Lexus ES: Tires

Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance schedules and treadwear.

Checking tires

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.

1. New tread
2. Worn tread
3. Treadwear indicator

The location of treadwear indicators 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.

■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 your Lexus dealer.

• Vehicles with 17-inch tires: The wheel angle differs from vehicles equipped with 18-inch tires. Therefore, 18- inch tires cannot be installed, as sufficient gaps with surrounding parts cannot be ensured.

■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.

■Low profile tires (18-inch tires) Generally, low profile tires will wear more rapidly and tire grip performance will be reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when compared to standard tires. Be sure to use snow tires on snowy and/or icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appropriate for road and weather conditions.

■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 mentioned on the sidewall of the tire.

■Tire types

• Summer tires
  Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway driving under dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same traction performance as snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for driving on snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
• All season tires
  All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to be adequate for driving in most winter conditions as well as for use year-round. All season tires, however, do not have adequate traction performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.

  Also, all season tires fall short in acceleration and handling performance compared with summer tires in highway driving.

• Snow tires
  For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend using snow tires. If you need snow tires, select tires of the same size, construction and load capacity as the originally installed tires. Since your vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make sure your snow tires also have radial construction. Do not install studded tires without first checking local regulations for possible restrictions.

  Snow tires should be installed on all wheels.

■If the tread on snow tires wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm) The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.

WARNING

■When inspecting or replacing tires Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents.

Failure to do so may cause damage to parts of the drivetrain as well as dangerous handling characteristics, which may lead to an accident resulting in death or serious injury.

• Do not mix tires of different makes, models or tread patterns.

  Also, do not mix tires of remarkably different treadwear.

• Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended by Lexus.
• Do not mix differently constructed tires (radial, bias-belted or bias-ply tires).
• Do not tow if your vehicle has a compact spare tire installed.
• Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.
• Do not use tires that have been used on another vehicle.

  Do not use tires if you do not know how they were used previously.

NOTICE

■Driving on rough roads Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or potholes.

These conditions may cause losses in tire inflation pressure, reducing the cushioning ability of the tires. In addition, driving on rough roads may cause damage to the tires themselves, as well as the vehicle's wheels and body.

■Low profile tires (18-inch tires) Low profile tires may cause greater damage than usual to the tire wheel when sustaining impact from the road surface.

Therefore, pay attention to the following:

• Be sure to use proper tire inflation pressure. If tires are under-inflated, they may be damaged more severely.
• Avoid potholes, uneven pavement, curbs and other road hazards. Failure to do so may lead to severe tire and wheel damage.

■If tire inflation pressure of each tire becomes low while driving Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.

Tire rotation

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.

■When rotating the tires Make sure that the power switch is off. If the tires are rotated while the power switch is in ON mode, the tire position information will not be updated.

If this accidentally occurs, either turn the power switch to off and then to ON mode, or initialize the system after checking that the tire pressure is properly adjusted.

Tire pressure warning system

Your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect low tire inflation pressure before serious problems arise.

• If the tire pressure drops below a predetermined level, the driver is warned by a screen display and a warning light.
• The tire pressure detected by the tire pressure warning system can be displayed on the multi-information display.

The illustration used is intended as an example, and may differ from the image that is actually displayed on the multi-information display.

■Routine tire inflation pressure checks The tire pressure warning system does not replace routine tire inflation pressure checks. Make sure to check tire inflation pressure as part of your routine of daily vehicle checks.

■Tire inflation pressure

• It may take a few minutes to display the tire inflation pressure after the power switch is turned to ON mode.

  It may also take a few minutes to display the tire inflation pressure after inflation pressure has been adjusted.

• Tire inflation pressure changes with temperature.

  The displayed values may also be different from the values measured using a tire pressure gauge.

■Situations in which the tire pressure warning system may not operate properly

• In the following cases, the tire pressure warning system may not operate properly.
  • If non-genuine Lexus wheels are used.
  • A tire has been replaced with a tire that is not an OE (Original Equipment) tire.
  • A tire has been replaced with a tire that is not of the specified size.
  • Tire chains etc. are equipped.
  • An auxiliary-supported run-flat tire is equipped.
  • If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed.
  • If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehicle, particularly around the wheels or wheel housings.
  • If the tire inflation pressure is extremely higher than the specified level.
  • If wheel without tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are used.
  • If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters is not registered in the tire pressure warning computer.
• Performance may be affected in the following situations.
  • Near a TV tower, electric power plant, gas station, radio station, large display, airport or other facility that generates strong radio waves or electrical noise
  • When carrying a portable radio, cellular phone, cordless phone or other wireless communication device

If tire position information is not correctly displayed due to the radio wave conditions, the display may be corrected by driving and changing the radio wave conditions.

