2009 Lexus IS F tires

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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)
CAUTION
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failing to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and cause death or serious
injury.
●Use tires of the size specified for your vehicle.
●Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
●Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120 km/h), regardless of the type of snow tires
being used.
●Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
NOTICE
■Driving with tire chains
Do not fit tire chains. Tire chains may damage the vehicle body and adversely affect
driving performance.
■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.
■When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly and drive at a reduced speed suitable
to road conditions.
■ When parking the vehicle
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P without setting the
parking brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from
being released.

Maintenance and care4
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08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior............. 268
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ............... 271
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ......................... 274
General maintenance ........... 276
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs
................................. 279 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ........................... 280
Hood .......................................... 283
Positioning a floor jack ......... 284
Engine compartment ........... 286
Tires............................................ 300
Tire inflation pressure............. 311
Wheels ....................................... 315
Air conditioning filter ............ 317
Electronic key battery.......... 320
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................ 322
Headlight aim ......................... 336
Light bulbs................................ 338

300
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)
Tires
Installing tire inflation 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 the tire pressure warning
system must be initialized. Have tire pressure warning valve and transmit-
ter ID codes registered by your Lexus dealer. ( →P. 303)
Replace tires in accordance with ma intenance schedules and tread wear.
■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.
■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. 358, 367)

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)
Registering and selecting ID codes
To select tire pressure warning valve and transmitter ID codes, use the
satellite switch. ( →P. 2 4 0 )
■ 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 “ON/OFF” but-
ton.
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.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)■
Selecting ID codes
When replacing tires, make sure to select the ID code set that matches
the new tire set. If the ID code 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 blink-
ing 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.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)
■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 comes on after blinking for 1 minute to indi-
cate a system malfunction.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if they
have seldom or never been us ed 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.
■Tire rotation
It is not possible to rotate the tires, as each tire and wheel is designed only for its
original position on the vehicle.
■Tire replacement
→ P. 3 1 6
■Low profile 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 on snowy and/or icy roads and drive carefully at a speed appropriate
for road and weather conditions.

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)
■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, al l 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 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 local regulations for possible restriction.
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. ( →P. 1 8 4 )
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. 4 1 6 )

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
08_IS F_U_(L/O_0808)
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the tires with the tire inflation pressure adjusted to the specified level.
■If you push the tire pressure warning reset switch accidentally
If initialization is performed, adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level
and initialize the tire pressure warning system again.
■When the initialization of the tire pressure warning system has failed
Initialization can be completed in a few minutes. However, in the following cases,
the settings have not been recorded and the system will not operate properly. If
repeated attempts to record tire inflation pressure settings are unsuccessful, have
the vehicle inspected by your Lexus dealer.
●When operating the tire pressure warning reset switch, the tire pressure warn-
ing light does not flash 3 times and the setting message does not appear on the
multi-information display.
●After carrying out the initialization procedure, the tire pressure warning light
blinks for 1 minute then stays on after driving for about 20 minutes.
■Routine tire inflation pressure checks
The tire pressure warning system does not replace routine tire inflation pressure
checks. Make sure to check tire inflation pressure as part of your routine of daily
vehicle checks.