2003 Lexus IS 300 Owners Manual - Page 352

CHASSIS CHECKING AND REPLACING TIRES When to replace your tires SV63006 Vehicles equipped with 215/45ZR17 or 225/45ZR17 tires: Your Lexus has been fitted with specially developed tires which provide exceptional dynamic performance under general road conditions. However your riding comfort may worsen a little and road noise may increase during driving. You may also notice that your tires will wear more rapidly and tire grip performance will be reduced on the snowy and/or icy roads when compared to standard tires. Be sure to have snow tires or tire chains on the snowy and/or icy roads and drive carefully with the speed appropriate for road conditions. NOTICE Low profile tire like 215/45ZR17 or 225/45ZR17 may have greater damage than usual tires to its tire wheel when receiving impact from the road surface. Therefore, pay attention to the followings. D Be sure to use with proper tire pressure. If the tire pressure is low, the tire may have a greater damage. For detailed information about tire pressure, see page 326 or 327. D Avoid driving onto high, sharp-edged objects and other road hazards. Failure to do so can lead to severe tire damage. The effectiveness of snow tires is lost if the tread wears down below 4 mm (0.16 in.). If you have tire damage such as cuts, splits, cracks deep enough to expose the fabric, or bulges indicating internal damage, the tire should be replaced. 335 2003 IS300 from Aug. '02 Prod. (OM53439U) " 1 New tread 2 Tread wear indicator 3 Worn tread Replace the tires when the tread wear indicators show. The location of the tread wear indicators is shown by the "TWI" or "∆" marks molded on the sidewall of each tire. The tires on your Lexus have built-in tread wear indicators to help you know when the tires need replacement. When the tread depth wears to 1.6 mm (0.06 in.) or less, the indicators will appear. If you can see the indicators in two or more adjacent grooves, the tire should be replaced.