300 4-6. Driving tips
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) Perform the following according to the
driving conditions:
Do not try to forcib ly 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.
Check for and remove any excess
ice or snow that may have accumu-
lated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s
roof, chassis, around the tires or on
the brakes.
Remove any snow or mud from the
bottom of your shoes before getting
in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a
safe distance between you and the
vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced
speed suitable to road conditions. Park the vehicle and shift the shift posi-
tion to P without setting the parking
brake. The parking brake may freeze
up, preventing it from being released. If
the vehicle is parked without setting
the parking brake, make sure to block
the wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerous
because it may cause the vehicle to
move unexpectedly, possibly leading to
an accident.
Vehicles with front and rear tires of
the same size
Use 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 diam-
eter)
Cross chain (0.16 in. [4 mm] in
diameter)
Vehicles with front and rear tires of
differing sizes
Tire chains cannot be mounted.
Snow tires should be used instead.NOTICE■
Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow
tires from Lexus dealers or legitimate tire
retailers.
This is because the removal and attach-
ment of snow tires affects the operation
of the tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle
When driving the vehicle When parking the vehicle
Selecting tire chains
A
B
3876-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care ■
When to replace your vehicle’s tires
Tires should be replaced if: ●
The treadwear indicators are showing on
a tire.●
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 loca-
tion of a cut or other damage
If you are not sure, consult with your Lexus
dealer. ■
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. ■
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.
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.459)
■
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 performance 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 recom-
mended. 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 adequate
for driving in most winter conditions as well
as for use year-round. All season tires,
however, do not have adequate traction
performance compared with snow tires in
heavy or loose snow. Also, all season tires
fall short in accelerati on and handling per-
formance compared with summer tires in
highway driving. ●
Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy
roads, we recommend using snow tires. If
you need snow tires, select tires of the
same size, construction and load capacity
as the originally instal led tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equip-
ment, make sure your snow tires also have
radial construction. Do not install studded
tires without first checking local regula-
tions for possible restrictions. Snow tires
should be installed on all wheels.
( → P.299) ■
If the tread on snow tires wears down
below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is
lost.
WARNING
■
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 danger-
ous handling characteristics, which may
lead to an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
388 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U)
Vehicles with front and rear tires of
the same size
Rotate the tires in the order shown. To equalize tire wear and extend tire life,
Lexus recommends that tire rotation is car-
ried out at the same in terval as tire inspec-
tion.
Do not fail to initialize the tire pressure
warning system after tire rotation.
Vehicles with front and rear tires of
differing sizes
Tires cannot be rotated.
When run-flat tires are installed, the
vehicle can be driven for a maximum of
100 miles (160 km) at a speed below
50 mph (80 km/h) after any tire goes
flat. (However, the vehicle speed may
not increase to near 50 mph [80
km/h] depending on weather or driv-
ing conditions.)
A run-flat tire has a mark on
the side wall. Make sure to replace the flat tire before the
vehicle has been driven for near 100 miles
(160 km). Also, do not use a repaired tire.
■
Run-flat tires ●
The run-flat tires are for only this vehicle.
Do not use the tires on other vehicles. ●
Do not mix run-flat tires and normal tires.
●
If non-genuine Lexus wheels are used, it
may be impossible to sufficiently demon-
strate the performance of run-flat tires.
Your vehicle is equipped with a tire
pressure warning system that uses tire
pressure warning valves and transmit-
ters to detect low ti re inflation pressure WARNING●
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-b elted 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.
NOTICE■
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 vehi-
cle’s wheels and body.
Tire rotation Run-flat tires
Tire pressure warning system
3896-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care before serious problems arise.
The tire pressure detected by the
tire pressure warning system can be
displayed on the multi-information
display. ( → P.76)
If the tire pressure drops below a
predetermined level, the driver is
warned by a screen display and a
warning light. ( → P.422)
■
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 inflation pressure
●
It may take a few minutes to display the
tire inflation pressure after the engine
switch is turned to IGNITION ON mode.
It may also take a few minutes to display
the tire inflation pres sure after inflation
pressure has been adjusted.
