LexusRC3002021Overview/lexus/rc300/2021/base/

2021 Lexus RC300

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 RC300.

Transmission Automatic (S8)

The 2021 Lexus RC300 is a compact luxury coupe pairing Lexus's refined rear-drive architecture with an 8-speed automatic transmission, delivering EPA fuel economy of 21 mpg city and 31 mpg highway for a combined 25 mpg — respectable numbers for a car that prioritizes smooth power delivery over outright thrust, with routine maintenance calling for 5.7 quarts of 0W-20 synthetic oil. As a later entry in the RC's lifecycle, this model year reflects the platform's mature reliability record: only two owner complaints on file and a single recall, with seat belts being the most noted concern — a notably thin issue list that suggests Lexus had largely sorted the car's mechanicals by this point, leaving researchers with a model year that carries minimal documented risk.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182017

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/31/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9672335028. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24 · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHOTOEM · verified
Tire size235/45R18 94VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8, Optional: 8, Front: 8, Rear: 9 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter1780131170
Fuel filter7702453100
Spark plug9091901263 alt 9091901276
Battery2880038100
Front wiper blades8522224150 alt 8521253100
Serpentine belt90916A2026 alt 9091602733
Thermostat9091603154 alt 9091603156
Cabin air filter8713930100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 31 / 25 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.7 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, SAE J1703 · Dot 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid CapacityA706H
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid CapacityA706H
Brake FluidSAE J1703 · Dot 3
Engine CoolantHOAT
Engine Coolant Capacity10.0 qt
Engine CoolantToyota Super Long Life Coolant

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.0 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)32.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)15.0 ft-lbs
Flex or Driveplate BoltsDrive Plate to Crankshaft: 61.0 ft-lbs
Flex or Driveplate BoltsDrive Plate to Crankshaft: 72.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts72.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain PlugA706H: 15.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 Transaxle in Park or Neutral rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)±50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)±50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug TypeFK20HBR8

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.193-1.318 lbs
Oil TypeND-12 or equivalent
Oil Capacity1.35 oz
RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.193-1.318 lbs
Oil TypeND-12 or equivalent
Oil Capacity1.35 oz

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum28 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum121 psi
RPM580-1160 PSI @ 3000 RPM's. rpm
Residual Pressure14.2
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)580-1160 Psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum28 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum121 psi
RPM28.0

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: NS, Rear: 25.0 ft-lbs
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 100.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 92.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor Torque6.3
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.0394; Rear: 0.0394 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.063; Rear: 12
Maximum Rotor Runout.002"

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
163.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90°, Step 3: 90°63 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
17.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 15.07 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
145.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90°, Step 3: 12mm Bolt: 19.045 ft. lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
17.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 15.0 ft. lbs, Step 3: 7.07 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 miFloor Mat (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test) · Windshield Wiper Blade (inspect)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Intercooler (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Intercooler (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2021 Lexus RC300 dominate in one area — the seat belts, 1 of 2 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
115
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Seat Belts1
Electrical System,Forward Collision Avoidance1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 115 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0021-252026-03-10EngineOBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now…
L-SB-0021-252026-02-27EngineOBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now…
L-SB-0057-22 Rev22026-02-02Electrical SystemOBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.
L-SB-0004-262026-01-23Electrical SystemSome 2018 – 2025 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform™ 2.0 Navigation…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific RC300. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2021 RC300 take?

5.7 qt of 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 RC300 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the RC300 get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 31 highway / 25 combined mpg.