2014 LEXUS RX270 tires

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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
RX350/270_EE
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
Vehicles with a compact spare tire
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and help
extend tire life, Lexus recom-
mends that you rotate your tires
approximately at the following
intervals:
2WD models:
Every 10000 km (6000
miles)
AW D m o d e l s :
Every 5000 km (3000
miles)
Vehicles with tire pressure
warning system: Do not fail to
initialize the tire pressure warn-
ing system after tire rotation.
Front
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX350/270_EE
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 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 any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified and equipped professional. (→P. 4 8 6 )
Vehicles with a full-size spare tire
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and help
extend tire life, Lexus recom-
mends that you rotate your tires
approximately at the following
intervals:
2WD models:
Every 10000 km (6000
miles)
AW D m o d e l s :
Every 5000 km (3000
miles)
Vehicles with tire pressure
warning system: Do not fail to
initialize the tire pressure warn-
ing system after tire rotation.
■The tire pressure warning system (if equipped)
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. 546)
Front
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
RX350/270_EE
Initializing the tire pressure warning system
■The tire pressure warning system must be initialized in the following
circumstances:
●When rotating the tires
●When the tire inflation pressure is changed such as when changing
travelling speed or load weight
●When changing the tire size
When the tire pressure warning system is initialized, the current tire
inflation pressure is set as the benchmark pressure.
■How to initialize the tire pressure warning system
Park the vehicle in a safe place and turn the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch off.
While the vehicle is moving, initialization is not performed.
Adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified cold tire inflation
pressure level. (→P. 6 1 7 )
Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the specified cold tire inflation
pressure level. The tire pressure warning system will operate based on
this pressure level.
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to IGNITION ON
mode.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
RX350/270_EE
■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 any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another
duly qualified and equipped professional.
■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 10
minutes, the tire pressure warning light blinks for 1 minute and stays on to indicate a
system malfunction.
■Tire life
●Standard 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.
●The compact spare tire could be deformed gradually in the long term even if
you don't use it. Be sure to have the compact spare tire checked by any autho-
rized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped profes-
sional if it is over 5 years.
■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.
■If the tread on snow tires wears down 4 mm (0.16 in.)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX350/270_EE
■The initialization operation
●Make sure to carry out initialization after adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Also, make sure the tires are cold before carrying out initialization or tire infla-
tion pressure adjustment.
●If you have accidentally turned the “ENGINE START STOP” switch off during
initialization, it is not necessary to press the reset switch again as initialization
will restart automatically when the “ENGINE START STOP” switch has been
turned to IGNITION ON mode for the next time.
●If you accidentally press the reset switch when initialization is not necessary,
adjust the tire inflation pressure to the specified level when the tires are cold,
and conduct initialization again.
■Warning performance of the tire pressure warning system
The warning of the tire pressure warning system will change in accordance with
driving conditions. For this reason, the system may give a warning even if the tire
pressure does not reach a low enough level, or if the pressure is higher than the
pressure that was adjusted to when the system was initialized.
■When 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 any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional.
●When operating the tire pressure warning reset switch, the tire pressure warn-
ing light does not blink 3 times.
●After carrying out the initialization procedure, the tire pressure warning light
blinks for 1 minute then stays on after driving for 10 minutes.
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
RX350/270_EE
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 than those recommended by Lexus.
●Do not mix differently constructed tires (radial, bias-belted or bias-ply tires).
●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.
●Do not tow if your vehicle has a compact spare tire installed.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not push the tire pressure warning reset 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.
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
RX350/270_EE
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing tires, wheels, tire pressure warning valves, transmitters
and tire valve caps
●When removing or fitting the wheels, tires or the tire pressure warning valves and
transmitter, contact any authorized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional as the tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters may be damaged if not handled correctly.
●When replacing tire valve caps, do not use tire valve caps other than those speci-
fied. The cap may become stuck.
■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 any autho-
rized Lexus dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional
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. 4 8 4 )
■Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving on roads with loose surfaces or potholes.
These conditions may cause losses in tire inflation pressure, reducing the cushion-
ing ability of the tires. In addition, driving on rough roads may cause damage to the
tires themselves, as well as the vehicle’s wheels and body.
■If tire inflation pressure of each tire becomes low while driving
Do not continue driving, or your tires and/or wheels may be ruined.
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
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Maintenance and care
RX350/270_EE
Tire inflation pressure
■Effects of incorrect tire inflation pressure
Driving with incorrect tire inflation pressure may result in the following:
●Reduced fuel efficiency
●Reduced driving comfort and tire life
●Reduced safety
●Damage to the drive train
If a tire needs frequent inflating, have it checked by any authorized Lexus dealer or
repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
■Instructions for checking tire inflation pressure
When checking tire inflation pressure, observe the following:
●Check only when the tires are cold.
If your vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours or has not been driven for
more than 1.5 km or 1 mile, you will get an accurate cold tire inflation pressure
reading.
●Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of the tire can be misleading. In addition, tire inflation pressure
that is even just a few pounds off can degrade ride and handling.
●Do not reduce tire inflation pressure after driving. It is normal for tire inflation
pressure to be higher after driving.
●Never exceed the vehicle capacity weight.
Passengers and luggage weight should be placed so that the vehicle is bal-
anced.
Make sure to maintain proper tire inflation pressure. Tire inflation pressure
should be checked at least once per month. However, Lexus recommends
that tire inflation pressure be checked once every two weeks.
(→P. 6 1 7 )
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