I Have Read Numerous Posting Of Balding Tires On The Es350.

[runnow4u]

I am currently having problems opening my wallet to fork over $500.00-$800.00 for 4 new tires since my current tires Michelin 215/55/R17 have less then 20K on them. Is this a bad design of ES350 by Lexus,tire design by Michelin or did I screw my alignment by being a conservative driver?! Folks, who have had this problem and repaired it how did you get it fixed or can it be fix? I don’t want to take my car to Les Schawb(local tire shop) because I am afraid that they are gonna make the alignment right for their alignment machine but not for the car? Any information or advice would be very helpful.

thanks

[Lexusfreak]

If you read the 'fine print' in the ES 350 brochure at the back, it states that 17" tire life expectancy is around 20,000 miles (although it does not specify what brand & model of tire...some ES 350 tires at least in Canada are equipped with Bridgestone's from the factory & some with Michelins). I'm not sure what is mentioned in the owners manual however.

Most automakers sadly are more concerned with meeting CAFE standards (so they equip their vehicles with lower rolling resistance tires), with traction & treadlife is much lower on their priority list.

Personally, right after getting new tires installed I take my cars to their respected dealers (in my case Lexus & Subaru) for 4 wheel alignments.....but that's just me & their prices are within $10 of any tire shop.

[rjt65]

After spending 2 weeks reading through all the user books (new car from Lexus) I remember saying I would probably always go to Lexus, at least for alignment (if u buy tires elsewhere) and the indicator now in all the tires.

good luck!

I am currently having problems opening my wallet to fork over $500.00-$800.00 for 4 new tires since my current tires Michelin 215/55/R17 have less then 20K on them. Is this a bad design of ES350 by Lexus,tire design by Michelin or did I screw my alignment by being a conservative driver?! Folks, who have had this problem and repaired it how did you get it fixed or can it be fix? I don’t want to take my car to Les Schawb(local tire shop) because I am afraid that they are gonna make the alignment right for their alignment machine but not for the car? Any information or advice would be very helpful.

thanks

[Ira d]

I am currently having problems opening my wallet to fork over $500.00-$800.00 for 4 new tires since my current tires Michelin 215/55/R17 have less then 20K on them. Is this a bad design of ES350 by Lexus,tire design by Michelin or did I screw my alignment by being a conservative driver?! Folks, who have had this problem and repaired it how did you get it fixed or can it be fix? I don’t want to take my car to Les Schawb(local tire shop) because I am afraid that they are gonna make the alignment right for their alignment machine but not for the car? Any information or advice would be very helpful.

thanks

The tires on the ES are not the best quality, I had mine replaced at a goodyear dealer with Falkin

tires and they also did the alignment. The tires were replaced at 19k and I now have 27k miles on

the car and it drives just like new and highway mileage is around 28-30 mpg.

[SW03ES]

The new replacement tires will last longer.

The issue is the tires, not the car

[runnow4u]

Thank you to everyone who replied, I took the car to Les Schwab last weekend to get the alignment check out. Unfortunately it was found that 3 of 4 tires were either toed in or pushing and consequently I have 3 bad tires. It was explained to me the cars are just like a house in time they settle. So to all new ES350 owners get your alignment check out after driving it for a few months. At my last Lexus of Portland visit in January it was reported to me that the tire are in “great shape” and they wearing evenly. 3 months later they aren’t looking so good and my wallet is wide open. I have decided on the TOYOs they are one of few manufacture that offers a warranty. Damn V rated tires!

PS, I don’t work for Les Schwab but they do offer free alignment if nothing has to be adjusted, tire rotation and fix flat tires for free. Not a bad deal.

Once again thanks to all who replied

[Randy&Bonnie]

..

[dga]

Thank you to everyone who replied, I took the car to Les Schwab last weekend to get the alignment check out. Unfortunately it was found that 3 of 4 tires were either toed in or pushing and consequently I have 3 bad tires. It was explained to me the cars are just like a house in time they settle. So to all new ES350 owners get your alignment check out after driving it for a few months. At my last Lexus of Portland visit in January it was reported to me that the tire are in “great shape” and they wearing evenly. 3 months later they aren’t looking so good and my wallet is wide open. I have decided on the TOYOs they are one of few manufacture that offers a warranty. Damn V rated tires!

PS, I don’t work for Les Schwab but they do offer free alignment if nothing has to be adjusted, tire rotation and fix flat tires for free. Not a bad deal.

Once again thanks to all who replied

Which Toyos are you buying and what size are they?

How do you like them on your ES?

[Ira d]

.. It was explained to me the cars are just like a house in time they settle. So to all new ES350 owners get your alignment check out after driving it for a few months.

Who ever explained that to you has a screw loose. There a millions of new cars on the road and they shouldn't need a wheel alignment unless something has caused the alignment to go out, OR it came from the dealer out of alignment. A wheel alignment doesn't "settle".

My wife's 2006 IS250 has 35K miles on it and the left front tire is balding unevenly on the outside edge. I'll bet that the "alignment" was bad from the dealer/factory. After reading dozens and dozens of post here on the "Lexus" site, I'm beginning to think that Lexus designed a plan to fleece every owner with multiple built-in defects to create a "Service Department" revenue that is an outrageous public rip-off. Yes, they are nice and polite, and yes I get free loaner car, and blah, blah, blah, but this IS250 has problems and issues with service, that I have never experienced with any other new vehicle purchase. And, for a $38,000 "luxury" car, it's a disappointment so far.

I think you hit the nail on the head Lexus is not up to the standard they were a few years ago

but I hope they do improve things

[SW03ES]

The car "settles"? Thats the dumbest thing I've ever heard...

[AZ08LexusES]

.. It was explained to me the cars are just like a house in time they settle. So to all new ES350 owners get your alignment check out after driving it for a few months.

Who ever explained that to you has a screw loose. There a millions of new cars on the road and they shouldn't need a wheel alignment unless something has caused the alignment to go out, OR it came from the dealer out of alignment. A wheel alignment doesn't "settle".

My wife's 2006 IS250 has 35K miles on it and the left front tire is balding unevenly on the outside edge. I'll bet that the "alignment" was bad from the dealer/factory. After reading dozens and dozens of post here on the "Lexus" site, I'm beginning to think that Lexus designed a plan to fleece every owner with multiple built-in defects to create a "Service Department" revenue that is an outrageous public rip-off. Yes, they are nice and polite, and yes I get free loaner car, and blah, blah, blah, but this IS250 has problems and issues with service, that I have never experienced with any other new vehicle purchase. And, for a $38,000 "luxury" car, it's a disappointment so far.

35K miles and it is now wearing unevenly? You can blame anybody you want, but if it were misaligned from factory/dealer, you would have had issues at 3.5K miles. The car may no settle, but it can go out of alignment after much usage. The roads here in AZ are not flat, the winter really destroys the roads with pot holes, and the constant pounding can cause after a good amount of mileage to go out of alignment. The best car I have ever had before this one was a 2000 Honda Accord Coupe, I sold it with 88K miles and it has had to be aligned a few times, not to mention 3 sets of tires. And each time I did it was not at the dealership. Was Honda trying to fleece me?

[Randy&Bonnie]

..

[SW03ES]

I do agree that at 35k miles the car being out of alignment is not anybody's fault. 35k miles is excellent life for tires on a car like the IS in the first place, and in that time I'm sure the alignment could be knocked out.

Yeah thats a good one lol. I never let shops like that do alignments, it always comes out worse than it went in. I had an alignment shop tell me it was normal for the steering wheel to sit crooked too.