2011 Lexus IS250 Owner's Manual

528
6-1. Specifications
IS350/250_U
Tire information
Ty p i c a l t i r e s y m b o l s
Standard tire
Compact spare tire
Tire size (→P. 5 3 0 )
DOT and Tire Identification Number (TIN) (→ P. 5 3 0 )
Location of treadwear indicators ( →P. 4 0 0 )
Tire ply composition and materials
Plies are layers of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cords are the strands
which form the plies in a tire.

529
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
IS350/250_U
Radial tires or bias-ply tires
A radial tire has “RADIAL” on the sidewall. A tire not marked “RADIAL” is
a bias-ply tire.
TUBELESS or TUBE TYPE
A tubeless tire does not have a tube and air is directly filled in the tire. A
tube type tire has a tube inside the tire and the tube maintains the air pres-
sure.
Load limit at maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( →P. 4 0 7 )
Maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( →P. 5 1 9 )
This means the pressure to which a tire may be inflated.
Uniform tire quality grading
For details, see “Uniform tire quality grading” that follows.
Summer tire or all season tire (→ P. 4 0 7 )
An all season tire has “M+S” on the sidewall. A tire not marked “M+S” is a
summer tire.
“TEMPORARY USE ONLY” (→ P. 485)
A compact spare tire is identified by the phrase “TEMPORARY USE
ONLY” molded into its sidewall. This tire is designed for temporary
emergency use only.

530
6-1. Specifications
IS350/250_U
Typical DOT and tire iden tification number (TIN)
DOT symbol
*
Tire Identification Number (TIN)
Tire manufacturer's identifica-
tion mark
Tire size code
Manufacturer's optional tire
type code (3 or 4 letters)
Manufacturing week
Manufacturing year
*: The DOT symbol certifies thatthe tire conforms to applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards.
Tire size
■ Typical tire size information
The illustration indicates typical
tire size.
Ti r e u s e
(P = Passenger car,
T = Temporary use)
Section width (millimeters)
Aspect ratio
(tire height to section width)
Tire construction code
(R = Radial, D = Diagonal)
Wheel diameter (inches)
Load index (2 or 3 digits)
Speed symbol
(alphabet with one letter)

531
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
IS350/250_U■
Tire dimensions
Section width
Tire height
Wheel diameter
Tire section names
Bead
Sidewall
Shoulder
Tr e a d
Belt
Inner liner
Reinforcing rubber
Carcass
Rim lines
Bead wires
Chafer
Uniform Tire Quality GradingThis 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 vehi-
cles with information on uniform tire quality grading.
Your Lexus dealer will help answer any questions you may have as you read
this information.

532
6-1. Specifications
IS350/250_U■
DOT quality grades
All passenger vehicle tires must conform to Federal Safety Require-
ments 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 gov-
ernment 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 varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and differences in road characteris-
tics 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.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering (turning) trac-
tion.

533
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
IS350/250_U■
Temperature A, B, C
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 fail-
ure.
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 grades for this tire are 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.
Glossary of tire terminology
Tire related termMeaning
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those standard
items which may be replaced) of automatic transmis-
sion, power steering, power brakes, power windows,
power seats, radio and heater, to the extent that these
items are available as factory-installed equipment
(whether installed or not)
Cold tire inflation pres-
sureTire pressure when the vehicle has been parked for
three hours or more, or has not been driven more
than 1 mile or 1.5 km under that condition
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with standard equip-
ment, including the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and
coolant, and if so equipped, air conditioning and
additional weight optional engine

534
6-1. Specifications
IS350/250_U
Maximum inflation pres-
sureThe maximum cold inflated pressure to which a tire
may be inflated, shown on the sidewall of the tire
Maximum loaded vehicle
weight
The sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight
(d) Production options weight
Normal occupant weight150 lb. (68 kg) times the number of occupants speci-
fied in the second column of Table 1
* that follows
Production options
weight
The combined weight of installed regular production
options weighing over 5 lb. (2.3 kg) in excess of the
standard items which they replace, not previously
considered in curb weight or accessory weight,
including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack,
heavy duty battery, and special trim
Vehicle capacity weight
(Total load capacity)The rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lb. (68
kg) times the vehicle's designated seating capacity
Occupant distributionDistribution of occupants in a vehicle as specified in
the third column of Table 1
* below
Recommended inflation
pressureCold tire inflation pressure recommended by a man-
ufacturer.
RimA metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are seated
Rim diameter
(Wheel diameter)Nominal diameter of the bead seat
Rim size designationRim diameter and width
Rim type designationThe industry manufacturer's designation for a rim by
style or code
Tire related termMeaning

535
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
IS350/250_U
Rim widthNominal distance between rim flanges
Vehicle maximum load on
the tireThe load on an individual tire that is determined by
distributing to each axle its share of the maximum
loaded vehicle weight, and dividing by two
Vehicle normal load on
the tire
The load on an individual tire that is determined by
distributing to each axle its share of curb weight,
accessory weight, and normal occupant weight (dis-
tributed in accordance with Table 1
* below), and
dividing by two
We a t h e r s i d eThe surface area of the rim not covered by the
inflated tire
Tire related termMeaning