Lexus GS Tires and Wheels

billdavbilldav Member Posts: 18
in Lexus
Has anyone had their dealer offer to replace all the tires?

I have GS300 AWD and have about 27,000km (16,900 miles) on them and dealer is replacing them next week.

Original were Dunlop and replacement will be Michelin.
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  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    Isn't it too early to replace the tires at 17K miles?
    The tires should last at least 35K miles with rotation.
  • spear3spear3 Member Posts: 1
    I have put on winter tires without tire pressure sensors and I am getting a "Check System" error message along with assorted flashing error messages. Lexus dealership says nothing they can do, put black tape over the flashing warning light.
    Does anyone have any ideas??
  • wwestwwest Member Posts: 10,706
    Buy a trailer so you can have the properly inflated summer tires in range of the reciever.
  • billdavbilldav Member Posts: 18
    Should have but for some reason wearing faster than expected. I had the "CAM612(SSC)" done on the steering. Something to do with the slow speed turning and electric motor cutting out. At that time a wheel alignment was done as part of this campaign, the tires looked OK but wear was at 6 or 7 mm and I think they should be replaced at 2 - 3 mm remaining.

    Anyway, they offered and I accepted the replacement. By the way I did not see any uneven wear or damage.

    I had a similar wear problem on my previous LS400 with factory Goodyear - softer tires and replaced with Michelin.
  • billdavbilldav Member Posts: 18
    The dealer installed 4 new Michelin "Pilot Primacy 94W" as a goodwill gesture. What a difference from the Dunlops.
  • calexander3calexander3 Member Posts: 2
    Is your GS still running well with the Michelin's? I bought a 2006 GS300 in July and I have 17,000 miles and the tire sound is really loud and annoying. I drive a lot of highway miles and rotate regularly. I loved the car and it's my 3rd Lexus but this shouldn't be happening on such an expensive car. How did you get the dealer to do this for you? I took to a tire shop and they said there is plenty of life left in the tires. My Lexus dealer said it was about time to replace tires. Doesn't seem right. Any suggestions?
  • harboharbo Member Posts: 136
    What Type and size Michelin's are you running? I'm on my 4th set of Michelin's on three GS 300's. 1998 - 2000 - 2002. No noise, no problems. Average life about 65K / 75K depending on how bad the kids need the take-offs. Currently running the 90,000 mile Michelin HydroEdge (it rains occasionally in AZ) (225 60 R16) @ 36 psi. Went to 19" Michelin 255 45 19 Pilot Sport SRX something on my 04 A8L. Smooth and great traction. I'd make really good friends with the tire shop manager and the Michelin rep. Your right, it should not be. Good luck.
  • calexander3calexander3 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the input. I don't have Michelin's yet but I'm going to get them once I find out if my Lexus dealer is going to do anything about the problem I'm having. The tires that came on the 2006 GS are Yokohama's?? 17,000 miles and the noise is almost unbearable! I'm in Central Florida so a lot of rain in summer. Thanks again for suggestions. I really like the GS and want to stay with Lexus.
  • traylortraylor Member Posts: 8
    I bought an '06 GS 300 used w/ 22K miles from Park Place Lexus in Plano, TX last May. Tire noise was awful. Service rep said they'd had trouble with the tires "cupping". Since they were more than half way used up when I bought the car, they paid for two and I paid for two new Michelin Primacy's. Solved the problem instantly.
  • wbreaux1wbreaux1 Member Posts: 55
    I have a 2006 GS430 (great car by the way). I got a low tire pressure warning this morning for the first time. I checked the levels and none are low. We had a freeze this morning (in houston). The car had been parked in freezing weather for a little over an hour just before the warning came on. Could the weather have caused the warning?
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    You need to pump more air into your tires. Cold weather results in lower tire pressure, thus triggering the warning. Check with an accurate tire gauge when the tires are cold, and make sure you have at least the specified PSI in each tire.
  • wbreaux1wbreaux1 Member Posts: 55
    Thanks; in Houston we don't deal with freezing weather a lot and I've never had a low pressure warning system. The indicated tire pressure is 33, and the tires had between 30.5 and 32.5. I put additional air and the indicator seems to have gone off, although it took a while. Is the system supposed to be that sensitive, ie to indicate trouble when the pressure gets to 30.5? I would have thought it would require the pressure to go lower before indicating trouble but maybe not. The owner's manual does not provide any guidance on this. Thanks again.
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    I don't know how sensitive the tire pressure monitor system is, but they sure are a royal pain in the neck for the most part. You can call the dealer or Lexus customer support and they will be able to give you an answer.
  • newgsownernewgsowner Member Posts: 3
    I'm getting all four tires replaced this Friday. I have an 06 GS300 AWD, 11k miles. It was out of alignment during my first scheduled maintenance and during my 10k maintenance, they informed me that my tires were cupped. This was the reason my car was veering to the right and the wheel was jerking when I braked. So, I asked for four new tires and they said ok. I have Dunlops, I'm wondering if I should ask them to be replaced with Michelins instead. Anybody have any suggestions?
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    I put Yokohama Avid V4S on my GS4. They are phenomenal.
  • harboharbo Member Posts: 136
    I'd go for the top Michelin one size over original equipment. 225 x 16 I think. You may have larger diameter rims. I currently run Michelin HydroEdge a 90,000 mile tire. The Pilot may be the next step up.
  • traderbgttraderbgt Member Posts: 2
    Is it true that ride is a little bumpy with run flat tires in GS, compared to regular tires? And, do they have a regular size spare in GS?
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    A bit stiff, not bumpy. The spare tire is not a regular size.
  • donbldonbl Member Posts: 42
    I have always been taught that cupping is not normally the fault of the tire unless it is maintained at the wrong pressure. The cupping is normally caused by mechanical problems or jerky driving:

