Tires Lexus ES350 2009 User Guide

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2-5. Driving information
ES350_U_(L/O_0808)
■Before towing
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. (→P. 3 3 4 )
●Trailer tires should be inflated according to the trailer manufacturer's recom-
mendation.
●All trailer lights work to be legal.
●Confirm all lights work each time you connect them.
●Check that your vehicle remains level when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle is not level, and check for improper tongue
load, overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.
●Make sure the trailer cargo is securely loaded.
●Check that your rear view mirrors conform to any federal, state/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors appropriate for towing
purposes.
■Break-in schedule
Lexus recommends that you do not use a new vehicle or a vehicle with any new
power train components (engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearings, etc.) to
tow a trailer for the first 500 miles (800 km) of driving.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance due to
the additional load. (See “Warranty and Services Guide/Owner's Manual Sup-
plement/ Scheduled Maintenance”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
CAUTION
■To avoid accident or injury
●The total trailer weight (trailer weight plus the weight of cargo) must not exceed
1000 lb. (450 kg).
●Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight, gross axle
weight and trailer tongue load capacities.
●Never load more weight in the back than in the front of the trailer. About 60% of
the load should be in the front half of the trailer, and the remaining 40% in the
r e a r.

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2-5. Driving information
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When driving
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CAUTION
■Hitches
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities established by the hitch
manufacturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of towing a
higher weight, the operator must never exceed the maximum weight rating speci-
fied for the trailer hitch.
●If you wish to install a trailer hitch, your Lexus dealer should be consulted.
●Use only a hitch that conforms to the total trailer weight requirement.
●Follow the directions supplied by the hitch manufacturer.
●Lubricate the hitch ball with a light coat of grease.
●Remove the trailer hitch whenever you are not towing a trailer. After removing
the hitch, seal any mounting holes in the vehicle body to prevent entry of any sub-
stances into the vehicle.
■When towing a trailer
●Never tap into your vehicle's hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehicle's
braking effectiveness.
●Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both the
trailer and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch ball, there is
danger of the trailer wandering into another lane.
●Do not use cruise control/dynamic radar cruise control.
Doing so may result in inappropriate control of speed and could cause serious or
fatal accident.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
●Use only the position recommended by your Lexus dealer. Do not install the
trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
●Do not use axle-mounted hitches, as they can cause damage to the axle housing,
wheel bearings, wheels or tires.
■Brakes
Lexus recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable federal and
state/provincial regulations.

Maintenance and care4
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4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior............. 292
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior .............. 295
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ....................... 298
General maintenance ......... 300
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs............................... 303 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ........................... 304
Hood .......................................... 308
Positioning a floor jack ......... 309
Engine compartment ............. 311
Tires............................................ 326
Tire inflation pressure........... 334
Wheels ...................................... 338
Air conditioning filter ........... 340
Electronic key battery.......... 342
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................ 344
Headlight aim ......................... 352
Light bulbs................................ 354

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4-2. Maintenance
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Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Steering wheel
• Moves smoothly?
• Has correct free play?
• No strange noises?
ItemsCheck points
Door/trunk• Operate smoothly?
Engine hood• The lock system works properly?
Fluid leaks• Is there any leakage after parking?
Ti r e
• Inflation pressure is correct?
• Tire surfaces not worn or dam-aged?
• Tires rotated according to the maintenance schedule?
• Wheel nuts are not loose?
CAUTION
■If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation before performing
maintenance checks.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance schedules and
treadwear.
■Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear indi-
cators is shown by the TWI or ∆
marks, etc., molded on the side-
wall of each tire.
Check spare tire condition and
pressure if not rotated.
■ Tire rotation
If equipped with full-size spare 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.
Front

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
When replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters must also be installed.
When new tire pressure warning valves and transmitters are installed,
new tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes must be regis-
tered in the tire pressure warning computer and tire pressure warning
system must be initialized. Have tire pressure warning valve and transmit-
ter ID codes registered by your Lexus dealer. ( →P. 329)
If equipped with compact spare 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.
■The tire pressure warning system
Your Lexus is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses
tire pressure warning valve and transmitters to detect low tire infla-
tion pressure before serious problems arise. ( →P. 3 7 7 )
Vehicles with compact spare tire: The compact spare tire is not
equipped with the tire pressure warning valve and transmitters.
Front

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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Registering and selecting ID codes
■ Registering ID codes
2 sets of tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes can be
registered. Once a second set of tires is registered at “2nd”, you can
switch between tire set settings simply by pressing the tire pressure
warning select switch.
There are 2 settings:
“MAIN” position: The ID code of the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter on the tires originally installed on the vehicle is registered.
“2nd” position: The ID code is not registered. When you replace a new
set of tires, purchase tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
from your Lexus dealer and have the new ID code registered by your
Lexus dealer.
■ Selecting ID codes
When replacing tires, make sure to select the ID code set that matches
the new tire set. If the tire pressure warning select switch is set to the
wrong tire setting, the tire pressure warning system will not operate
properly. After driving for about 20 minutes, the tire pressure warning
light comes on after blinking for 1 minute to indicate a system malfunc-
tion.
MAIN
2nd

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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■When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●You have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to expose the
fabric or 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 properly. After driving for about 20
minutes, the tire pressure warning light come s on after blinking for 1 minute to indi-
cate a system malfunction.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if they
have seldom or never been used or damage is not obvious.
■If the tread wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm) on snow tires
The effectiveness of snow tires is lost.
■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, which-
ever 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.
(
→P. 4 3 5 )

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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■Tire types
1 Summer tiresSummer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to highway driving
under dry conditions. Since summer tires do not have the same traction perfor-
mance 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.
2 All season tires All season tires are designed to provide better traction in snow and to be ade-
quate for driving in most winter conditions, as well as for use year round. All sea-
son 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 wi th summer tires in highway driving.
3 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 capac-
ity 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 lo cal regulations for possible restriction.
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. ( →P. 1 7 2 )
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the tire pressure warning system with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to
the specified level.
■If you push the tire pressure reset switch accidentally
If initialization is performed, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level
and initialize the tire pressure warning system again.
■When the initialization of the tire pressure warning system has failed
Initialization can be completed in a few minutes. However, in the following cases,
the settings have not been recorded and the system will not operate properly. If
repeated attempts to record tire inflation pressure settings are unsuccessful, have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
●When operating the tire pressure warning reset switch, the tire pressure warning
light does not flash 3 times.
●After carrying out the initialization procedure, the tire pressure warning light
blinks for 1 minute then stays on after driving for about 20 minutes.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
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CAUTION
■When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to parts of the drive train, 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 mix summer, all season and winter tires.
●Do not tow the vehicle with the compact spare tire installed.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not push the tire pressure warning reset switch 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.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing tires, wheels and tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters
When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter, contact your Lexus dealer as the tire pressure warning valve and trans-
mitter may be damaged if not handled correctly.
■To avoid damaging the tire pressu re warning valves and transmitters
Do not use liquid sealants on flat tires.
■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 cushion-
ing 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.
■If tire inflation pressures become low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.