2003 Lexus ES300 spare tire

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
271
1. Lift up the deck board and hang the deck board hook on
the right hinge of the trunk lid.
Make sure the board does not fall down.
When closing the board, replace the hook in its original
position. 1Spare tire 2Jack handle 3Wrench
4Jack 5Towing eyelet
2. Get the jack, wrench and spare tire.
To prepare yourself for an emergency, you should familiarize
yourself with the use of the jack and each tool, and their
storage locations. The jack handle and wrench are attached
at the reverse side of the cover.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
272
 1 Joint
2 When removing the jack, turn the joint by hand in the
“contract” direction until the jack is free.
3 When storing, turn the joint by hand in the “expand”
direction until the jack is firmly secured to prevent it
from flying forward during a collision or sudden
braking.
To remove the spare tire:
1 Remove the spare tire cover.
2Loosen the bolt and remove it.
When storing the spare tire, place it with the inner side of the
wheel facing up. Then bolt the tire in place and install the spare
tire cover to prevent the tire from flying forward during a
collision or sudden braking.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
274
5. Position the jack at the jack points as shown. Rotate
the load rest 90 from storage position to lifting position.
Make sure the jack is positioned on a level and solid surface.6. After making sure no one is in the vehicle, raise it high
enough so that the spare tire can be installed.
Allow for the fact that you need more ground clearance when
putting on the spare tire than when removing the flat tire.
To raise the vehicle, insert the jack handle into the jack (it is a
loose fit) and turn it clockwise. As the jack touches the vehicle
and begins to lift, double −check that it is properly positioned.
CAUTION
Never get under the vehicle when the vehicle is
supported by the jack alone.

CHASSIS
324
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the power steering could be
damaged.
CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE
The recommended cold tire pressures, tire size and the
vehicle capacity weight are given on the label.
You should check the tire pressures every two weeks, or at
least once a month. And don’t forget the spare! The air
pressure for the spare tire should be adjusted according to the
conditions in the table on page 321.
Incorrect tire pressure may waste fuel, reduce the comfort of
driving, reduce tire life and make your vehicle less safe to drive.
If a tire needs frequent refilling, have it checked by your Lexus
dealer.

CHASSIS
327
If you have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep
enough to expose the fabric, or bulges indicating internal
damage, the tire should be replaced.
If a tire often goes flat or cannot be properly repaired due to the
size or location of a cut or other damage, it should be
replaced.
If you are not sure, consult with your Lexus dealer.
If an air loss occurs while driving, do not continue driving with
a deflated tire. Driving even a short distance can damage a tire
beyond repair.
Any tires which are over 6 years old must be checked by
a qualified technician even if damage is not obvious.
Tires deteriorate with age even if they have never or seldom
been used.
This also applies to the spare tire and tires stored for future
use.
Uniform tire quality grading
This information has been prepared in accordance with
regulations issued by the National Highway T raffic Safety
Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
It provides the purchasers and/or prospective purchasers
of Lexus vehicles with information on uniform tire quality
grading.
Your Lexus dealer will help answer any questions you may
have as you read this information.
DOT quality grades All passenger car tires must
conform to Federal Safety Requirements in addition to
these grades. Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example: Treadwear 200
Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear − The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1 − 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B, C − The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C, and they represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.