    Shock absorbers on an old car, or
    Steering system on a new car.

    I suspect there is some sort of handling problem in the car.

    I am at 7.5K miles on car (Yoko tires) and the tires are a "little" louder. Will replace with Michelins when the time comes.
  • donbldonbl Member Posts: 42
    Well, the Yoko's now have about 10K on them. They were so quiet until about 9000. Lexus says it is "normal".

    They are beginning to make a whining noise when at speed.

    The Jag had similar problems until I changed to Michelin Sport A/S. The Michelins also drive better.
  • charevechareve Member Posts: 1
    I am having the same problem. I began to notice some noise around 12K. Now at 14K the noise is so loud I thought it was a wheel bearing going out. Lexus said some tires become "defective" at that point and become noisy, but the tires are not warranted against noise. At this point I won't drive the car anymore until I have time to replace the tires. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm looking for tires that are quiet above all else. My wife and I don't test the limits of the vehicle by any mean.
  • tlouietlouie Member Posts: 20
    Can anyone give insight on upgraded 18 inch G-Spider wheels on GS350 w/245/40/18 tires? Is the ride a lot more bumpier than standard 17 inch wheels/tires and is it more responsive to handling? I was wondering if It is worth it for this option.
  • lawaiilawaii Member Posts: 7
    In my opinion, the answer is yes, and yes. I have a 4-week old GS350 with 245/40-18 wheels and Yokohoma tires.

    All of the dealers in this area (San Diego) order only GS350s with the optional 18" low-profile tires. I noticed a problem with noise on concrete freeways when I test drove the vehicle. But I was told that it would take about four months to order a car from the factory with the standard 17" tires.

    The 18" tires make my car relatively noisy on concrete freeways and bumps on regular roads much more noticeable. On a few sections of freeway, they cause my car to go into the dreaded "freeway hop". I'm stuck with the 18" wheels for now, but will be looking for a solution to that problem sometime in the future.

    As for the other "yes" --- the 18"s do allow going around corners very fast, and the suspension keeps the car relatively flat --- surprisingly flat for a Lexus. Except for the tires, a somewhat short low-beam headlight cutoff, and slightly "vague" on-center steering, I consider it an excellent car.

    To give you a reference point, I traded in a BMW540i that I drove for a number of years and loved. I just could not accept the really awful rear-end styling on the latest 5 Series. I kept waiting for them to correct that huge mistake, but finally gave up and bought the GS350.
  • lawaiilawaii Member Posts: 7
    Do you have the standard 17" wheels or the optional 18" low-profile? I have the latter on an almost new GS350 and they are driving me up the wall because of noise on concrete and harshness over bumps. My tires are Yokohoma ADVANs. What were the ones you had removed? If you had 18"s, maybe all I need is a different set of tires.
  • 265blkviper265blkviper Member Posts: 2
    I just got my '07 GS350 RWD (26 miles) and I am getting way too much tire noise from the OEM Yokohama-Avan-10 18" tires. The dealer said they will trade out for the Michelin Pilot P2.
    That's the only other tire Lexus will recommend for this car. Anyone else had this problem?

