check engine LEXUS RX450h 2021 User Guide

2894-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco drive mode, the
torque corresponding to the accelera-
tor pedal depression amount can be
generated more smoothly than it is in
normal conditions. In addition, the
operation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be mini-
mized, improving the fuel economy.
( P.281)
The Eco-friendly driving is possible by
keeping the indicator needle (except F
SPORT models) or bar display (F
SPORT models) of Hybrid System
Indicator within Eco area. ( P.85)
Shift the shift lever to D when stopped
at a traffic light, or driving in heavy traf-
fic, etc. Shift the shift lever to P when
parking. When using the N, there is no
positive effect on fuel consumption. In
the N, the gasoline engine operates
but electricity cannot be generated.
Also, when using the air conditioning
system, etc., the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) power is consumed. 
Drive your vehicle smoothly. Avoid
abrupt acceleration and decelera-
tion. Gradual acceleration and
deceleration will make more effec-
tive use of the electric motor (trac-
tion motor) without having to use
gasoline engine power.
 Avoid repeated acceleration.
Repeated acceleration consumes
hybrid battery (traction battery)
power, resulting in poor fuel con-
sumption. Battery power can be
restored by driving with the acceler-
ator pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes gently
and in a timely manner. A greater
amount of electrical energy can be
regenerated when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and decelera-
tion, 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 driving in a traffic jam, gently
release the brake pedal to allow the
vehicle to move forward slightly while
avoiding overuse of the accelerator
pedal. Doing so can help control
excessive gasoline consumption.
Hybrid vehicle driving tips
For economical and ecological
driving, pay attention to the follow-
ing points:
Using Eco drive mode
Use of Hybrid System Indicator
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake pedal
operation
When braking
Delays

2904-6. Driving tips
Control and maintain the vehicle at a
constant speed. 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
regenerated when slowing down.
Use the air conditioning only when
necessary. Doing so can help reduce
excessive gasoline consumption.
In summer: When the ambient tem-
perature is high, use the recirculated
air mode. Doing so will help to reduce
the burden on the air conditioning sys-
tem 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 consump-
tion can be improved by avoiding over-
use of the heater.
Make sure to check the tire inflation
pressure frequently. Improper tire infla-
tion pressure can cause poor fuel
economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause large
amounts of friction, their use on dry
roads can lead to poor fuel economy.
Use tires that are appropriate for the
season. Carrying heavy luggage will lead to
poor fuel economy. Avoid carrying
unnecessary luggage.
Installing a large
roof rack will also cause poor fuel
economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts up and
cuts out automatically when cold,
warming up the engine is unnecessary.
Moreover, frequently driving short dis-
tances will cause the engine to repeat-
edly warm up, which can lead to excess
fuel consumption.
Highway driving
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driving

2954-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
WARNING
●Do not grip the steering wheel spokes
when driving off-road. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your
hands. Keep both hands and especially
your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
●Always check your brakes for effec-
tiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.
●After driving through tall grass, mud,
rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that there
is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone,
sand, etc. adhering or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such matter
from the underbody. If the vehicle is
used with these materials trapped or
adhering to the underbody, a break-
down or fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike
objects, etc. This may cause loss of
control or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. You are also
risking expensive damage to your
vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
NOTICE
■To prevent water damage
Take all necessary sa fety measures to
ensure that water da mage to the hybrid
battery (traction battery), hybrid system
or other components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine compart-
ment may cause severe damage to the
hybrid system. Water entering the inte-
rior may cause the hybrid battery
(traction battery) stowed under the
rear seats to short circuit.
●Water entering the hybrid transmis-
sion and rear electr ic motor (traction
motor) will cause deterioration in
transmission quality. The malfunction
indicator may come on, and the vehi-
cle may not be drivable.
●Water can wash the grease from wheel
bearings, causing rusting and prema-
ture failure, and may also enter the
hybrid transmission case, reducing the
gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
■When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when
crossing shallow streams, first check the
depth of the water and the bottom of the
riverbed for firmness. Drive slowly and
avoid deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driving
●Sand and mud that has accumulated
around brake discs may affect braking
efficiency and may damage brake sys-
tem components.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of off-road
driving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For
scheduled maintena nce information,
refer to the “Warranty and Services
Guide/Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment/Scheduled Maintenance”.

