1999 Lexus RX 300 User Guide 1 - Page 200

STARTING AND DRIVING BRAKE PAD WEAR LIMIT INDICATORS TYPES OF TIRES Determine what kind of tires your vehicle is originally equipped with. 1. Summer tires Summer tires are high-speed capability tires best suited to highway driving under dry conditions. 31R018a 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 or icy roads, we recommend using snow tires. If installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires. The brake pad wear limit indicators on your disc brakes give a warning noise when the brake pads are worn to the extent that replacement is required. If you hear a squealing or scraping noise while driving, have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Lexus dealer as soon as possible. Expensive rotor damage can result if the pads are not replaced when needed. 2. 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 all 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 acceleration and handling performance compared with summer tires in highway driving. 185