable the windshield wi pers to be lifted when heavy snow or icy conditions
are expected, change the rest position of the windshield wipers from the
retracted position below the hood to th e service position using the wiper lever.
(
P. 263)
■Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions when installing and removing chains:
●Install and remove tire chains in a safe location.
●Install tire chains on the front tires only. Do not install tire chains on the rear tires.
●Install tire chains on front tires as tightly as possible. Retighten chains after driving
1/4 - 1/2 mile (0.5 - 1.0 km).
●Install tire chains following the instru ctions provided with the tire chains.
Windshield wipers
WARNING
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehi cle control and cause death or serious injury.
●Use tires of the specified size.
●Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
●Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120 km/h ), regardless of the type of snow tires
being used.
●Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
■Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle being unable to be driven safely, and may
cause death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit specified for the tire chains being used, or
30 mph (50 km/h), whichever is lower.
●Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shifting operations
that cause sudden engine braking.
●Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that vehicle control is main-
tained.
●Do not use the LKA (Lane-Keepin g Assist) system. (if equipped)
●Do not use the LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) system. (if
equipped)

3934-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from Lexus dealers or legitimate tire
retailers.
This is because the removal an d attachment of snow tires affects the operation of the
tire pressure warning va lves and transmitters.
■Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valv es and transmitters may not function correctly when tire
chains are fitted.

3954-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
Your vehicle is not designed to be driven off-road. However, in the event that
off-road driving cannot be avoided, please observe the following precautions to
help avoid the areas prohibited to vehicles.
●Drive your vehicle only in areas wher e off-road vehicles are permitted to
travel.
●Respect private property. Get owner’s permission before entering private
property.
●Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that
restrict travel.
●Stay on established road s. When conditions are wet, driving techniques
should be changed or travel dela yed to prevent damage to roads.
●AWD models: Avoid driving on very steep , slippery roads and other surfaces,
such as sand, where the tires are liable to lose traction. Your vehicle may not
perform as well as conventional AWD on-road vehicles on these surfaces.
■Additional information for off-road driving
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your vehicle off-road, consult the
following organizations.
●State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
●State Motor Vehicle Bureau
●Recreational Vehicle Clubs
●U.S. Forest Service and Bu reau of Land Management
Off-road driving

457
6Maintenance and care
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior................ 458
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ..................462
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements.............................465
General maintenance .............. 467
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs ....................................470 6-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions..................................471
Hood ............................................... 473
Positioning a floor jack ............ 474
Engine compartment ............... 475
12-volt battery .............................483
Tires ................................................. 487
Tire inflation pressure............... 496
Wheels ........................................... 499
Air conditioning filter ................ 501
Windshield wiper inserts ........504
Electronic key battery ..............506
Checking and replacing fuses ............................................. 508
Headlight aim ................................. 511
Light bulbs...................................... 513

4696-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors• Do the doors operate smoothly?
Engine hood• Does the engine hood lock system work properly?
Fluid leaks• There should not be any signs of fluid leakage afterthe vehicle has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire inflation pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or excessivelyworn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the mainte- nance schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Windshield wipers/
rear window wiper
• The wiper blades should no t show any signs of crack-
ing, splitting, wear, contamination or deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the windshield/rear
window without streaking or skipping.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system is operating
Turn the hybrid system off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation before per-
forming maintenance checks.

4876-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
Check if the treadwear indicators are showing on the tires. Also check the tires
for uneven wear, such as excessive wear on one side of the tread.
Check the spare tire condition and pressure if not rotated.New tread
Worn tread
Treadwear indicator
The location of treadwear indica tors is shown by a “TWI” or “” mark, etc., molded
into the sidewall of each tire.
Replace the tires if the treadwear indicators are showing on a tire.
Rotate the tires in the order shown.
To equalize tire wear and extend tire life,
Lexus recommends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same interval as tire
inspection.
Do not fail to initialize the tire pressure
warning system after tire rotation.
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance schedules and tread-
wear.
Checking tires
Tire rotation
1
2
3
Front

4886-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses tire pres-
sure warning valves and transmitters to detect low tire inflation pressure before
serious problems arise.
◆Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
When replacing tires or wheels, tire pr essure warning valves and transmitters
must also be installed.
When new tire pressure wa rning valves and transmitters are installed, new ID
codes must be registered in the tire pressure warning computer and the tire
pressure warning system must be initia lized. Have tire pressure warning valve
and transmitter ID codes registered by your Lexus dealer. ( P. 489)
◆Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the following circum-
stances:
●When the tire inflation pressure is changed such as when changing travel-
ing speed.
●When the tire inflation pressure is changed such as when the tire size is
changed.
●When rotating the tires
When the tire pressure warning system is initialized, the current tire inflation
pressure is set as the benchmark pressure.
Tire pressure warning system
●The tire pressure detected by the tire
pressure warning system can be dis-
played on the multi-information display.
The illustration used is intended as an exam-
ple, and may differ from the image that is
actually displayed on the multi-information
display.
●If the tire pressure drops below a prede-
termined level, the driver is warned by a
screen display and a warning light.
( P. 538)
The illustration used is intended as an exam-
ple, and may differ from the image that is
actually displayed on the multi-information
display.

4906-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX450h_U_OM0E013U
■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 enough 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 with 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.
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the maximum load of the replacement tire is greater than 1/2 of the Gross
Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) of either the front axle or the rear axle, whichever is
greater.
For the GAWR, see the Certification Label. For
the maximum load of the tire, see the load limit
at maximum cold tire inflation pressure men-
tioned on the sidewall of the tire. ( P. 594)