355
6
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
.6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehi-cle exterior ................................ 356
Cleaning and protecting the vehi- cle interior ................................. 359
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements........................................................ 362
General maintenance ............. 363
Emission inspection and mainte- nance (I/M) programs ......... 366
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precautions........................................................ 367
Hood............................................... 369
Positioning a floor jack............ 369
Engine compartment................ 371
12-volt battery............................. 376
Tires ................................................ 380
Tire inflation pressure .............. 387
Wheels........................................... 389
Air conditioning filter...............390
Windshield wiper inserts........ 392
Electronic key battery ............. 393
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................................ 395
Headlight aim.............................. 397
Light bulbs .................................... 399

3626-2. Maintenance
6-2.Maintenance
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Lexus parts
be used for repairs to ensure performance
of each system. If non-Lexus parts are used
in replacement or if a repair shop other than
a Lexus dealer perfor ms repairs, confirm
the warranty coverage.
■Allow inspection and repairs to be per-
formed by a Lexus dealer
●Lexus technicians are well-trained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information. They are well
informed about the operation of all sys-
tems on your vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repa ir order. It proves
that the maintenance that has been per-
formed is under warra nty coverage. If any
problem should arise while your vehicle is
under warranty, your Lexus dealer will
promptly take care of it.
General maintenance should be per-
formed on a daily basis. This can be
done by yourself or by a Lexus dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should be
performed at specified intervals
according to the maintenance sched-
ule.
For details about ma intenance items and
schedules, refer to the “Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide”, “Owner’s Manual Supple-
ment” or “Scheduled Maintenance”.
■Resetting the message indicating main-
tenance is required (U.S.A. only)
After the required maintenance is pre-
formed according to the maintenance
schedule, please reset the message.
To reset the message, follow the procedures
described below:
1 Press or of the meter control
switch to select .
2 Press or of the meter control
switch, select the “Scheduled Mainte-
nance” screen and then press and hold
the .
Maintenance requirements
To ensure safe and economical driv-
ing, day-to-day care and regular
maintenance are essential. It is the
owner’s responsibility to perform
regular checks. Lexus recommends
the following maintenance:
WARNING
■If your vehicle is not properly main-
tained
Improper maintenanc e could result in
serious damage to the vehicle and possi-
ble death or serious injury.
■Handling of the 12-volt battery
●Engine exhaust, some of its constitu-
ents, and a wide variety of automobile
components contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and
other reproductive harm. Work in a
well ventilated area.
●Oils, fuels and fluids contained in vehi-
cles as well as waste produced by
component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of Cali-
fornia to cause cancer and birth
defects or other re productive harm.
Avoid exposure and wash any affected
area immediately.
●12-volt battery post s, terminals and
related accessories contain lead and
lead compounds which are known to
cause brain damage. Wash your hands
after handling. ( P.376)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance

3636-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
3Select the “Yes” and press .
4 A message will be displayed on the
multi-information display when the
reset procedure has been completed.
You can perform some maintenance
procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourself
maintenance may affect warranty cov-
erage.
The use of Lexus repair manuals is recom-
mended.
For details about warra nty coverage, refer
to the separate “Owner’s Guide”, “War-
ranty and Service Guide”, “Owner’s Man-
ual Supplement” or “Warranty Booklet”.
Do-it-yourself maintenance
General maintenance
Listed below are the general main-
tenance items that should be per-
formed at the intervals specified in
the “Warranty and Service Guide”
or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
It is recommended that any prob-
lem you notice should be brought to
the attention of your Lexus dealer
or qualified service shop for advice.
WARNING
■If the hybrid system is operating
Turn the hybrid system off and ensure
that there is adequate ventilation before
performing maintenance checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at the
correct level?
(  P.375)
Engine/power
control unit cool-
antIs the engine/power
control unit coolant at
the correct level?
( P.373)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at the
correct level?
( P.371)
Exhaust system
There should not be
any fumes or strange
sounds.

