2004 Mercury Mountaineer wheel

faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do
not become overconfident as to road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles
for stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one of the lower
gears. In emergency stopping situations, apply the brake steadily. Since
your vehicle is equipped with a four wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS),
do not “pump” the brakes. Refer to theBrakessection of this chapter
for additional information on the operation of the anti-lock brake system.
Never drive with chains on the front tires of AWD vehicles without also
putting them on the rear tires. This could cause the rear to slide and
swing around during braking.
Tires, Replacement Requirements
Do not use a size and type of tire and wheel other than that
originally provided by Ford Motor Company because it can affect
the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover and/or serious
personal injury or death.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide for safe ride and
handling capability.
Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type,
tread design and load-carrying capacity. If you have questions regarding
tire replacement, see an authorized Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer.
If you nevertheless decide to equip your AWD for off-road use with tires
larger than what Ford Motor Company recommends, you should not use
these tires for highway driving.
If you use any tire/wheel combination not recommended by Ford Motor
Company, it may adversely affect vehicle handling and could cause
steering, suspension, axle or transfer case failure as well as the increased
risk of loss of vehicle control.
Do not use “aftermarket lift kits” or other suspension modifications,
whether or not they are used with larger tires and wheels.
These “aftermarket lift kits” could adversely affect the vehicle’s handling
characteristics, which could lead to loss of vehicle control or rollover and
serious injury.
Tires can be damaged during off-road use. For your safety, tires that are
damaged should not be used for highway driving because they are more
likely to blow out or fail.
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DRIVING THROUGH WATER
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially if the depth is not known. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the hubs (for trucks) or the bottom of
the wheel rims (for cars). Traction or brake capability may be limited
and your vehicle may stall. Water may also enter your engine’s air intake
and severely damage your engine.
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your vehicle
slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal. Wet brakes do
not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.Driving through deep
water where the transmission vent tube is submerged may allow
water into the transmission and cause internal transmission
damage.
VEHICLE LOADING – WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating
capability, with or without a trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of vehicle design performance. Before loading
your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle’s weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle’s
Safety Certification Label and Tire Label:
Base Curb Weight– is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of
fuel and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo, or
optional equipment.
Vehicle Curb Weight– is the weight of your new vehicle when you
picked it up from your dealer plus any aftermarket equipment.
Payload– is the combined weight of cargo and passengers that the
vehicle is carrying. The maximum payload for your vehicle can be found
on the Tire Label on the driver’s door or door pillar. Look for“THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX kg OR XXX lbs”for maximum payload. The
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Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight– is the highest possible weight of a
fully loaded trailer the vehicle can tow. It assumes a vehicle with only
mandatory options, no cargo (internal or external), a tongue load of
10–15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15–25% (fifth wheel
trailer), and driver only (150 lbs. [68 kg]).Consult your dealership
(or theRV and Trailer Towing Guideprovided by your dealership)
for more detailed information.
Tongue Load or Fifth Wheel King Pin Weight– refers to the amount
of the weight that a trailer pushes down on a trailer hitch.
Examples:For a 5,000 lbs. (2,268 kg) conventional trailer, multiply
5,000 by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a proper tongue load range of 500 to
750 lbs. (227 to 340 kg). For an 11,500 (5,216 kg) fifth wheel trailer,
multiply by 0.15 and 0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load range of 1,725
to 2,875 (782 to 1,304 kg).
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities
than the originals because they may lower the vehicle’s GVWR
and GAWR limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the
originals do not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation could result in
serious damage to the vehicle and/or personal injury.
Steps for determining the correct load limit:
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX pounds” on your vehicle’s label.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX
kilograms or XXX pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity. For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1,400 lbs (635 kg)
and there will be five 150 lbs. (68 kg) passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400–750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.). Metric conversion; 295 kg (635–340
(5 x 68) = 295 kg).
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•Consult your local motor vehicle speed regulations for towing a trailer.
•To eliminate excessive shifting, use a lower gear. This will also assist
in transmission cooling. (For additional information, refer to the
Driving with a 5–speed automatic transmissionsection in this
chapter.)
•Under extreme conditions with large frontal trailers, high outside
temperatures and highway speeds, the coolant gauge may indicate
higher than normal coolant temperatures. If this occurs, reduce speed
until the coolant temperature returns to the normal range. Refer to
Engine coolant temperature gaugein theInstrument cluster
chapter.
•Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
•Do not exceed the GCWR rating or transmission damage may occur.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to yourScheduled Maintenance Guide
for more information.
Trailer towing tips
•Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
•Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
•If you are driving down a long or steep hill, shift to a lower gear. Do
not apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become
less effective.
•
The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer weight.
•After you have traveled 50 miles (80 km), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
•To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot
weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park).
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer
into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the
trailer is removed from the water.