●
Tire inflation pressu re changes with tem-
perature. The displayed values may also be different from the values measured
using a tire pressure gauge. ■
Situations in which the tire pressure
warning system may not operate prop-
erly ●
In the following cases, the tire pressure
warning system may not operate prop-
erly.
• If non-genuine Lexus wheels are used.
• If a tire has been replaced with a tire that
is not an OE (Original Equipment) tire.
• If a tire has been replaced with a tire that
is not of the specified size.
• If tire chains, etc. are installed.
• An auxiliary-supported run-flat tire is
equipped.
• If a window tint that affects the radio wave
signals is installed.
• If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehi-
cle, particularly around the wheels or
wheel housings.
• If the tire inflation pressure is much higher
than the specified level.
• If wheels not equipped with tire pressure
warning valves and transmitter are used.
• If the ID code on the tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitters is not regis-
tered in the tire pressure warning
computer. ●
Performance may be af fected in the fol-
lowing situations.
• When driving near a TV tower, electric
power plant, gas stat ion, radio station,
large display, airport or other facility that
generates strong radi o waves or electri-
cal noise
• When carrying a portable radio, cellular
phone, cordless phone or other wireless
communication device
If tire position information is not correctly
displayed due to the radio wave conditions,
the display may be corrected by changing
the location of the vehicle as the radio wave
conditions may change.
●
When the vehicle is stopped, the time
taken for the warning to start or turn off
may be longer.
●
When the inflation pressure of a tire
drops rapidly, for example when a tire has
burst, the warning may not operate.
392 6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) When replacing the tires or wheels, the
tire pressure warning valve and trans-
mitters must be installed to the wheels
which will be installed to the vehicle.
When new tire pressure warning
valves and transmitte rs are installed,
new ID codes must be registered in the
tire pressure warning computer and
the tire pressure warning system must
be initialized. ( → P.394)■
Replacing tires and wheels
If the ID codes of the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitters are not registered,
the tire pressure warning system will not
work properly. In this case, after driving for
about 20 minutes, the tire pressure warning
light will blink for ap proximately 1 minute
and then illuminate to indicate a system
malfunction. ■
The tire pressure warning system
must be initialized in the following
circumstances:
When the tire inflation pressure is
changed such as when changing
traveling speed or load weight.
When the tire inflation pressure is
changed such as when the tire size
is changed.
When rotating the tires.
After performing the transmitter ID
code registration procedure.
( → P.394)
When the tire pressure warning system
is initialized, the current tire inflation
pressure is set as the benchmark pres-
sure. ■
How to initialize the tire pressure
warning system
1 Park the vehicle in a safe place and
turn the engine switch off. The initialization pr ocedure cannot be
started while the vehicle is moving.
2 Adjust the tire inflation pressure to
the specified cold tire inflation pres-
sure level. Make sure to adjust the tire pressure to the
specified cold tire infl ation pressure level.
The tire pressure warning system will oper-
ate based on this pressure level.
3 Turn the engine switch to IGNI-
TION ON mode.
4 Press or of the meter con-
trol switch to select .Installing tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters
NOTICE■
Repairing or replacing tires, wheels,
tire pressure warning valves, trans-
mitters and tire valve caps●
When removing or fitting the wheels,
tires or the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters, contact your
Lexus dealer as the tire pressure warn-
ing valves and transmitters may be
damaged if not handled correctly.
●
Make sure to install the tire valve caps.
If the tire valve caps are not installed,
water may enter the valves of the tire
pressure warning valve and transmit-
ters and the valves may become stuck.
●
When replacing tire valve caps, do not
use tire valve caps other than those
specified. The cap may become stuck. Initializing the tire pressure
warning system
3996-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care The recommended cold tire inflation
pressure and tire size are displayed on
the tire and loading information label.
( → P.454)
Tire valve
Tire pressure gaugeWARNING■
When installing the 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, lead-
ing 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 103 ft•lbf (140 N•m,
14.3 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 installing a tire, only use wheel
nuts that have been specifically
designed for that wheel.●
If there are any cracks or deformations
in the bolt screws, nut threads or bolt
holes of the wheel, have the vehicle
inspected by your Lexus dealer.