• When the vehicle is parked, the time taken for the warning to start or go off could be extended.
• When tire inflation pressure declines rapidly for example when a tire has burst, the warning may not function.

■Warning performance of the tire pressure warning system The warning of the tire pressure warning system will change in accordance with driving conditions. For this reason, the system may give a warning even if the tire pressure does not reach a low enough level, or if the pressure is higher than the pressure that was adjusted to when the system was initialized.

Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters

When replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves and transmitters must also be installed.

When new tire pressure warning 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 initialized.

■When replacing the 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 properly. After driving for about 20 minutes, the tire pressure warning light blinks for 1 minute and stays on to indicate a system malfunction.

NOTICE

■Repairing or replacing tires, wheels, tire pressure warning valves, transmitters and tire valve caps

• When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters, contact your Lexus dealer as the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may be damaged if not handled correctly.
• Make sure to install the tire valve caps.

  If the tire valve caps are not installed, water could enter the tire pressure warning valves and the tire pressure warning valves could be bound.

• When replacing tire valve caps, do not use tire valve caps other than those specified. The cap may become stuck.

Initializing the tire pressure warning system

■ The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the following circumstances:

• When rotating the tires.
• When the tire inflation pressure is changed when changing traveling speed.
• When the tire inflation pressure is changed such as when changing tire size. (When there are multiple specified pressures)
• After registering the ID codes.

When the tire pressure warning system is initialized, the current tire inflation pressure is set as the benchmark pressure.

■ How to initialize the tire pressure warning system

1. Park the vehicle in a safe place and stop the hybrid system for 20 minutes or more.

Initialization cannot be performed while the vehicle is moving.

2. Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire inflation pressure level.

Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire inflation pressure level.

The tire pressure warning system will operate based on this pressure level.

3. Start the hybrid system.

4. Press or of the meter control switches and select .

5. Press   or  of the meter control switches and select "Vehicle Settings", then press "OK".

6. Press or of the meter control switches and select "TPWS", then press "OK".

7. Press or of the meter control switches and select "Set Pressure".

Then press and hold "OK" until the tire pressure warning light starts blinking.

A message is displayed on the multi-information display. Also, "--" is displayed for inflation pressure of each tire on the multi-information display while the tire pressure warning system determines the position.

8. Drive at approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more for approximately 10 to 30 minutes.

When initialization is complete, the inflation pressure of each tire will be displayed on the multi-information display.

Even if the vehicle is not driven at approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, initialization can be completed by driving for a long time. However, if initialization does not complete after driving for 1 hour or more, park the vehicle in a safe place for approximately 20 minutes and then drive the vehicle again.

■When initializing

• Initialization is performed while driving at a vehicle speed of approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more.
• Make sure to carry out initialization after adjusting the tire inflation pressure.

  Also, make sure the tires are cold before carrying out initialization or tire inflation pressure adjustment.

• The tire pressure warning system can be initialized by yourself, but depending on the driving conditions and driving environment, initialization may take some time to complete.

■The initialization operation

• If you have accidentally turned the power switch off during initialization, it is not necessary to manually restart the initialization again, as initialization will restart automatically the next time the power switch is turned to ON mode.
• If you accidentally perform initialization when initialization is not necessary, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level when the tires are cold, and conduct initialization again.
• While the position of each tire is being determined and the inflation pressures are not being displayed on the multi-information display, if the inflation pressure of a tire drops, the tire pressure warning light will come on.

■If the tire pressure warning system is not initialized properly

• In the following situations, initialization may take longer than usual to be completed or may not be possible. Normally, initialization completes within approximately 30 minutes.
  • Vehicle is not driven at approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more
  • Vehicle is driven on unpaved roads
  • Vehicle is driven near other vehicles and system cannot recognize tire pressure warning valve and transmitters of your vehicle over those of other vehicles

If initialization does not complete after driving for 1 hour or more, park the vehicle in a safe place for approximately 20 minutes and then drive the vehicle again.

