Need New Tire Before Driving 20,000 Miles?

[Good-Man]

I bought ES350 on May 2006, and mileage is about 18,000.

The inflation warning light was on yesterday and I went to dealer to check it.

They told me that all tires are worn out and I should replace all 4 tires. (Asked $1,270)

Based on Toyo tire warantee manual, the mileage is not warranted.

Can you believe that I have to purchase all 4 tires even though I haven't driven 20,000 miles yet?

If I should purchase them, could you recommend better place than a dealer?

[Ranjha]

checkout WWW.TIRERACK.COM

[SW03ES]

Have you examined the tires yourself to make sure they do need replacing?

This is the issue. The dealer saw you coming, $1300 for tires on an ES is highway robbery. Why did you take the car to the dealer to check the inflation light instead of simply checking and increasing the inflation yourself?

[shepsan]

I bought ES350 on May 2006, and mileage is about 18,000.

The inflation warning light was on yesterday and I went to dealer to check it.

They told me that all tires are worn out and I should replace all 4 tires. (Asked $1,270)

Based on Toyo tire warantee manual, the mileage is not warranted.

Can you believe that I have to purchase all 4 tires even though I haven't driven 20,000 miles yet?

If I should purchase them, could you recommend better place than a dealer?

Good-Man, I am a bit confused by the lack of warranty for tire replacements on your car. Shouldn't Toyo warranty your tires to cover replacements as my Bridgestone Tire warranty does? I would think that Lexus would mount tires, regardless of mfg, to cover at least 36,000 miles

These are the tires on my 2007 ES350:

Bridgestone Turanza EL 400 P215/55R17

98V/MIS Tubeless Radial/EL4PKZ

Dot 7XPJ

PM5/080

This is the Bridgestone Warranty:

WARRANTY SUMMARY

80,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY†

80,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY† (T-Speed Rated)

50,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY†

50,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY† (H- & V-Speed Rated)

The Turanza EL400 with UNI-T gives you demand of the road with easygoing comfort. UNI-T technology delivers state-of-the-art traction on wet and dry roads. The style is premium. But the price is suprisingly manageable.

†Prorated replacement if warranted mileage not attained; actual tread life my vary. Certain restrictions and limitations may apply. Ask your retailer for details.

††Replacement at no charge (excluding taxes and disposal fees) if your Bridgestone tire becomes unusable for any reason within the manufacturer's control for up to 3 years from date of purchase or 4 years from date of manufacture, whichever is to the owner's advantage. Certain restrictions and limitiations may apply.

‡Original proof of purchase required to take advantage of the 30 Day Test Drive. Tires must be returned within 30 days of purchase. Does not apply to tires supplied as original equipment on new vehicles.

[Good-Man]

This is Good-Man again. Thanks for comments and recommendations.

My tire is Toyo PROXES J33, and I couldn't find this model at USA Toyo dealer. It should be original equipment tires.

I have contacted Toyo USA to get some more information about standard mileage of this tire model.

Anyway, this is the lesson that I have learned. I'll not purchase a car with OEM grade tire at all.

[NM350]

I believe you will find documentation with your car, from Lexus, that says the tires on your car might not last more than 20,000 miles.

[SW03ES]

I'll not purchase a car with OEM grade tire at all.

Then you'll be purchasing used cars with tires that have already been replaced.

Look, the longevity of tires depends as much on how you care for them as it does the tire itself. I've had tires without treadwear warranties at all that have lasted me 50k miles because I check the pressure, rotate them regularly, and keep an eye on the wear. If you had to take the car to the dealer to have the tire pressure warning looked at (meaning you were incapable or unwilling to check and address the low pressure) and have no idea what the pressure is and had no idea the tread was getting worn, you weren't exercising responsible car ownership.

My guess is your short tire life is due, at least in part, to a lack of tire maintenance.

Now, some tires last longer than others. The Toyo Proxes J33 are a summer tire that is put on the ES in climates where snow isn't a concern, its a very smooth and quiet tire and often a tradeoff for that sort of characteristic is low mileage.

sheepsan, not all tire models have treadwear warranties. Not even all Bridgestones do.

[X72]

I second Ranjha's tirerack.com suggestion. I recently replaced the tires on our 05 ES330, which also uses 215/55-17 tires (non run-flat and also no TPMS). It also had the Toyo summer tires and they lasted 25,000 miles. I bought the Yokohoma S.drive tires from tirerack.com for about $565 for 4 tires including the shipping. I know a tire installer and had the tires mounted and balanced for $60. So my price was about half of what the dealer wants to charge you. I bought summer tires because the primary driver of the car preferred that and the car is in South Florida so cold and snow are non-issues. The tires are very nice and grippy; especially noticeable in wet weather.

