tyres Winter tyres - Bridgestone Blizzak

[First_Lexus]

I'm starting a new thread for my Winter tyres (Bridgestone Blizzaks) now that they're fitted so I can post on-going observations as - and when - we have some cold weather.

Lexus Swindon fitted them today to my spare set of wheels which were previously provided as a goodwill gesture by Lexus UK. So, my NX Luxury went in with standard silver wheels and came out with black wheels from the pre-facelift NX Sport. I quite like the change of look...😀

I also had new valves fitted so that going forward I can just bolt the wheels and tyres on and off as the seasons change. I only do c8k miles a year, so with two sets of wheels and tyres I should be good for 5 years plus.

All we now need to do is sort out the TPMS which activated on the drive home - and won't re-set for some reason - and wait for some ice and snow to see how these tyres perform. They are well reviewed online, and available at a good price from Oponeo (£116 per tyre).

 

[malcolmw]

Did the fitting garage register the new valve transmitters on the car? If you don't get this done then the orange light will come on after about 10 minutes driving and remain on.

[First_Lexus]

6 minutes ago, malcolmw said:

Did the fitting garage register the new valve transmitters on the car? If you don't get this done then the orange light will come on after about 10 minutes driving and remain on.

^^ Lexus Swindon said they'd done everything but reading the handbook since I've been home it would appear that this is the issue. Hopefully a simple fix - waiting for them to come back to me with an answer.

[NemesisUK]

Do you need to do anything to tell the car which set of TPMS valves you are using?

[Herbie]

Your car your choice, of course, and as long as you like it that's all that matters, but I just cannot be doing with black wheels on any car - they just don't look right to me at all.

[Vlady]

11 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

Do you need to do anything to tell the car which set of TPMS valves you are using?

It is a pain if you need to register each set of wheels (summer or winter) every time you change them, I always had 2 sets of wheels with my previous cars but with Lexus I might go Michelin Cross Climate route so I can avoid re-registering the wheels!

[NemesisUK]

On my 2016 RC one can register two sets of wheels with TPMS valves to the system and when swapping from one set to the other one has to tell the system of the switch by pressing the TPMS reset button three times within three seconds.

I also read in one of the technical docs that for the car to recognise a second set is being registered to the car the first set must be within range so as not to be replaced by the new registrations.

[malcolmw]

@NemesisUK

Very interesting. I have looked into registration of a second set of wheels for our IS300h and cannot find any references to how to do this anywhere. Where did you find this out?

Techstream seems to be able to cope with 2 sets of code inputs (dropdown "Main" etc.) but nobody seems to use this function. The three button presses is also new to me.

Any steers would be very useful. 

[olliesgrandad]

2 hours ago, Vlady said:

It is a pain if you need to register each set of wheels (summer or winter) every time you change them, I always had 2 sets of wheels with my previous cars but with Lexus I might go Michelin Cross Climate route so I can avoid re-registering the wheels!

Just fitted Cross Climates to my RX450h. They have transformed the ride and handling. Michelin have an offer at present where they do cashback on a prepaid debit card. I got a£100 back because I fitted 4. 

[NemesisUK]

2 hours ago, malcolmw said:

@NemesisUK

Very interesting. I have looked into registration of a second set of wheels for our IS300h and cannot find any references to how to do this anywhere. Where did you find this out?

Techstream seems to be able to cope with 2 sets of code inputs (dropdown "Main" etc.) but nobody seems to use this function. The three button presses is also new to me.

Any steers would be very useful. 

The registration must be done via Techstream, my handbook merely mentions the fact two sets can be registered, for when swapping summer/winter wheels.

"It is not necessary to register the ID codes when replacing normal tires with snow tires, if
the ID codes for the wheels of both normal tires and snow tires are registered beforehand."

It directs one to contact the dealership to perform the registration and change-over.

Lexus tech doc is the only place I found with info on the 'three press' process

This is the doc in question, obviously directed at my model and year, so may not be relevant to others.

 

Tyre Pressure ID Registration.pdf

[javadude]

Personally I like the black wheels with the red bodywork. 😎

[First_Lexus]

Car is going back to Swindon tomorrow. Dealer says the new valves were programmed but that sometimes the car reverts to the previous set. They can force it to accept which solves the problem - hopefully,

They also say that the car can accept two sets of valves so the seasonal swap just involves recalibration which is a 2 minute job.

Fingers crossed!

