2012 Lexus LFA tires

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2-5. Driving information
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 pre-
vailing weather conditions.
■ Pre-winter preparations
●Use fluids that are appropriate to the prevailing outside tempera-
tures.
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires.
Ensure that all tires are the specified size and the same brand.
■Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following according to the driving conditions.
● Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is frozen.
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 accumulated on the air inlet vents in front
of the windshield.
● Remove any ice that has accumu lated 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 driv e at a reduced speed suitable to
road conditions.

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2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
■Tire grip at low temperatures
The tires fitted to the LFA are designed for dry road conditions. As such, tire grip on
cold, snowy and/or icy roads will be reduced 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.
■Engine starting restrictions
In order to protect the engine, the engine may not start when the engine coolant
temperature or engine oil temperature is below -13 F (-25C). In that case, a
buzzer will sound and “Temp low Engine cannot be started” will be shown on the
meter. ( P. 3 2 7 )
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 specified size.
●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 da mage the vehicle body and suspension, and
adversely affect driving performance.
■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.

Maintenance and care4
227
4-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior............ 228
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior .............. 235
4-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements ........................ 240
General maintenance .......... 242
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs................................ 246 4-3. Do-it-yourself
maintenance
Do-it-yourself service precautions ............................ 247
Hood .......................................... 250
Positioning a floor jack ......... 253
Engine compartment ........... 256
Adding washer fluid .............. 264
Battery ...................................... 265
Tires............................................ 270
Tire inflation pressure............ 277
Wheels ....................................... 281
Air conditioning filter ........... 283
Wireless remote control battery .................................... 285
Checking and replacing fuses ........................................ 287
Light bulbs ................................ 299

244
4-2. Maintenance
Vehicle exterior
Seats• Do the seat controls operate prop-
erly?
Steering wheel • Does the steering wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the
correct amount of free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds coming from the steering
wheel.
ItemsCheck points
Doors • Do the doors 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.
• The wheel bolts should not be loose.
Wa s h e r f l u i d • Is there sufficient washer fluid?
( P. 2 6 4 )
ItemsCheck points

270
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Tires
Replace tires when the treadwear indicators show.
■Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear indica-
tors is shown by the “TWI” or “”
marks, etc., molded on the sidewall
of each tire.
■ The tire pressure warning system
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure warning system that uses
tire pressure warning valves and tr ansmitters to detect low tire inflation
pressure before serious problems arise. ( P. 315)
Installing tire 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 va lves and transmitters are installed,
new ID codes must be registered in the tire pressure warning computer
and tire pressure warning system must be initialized. Have tire pressure
warning valve and transmitter ID codes registered by your Lexus dealer.
( P. 272)

272
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Registering ID codesThe tire pressure warning valve and transmitter is equipped with a unique
ID code. When replacing a tire pressu re warning valve and transmitter, it
is necessary to register the ID code. Ha ve the ID code registered by your
Lexus dealer.
■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 fl ashes for 1 minute to indicate a system mal-
function.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if they
have seldom 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.
■Tire rotation
It is not possible to rotate the tires, as each tire is designed only for its original posi-
tion on the vehicle.

273
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
■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
●Summer tires
Summer 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.
●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.
●Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or ic y 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 restrictions.
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. ( P. 1 8 0 )
■Initializing the tire pressure warning system
Initialize the system with the tire inflatio n pressure adjusted to the specified level.
■If the tread on snow tires wears down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost.
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. 3 7 1 )

275
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to parts of the drive train, as well as dangerous
handling characteristics, which may lead to an accident resulting in death or serious
injury.
●Do not mix tires of different makes, models or tread patterns.
Also, do not mix tires of remarkably different treadwear.
●Do not use tire sizes other th an those recommended by Lexus.
●Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.
●Do not use tires that have been used on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not know how they were used previously.
■To avoid burns
Do not touch the wheels or the area around the brakes immediately after the vehi-
cle has been driven, as they will be extremely hot.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not operate the tire pressure warning re set switch without first adjusting the tire
inflation pressure to the specified level. Otherwise, the tire pressure warning light
may not come on even if the tire inflation pressure is low, or it may come on when
the tire inflation pressure is actually normal.