• If the vehicle is reversed during initialization, the data up to that point is reset, so perform the initialization procedure again from the beginning.
• In the following situations, initialization will not be started or was not completed properly and the system will not operate properly. Perform the initialization procedure again.
  • If, when attempting to start initialization, the tire pressure warning light does not blink 3 times.
  • If, when the vehicle has been driven for about 20 minutes after performing initialization, the tire pressure warning light blinks for approximately 1 minute and then illuminates.

If initialization cannot be completed after performing the above procedure, contact your Lexus dealer.

WARNING

■When initializing the tire pressure warning system Do not initialize tire inflation pressure without first adjusting the tire inflation pressure to the specified level. Otherwise, the tire pressure warning light may not come on even if the tire inflation pressure is low, or it may come on when the tire inflation pressure is actually normal.

Registering ID codes

Every tire pressure warning valve and transmitter has a unique ID code.

When replacing a tire pressure warning valve and transmitter, it is necessary to register the ID code.

When registering the ID codes, perform the following procedure.

1. Park the vehicle in a safe place, wait for approximately 20 minutes, and then start the hybrid system.

2. Press or of the meter control switches and select .

3. Press or of the meter control switches and select "Vehicle Settings", and then press "OK".

4. Press or of the meter control switches and select "TPWS", and then press "OK".

5. Press or of the meter control switches and select "Change Wheel Set". Then press and hold "OK" until the tire pressure warning light starts slowly blinking 3 times.

Then a message will be displayed on the multi-information display.

When registration is being performed, the tire pressure warning light will blink for approximately 1 minute then illuminate and "--" will be displayed for the inflation pressure of each tire on the multi-information display.

6. Drive at approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more for approximately 10 to 30 minutes.

Registration is complete when the tire pressure warning light turns off and the inflation pressure of each tire is displayed on the multi-information display.

Even if the vehicle is not driven at approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, registration can be completed by driving for a long time. However, if registration does not complete after driving for 1 hour or more, perform the procedure again from the beginning.

7. Initialize the tire pressure warning system.

■When registering ID codes

• ID code registration is performed while driving at a vehicle speed of approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more.
• Before performing ID code registration, make sure that no wheels with tire pressure warning valve and transmitters installed are near the vehicle.
• Make sure to initialize the tire pressure warning system after registering the ID codes. If the system is initialized before registering the ID codes, the initialized values will be invalid.
• ID codes can be registered by yourself, but depending on the driving conditions and driving environment, registration may take some time to complete.

■Canceling ID code registration

• To cancel ID code registration after it has been started, turn the power switch off before driving the vehicle.

  If the vehicle is driven after ID code registration is started, to cancel registration, perform the ID code registration start procedure again and turn the power switch off before driving.

• If ID code registration has been canceled, the tire pressure warning light will blink for approximately 1 minute when the power switch is turned to ON mode and then illuminate. The tire pressure warning system will be operational when the tire pressure warning light turns off.
• If the warning light does not turn off even after several minutes have elapsed, ID code registration may not have been canceled correctly. To cancel registration, perform the ID code registration start procedure again and then turn the power switch off before driving.

■If ID codes are not registered properly

• In the following situations, ID code registration may take longer than usual to be completed or may not be possible. Normally, registration completes within approximately 30 minutes.
  • Vehicle is not parked for approximately 20 minutes or more before driving
  • Vehicle is not driven at approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or more
  • Vehicle is driven on unpaved roads
  • Vehicle is driven near other vehicles and system cannot recognize tire pressure warning valve and transmitters of your vehicle over those of other vehicles
  • Wheel with tire pressure warning valve and transmitter installed is inside or near the vehicle

If registration does not complete after driving for 1 hour or more, perform the ID code registration procedure again from the beginning.

• If the vehicle is reversed during registration, the data up to that point is reset, so perform the registration procedure again from the beginning.
• In the following situations, ID code registration will not be started or was not completed properly and the system will not operate properly. Perform the ID code registration procedure again.
  • If, when attempting to start ID code registration, the tire pressure warning light does not blink slowly 3 times.
  • If, when the vehicle has been driven for about 20 minutes after performing ID code registration, the tire pressure warning light blinks for approximately 1 minute and then illuminates.
• If ID code registration cannot be completed after performing the above procedure, contact your Lexus dealer.

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