benfang

Dear Sir/Madam:

I have a 2023 Lexus NX350H March this year. After I got it, I found that there is NO SPARE TIRE for the car.

Why is there NO SPARE TIRE for 2023 Lexus NX350H ?

Thank you!

Ben Fang

midcow3

You can get a spare and jack at Modern Tire but it takes up about 2/3 of your cargo space. https://modernspare.com/product/2024...e-kit-options/ I bought the Modern Spare but don't typically carry it in the NX.

YMMV,

MidCow3

benfang

Thank You!

lsft

Your sales associate did not tell you it did not come with a spare? You have run flat tires and that is why you do not a spare. If you change out the run flats then you will need a tire repair kit and a jack and all the tools. You can get a modern spare, but it will need to take some of your trunk space as it will not fit under the floor.

SeismicGuy

I was originally dismayed as well about the lack of spare tire but even more aggravated to see there were NO tools at all in the tool slots except for a screwdriver!! I did realize that the car came with run flats but assumed there would at least be a lug wrench and jack provided. Then as I thought back to other vehicles I have owned and had for 10 years or more, I couldn't recall a single time where I had to use the jack or remove the lug nuts. On the odd times I had leaks in the tires I was always able to get to the local tire place or call AAA to put on the spare. Presumably with the run flats you have plenty of time to get to a tire repair facility so I guess not a big deal for the lack of spare and lack of tools.

tbartman67

Yeah, I was a bit upset as well when I got my car, and was suspicious of the run flat tires, but like you I thought back and don't think I or anyone in my family has changed a tire on the side of the road in >15 (maybe 20) years, and that's with 3-4 drivers in our household most of that time.

I am contemplating getting a tire inflator that runs off the cigarette lighter to maybe limp me along a little extra distance if I have a slow leak sometime.

Droid13

I guess I've been lucky too, last time I had to change a tire roadsize was 1988 on my 86 Chrysler GTS. Nearly had to on wife's Forester last week though. Got out of the car at a restaurant for dinner, heard a hissing sound from one of the rear tires. Crap. Skipped dinner and drove straight home 20 min, tire was half flat on arrival, completely flat 20 min later. I had patched that same tire myself a month before (also fortunately noticing a nail that had punctured, but was not letting air escape), I thought did my patch let go, I've done a few of them over the years and never had an issue? Nope, brand new puncture. As fortune would have it, I already had a tire appt with Costco for the very next morning for 4 shiny new tires, so I just pumped up the tire to about 43psi, just needed to hold long enough to get to Costco and a few extra minutes for them to get it inside before those old tires were going bye bye.
Great, made it. Arrived to pick it up a couple hours later and.... 1 of the new tires was flat. Turned out one of the new valve stems was defective. I hope I'm done with tire issues for a while now.

SeismicGuy

On a slightly tangential subject, nitrogen was all the rave not that long ago. When I bought tires at the local tire shop for my other car just a few years ago they pushed hard to spend the extra $20 or so to get nitrogen in the tires versus just air (I know the air is about 80% nitrogen) and noticed I did not need to top off the tires as frequently so I was sold on the nitrogen. Also the tire places would check your tires gratis whenever you wanted and top off again with nitrogen. But the last time I went to my local tire shop a couple of months ago for checking the pressure, they said they no longer have nitrogen. Did a bit more checking around and it looks like the only convenient place for nitrogen these days is Costco and they have self-service nitrogen stations. I have a Black & Decker tire inflator in the garage but was so pleased with the nitrogen that I don't want to "dilute" it since I know for a fact that the pressures maintain longer with the nitrogen. Anyone know why this has gone out of vogue all of a sudden?

43sbest

Anyone know why this has gone out of vogue all of a sudden?

Because (as you stated) people finally figured out "air" is about 80% Nitrogen and "NitroFill" is a rip off.
The dealer I purchased my NX from wanted $300 for NitroFill------------------I have an air compressor in my shop and good ol air has been OK in tires for many years.

Droid13

I recently heard that pure nitrogen filled tires will save about 1.3psi of pressure drop over 1 year compared with regular air. So in theory pure nitrogen is better, but regardless of the accuracy of what I've heard, its very likely statistically insignificant. Pressure will still be lost in either case, and temperature changes can make a very notable difference in pressure too. Any true "driver" (as opposed to a passenger that just happens to sit behind the steering wheel) will check and adjust pressures at least quarterly if not more often. My NX and my wife's Forester both have nitrogen filled tires but only due to circumstance, not any master plan on my part. I would not hesitate to use my trusty Dewalt inflator to top up tires even though I'm only 10 min away from Costco's nitrogen filling station. Btw, those 20V Dewalt inflators are the most awesomest inflators I've ever used. I've had it for about 18 mo now and it is so handy. Kind of expensive, but makes checking and topping up tires a dream. Screw it on the stem, set desired pressure, press on and walk away. Come back a bit later and tire is exactly at the right pressure. So easy even a "passenger type driver" can do it. Seems very accurate too with some initial cross checking.

romer

Here's a data point about flat tire frequency:

How frequent are flat tires?

"According to Autoily, the average driver will experience up to five flat tires in a lifetime. They report that, on average, seven tire punctures occur every second in the United States, accounting for 220 million flat tires annually."

SDCEB

I am sure that by now, you understand why you don't have a spare tire. For reference, I picked up a screw in my 1 week old Run Flat tire. I saw the red warning light but did not notice any differences in driving characteristics. I drove to my son's house that is about 10 miles away and when I checked the pressure in the tire, I had only 15 lbs of pressure, but everything felt normal while driving the car. I pumped air in the tire for my trip home, but had to wait until the next day because Discount Tire is closed on Sundays.

The next morning I checked the pressure in the tire before I took it in and it was near 0. You could not tell by looking at it, but I pumped it back up for the 18 mile drive to the tire store. Fortunately, the screw was in the main tread and Discount Tire was able to repair the leak for free and they rebalanced the tire. I've been driving on it for more than 6 months now with no problems.

My point is that based on my limited experience, the Run Flat tires did what they were supposed to do and there was no need for a spare tire. Bridgestone makes quality tires.

vincej

I don't have the run flats on because now the snow tires are on. Thanks for the tip on the mini compressor. I'll take it out of the old truck and carry it in the Lexus, along with tire plug repair paraphernalia. I've repaired lots of tires over the years using that stuff, never had a problem.

noRFT

I just drilled 1/2 inch holes through the bicycle rack post and put 1/2 inch bolts through to the tire. Make sure to find a washer that just fits the lugnut opening to not damage the wheel lug nut's tapered hole.

On the modern spare the bolt holes alternate between large and small so you can see that the bolts are not symmetrical because I need to use same size bold holes


I'm planning to travel way away from the maddening crowd (with bikes). I mounted my modern spare to my bike rack. I also have added the jack tools, dual piston air pump, tire puncture repair kit and inflator kit. When you are out in the boonies will you have cell service? How many hours away to service? If you drive on RFT it will have to be replaced. What local tire shop in now-wheres-ville will have this tire? Where will I put the flat tire? It's got to go in the car. Around town I'll call AAA.
As soon a these tires wear out I'll go to a conventional tire. Better ride, less noise and less weight. NO RFT!

noRFT

I just drilled 1/2 inch holes through the bicycle rack post and put 1/2 inch bolts through to the tire. Make sure to find a washer that just fits the lugnut opening to not damage the wheel lug nut's tapered hole.

On the modern spare the bolt holes alternate between large and small so you can see that the bolts are not symmetrical because I need to use same size bold holes