tires Lexus IS250 2012 User Guide

209
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
IS350/250_U
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs of and obtain replacement snow tires from Lexus dealers or legiti-
mate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affects the operation of
the tire pressure warning system.
■Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning system may not function correctly when tire chains are fit-
ted.

Maintenance and care4
377
IS350/250_U
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior............. 378
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ............. 382
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ....................... 385
General maintenance .......... 387
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs............................... 390 4-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ............................ 391
Hood .......................................... 394
Positioning a floor jack ......... 395
Engine compartment ........... 397
Tires............................................. 412
Tire inflation pressure........... 424
Wheels ...................................... 428
Air conditioning filter ........... 430
Electronic key battery.......... 433
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................ 435
Headlight aim ......................... 449
Light bulbs................................. 451

389
4-2. Maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
IS350/250_U
Vehicle exterior
Steering wheel
• Moves smoothly?
• Has correct free play?
• No strange noises?
ItemsCheck points
Door/trunk• Operates 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.
ItemsCheck points

412
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
IS350/250_U
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
sidewall of each tire.
Check spare tire condition and
pressure if not rotated.
■ Tire rotation
2WD models with 16-inch tires or AWD models
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.
2WD models with non-directional 17-inch tires or 18-inch tiresRotate 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
Front

413
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
IS350/250_U
Directional tiresTire direction marks
The tire sidewalls are marked with
arrows indicating the rolling direc-
tion of the tire. If mounted on the
wrong side of the vehicle, direc-
tional tires will perform poorly.
2WD models with directional 17-inch tires or 18-inch tires
Tires cannot be rotated.
■ The tire pressure warning system
Your Lexus is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses
tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect low tire infla-
tion pressure before serious problems arise. ( →P. 473, 482)

414
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
IS350/250_U
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. 4 1 6 )
Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■ The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the following
circumstances:
● When rotating the tires on vehicles differing with front and rear tire
inflation pressures.
● When changing the tire inflation pressure by changing traveling
speed.
● When changing the tire size.
When the tire pressure warning system is initialized, the current tire
inflation pressure is set as the pressure benchmark.

416
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
IS350/250_U
Registering and selecting ID codesTo select tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes, use the
satellite switch. ( →P. 3 3 9 )
■ 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.

417
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
IS350/250_U■
Selecting ID codes
When replacing tires, make sure to select the ID code set that matches
the new tire set. If the tire pressure 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 malfunction.
Tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter ID code settings dis-
play
Press “<” or “>” repeatedly until
the setting display appears.
Switching ID codes
Press the “ON/OFF” button to
switch between “MAIN” and
“2ND” ID codes.

418
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
IS350/250_U
■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 blinks for 1 minute and stays on to indicate a
system malfunction.
■Tire lif e
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if it has sel-
dom 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.
■Low profile tires (models not equipped with 16-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 or tire chains
* on snowy and/or icy roads and drive carefully at a
speed appropriate for road and weather conditions.
*: Tire chains cannot be mounted on 18-inch tires.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
IS350/250_U
■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.
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.
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 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. 2 0 6 )
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the tires with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to the specified level. 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. 5 4 1 ) .