winter tires Lexus GS350 2010 Owner's Manual

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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
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Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before driving the
vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a manner appropriate to the
prevailing weather conditions.
■Pre-winter preparations
● Use fluids that are appropriate to the prevailing outside tempera-
tures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have a service technician inspect the level and specific gravity of
battery electrolyte.
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set of
tire chains for the rear tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains match
the size of the tires.
■Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following according to the driving conditions.
● Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is fro-
zen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice. Wipe
away the water immediately to prevent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of the climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents in
front of the windshield.
● Remove any ice that has accumulated on the vehicle chassis.
● Periodically check for and remove any excess ice or snow that
may have accumulated in the wheel well or on the brakes.
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468
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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■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.
■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.
2All 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 with summer tires in highway driving.
3Snow 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 orig-
inal equipment, make sure your snow tires also have radial construction. Do not
install studded tires without first checking local regulations for possible restric-
tion. Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. ( →P. 2 1 9 )
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. 6 0 4 )
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471
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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CAUTION
■Tire pressure warning system operation
The tire pressure warning system may not provide warning immediately if a tire
bursts or if sudden air leakage occurs.
■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 use tires that have been used on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not know how they were used previously.
■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.
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