vwong

It depends more on the wheel design. I think some aftermarket wheels can use the sensors, but some can't.

06LexIS350

For what it is worth,

I live in Boston and we get LOTS of snow...I put on Blizzak LM-25 on the stock 18 inch rims...I took it to a higher end tire/wheel shop...

They guarantee no scratches on the rims or they buy you a new one...There are these types of places all over the US.

Anyway, I had no issues since using the same rim and same tire pressure...I have put 1,000 miles on it and no issues....

The 3509 does really well in the snow...The 255/40/r18 are a wide tire for the snow...probably too wide. A Thin tire is better...however, I did not want to shell out for the thousands of dollars for the factory 17 inch just for snow tires...

The combo works great and no issues with sensors

For what it is worth

S2000toIS350

I have not had the check system light go on and I believe the car has gone 20 miles since the last service.

So far so good then.

I have also found the 350 with the LM 25s well suited for winter here though i have to keep an eye open for those famous boston pot holes.

06 LexIS350, where are you located? I am in Brookline

meteoro

S2000toIS350,

I am curious, did your car go into limp mode when you had the mishap with the tire sensors?

At the press event last August up in Terrytown NY, the folks from Lexus told us that if we ran a set without the pressure sensor, the car would go into "limp" mode. Meaning the ECU would the power output of the engine.

Did the car feel any different, say with less HP?

S2000toIS350

Meteoro,

That's an interesting question.

I did not notice any power change.

I would think if a limp mode (like Ferrari has when the F1 tranny fouls up) is present, it would be mentioned in the owner's manual (I do not remember reading anything like that).

I knew the warning was not real so I did not change my style of driving.

S2000toIS350

Here's is my update on sorting things out with Lexus.

Disclaimer: I had a previous request in to them to cover the delivery of my car from out of state.

Add that history to the seat belt failing, the car being out of service for a week and a half and the tire sensor adventure.

That being said, I received one car payment and a 10,000 mile service.

I thought that was pretty nice of Lexus.

meteoro

Thanks, that is reasuring. See I plan to pick up a set of rims to auto-x, and I did not want to have the expense of placing sensors in them. Plus, I change air pressure that it does not make sense whatsoever to use the second setting for it. But if it was going to cut power, then yes I would have had to invest in the tire sensors.

It looks like it does not go to limp mode from your experience.

Who know, maybe we made Lexus change their minds @ the press event. We kinda raised an issue with when we were told.
They did mention that not everything was set in stone back then.

QikSilvr

meteoro , that is my goal also, to Autox with my son in his 2002 Miata SE.
I would rather not have to use the sensors because they will likely not fit in autox wheels, if I can ever find something like Kosei's that will fit the 350.
There has to be a way to turn off the display for the sensors.....................I hope.

SilverBolt

Not possible for this to happen. The pressure sensor system is a stand alone system. It does not interface with the ECU. Nothing more than a warning light.