2004 Mercury Marauder flat tire

If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
²an improperly inflated tire
²uneven tire wear
²loose or worn suspension components
²loose or worn steering components
²improper steering alignment
Speed sensitive steering
The steering in your vehicle is speed sensitive. At high speeds, steering
assist will decrease to improve steering feel. At lower speeds,
maneuverability will be increased.
If the amount of effort required to steer your vehicle changes while
driving at a constant vehicle speed, have the power steering system
checked by your dealer or a qualified service technician.
AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
The air suspension system is designed to improve ride, handling and
general vehicle performance during:
²Certain road conditions
²Steering maneuvers
²Braking
²Accelerations
This system keeps the rear of your vehicle at a constant level by
automatically adding air or releasing air from the springs.
If you exceed the load limit, the rear air suspension may not operate.
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GETTING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
To fully assist you should you have a vehicle concern, Ford Motor
Company offers a complimentary roadside assistance program. This
program is separate from the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The service
is available:
²24±hours, seven days a week
²for the New Vehicle Limited Warranty period of three years or 36,000
miles (60,000 km), whichever occurs first on Ford and Mercury
vehicles, and four years or 50,000 miles (80,000 km) on Lincoln
vehicles.
Roadside assistance will cover:
²changing a flat tire
²jump-starts
²lock-out assistance
²limited fuel delivery
²towing of your disabled vehicle to the nearest Ford Motor Company
dealership, or your selling dealer if within 35 miles (56.3 km) of the
nearest Ford Motor Company dealership (one tow per disablement).
Even non-warranty related tows, like accidents or getting stuck in the
mud or snow, are covered (some exclusions apply, such as impound
towing or repossession).
Canadian customers refer to your Owner Information Guide for
information on:
²coverage period
²exact fuel amounts
²towing of your disabled vehicle
²emergency travel expense reimbursement
²travel planning benefits
USING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
Complete the roadside assistance identification card and place it in your
wallet for quick reference. In the United States, this card is found in the
Owner Guide portfolio in the glove compartment in Ford vehicles and is
mailed to you if you own a Mercury or Lincoln. In Canada, the card is
found in the Owner Information Guide in the glove compartment.
U.S. Ford or Mercury vehicle customers who require roadside assistance,
call 1±800±241±3673; Lincoln vehicle customers call 1±800±521±4140.
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Roadside Emergencies
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CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily.
Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly
and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
The use of tire sealants is not recommended and may damage
your tires.
T-Type/Mini-Spare Tire Information
Your vehicle may be equipped with a T-type/mini-spare tire. This tire will
have the words9Temporary Use Only9molded into the tire sidewall. This
spare tire is considered9temporary9. Replace the T-type/mini-spare with
a tire of the same size, speed rating and load carrying capacity as the
other road tires as soon as possible.
When driving with the T-type/mini-spare tiredo not:
²Exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
²Load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the
Safety Compliance Label
²Tow a trailer
²Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the T-type/mini spare
tire
²Use more than one T-type/mini spare tire at a time
²Use commercial car washing equipment
²Try to repair the T-type/mini spare tire
Use of a T-type/mini spare tire at any one wheel location can lead to
impairment of the following:
²Handling, stability and braking performance
²Comfort and noise
²Ground clearance and parking at curbs
²Winter weather driving capability
²Wet weather driving capability
Dissimilar spare tire/wheel information
Failure to follow these guidelines could result in an increased
risk of loss of vehicle control, injury or death.
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²Never use the rear differential
as a jacking point.
6. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
7. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem is
facing outward. Reinstall lug nuts until the wheel is snug against the hub.
Do not fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been lowered.
8. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
9. Remove the jack and fully tighten
the lug nuts in the order shown.
Refer toWheel lug nut torque
specificationslater in this chapter
for the proper lug nut torque
specification.
10. Put flat tire, jack and lug wrench away. When stowing the flat tire, be
sure to tie down the tire by turning the fastener clockwise until snug.
Note:To make sure the road wheel is properly stowed:
²Place the jack bag on the trunk
shelf as shown in the illustration.
Place the road wheel on the shelf
area of the trunk with the valve
stem facing up.
²Use the tie-down fastener from
the bag as shown.
²Reach under and insert the hook
end of the fastener to the shelf
floor.
1
4 3
2 5
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²Turn the tie-down fastener clockwise to tighten the road wheel.
11. Turn on the air suspension switch (if equipped).
Wheel lug nut torque specifications
Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque at 500 miles (800 km)
after any wheel disturbance (tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel
removal, etc.).
Bolt size Wheel lug nut torque*
lb.ft. N²m
1¤2x 20 100 136
* Torque specifications are for nut and bolt threads free of dirt and
rust. Use only Ford recommended replacement fasteners.
When a wheel is installed, always remove any corrosion, dirt or
foreign materials present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel
or the surface of the front disc brake hub and rotor that contacts the
wheel. Installing wheels without correct metal-to-metal contact at the
wheel mounting surfaces can cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the
wheel to come off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in loss of
control.
JUMP STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
The gases around the battery can explode if exposed to flames,
sparks, or lit cigarettes. An explosion could result in injury or
vehicle damage.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid which can burn skin, eyes and
clothing, if contacted.
Do not attempt to push-start your vehicle. Automatic
transmissions do not have push-start capability; doing so may
damage the catalytic converter.
Preparing your vehicle
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
transmission must relearn its shift strategy. As a result, the transmission
may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is considered normal and
will not affect function or durability of the transmission. Over time, the
adaptive learning process will fully update transmission operation.
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Habits
²Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel.
²Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel
economy.
²Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
²Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
²Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
²Slow down gradually.
²Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
²Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
²Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
²You 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.
²Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
²Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
²Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
²Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
²Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
²Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
²Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
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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
²Tire label:A label showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle
can carry.
²Tire 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.
²Inflation pressure:A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
²Standard 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.
²Extra 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.
²kPa:Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.
²PSI:Pounds per square inch, a standard unit of air pressure.
²B-pillar:The structural member at the side of the vehicle behind the
front door.
²Bead area of the tire:Area of the tire next to the rim.
²Sidewall of the tire:Area between the bead area and the tread.
²Tread area of the tire:Area of the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when mounted on the vehicle.
²Rim:The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are seated.
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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 99 mph (159 km/h) to 186 mph
(299 km/h). 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 - mph (km/h)
Q 99 mph (159 km/h)
R 106 mph (171 km/h)
S 112 mph (180 km/h)
T 118 mph (190 km/h)
U 124 mph (200 km/h)
H 130 mph (210 km/h)
V 149 mph (240 km/h)
W 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y 186 mph (299 km/h)
Note:For tires with a maximum speed capability over 149 mph (240
km/h), tire manufacturers sometimes use the letters ZR. For those with
a maximum speed capability over 186 mph (299 km/h), tire
manufacturers always use the letters ZR.
8.U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN):This begins with the
letters ªDOTº 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 identification codes used for traceability. 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.
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