[Vlady]

5 hours ago, olliesgrandad said:

Just fitted Cross Climates to my RX450h. They have transformed the ride and handling. Michelin have an offer at present where they do cashback on a prepaid debit card. I got a£100 back because I fitted 4. 

Transformed the ride and handling in a good way? What I heard/read so far there is no weakness in these tires!

[Vlady]

5 hours ago, olliesgrandad said:

Just fitted Cross Climates to my RX450h. They have transformed the ride and handling. Michelin have an offer at present where they do cashback on a prepaid debit card. I got a£100 back because I fitted 4. 

I would buy these (Michelin) now but I have 4 new tires (summer) installed by the garage I bought the car from so no point to do it now, I know i am risking here but I hope this winter will be mild.

[Vlady]

15 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

Car is going back to Swindon tomorrow. Dealer says the new valves were programmed but that sometimes the car reverts to the previous set. They can force it to accept which solves the problem - hopefully,

They also say that the car can accept two sets of valves so the seasonal swap just involves recalibration which is a 2 minute job.

Fingers crossed!

Is it 2 minute job at Lexus or you can do it yourself, without using Techstream?

So, to have a 2nd set of wheels you need either take it to Lexus or have a Techstream to program it, and do it every time you swap the wheels? Rubbish!

BTW I have nothing against black alloys as a winter wheels, it's mostly dark/dirty outside anyway so they have to be washed less often!

[malcolmw]

@NemesisUK

Thanks for this information. The requirement for having the summer tyres near the car when registering the winter set is, shall we say, non-intuitive!

I will try this tomorrow as I am getting my winter set put on my partner's IS300h which has the same text in the handbook as for your RC.

 

[First_Lexus]

11 minutes ago, Vlady said:

Is it 2 minute job at Lexus or you can do it yourself, without using Techstream?

So, to have a 2nd set of wheels you need either take it to Lexus or have a Techstream to program it, and do it every time you swap the wheels? Rubbish!

BTW I have nothing against black alloys as a winter wheels, it's mostly dark/dirty outside anyway so they have to be washed less often!

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. Lexus say the recalibration is via the steering wheel controls - same as if the system activates - so no need to involve Lexus at all.

[NemesisUK]

10 minutes ago, Vlady said:

So, to have a 2nd set of wheels you need either take it to Lexus or have a Techstream to program it, and do it every time you swap the wheels? Rubbish!

Not if your model/year car can accept two sets of codes, see my post further up.

I'm thinking Swindon didn't quite follow the correct procedure when registering the new codes.. 

[olliesgrandad]

1 hour ago, Vlady said:

Transformed the ride and handling in a good way? What I heard/read so far there is no weakness in these tires!

In a very good way. The fronts were a budget tyre presumably fitted by the dealer prior to sale. The rears were OE Dunlops .

Car now feels more secure on the road and queiter.

[malcolmw]

Well, I have got the winter wheels on but when I try to register the second set on the car with Techstream, I get a failure message along the lines of "cannot communicate with ECU". I am pretty sure that I have followed the instructions provided above by NemesisUK and had the summer tyres next to the winter set.

I can read data lists and fault codes etc. using the miniVCI interface.

Any ideas? 

[First_Lexus]

My Winter tyres are now sorted - only took a few minutes at Lexus Swindon. I asked about the 'first set' being in range when the 'second set' were programmed but they said that wasn't necessary. Whatever, the TPMS stayed off on the short motorway journey home, so that's good.

My first impression of the tyres themselves is how quiet they are, which I wasn't expecting as they have a much more aggressive looking tread pattern. They are significantly quieter than the standard fit Summer Yokohama Bluefficiency, which may say more about those than the new Bridgetones. Anyway, a good start. Once we have some proper Winter weather I hope they grip as well as they reduce noise!

[NemesisUK]

The correct pressures are being displayed?

[First_Lexus]

25 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

The correct pressures are being displayed?

Where would I see those? In the car somewhere?

[NemesisUK]

In the MFD in the cluster, you will have to scroll through the various options.

[First_Lexus]

On 10/26/2018 at 1:54 PM, NemesisUK said:

In the MFD in the cluster, you will have to scroll through the various options.

 

@NemesisUK

My NX doesn't seem to have this option. I've looked through the full user guide and there is no mention of being able to view pressures that I can see. Having also scrolled through the in-car menus, the only thing relating to tyres is the TPMS re-initialisation function.

Have any other NX owners found this function? If so, how do you access it?