NOTICE
■
Repairing or replacing tires, wheels,
tire pressure warning valves, trans-
mitters and tire valve caps
→ P.392 Tire inflation pressure
Checking the specified tire infla-
tion pressure
Inspection and adjustment pro-
cedure
A
B
4016-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 6
Maintenance and care When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that they are equiv-
alent to those removed in load capac-
ity, diameter, rim width and inset *
.
Replacement wheels are available at
your Lexus dealer. *
: Conventionally referred to as offset.
Lexus does not recommend using the
following:
Wheels of different sizes or types
Used wheels
Bent wheels that have been straight-
ened ■
When replacing wheels
The wheels of your vehicle are equipped
with tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters that allow the tire pressure warning
system to provide advance warning in the
event of a loss in tire inflation pressure.
Whenever wheels are replaced, the tire
pressure warning valv es and transmitters
must be installed. ( → P.392) Use only Lexus wheel nuts and
wheel nut wrenches designed for
use with your aluminum wheels.
When rotating, repairing or chang-
ing your tires, check that the wheel
nuts are still tight after driving 1000
miles (1600 km).
Be careful not to damage the alumi-
num wheels when using tire chains.
Use only Lexus genuine balance
weights or equivalent and a plastic
or rubber hammer when balancing
your wheels.Wheels If a wheel is bent, cracked or heavily
corroded, it should be replaced.
Otherwise, the tire may separate
from the wheel or cause a loss of
handling control.
Wheel selection
WARNING
■
When replacing wheels
●
Do not use wheels that are a different
size from those recommended in the
Owner’s Manual, as this may result in a
loss of handling control. ●
Never use an inner tube in a leaking
wheel which is designed for a tubeless
tire.
Doing so may result in an accident,
causing death or serious injury. ■
Use of defective wheels prohibited
Do not use cracked or deformed wheels.
Doing so could cause the tire to leak air
during driving, possibly causing an acci-
dent.
NOTICE■
Replacing tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters ●
Because tire repair or replacement
may affect the tire pressure warning
valves and transmitters, make sure to
have tires serviced by your Lexus
dealer or other qua lified service shop.
In addition, make sure to purchase
your tire pressure warning valves and
transmitters at your Lexus dealer. ●
Ensure that only genuine Lexus wheels
are used on your vehicle.
Tire pressure warning valves and trans-
mitters may not work properly with
non-genuine wheels.
Aluminum wheel precautions
4277-2. Steps to take in an emergency
LS500_OM_OM50F54U_(U) 7
When trouble arises WARNING●
Avoid abrupt maneuvering and brak-
ing.
If the vehicle tires deteriorate, you
could lose control of the steering
wheel or the brakes.■
If a blowout or sudden air leakage
should occur
The tire pressure warning system may
not activate immediately. ■
Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if pro-
vided), should be checked monthly when
cold and inflated to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufac-
turer on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label (tire and load
information label). (I f your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indi-
cated on the vehicle placard or tire infla-
tion pressure label [tire and load
information label], yo u should determine
the proper tire infl ation pressure for
those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS-tire pressure
warning system) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale (tire pressure warn-
ing light) when one or more of your tires
is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
(tire pressure warnin g light) illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a signifi-
cantly under-inflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi-
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping abil-
ity. Please note that the TPMS (tire pressure
warning system) is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver’s responsibility to maintain correct
tire pressure, even if under-inflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumina-
tion of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale
(tire pressure warning light).
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale (tire pres-
sure warning light) . When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and
then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may
not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels
on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
(tire pressure warning system) from func-
tioning properly. Always check the
TPMS (tire pressure warning system)
malfunction telltale after replacing one
or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS (tire
pressure warning system) to continue to
function properly.
NOTICE
■
To ensure the tire pressure warning
system operates properly
Do not install tires with different specifi-
cations or makers, as the tire pressure
warning system may not operate prop-
erly.