2004 FORD MUSTANG tire size

system is off, the indicator will be illuminated. If a
system fault is detected while the traction control
system in on, the indicator lamp on the traction
control switch will be illuminated and your vehicle
should be serviced.
Aggressive driving in any road conditions
can cause you to lose control of your vehicle
increasing the risk of severe personal injury or
property damage. The occurrence of a Traction
Control
event is an indication that at least some
of the tires have exceeded their ability to grip the
road; this may lead to an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury
and death. If you experience a severe road event,
SLOW DOWN.
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction on slippery
surfaces, particularly when one wheel is on a poor
traction surface. Under normal conditions, the
Traction-Lok axle functions like a standard rear axle.
Extended use of other than the manufacturer’s
specified size tires on a Traction-Lok rear axle could
result in a permanent reduction in effectiveness.
This loss of effectiveness does not affect normal
driving and should not be noticeable to the driver.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
(IF EQUIPPED)
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock
feature that prevents the gearshift lever from being
moved from P (Park) when the ignition is in the ON
position unless the brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P
(Park) with ignition in the ON position and the
brake pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn ignition key to
LOCK, then remove the key.
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
108

and is designed for emergency use only. Replace this
tire with a full-size tire as soon as possible.
Installing a tire on either or both sides of the driven
axle that is of a different size than the original road
tire is not recommended since this will affect the
accuracy of the speedometer and odometer. If
different size tires must be installed, it is important
that all four be the same size.
If one or more tires of the four are of a
different size, the ABS and traction control
system (if equipped) may not function correctly or
may not function at all. The temporary spare
supplied with the vehicle is the only different size
tire that should ever be installed.
If you use the temporary spare tire
continuously or do not follow these
precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose
control of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or
others.
When driving with the temporary spare tire do not:
• use more than one temporary spare tire at a time
• exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) or drive further than
3,200 km (2,000 miles) total under any
circumstances
• load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load
rating listed on the tire pressure label on the
driver’s side b-pillar
• tow a trailer
• use tire chains
• drive through an automatic car wash, because of
the vehicle’s reduced ground clearance
• try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it
from its wheel
• use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Use of a temporary spare tire at any one wheel
location can lead to impairment of the following:
2004 Mustang (mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English (fus)
Roadside Emergencies
131

replaced with a special key. The key and registration
card are attached to the lug wrench and stored with
the spare tire. If you lose the key, send the
registration card to the manufacturer (not the
dealer) to get a replacement key. If the lug
wrench/lug nut key assembly is lost, see your
nearest Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer who has
access to the master set of keys.Do not use an
impact wrench with the anti-theft key.
To remove the
anti-theft lug nut:
1. Insert the key over
the locking lug nut.
Make sure you hold the key square to the lug nut. If
you hold the key at an angle, you could damage the
key and the lug nut.
2. Place the lug nut wrench over the lug nut key and
apply pressure on the key with the wrench.
3. Turn the wrench in a counterclockwise direction
to remove the lug nut.
To install the anti-theft lug nut:
1. Insert the key over the locking lug nut.
2. Place the lug nut wrench over the lug nut key and
apply pressure on the key with the wrench.
3.
Install the lug nut by turning the wrench clockwise.
Wheel lug nut torque specifications
Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque at
800 km (500 miles) after any wheel disturbance
(tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal,
etc.).
Bolt size Wheel lug nut torque*
Nm Lb-ft
1⁄2x 20 120-147 88-108
* Torque specifications are for nut and bolt threads free of
dirt and rust. Use only Ford recommended replacement
fasteners.
2004 Mustang (mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English (fus)
Roadside Emergencies
135

•Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel
economy.
•Slow down gradually.
•Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h
[55 mph] uses 15% less fuel than traveling at
105 km/h [65 mph]).
•Revving the engine before turning it off may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce
fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in
hilly terrain if unnecessary shifting between third
and fourth gear occurs. Unnecessary shifting of
this type could result in reduced fuel economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not
required and may reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving
may reduce fuel economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go
driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only
recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of
alignment will reduce fuel economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant
specificationsin this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance
items. Follow the recommended maintenance
schedule and owner maintenance checks found in
your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may
reduce fuel economy at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel
economy (approximately 0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost
for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
190

