netcbc

Hi will AWD hold up in the winter on stock tires? I live in Willowdale/North York area where most of the time roads are cleared pretty quick and I don't commute to work.

Jlin89

winters are always smart to get

BDSL

This is almost like asking if you need full coverage for your auto insurance. Or do you need home content insurance. You have to evaluate your risk.

AWD doesn't stop a vehicle faster. It only helps when you are stuck.

I have winter tires for all my vehicles. I am not too far away....

MisterQ

Does the Lexus dealership charge to reprogram the TPMS every time you swap tires?

I've never used winter tires on all the SUV I've driven, but I got winter tires for my wife's Honda Odyssey and I have to pay the dealership to re-program the TPMS twice a year (in spring when switch back to the 4-season tires, and later in the year when switching to winter tires). It's quite annoying having to pay for this service because I have TPMS sensors on all 8 tires.

BDSL

Typical AWD drivers...thinking AWD can stop/turn faster....

MisterQ

NOT.
In my 32 years of driving experience, never got into an accident, never had any issue with the winter because I always drive much slower with extreme caution in slippery weather, and let idiots with winter tires zoom by.
Winter tires certainly help, but still the most critical factor is ensuring to have full control of the car at all times regardless of weather conditions or what type of equipment you have on your car.

I was just asking for whether TMPS reprogramming would be required when swapping tires because I was thinking of getting them, now that my kids will be driving my car from time to time. No need for sarcasm.

BDSL

Yes dealerships and shops will charge more to reprogram TPMS everytime. There is no free meal.
If you choose not to reprogram TPMS, then you just have to deal with the annoying TPMS warning light the entire winter.

BDSL

Years of experience is irrelevant. My parents have longer driving experience but that doesn't make them more knowledgeable or better driver than me.
I have seen people driving 60km/hr on highway when everyone else around at +100km/hr is avoiding that vehicle.
Vehicle is one of the most deadly inventions. I recommend everyone invest in proper tires, maintaining and understanding their vehicles.
I drive within the vehicle's limitation, my limitation, or within the law whichever comes first.

How do you know if the idiots zooming by you are on winter tires? Could be on summer tires? Could be all season tires?
I couldn't tell until a vehicle is stationary and to check the tire depth, I literally have to stick my finger into the tread.

But to answer your question, reprogramming TPMS is NOT required. It is just a warning system if there is a low tire pressure.
Teach your kids the old fashion way, pull out a tire pressure gauge and measure the tire pressure once everywhere few weeks.
Read the owner's manual. Know the vehicle's limit by braking hard, with ABS and with threshold braking.
Check the tire tread depth. Check fluid levels. Before hopping into a vehicle, do a 360 visual check around the vehicle.
Learn how to swap to spare tire and boost the battery. Etc...
These are things people don't do these days. They blindly trust the sensors.

j3ff

What year RX? Both of my IS's hold 8 tpms' in memory so I don't need to worry about reprogramming. Yours could be the same? Scroll through the menu to tire pressure and see if there's a "set 1" and "set 2."

Otherwise the dealer will most likely charge you unless they throw in programming for free with the cost of swapping wheels.

Coleroad

Spend $30 on techstream. Load it on your laptop, and you have the same software your dealer uses on your Toyota/Lexus.

Sasnuke

The 2IS could hold 8 TPMS codes, but the 3IS cannot. It is a nice feature to be able to switch the sets yourself as the driver.
Personally I just drive all winter with the light on.
An alternate is to purchase an aftermarket TPMS sensor that can be cloned to the current ones you have on the vehicle.
EZ Sensor is one brand that this can be done with. The EZ sensors are each cloned to one TPMS sensor on the car.
This way the vehicle doesn't know when you switch wheels as it always thinks the same 4 codes are installed and reads those.
Typically tire shops will charge $50 a sensor to install and program. So a one time fee of $200 and you're good to go for as long as you have both sets of TPMS.

forum429

THIS!!!
I will rather run a RWD vehicle with winter tires than a AWD with all season tires.
AWD will get you out of stuck but it will not help you stop or turn.
Tires are what helping you stop and turn.
If the All season tires can't help you turn and stop you are going to crash.
And do yourself and everyone else a favour, get a set of winter tires so you won't run into another car.

BDSL

Thank you. The more informed people are, the safer the roads will be.