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When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval:
•do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of
the rear bumper.
•do not allow waves to break higher than 6 inches (15 cm) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter vehicle components:
•causing internal damage to the components.
•affecting driveability, emissions and reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant any time the axle has been submerged in
water. Rear axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked or changed
unless a leak is suspected or repair required.
RECREATIONAL TOWING (ALL WHEELS ON THE GROUND)
Follow these guidelines for your specific powertrain combination to tow
your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground (such as behind a
recreational vehicle).
These guidelines are designed to ensure that your transmission is not
damaged due to insufficient lubrication.
Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) 4x2 vehicles:
This applies to all 4x2 trucks/sport utilities with rear wheel drive
capability.
•Place the transmission in N (Neutral).
•Maximum speed is 56 km/h (35 mph).
•Maximum distance is 80 km (50 miles).
If a distance of 80 km (50 miles) or a speed of 56 km/h (35 mph) must
be exceeded, you must disconnect the driveshaft. Ford recommends the
driveshaft be removed/installed only by a qualified technician. See your
local dealer for driveshaft removal/installation.
Improper removal/installation of the driveshaft can cause
transmission fluid loss, damage to the driveshaft and internal
transmission components.
AWD vehicles:
Vehicles equipped with AWD cannot be towed with any wheels on the
ground as vehicle damage may occur.
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Canadian customers who require roadside assistance, call
1–800–665–2006.
If you need to arrange roadside assistance for yourself, Ford Motor
Company will reimburse a reasonable amount. To obtain reimbursement
information, U.S. Ford or Mercury vehicles customers call
1-800-241-3673; Lincoln vehicle customers call 1–800–521–4140.
Canadian customers who need to obtain reimbursement information, call
1–800–665–2006.
ROADSIDE COVERAGE BEYOND BASIC WARRANTY
In the United States, you may purchase additional roadside assistance
coverage beyond this period through the Ford Auto Club by contacting
your Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer.
Similarly in Canada, for uninterrupted Roadside Assistance coverage, you
may purchase extended coverage prior to your Basic Warranty’s Roadside
Assistance expiring. For more information and enrollment, contact
1–877–294–2582 or visit our website at www.ford.ca.
HAZARD FLASHER
The hazard flasher is located on the
steering column, just behind the
steering wheel. The hazard flashers
will operate when the ignition is in
any position or if the key is not in
the ignition.
Push in the flasher control and all
front and rear direction signals will
flash. Press the flasher control again
to turn them off. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and is creating a
safety hazard for other motorists.
Note:With extended use, the flasher may run down your battery.
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CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving:
•do not brake heavily.
•gradually decrease the vehicle’s speed.
•hold the steering wheel firmly.
•slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
The use of tire sealants may damage your tires. The use of tire
sealants may also damage your tire pressure monitoring system
(if equipped).
If your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system, refer toTire Pressure Monitoring System (if
equipped)in theMaintenance and specificationssection for
important information. If the tire pressure monitor sensor becomes
damaged, it will no longer function.
Dissimilar spare tire/wheel information
Failure to follow these guidelines could result in an increased
risk of tire failure, loss of vehicle control, injury or death.
Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel, then it is intended for temporary
use only. This means that if you need to use it, you should replace it as
soon as possible with a road tire/wheel that is the same size and type as
the road tires and wheels that were originally provided by Ford. If the
dissimilar spare tire or wheel is damaged, it should be replaced rather
than repaired.
When driving with the dissimilar spare tire/wheel,do not:
•Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h)
•Use more than one dissimilar spare tire/wheel at a time
•Use commercial car washing equipment
•Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the dissimilar spare
tire/wheel
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The usage of a dissimilar spare tire/wheel can lead to impairment of the
following:
•Handling, stability and braking performance
•Comfort and noise
•Ground clearance and parking at curbs
•Winter weather driving capability
•Wet weather driving capability
•All-Wheel Driving Capability (if applicable)
•Load Leveling Adjustment (if applicable)
When driving with the dissimilar spare tire/wheel additional caution
should be given to:
•Towing a trailer
•Driving vehicles equipped with a camper body
•Driving vehicles with a load on the cargo rack
Drive cautiously when using a dissimilar spare tire/wheel and seek
service as soon as possible.
Note:If your vehicle is equipped with the tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS), the system indicator light will illuminate when the spare
is in use. To restore the full functionality of the monitoring system, all
road wheels equipped with tire pressure monitoring sensors must be
mounted on the vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with TPMS, have a flat serviced by a dealer or
a qualified technician in order to prevent damage to the TPMS sensor.
Replace the spare tire with a road tire as soon as possible.
If your vehicle is equipped with AWD, a spare tire of a different
size than the road tires should not be used. Such a tire could
make the vehicle difficult to control as well as result in damage to
driveline components.
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