    Thanks
  • 265blkviper265blkviper Member Posts: 2
    Follow up:
    I picked my car up today from the Lexus dealer here in Tampa. The new tires are Michelin Pilot A/S and they swapped the Yokohama tires out with an even trade.
    The new ride is not only smooth but 50% less noise.
    The dealer knew I was not happy and they went out of their way to have a satisified first time Lexus owner.
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    Today I noticed my front (empty) passenger seat vibrates
    quite a bit when the speed is between 60-75 mph. It could happen a while ago or after
    I had the tires rotated a couple months ago.

    I don't know because the front tires are out
    of balance or it's the hard run flat tires.
    Does anyone experience this?
    Checked the wheels, no signs of the weights
    came off.
  • rah7rah7 Member Posts: 2
    HI,

    I'm in the process of buying the GS350 and none of the dealers are making the G-Spider Wheels available. That's OK, since it would probably be cheaper to buy it aftermarket.

    However, I'm trying to find a Wheels stores that are selling the 18" G-Spider wheels for the GS350. I'm also interested in buying Chrome.

    Does anyone have any leads on any Wheel stores in Los Angeles or Orange County, that offer these wheels at a reasonable discount?

    Any help is appreciated.

    Thank you
  • tlouietlouie Member Posts: 20
    Try ebay, park place Lexus post some on there. They are $1K with shipping included. Not a bad deal.
  • dnguyen2dnguyen2 Member Posts: 2
    I am interested in the 18" wheels and currently have the 17" wheels in Chrome. Would anyone be interested in trading? I am from Southern California.
  • stcksavstcksav Member Posts: 1
    I know you wrote that messaage in July, but do you still have your 17's. I am looking to buy some.
  • dnguyen2dnguyen2 Member Posts: 2
    Yes, I do still have those wheels. The wheels are in mint condition with no scratches, dents, etc.
  • whosdatguywhosdatguy Member Posts: 1
    I am looking at a 2007 GS350. How has yours been driving since you had them change the tires to Michelins? I saw your posting in July and just wanted to see what your thoughts were now. Any other thoughts I should consider before I talk with the salesperson about buying this car?
    Thanks.
  • alangelalangel Member Posts: 2
    On my GS300 2006 I had issues with my tires Yokohama after 15000 km. They were making to much sound. In my understanding the tire material was to hard. Yokohama inspected the tires at 30'000 km, yes I had to wait quite a long time, and they were very surprised about the low wear of the tires. They accepted the case and offered me to replace the original mounted tires by a new series still within the same model. It seems that they are aware of the issue. Due to the km I have to pay around 30% of the standard list price.
  • mark140mark140 Member Posts: 1
    :sick: Do I have to pull the tranny to replace the starter on a 1998 gs 400. Are they any schematic sites available online to veiw.? Is this a couple hour weekend job or better left to the pro's Thanks in advance Mark
  • lexusrepairlexusrepair Member Posts: 1
    Hello Mark,
    Since the starter located in the V bank so You would have to remove the intake plenum to again access to the starter. There is 2 14mm bolts hold the starter in place. This is not an easy task. I would leave it to lexus Certified tech peform this job. You are looking at 7-8 hrs of labor and the price of a starter.
    Regards,
    Dallas Independent Lexus and Toyota
    www.jpimportz.org
  • jeffl3jeffl3 Member Posts: 3
    I was looking at a Lexus in comparison to a 4 motion Passat or Cadillac STS. The tire problems seem to be a real issue. My brothers AWD Toyota van suffers from the same problem. At about 10 to 15K miles they cup and are really loud. Seems like a run flat tire issue. I'm not sure I want to consider a Lexus if they can't pick the right tires for it. Seems to simple of an item to miss so that the owner has to come in each year for new tires or listen to the noise.

