2012 Lexus ES350 flat tire

468
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
ES350_U
CAUTION
●Do not raise the vehicle to a height greater than that required to replace the tire.
●Use a jack stand if it is necessary to get under the vehicle.
Take particular care when lowering the vehicle to ensure that no one working on or
near the vehicle may be injured.
■Replacing a flat tire
Failure to follow these precautions could cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the tire
to fall off, resulting in death or serious injury.
●Never use oil or grease on the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
Oil and grease may cause the wheel nuts to be excessively tightened, leading to
bolt or disc wheel damage. In addition, the oil or grease can cause the wheel nuts
to loosen and the wheel may fall off, causing a serious accident. Remove any oil or
grease from the wheel bolts or wheel nuts.
●Have the wheel nuts tightened with a torque wrench to 76 ft•lbf (103 N•m, 10.5
kgf•m) as soon as possible after changing wheels.
●Do not attach a heavily damaged wheel ornament, as it may fly off the wheel while
the vehicle is moving.
■When using the compact spare tire
●Remember that your compact spare tire is specifically designed for use with your
vehicle. Do not use your compact spare tire on another vehicle.
●Do not use two compact spare tires simultaneously.
●Replace the compact spare tire with a standard tire as soon as possible.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, deceleration and braking, as well as sharp cornering.
■Speed limit when using the compact spare tire
Do not drive at speeds in excess of 50 mph (80 km/h) when a compact spare tire is
installed on the vehicle.
The compact spare tire is not designed for driving at high speeds. Failing to observe
this precaution may lead to an accident causing death or serious injury.

5
When trouble arises
469
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
ES350_U
CAUTION
■When the compact spare tire attached
The vehicle speed may not be correctly detected, and the following systems may
not operate correctly:
●ABS & Brake assist
●VSC
●TRAC
●Navigation system (if equipped)
NOTICE
■Do not drive the vehicle with a flat tire.
Do not continue driving with a flat tire.
Driving even a short distance with a flat tire can damage the tire and the wheel
beyond repair.
■When replacing the tires
When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter, contact your Lexus dealer as the tire pressure warning valve and trans-
mitter may be damaged if not handled correctly.
■To avoid damage to the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters
When a tire is repaired with liquid sealants, the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter may not operate properly. If a liquid sealant is used, contact your Lexus
dealer or other qualified service shop as soon as possible. Make sure to replace the
tire pressure warning valve and transmitter when replacing the tire. (→P. 3 9 1 )
■Be careful when driving over bumps with the compact spare tire installed on the
vehicle.
The vehicle becomes lower when driving with the compact spare tire compared to
when driving with standard tires. Be careful when driving over uneven road sur-
faces.
■Driving with tire chains and the compact spare tire
Do not fit tire chains to the compact spare tire.
Tire chains may damage the vehicle body and adversely affect driving performance.

493
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
ES350_U
Steering
Tires and wheelsType A
Free playLess than 1.2 in. (30 mm)
Power steering fluidAutomatic transmission fluid
DEXRON® II or III
Ti r e s i z eP215/55R17 93V
Tire inflation pressure
(Recommended cold tire inflation
pressure)
Front:
30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm2 or bar)
Rear:
30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm
2 or bar)
Spare:
30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm
2 or bar)
When driving at high speeds above 100 mph
(160 km/h), in countries where such speeds
are permitted by law, add 4.3 psi (30 kPa, 0.3
kgf/cm
2 or bar) to the front tires and rear tires.
Never exceed the maximum cold tire inflation
pressure indicated on the tire sidewall.
Wheel size17 × 7J
Wheel nut torque76 ft•lbf (103 N•m, 10.5 kgf•m)

494
6-1. Specifications
ES350_UTy p e B
Ti r e s i z eP215/55R17 93V,
T155/70D17 110M (spare)
Tire inflation pressure
(Recommended cold tire inflation
pressure)
Front:
30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm2 or bar)*
Rear:
30 psi (210 kPa, 2.1 kgf/cm
2 or bar)*
Spare:
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 kgf/cm
2 or bar)
*:When driving at high speeds above 100 mph (160 km/h), in countries where such
speeds are permitted by law, add 4.3 psi
(30 kPa, 0.3 kgf/cm
2 or bar) to the front
tires and rear tires. Never exceed the maxi-
mum cold tire inflation pressure indicated
on the tire sidewall.
Wheel size17 × 7J, 17 × 4T (spare)
Wheel nut torque76 ft•lbf (103 N•m, 10.5 kgf•m)

500
6-1. Specifications
ES350_U
Tire size (→ P. 5 0 1 )
DOT and Tire Identification Number (TIN) (→P. 5 0 1 )
Location of treadwear indicators (→ P. 390)
Tire ply composition and materials
Plies are layers of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cords are the strands
which form the plies in a tire.
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 ti re and the tube maintains the air pres-
sure.
Load limit at maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( →P. 394)
Maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( →P. 493)
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. 395)
An all season tire has “M+S” on the sidewall. A tire not marked “M+S” is a
summer tire.
“TEMPORARY USE ONLY” (→ P. 466)
A compact spare tire is identified by the phrase “TEMPORARY USE
ONLY” molded into its sidewall. This tire is designed for temporary emer-
gency use only.

504
6-1. Specifications
ES350_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
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
Maximum inflation pres-
sureThe maximum cold inflated pressure to which a tire
may be inflated, shown on the sidewall of the tire
Recommended inflation
pressureCold tire inflation pressure recommended by a man-
ufacturer
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)

506
6-1. Specifications
ES350_U
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
Bead
The part of the tire that is made of steel wires,
wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim
Bead separationA breakdown of the bond between components in
the bead
Bias ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to
the beads are laid at alternate angles substantially
less than 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread
CarcassThe tire structure, except tread and sidewall rubber
which, when inflated, bears the load
ChunkingThe breaking away of pieces of the tread or sidewall
CordThe strands forming the plies in the tire
Cord separationThe parting of cords from adjacent rubber com-
pounds
CrackingAny parting within the tread, sidewall, or innerliner of
the tire extending to cord material
Tire related termMeaning

507
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
ES350_U
CT
A pneumatic tire with an inverted flange tire and rim
system in which the rim is designed with rim flanges
pointed radially inward and the tire is designed to fit
on the underside of the rim in a manner that encloses
the rim flanges inside the air cavity of the tire
Extra load tire
A tire designed to operate at higher loads and at
higher inflation pressures than the corresponding
standard tire
GrooveThe space between two adjacent tread ribs
InnerlinerThe layer(s) forming the inside surface of a tubeless
tire that contains the inflating medium within the tire
Innerliner separationThe parting of the innerliner from cord material in the
carcass
Intended outboard side-
wall
(a) The sidewall that contains a whitewall, bears white lettering, or bears manufacturer, brand,
and/or model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same molding on the other side-
wall of the tire, or
(b) The outward facing sidewall of an asymmetrical
tire that has a particular side that must always
face outward when mounted on a vehicle
Light truck (LT) tire
A tire designated by its manufacturer as primarily
intended for use on lightweight trucks or multipur-
pose passenger vehicles
Load ratingThe maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a
given inflation pressure
Maximum load ratingThe load rating for a tire at the maximum permissible
inflation pressure for that tire
Maximum permissible
inflation pressureThe maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire
may be inflated
Tire related termMeaning