Lexus ES 300h Owner's Manual page 414

Replace the tires if the treadwear indica-
tors are showing on a tire.
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 your Lexus
dealer.
● Vehicles with 17-inch tires:
The wheel angle differs from vehicles
equipped with 18-inch tires. Therefore, 18-
inch tires cannot be installed, as sufficient
gaps with surrounding parts cannot be
ensured.
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.
Low profile tires (18-inch tires)
■
Generally, low profile tires will wear more
rapidly and tire grip performance will be
reduced on snowy and/or icy roads when
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.
If the tread on snow tires wears down
■
below 4 mm (0.16 in.)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is
lost.
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
WARNING
When inspecting or replacing tires
■
Observe the following precautions to
prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to
parts of the drivetrain as well as danger-
ous 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).
● If only two tires are replaced, the new
tires should be placed on the rear of
the vehicle.
● 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.
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