2011 Lexus HS250h tires

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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before driving the
vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a manner appropriate to the
prevailing weather conditions.
■ Pre-winter preparations
●Use fluids that are appropria te to the prevailing outside tempera-
tures.
• Engine oil
• Engine/power control unit coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set of
tire chains for the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains match
the size of the tires.
■ Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following accord ing to the driving conditions:
● Do not try to forcibly open a w indow or move a wiper that is fro-
zen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice. Wipe
away the water immediately to prevent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of the climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumu lated on the air inlet vents in
front of the windshield.
● Remove any ice that has accumul ated on the vehicle chassis.
● Periodically check for and remove any excess ice or snow that
may have accumulated in the wheel well or on the brakes.
■ When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly and drive at a reduced speed suitable to the
road conditions.

250
2-5. Driving information
Selecting tire chainsUse the correct tire chain size when mounting the tire chains. Chain size
is regulated for each tire size.
Side chain:0.12 in. (3 mm) in diameter
Cross chain: 0.16 in. (4 mm) in diameter
Regulations on the use of tire chains
Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary depending on location
and type of road. Always check local regulations before installing chains.
■When parking the vehicle
Park the vehicle and push the P po sition switch without setting the
parking brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from
being released. If necessary, bl ock the wheels to prevent inadvert-
ent sliding or creeping.
■Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions when installing and removing chains:
●Install and remove tire chains in a safe location.
●Install tire chains on the front tires only. Do not install tire chains on the rear tires.
●Install tire chains on front tires as tightl y as possible. Retighten chains after driv-
ing 1 /4  1/2 mile (0.5  1.0 km).
●Install tire chains following the instructions provided with the tire chains.

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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
CAUTION
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and cause death or serious
injury.
●Use tires of the size specified.
●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.
■Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle being unable to be driven safely, and may
cause death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit specified for the tire chains being used,
or 30 mph (50 km/h), whichever is lower.
●Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
●Avoid sudden turns and braking, as use of chains may adversely affect vehicle
handling.
●Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that vehicle control is
maintained.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow ti res from Lexus dealers or legitimate tire
retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affects the operation of
the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters.
■Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not function correctly when
tire chains are fitted.

Maintenance and care4
407
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior............ 408
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ............... 412
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ......................... 415
General maintenance ........... 417
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs................................. 421 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ........................... 422
Hood .......................................... 425
Positioning a floor jack ......... 426
Engine compartment ........... 428
12-volt battery ........................ 439
Tires............................................ 443
Tire inflation pressure............ 451
Wheels ...................................... 454
Air conditioning filter ........... 456
Electronic key battery.......... 459
Checking and replacing fuses .......................................... 461
Headlight aim (LED headlights) ................. 473
Light bulbs ................................. 475

420
4-2. Maintenance
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors/trunk• Do the doors and trunk operate smoothly?
Engine hood• Does the engine hood lock system work properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs of fluid leakage after the vehicle has
been parked.
Ti r e s
• Is the tire inflation pressure cor-
rect?
• The tires should not be damaged or excessively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the maintenance
schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
CAUTION
■If the hybrid system is operating
Turn the hybrid system off and ensure that there is adequate ventilation before per-
forming maintenance checks.

443
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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
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.
P225/45R18 91W tires:
Do not fail to initialize the tire
pressure warning system after
tire rotation.
■Tire pressure warning system
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that
uses tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect low tire
inflation pressure before s erious problems arise. (P. 501, 510,
511)
Front

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Installing tire pressure warning valves and transmittersWhen replacing tires or wheels, tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters must also be installed.
When new tire pressure warning va lves and transmitters are installed,
new ID codes must be registered in the tire pressure warning computer
and the tire pressure warning system must be initialized. Have tire pres-
sure warning valve and transmitter ID codes registered by your Lexus
dealer. ( P. 445)
Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■ The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the following
circumstances:
●Vehicles with P225/45R18 91W tires: When rotating front and rear
tires which have different tire inflation pressures
● When changing the tire size
When the tire pressure warning sy stem is initialized, the current tire
inflation pressure is set as the benchmark pressure.

446
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■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, and 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 flas hes for 1 minute and stays on to indicate a
system malfunction.
■Tire life
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.
■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.
■Low profile tires (vehicles with P225/45R18 91W tires)
Generally, low profile tires will wear more rapidly and tire grip performance will be
reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when co mpared 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.