If you want longer tire life, I would go for an all-season grand touring type tire with a longer treadwear warranty. You can check tirerack's website for recommended installers if you don't have a tire shop that you know. Even if you go to a tire shop to buy tires, tirerack is good because then you have a price to compare what the shop is offering on the tires they sell. Some of the tire shops can order the tires for you from tirerack. I believe the installers get a slightly better price than what we can get.

[hojoasami]

I purchased my 07 ES350 in Aug 2006 and the tire pressure light went on for me also. I took it to the dealer and it was my spare tire in the trunk that was turning the light on. After spare tire got inflated the tire pressure turned off. You might want to check this.

[Ira d]

I bought ES350 on May 2006, and mileage is about 18,000.

The inflation warning light was on yesterday and I went to dealer to check it.

They told me that all tires are worn out and I should replace all 4 tires. (Asked $1,270)

Based on Toyo tire warantee manual, the mileage is not warranted.

Can you believe that I have to purchase all 4 tires even though I haven't driven 20,000 miles yet?

If I should purchase them, could you recommend better place than a dealer?

My ES350 started to have vibration in the front wheels right after the 15k service when the tires

were rotated. I went to the dealer at about 16k miles and asked them to balance the tires but

they said nothing was wrong with the car.

At about 19k I went to a Tire store for for a balance and they suggested I replace the tires and

I did have to agree as the tires were worn to excess way more than they should be for 19k miles

and all four were worn and had become noisy.

Right now my car is in for service and the rear brakes needs to be replaced at less than 21k miles

and they said they dont think the warranty will cover it. If this keeps up I will be trading mine for

another make in a year or two.

[SW03ES]

Lexus brake pads are pretty soft, the benefits to soft pads are they're quiet and smooth, the negative is they don't last as long as harder pads. Although I'm surprised your rear pads would go before the fronts.

Easily fixed by using harder aftermarket pads.

As for tires, Lexus doesn't make tires and you have the same tradeoff. Generally tires with softer rubber compounds are quieter and smoother but they are shorter lived. Again easily fixed, replace the tires with tires that have longer treadwear when they wear out.

Replacing the car wouldn't make sense. These are wear items and them wearing out has nothing to do with the car itself.

[Ira d]

Lexus brake pads are pretty soft, the benefits to soft pads are they're quiet and smooth, the negative is they don't last as long as harder pads. Although I'm surprised your rear pads would go before the fronts.

Easily fixed by using harder aftermarket pads.

As for tires, Lexus doesn't make tires and you have the same tradeoff. Generally tires with softer rubber compounds are quieter and smoother but they are shorter lived. Again easily fixed, replace the tires with tires that have longer treadwear when they wear out.

Replacing the car wouldn't make sense. These are wear items and them wearing out has nothing to do with the car itself.

I got a call from the Lexus dealer today the pads will be replaced under warranty seems that Lexus is already aware there is a problem with the pads. I have owned or had access to at least twenty new

cars in the last thirty years and my Lexus is the first car that I have seen that had the rear pads go

in 20k miles in fact I have found that 80 to 100k is more the norm for rear pads and 30 to 35k for

the front.

[SW03ES]

It all depends on how you drive. I have almost 100k miles and I'm on my second set of rears and my 3rd set of fronts.

[Ira d]

It all depends on how you drive. I have almost 100k miles and I'm on my second set of rears and my 3rd set of fronts.

Im talking regular driving and im also aware that how you drive and the conditions you drive in

can effect brake wear, but as i said 20k miles for rear brakes to wear out is unaceptable in my

book.

[SW03ES]

Obviously its also unacceptable in Lexus' book since they're covering the replacement.

Thanks for the lively discussion

[baldoo]

Good-Man, I am a bit confused by the lack of warranty for tire replacements on your car. Shouldn't Toyo warranty your tires to cover replacements as my Bridgestone Tire warranty does? I would think that Lexus would mount tires, regardless of mfg, to cover at least 36,000 miles

These are the tires on my 2007 ES350:

Bridgestone Turanza EL 400 P215/55R17

98V/MIS Tubeless Radial/EL4PKZ

Dot 7XPJ

PM5/080

This is the Bridgestone Warranty:

WARRANTY SUMMARY

80,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY†

80,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY† (T-Speed Rated)

50,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY†

50,000 MILE LIMITED TREADWEAR WARRANTY† (H- & V-Speed Rated)

The Turanza EL400 with UNI-T gives you demand of the road with easygoing comfort. UNI-T technology delivers state-of-the-art traction on wet and dry roads. The style is premium. But the price is suprisingly manageable.