The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
TIRES
Tires are designed to give many thousands of miles
of service, but they must be maintained in order to
get the maximum benefit from them.
Glossary of tire terminology
•Tire label:A label showing the OE (Original
Equipment) tire sizes, recommended inflation
pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle can
carry.
•Tire Identification Number (TIN):A number
on the sidewall of each tire providing information
about the tire brand and manufacturing plant, tire
size and date of manufacturer.
•Inflation pressure:A measure of the amount of
air in a tire.
•Standard load:A class of P-metric or Metric
tires designed to carry a maximum load at 35 psi
[37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing the
inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not
increase the tires load carrying capability.
•Extra load:A class of P-metric or Metric tires
designed to carry a heavier maximum load at 41
psi [43 psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will
not increase the tires load carrying capability.
•kPa:Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.
•PSI:Pounds per square inch, a standard unit of
air pressure.
•B-pillar:The structural member at the side of
the vehicle behind the front door.
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
202

•Bead area of the tire:Area of the tire next to
the rim.
•Sidewall of the tire:Area between the bead
area and the tread.
•Tread area of the tire:Area of the perimeter of
the tire that contacts the road when mounted on
the vehicle.
•Rim:The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a
tire and tube assembly upon which the tire beads
are seated.
INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE TIRE
SIDEWALL
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place
standardized information on the sidewall of all tires.
This information identifies and describes the
fundamental characteristics of the tire and also
provides a tire identification number for safety
standard certification and in case of a recall.
Information on“P”type tires
P215/65R15 95H is an
example of a tire size,
load index and speed
rating. The definitions
of these items are
listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index
and speed rating for
your vehicle may be
different than this
example.)
1.P:Indicates a tire, designated by the Tire and Rim
Association (T&RA), that maybe used for service on
cars, SUVs, minivans and light trucks.
Note:If your tire size does not begin with a letter
this may mean it is designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) or
JATMA (Japan Tire Manufacturing Association).
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
203

2.215:Indicates the nominal width of the tire in
millimeters from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the number, the wider the tire.
3.65:Indicates the aspect ratio which gives the
tire’s ratio of height to width.
4.R:Indicates a“radial”type tire.
5.15:Indicates the wheel or rim diameter in inches.
If you change your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the new wheel
diameter.
6.95:Indicates the tire’s load index. It is an index
that relates to how much weight a tire can carry.
You may find this information in your owner’s guide.
If not, contact a local tire dealer.
Note:You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by federal law.
7.H:Indicates the tire’s speed rating. The speed
rating denotes the speed at which a tire is designed
to be driven for extended periods of time under a
standard condition of load and inflation pressure.
The tires on your vehicle may operate at different
conditions for load and inflation pressure. These
speed ratings may need to be adjusted for the
difference in conditions. The ratings range from
159 km/h (99 mph) to 299 km/h (186 mph). These
ratings are listed in the following chart.
Note:You may not find this information on all tires
because it is not required by federal law.
Letter rating Speed rating - km/h (mph)
Q 159 km/h (99 mph)
R 171 km/h (106 mph)
S 180 km/h (112 mph)
T 190 km/h (118 mph)
U 200 km/h (124 mph)
H 210 km/h (130 mph)
V 240 km/h (149 mph)
W 270 km/h (168 mph)
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
204

Letter rating Speed rating - km/h (mph)
Y 299 km/h (186 mph)
Note:For tires with a maximum speed capability over
240 km/h (149 mph), tire manufacturers sometimes use the
letters ZR. For those with a maximum speed capability over
299 km/h (186 mph), tire manufacturers always use the
letters ZR.
8.U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN):
This begins with the letters“DOT”and indicates that
the tire meets all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters are the plant code where it was
manufactured, the next two are the tire size code
and the last four numbers represent the week and
year the tire was built. For example, the numbers
317 mean the 31st week of 1997. After 2000 the
numbers go to four digits. For example, 2501 means
the 25th week of 2001. The numbers in between are
marketing codes used at the manufacturer’s
discretion. This information is used to contact
customers if a tire defect requires a recall.
9.M+S or M/S:Mud and Snow. or
AT:All Terrain. or
AS:All Season.
10.Tire Ply Composition and Material Used:
Indicates the number of plies or the number of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire tread and
sidewall. Tire manufacturers also must indicate the
ply materials in the tire and the sidewall, which
include steel, nylon, polyester, and others.
11.Maximum Load:Indicates the maximum load in
kilograms and pounds that can be carried by the
tire. Refer to the tire label or the safety certification
label, located on the B-Pillar or the driver’s door, for
the correct tire pressure for your vehicle
12.Treadwear, Traction and Temperature
Grades
•Treadwear:The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the wear rate of the
tire when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For example, a
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
205