    Has anybody had good luck with run flats on a GS350 and wore them out without them cupping and generating noise?
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    At 14K miles my 07GS350 AWD Run flat tires are still OK.
    One thing I notice is I don't think the tires can last over 25K miles.
    They wear out faster than conventional tires.
    The tires were rotates every 5K miles.
  • kcwleekcwlee Member Posts: 2
    I didn't know how bad the Run flat tires on my 08GS350 AWD until yesterday. I got a screw at RR. My car is only 10 days old with 300 miles. How unlucky I am! At the near local tire store, they can't fix it because of run flat tire. My wife took the car to the Lexus dealer, at the beginning they said they can fix the tire. Later on, they said they can't fix it. It has to be replaced and it won't be free because there is no warranty. The cost is about $400 for just one. How ridiculous with the cost!! It is more than twice cost with conventional tires. They wear out much faster than conventional tires. And they can't not be fixed or replace to conventional tires. Why does Lexus have this bad tire design on GS? I researched online and I found out there are a few other car brands with run flat tires having problems since 2005. They are Toyata Sienna AWD, Honda Odyssey and BMW 3 Series. As far as I known, there are class action lawsuits going one with them. I should research this before I purchased the car. If I knew this, I would not consider to purchase the car.

    Does anyone have any bad experience on these Run Flat tires?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Different car, but lots of not so great experience with the RFTs being discussed here: BMW 3-Series Run Flat Tires.

    I'm sorry. If you do a Forums-wide search you'll find other discussions on the subject as well.
  • kcwleekcwlee Member Posts: 2
    Thanks, Pat.

    I did read other discussions before I posted mine. I can't seem to find any discussion for Lexus GS350 AWD. That's why I posted it here.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Posting here is good. Let's see if we can get other owners to participate. :)
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    Sorry for the loss. The tire warranty does not cover road hazards.
    Since the tire is only 10 days old, I would call Dunlop at 800- 321-2136 to
    see if anything they can do.
  • rogenevarogeneva Member Posts: 1
    What are the best replacement tires for 2007 GS350, which came with Dunlops. I want a quieter tire, but still good handling. I prefer Michelin, but I'm not sure which specific tire. Any suggestions?
  • moose4moose4 Member Posts: 4
    Just got new GS350 and it came with 17 inch wheels. I would like to find 18 inch G Spyder wheels and trade mine.
  • julezjulez Member Posts: 1
    I had/have the same problem. I just bought my IS 250 AWD and it barely has 400 miles on it. In the last 3 days, I've gotten 2 flats and a badly scratched rim...driving SLOWLY! I admit, i do live in a rough area, Boston, but i don't think Run Flat tires should be that susceptible to flats and punctures. Apparently, I did not do enough research before buying this car. I got a good deal when i bought it, but am losing money on repairs. Even with the road hazard and tire warranty, I am not covered if the tire is still 3/32 of an inch thick and if the rim can still hold air. I am tempted to trade this car in for something else...how unfortunate.
  • rah7rah7 Member Posts: 2
    HI,

    you have a couple of options.

    1. You can shop around at a few lexus dealers and buy the 18 inch G-Spider wheels. i just bought 4 chrome G-Spiders and they cost about $1,800

    2. I still have the 18 inch stock wheels that came with my 2008 GS460 and i'd be willing to sell those to you. it's a 5-spoke wheel that you can probably see if you go to the Lexus.com site and look at the wheels on the GS tab. http://www.lexus.com/models/GS/

    3. I don't think you'll find any wheel dealer that will give you any decent value for your 17" wheels.

    4. Either way you still need to buy the 18 inch tires. then you need to determine if you want Run flats or regular. if you get regular tires, you'll need a spare in the trunk.

    either way, let me know if you're interested in my wheels. otherwise good luck

    See ya,
    Roland
  • blong4blong4 Member Posts: 1
    Hi I was wondering if you still have your 18 inch, 5 spoke stock wheels. If u still have them how much are you selling the wheels and are they new? Thx
  • class77class77 Member Posts: 2
    Or are they also on the GS350 & GS460? I noticed a notice on some of the new GS' on the dealer's lot today that said the tires may wear out as soon as 15,000 miles. Can I use regular tires for replacements?
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    My 07GS350AWD turned 20K miles last week.
    Still have plenty of tread left on 4 tires.
    Rotated every oil change (5K miles).
    My wife drove it most of the time. She does not accelerate hard
    as I do.
    So the car doesn't burn much rubber.
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