3656-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Seats• Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steering wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the cor-
rect amount of free
play?
•There should not be any strange sounds
coming from the
steering wheel.
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors• Do the doors oper-ate smoothly?
Engine hood
•Does the engine hood lock system
work properly?
Fluid leaks
•There should not be any signs of fluid
leakage after the
vehicle has been
parked.
ItemsCheck points
Tires
• Is the tire inflation pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or
excessively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to
the maintenance
schedule?
•The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Windshield wip-
ers/rear window
wiper
• The wiper blades should not show any
signs of cracking,
splitting, wear, con-
tamination or defor-
mation.
• The wiper blades should clear the
windshield/rear win-
dow without streak-
ing or skipping.
ItemsCheck points

3716-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Washer fluid tank (P.375)
Brake fluid reservoir ( P.375)
Engine oil level dipstick ( P.372)
Engine coolant reservoir ( P.373)
Power control unit coolant reservoir ( P.373)
Fuse boxes ( P.395)
Radiator ( P.374)
Power control unit coolant radiator ( P.374)
Condenser ( P.374)
Electric cooling fans
Engine oil filler cap ( P.372)
■12-volt battery
 P.376
With the engine at operating tempera-
ture and turned off, check the oil level
Engine compartment
Components
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
Checking and adding the engine
oil

3726-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
on the dipstick.
■Checking the engine oil
1 Park the vehicle on level ground.
After warming up the engine and
turning off the hybrid system, wait
more than 5 minutes for the oil to
drain back into the bottom of the
engine.
2 Holding a rag under the end, pull
the dipstick out.
3 Wipe the dipstick clean.
4 Reinsert the dipstick fully.
5 Holding a rag under the end, pull
the dipstick out and check the oil
level.
Low
Normal
Excessive
The shape of the dipstick may differ
depending on the type of vehicle or
engine.
6Wipe the dipstick and reinsert it
fully.
■Checking the oil type and prepar-
ing the item needed
Make sure to check the oil type and
prepare the items needed before add-
ing oil.
 Engine oil selection
P.463
 Oil quantity (Low  Full)
1.9 qt. (1.8 L, 1.6 Imp. qt.)
 Item
Clean funnel
■Adding engine oil
If the oil level is below or near the low
level mark, add engine oil of the same
type as that already in the engine.
1 Remove the oil filler cap by turning
it counterclockwise.
2 Add engine oil slowly, checking the
dipstick.
3 Install the oil filler cap by turning it
clockwise.
■Engine oil consumption
A certain amount of engine oil will be con-
sumed while driving. In the following situa-
tions, oil consumption may increase, and
engine oil may need to be refilled in
between oil maintenance intervals.
A
B
C

3736-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
●When the engine is new, for example
directly after purchasing the vehicle or
after replacing the engine
●If low quality oil or oil of an inappropriate
viscosity is used
●When driving at high engine speeds or
with a heavy load, when towing, or when
driving while accelera ting or decelerat-
ing frequently
●When leaving the engine idling for a long
time, or when driving frequently through
heavy traffic
■After changing the engine oil
The engine oil maintena nce data should be
reset. Perform the following procedures:
1 Press or of the meter control
switch to select on the multi-infor-
mation display.
2 Press or of the meter control
switch, select the “Vehicle Settings”
then “Oil Maintenance”. (To confirm
setting, press .)
3 Select the “Yes” and press .
4 A message is displayed on the
multi-information display.
■Engine coolant reservoir
The coolant level is satisfactory if it is
between the “FULL” and “LOW” lines
on the reservoir when the hybrid sys-
tem is cold.
Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
If the level is on or below the “LOW” line,
add coolant up to the “FULL” line.
( P.454)
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, service 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 re fill the vehicle.
●Be sure the engine o il filler cap is prop-
erly tightened.
Checking the coolant
A
B
C