†Prorated replacement if warranted mileage not attained; actual tread life my vary. Certain restrictions and limitations may apply. Ask your retailer for details.

††Replacement at no charge (excluding taxes and disposal fees) if your Bridgestone tire becomes unusable for any reason within the manufacturer's control for up to 3 years from date of purchase or 4 years from date of manufacture, whichever is to the owner's advantage. Certain restrictions and limitiations may apply.

‡Original proof of purchase required to take advantage of the 30 Day Test Drive. Tires must be returned within 30 days of purchase. Does not apply to tires supplied as original equipment on new vehicles.

shepsan, I am surprised your bridgestones have warranted mileage. Do you have a tire warranty certificate? Did your tires come with your new ES or did you buy them as replacements for the original ones?

I got my new ES a couple months ago, mid November, and the car's bridgestones don't have warranted mileage. My tires are the same as yours except mine are 93V, yours are 98V. My warranty manual says the tires have no mileage warranty. If the tread wears away tomorrow, nobody's covering it and I have to get new tires to replace my two month-old ones. I have about 2500 miles on the tires right now and there is noticeable wear. Why do some people's tires have mileage warranties and others don't for the same car and same standard tires? Am I missing something here?

Are your tires T-Speed Rated, H-Speed Rated or V-Speed Rated, and how can you tell? Is the rating written on the tire or on the warranty certificate?

[SW03ES]

They should all be "V" rated. Thats what the "98V" stands for.

I don't believe the OEM tires have a treadwear warranty because you weren't the original purchaser. If you bought the same tires from a tire retailer you'd get the warranty...

If you're seeing wear after 2500 miles you've got something wrong.

[baldoo]

I don't believe the OEM tires have a treadwear warranty because you weren't the original purchaser. If you bought the same tires from a tire retailer you'd get the warranty...

shepsan said his ES's OEM Bridgestone 98Vs have a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. I don't understand how some Lexus ES tires have a 50,000-mile warranty whereas others have no treadwear warranty.

BTW, SW03ES, does your nickname mean you have an ES 330?

[amf1932]

BTW, SW03ES, does your nickname mean you have an ES 330?

He has a beautiful 2003 ES300. :)

[SW03ES]

Yep its an 03 ES300, the 330 didn't come out until 04. Same body style.

Thanks Alan ;)

[baldoo]

Yep its an 03 ES300, the 330 didn't come out until 04. Same body style.

Thanks Alan ;)

I like the ES300/330's style, it looks good.

Regarding OEM tire mileage warranties, shepsan said his ES's OEM Bridgestones have a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. I still don't get how some Lexus ES OEM tires have 50,000 mile warranties while others have none. Is it possible shepsan is mistaken? Do ES OEM standard tires have mileage warranties or not?

It would seem wrong that random ES buyers get mileage warranties and others don't, given that they're all standard tires.

[SW03ES]

I think he's reading that his model tire has that warranty, but when they come OEM the warranty is void.

[baldoo]

I think he's reading that his model tire has that warranty, but when they come OEM the warranty is void.

Yeah that would seem to make the most sense.

[BaddBoi70]

Obviously its also unacceptable in Lexus' book since they're covering the replacement.

Thanks for the lively discussion

The brake pad issue may be due to the fact that you use your emergency brake! My wifes Accord brakes wore out at 30K miles and they stated that the emergency brake may tend to "stick" and not fully release, especially in cold climate areas of the country.

Thought I would share.

[BaddBoi70]

Yep its an 03 ES300, the 330 didn't come out until 04. Same body style.

Thanks Alan ;)

I like the ES300/330's style, it looks good.

Regarding OEM tire mileage warranties, shepsan said his ES's OEM Bridgestones have a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. I still don't get how some Lexus ES OEM tires have 50,000 mile warranties while others have none. Is it possible shepsan is mistaken? Do ES OEM standard tires have mileage warranties or not?

It would seem wrong that random ES buyers get mileage warranties and others don't, given that they're all standard tires.

I just purchased an 07 ES 350 with Michelin tires (13,500 miles) and the tires are worn far beyond what I had expected. Honestly, I failed to due my due diligence and did not check the tire tread wear before I bought the vehicle. Who expects a new-used car with only 13,500 miles to need new tires? It's NOT a sports car with Z rated tires!

My wife has Goodyear Assurance (triple tread) tires on her Accord and the tires have completely changed the handling and ride comfort of the car! Not sure if they make that size tire for the ES 350.

Good luck!