2004 Lexus ES330 tires

CHASSIS
391
CAUTION
Keep your tires properly inflated. Otherwise, the
following conditions may occur and cause an
accident resulting in death or serious injuries.
Low tire pressure (underinflation) Ð
Excessive wear
Uneven wear
Poor handling
Possibility of blowouts from overheated tire
Poor sealing of the tire bead
Wheel deformation and/or tire separation
A greater possibility of tire damage from road
hazards
High tire pressure (overinflation) Ð
Poor handling
Excessive wear
Uneven wear
A greater possibility of tire damage from road
hazards

CHASSIS
393
1Summer tire or all season tire: An all season
tire has M+Sº on the sidewall. The tire not
marked with M+Sº is a summer tire. For details,
see Types of tiresº on page 400.
2Tire size: For details, see Tire sizeº on page
394.
3DOT and Tire Identification Number (TIN): For
details, see DOT and Tire Identification Number
(TIN)º on page 394.
4Uniform tire quality grading: For details, see
Uniform tire quality gradingº that follows.
5Location of the tread wear indicators: For
details, see Checking and replacing tiresº on
page 402.
6Tire ply composition and materials: Plies mean
a layer of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cords
mean the strands forming the plies in the tire.
7Radial tires or bias-ply tires: A radial tire has
RADIALº on the sidewall. The tire not marked
with RADIALº is a bias-ply tire.
8TUBELESSº or TUBE TYPEº: A tubeless tire
does not have a tube inside the tire. A tube type
tire has a tube inside the tire and the tube
maintains the air pressure.
9Load limit at maximum cold tire inflation
pressure: For details, see Checking and
replacing tiresº on page 402.
10Maximum cold tire inflation pressure: This
means the pressure to which a tire may be
inflated. For details about recommended cold tire
inflation pressure, see Specificationsº on page
384.

CHASSIS
396
Uniform tire quality grading
This information has been prepared in accordance
with regulations issued by the National Highway
Traffic 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 Ð 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 Ð 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 Ð 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.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and
does not include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature A, B, C Ð The temperature grades are
A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire's
resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of performance which
all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.

CHASSIS
400
TYPES OF TIRES
Determine what kind of tires your vehicle is originally
equipped with.
1. Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability tires best
suited to highway driving under dry conditions.
Since summer tires do not have the same traction
performance as snow tires, summer tires are
inadequate for driving on snow-covered or icy roads.
For driving on snow-covered or icy roads, we
recommend using snow tires. If 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 adequate for driving in most winter
conditions, as well as for use all year round.
All season 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.
The details about how to distinguish summer tires
from all season tires are described on page 392.
CAUTION
Do not use tires other than the manufacturer's
designated tires, and never mix tires or
wheels of the sizes different from the originals
as this could result in loss of control and
could cause death or serious injury.
Do not mix summer and all season tires on
your vehicle as this can cause dangerous
handling characteristics, resulting in loss of
control.

CHASSIS
401
ROTATING TIRES
To equalize tire wear and help extend tire life,
Lexus recommends that you rotate your tires
according to the maintenance schedule. (For
scheduled maintenance information, please refer
to the Owner's Manual Supplement/Scheduled
Maintenanceº.) However, the most appropriate
timing for tire rotation may vary according to your
driving habits and road surface conditions.
The wheel assemblies must be rotated as illustrated
above.
When rotating tires, check for uneven wear and
damage. Abnormal wear is usually caused by
incorrect tire inflation pressure, improper wheel
alignment, out-of balance wheels, or severe braking.Before storing radial, snow or studded tires, mark the
direction of rotation and be sure to install them in the
same direction when using them again. Tires should
be stored in a cool dry place.

CHASSIS
402
CHECKING AND REPLACING TIRES
When to replace your tires

1New tread2Tread wear indicator
3Worn tread
Replace the tires when the tread wear indicators
show. The location of the tread wear indicators
is shown by the marks such as TWIº or 
Dº
marks, etc., molded on the sidewall of each tire.
The tires on your Lexus have built-in tread wear
indicators to help you know when the tires need
replacement. When the tread depth wears to 1.6 mm
(0.06 in.) or less, the indicators will appear. If you
can see the indicators in two or more adjacent
grooves, the tire should be replaced.The effectiveness of snow tires is lost if the tread
wears down below 4 mm (0.16 in.).
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.

CHASSIS
403
Tire selection
When replacing a tire, use a tire of the same size
and construction, and the same or greater
maximum loads as the originally installed tires.
Using any other size or type of tire may seriously
affect handling, ride, speedometer/odometer
calibration, ground clearance, and clearance between
the body and tires or snow chains.
Check that the maximum load of the replaced tire is
greater than 1/2 of the Gross Axle Weight Ratings
(GAWR) of either the front axle or the rear axle,
whichever greater. As for the maximum load of the
tire, see the load limit at maximum cold tire inflation
pressure mentioned on the sidewall of the tire, and
as for the Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR), see
the Certification Label. For details about Certification
Label and sidewall of the tire, see pages 352 and 392.CAUTION
Observe the following instructions. Otherwise,
an accident may occur resulting in death or
serious injuries.
Do not mix radial, bias belted, or bias-ply tires
on your vehicle, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in loss of
control.
Do not use tires other than the manufacturer's
recommended size, as this may cause
dangerous handling characteristics resulting
in loss of control.

CHASSIS
404
INSTALLING SNOW TIRES AND
CHAINS
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
Do not use snow tires other than the manufacturer's
recommended size, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in loss of control.
Otherwise, an accident may occur resulting in death or
serious injuries.
Snow tire installation
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front 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
Snow tires should be inflated to the same pressure as
the original tires.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph) with any type of
snow tires.