tire size Lexus IS300 2003 Basic Functions / LEXUS 2003 IS300 (OM53439U) User Guide

CHASSIS
338
INSTALLING SNOW TIRES ANDCHAINS
When to use snow tires or chains
Snow tires or chains are recommended when driving on
snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional or radial tires provide better
traction than snow or studded tires.
Snow tire selection
If you need snow tires, select tires of the same size,
construction and load capacity as the originally installed
tires.
Do not use tires other than stated above. 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.
CAUTION
Observe the following instructions. Otherwise, an
accident may occur resulting in death or serious
injuries.
Do not use snow tires other than the manufacturer's
recommended size, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in loss of control.
Snow tire installation
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels.
Installing snow tires on the rear wheels only can lead to an
excessive difference in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which could cause loss of vehicle control.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires incorrectly inflated.
 Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph) with any type of
snow tires.
2003 IS300 from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM53439U)

CHASSIS
339
Tire chain selection
63L009a

1Side chain 2Cross chain
Use the tire chains of correct size.
For 225/45ZR17 tires, use the following type chains.mm (in.)
A: Diameter of side chain 3.0 (0.12)
B: Diameter of cross chain 4.0 (0.16)
For P205/55R16 or 215/45ZR17 tires, use SAE Class ºSº type
radial tire chains, with the exception of radial cable chains or
V±bar type chains.
Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary
according to location or type of road. Always check the
local regulations before installing chains.
NOTICE
If the wrong combination of tire and chain is used, the chains could damage the vehicle body.
Chain installation
Install the chains on the rear tires as tightly as possible.
Do not use tire chains on the front tires. Retighten chains
after driving 0.5 ± 1.0 km (1/4 ± 1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, carefully follow the
instructions of the chain manufacturer.
CAUTION
 Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or the chain
manufacturer's recommended speed limit,
whichever is lower.
 Drive carefully avoiding bumps, holes, and sharp
turns, which may cause the vehicle to bounce.
 Avoid sharp turns or locked±wheel braking, as use of
chains may adversely affect vehicle handling.
 When driving with chains installed, be sure to drive
carefully. Slow down before entering the curves to
avoid losing control of the vehicle, it may cause an
accident.
2003 IS300 from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM53439U)

CHASSIS
340
NOTICE
Do not attempt to use a tire chain on the compact sparetire, as it may result in damage to the vehicle as well asthe tire.
REPLACING WHEELS
When to replace your wheels
If you have wheel damage such as bends, cracks or heavy
corrosion, the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the tire may slip off the
wheel or cause loss of handling control.
Replacement with used wheels is not recommended as they
may have been subjected to rough treatment or high mileage
and could fail without warning. Also, bent wheels which have
been straightened may have hidden structural damage and
therefore should not be used. Never use an inner tube in a
leaking wheel which is designed for a tubeless tire.
Wheel selection
When replacing wheels, care should be taken to ensure
that they are equivalent to those removed in load capacity,
diameter, rim width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available at your Lexus
dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may adversely affect
handling, wheel and bearing life, brake cooling,
speedometer/odometer calibration, stopping ability, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance, and tire or snow
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
2003 IS300 from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM53439U)

CHASSIS
341
CAUTION
Observe the following instructions. Otherwise, an
accident may occur resulting in death or serious
injuries.
Do not use wheels other than the manufacturer's
recommended size, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in loss of control.
ALUMINUM WHEEL PRECAUTIONS
When installing aluminum wheels, check that the wheel
nuts are tight after driving your vehicle the first 1600 km
(1000 miles).
 If you have rotated, repaired, or changed your tires, check
that the wheel nuts are still tight after driving 1600 km (1000
miles).
 When using tire chains, be careful not to damage the
aluminum wheels.
 Use only the Lexus wheel nuts and wrench designed for
your aluminum wheels.
 When balancing your wheels, use only Lexus balance
weights or equivalent and a plastic or rubber hammer.
 As with any wheel, periodically check your aluminum
wheels for damage. If damaged, replace immediately.
2003 IS300 from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM53439U)

3
GAS STATION INFORMATION

Fuel selection:
Select premium unleaded gasoline with an Octane Rat-
ing of 91 (Research Octane Number 96) or higher for
optimum engine performance. However, if such pre-
mium type cannot be obtained, you may temporarily use
unleaded gasoline with an Octane Rating as low as 87
(Research Octane Number 91).

Fuel tank capacity:
66 L (17.5 gal., 14.5 lmp.gal.)

Engine oil:
ºToyota Genuine Motor Oilº or equivalent
Oil grade: API grade SL ºEnergy±Conservingº or ILSAC
multigrade engine oil.
Recommend oil viscosity ± SAE 5W±30 if normal
temperatures are below 38 C (100F)
Oil capacity: L (qt., lmp.qt.)
Drain and refill with filter 5.4 (5.7, 4.8)
without filter 5.1 (5.4, 4.5)
See page 315 for detailed information.

Engine coolant:
Capacity: 7.5 L (7.9 qt., 6.6 lmp.qt.)
Coolant type ± ºToyota Genuine Long Life Coolantº or
equivalent
With ethylene±glycol type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components For checking the engine coolant, see page 319.
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or plain water alone.

Automatic transmission:
Fluid type ± Toyota Genuine ATF Type T±IV
See page 324 for detailed information.

Tire information:
See page 331 through 341 for detailed information.

Tire pressure:
Tire size: 225/45ZR17, 215/45ZR17 or P205/55R16 89V
Tire pressure: cold tires
kPa (kgf/cm
2 or bar, psi)
Ti
re sizeFrontRear
225/45ZR17 ± 240 (2.4, 35)
215/45ZR17 230 (2.3, 33) 230 (2.3, 33)
P205/55R16 89V 230 (2.3, 33) 230 (2.3, 33)
For sustained high speeds above 160 km/h (100 mph), in
countries where such speeds are permitted by law, add the
tire pressure given below to the front tires and rear tires, but
never exceed the maximum cold tire pressure molded on the
tire sidewall.
225/45ZR17 70kPa (0.8 kgf/cm
2, 0.7 bar, 10 psi)
215/45ZR17 70kPa (0.8 kgf/cm2, 0.7 bar, 10 psi)
P205/55R16 89V
Sedan 70kPa (0.8 kgf/cm
2, 0.7 bar, 10 psi)
SportCross Front: 70kPa (0.8 kgf/cm2, 0.7 bar, 10 psi)
Rear: 90kPa (0.9 kgf/cm2, 0.9 bar, 15 psi)
2003 IS300 from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM53439U)