4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each tire, including the spare.
Note:Some spare tires require higher inflation pressure than the other
tires. Check the tire label on the B pillar or the driver’s door for the
recommended spare tire pressure.
6. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other
objects embedded that could poke a hole in the tire and cause an air
leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts or bulges.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or damage to your tires. If your vehicle
seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be out of
alignment. Have a qualified technician at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury
dealer check the wheel alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by a qualified technician
at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles,
and those with an independent rear suspension require alignment of all
four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
Scheduled Maintenance Guidethat comes with your vehicle) will help
your tires wear more evenly providing better tire performance and longer
tire life. Unless otherwise specified, rotate the tires approximately every
5,000 miles (8,000 km).
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•Front Wheel Drive (FWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
•Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)
vehicles/Four Wheel Drive (4WD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
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Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership to check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire
rotation.
Note: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 it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Tire wear
Measure and inspect the tire tread on all your tires periodically.
Advanced and unusual tire wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip
the road in adverse (wet, snowy, etc.) conditions. Visually check your
tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or unusually
smooth areas. Also check for signs of tire damage.
When the tread is worn down to
1/16th of an inch (2 mm), tires must
be replaced to prevent your vehicle
from skidding and hydroplaning.
Built-in treadwear indicators, or
“wear bars”, which look like narrow
strips of smooth rubber across the
tread will appear on the tire when
the tread is worn down to 1/16th of an inch (2 mm). When you see these
“wear bars”, the tire is worn out and should be replaced.
Inspect your tires frequently for any of the following conditions and
replace them if one or more of the following conditions exist:
•Fabric showing through the tire rubber
•Bulges in the tread or sidewalls
•Cracks or cuts on the sidewalls
•Cracks in the tread groove
•Impact damage resulting from use
•Separation in the tread
•Separation in the sidewall
•Severe abrasion on the sidewall
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If your vehicle has a leak in the exhaust system, a road tire or the spare
tire may be exposed to hot exhaust temperatures requiring the tire to be
replaced.
Tire Replacement Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide safe ride and
handling capability.
Only use replacement tires and wheels that are the same size
and type (such as P-metric versus LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally provided by Ford. Use of any tire or
wheel not recommended by Ford can affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
Additionally the use of non-recommended tires and wheels could cause
steering, suspension, axle or transfer case/power transfer unit failure. If
you have questions regarding tire replacement, see an authorized Ford
or Lincoln/Mercury dealer.
Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type,
tread design, brand, load-carrying capacity and speed rating 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, personal
injury and death.
You should replace the spare tire when you replace the other road tires
due to the aging of the spare tire.
Safety practices
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
•Observe posted speed limits
•Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
•Avoid potholes and objects on the road
•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do notrapidly spin the
tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause an explosion. A tire
can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
Tire explosions can cause death, personal injury or property
damage. Do not allow anyone to stand near, directly ahead or
behind the spinning tire.
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Never spin the tires in excess of the 35 mph (55 km/h) point
indicated on the speedometer.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)(if equipped)
When the tire pressure monitoring
system warning light is lit, one or
more of your tires is significantly
under-inflated. You should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible,
and inflate them to the proper pressure as indicated on the vehicle’s tire
information placard (label). Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle’s handling and stopping ability. Even if your vehicle is equipped
with a tire pressure monitoring system, it is still important that you
manually check the inflation pressure of your tires regularly. Each tire,
including the spare, should be checked monthly when cold and set to the
recommended inflation pressure as specified on the vehicle placard
(label) and in the owner’s manual.
Note:The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors tire
pressure in each pneumatic tire. The pressure in each tire is dependent
upon several factors, one of them being the contained air temperature
(temperature of the air inside the tire). As the contained air temperature
increases, the tire pressure also increases. While driving in a normal
manner, a typical passenger tire inflation pressure may increase
approximately 2 to 4 psi (14 to 28 kPa) from a cold start situation. This
increase in tire pressure is due to an increase in the contained air
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Changing tires with TPMS
It is recommended that you always
have your tires serviced by a dealer
or qualified technician.Each road
tire is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor mounted on the
wheel inside the tire connected
to the valve stem. The tire
pressure sensor must be
unbolted from the wheel prior to
tire removal. The sensor can be
removed by loosening the nut at the valve stem. Failure to
remove the sensor may damage it.The rubber grommet (washer)
between the wheel and the tire pressure sensor needs to be replaced
when any tire is changed to minimize air leaks.
The tire pressure should be checked periodically (at least monthly) using
a tire gauge, refer toTire inflation pressurein this chapter.
USING SNOW TIRES AND TRACTION DEVICES
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, using snow tires or traction
devices may be necessary. Ford offers tire cables as a Ford approved
accessory and recommends use of these or SAE class “S” tire cables. See
your dealer or qualified service technician for more information on tire
cables for your vehicle.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and traction devices:
•Cables or chains should only be used on the rear wheels.
•Install cables or chains securely, verifying that the cables or chains do
not touch any wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables or chains rub or bang against
the vehicle, stop and retighten them. If this does not work, remove the
cables or chains to prevent vehicle damage.
•Avoid overloading your vehicle.
•Remove the cables or chains when they are no longer needed.
•Do not use cables or chains on dry roads.
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ItemFord Part
Name or
equivalentFord Part
NumberFord
Specification
Windshield
washer fluidMotorcraft
Premium
Windshield
Washer
ConcentrateZC—32–A WSB-M8B16–A2
1Ensure the correct automatic transmission fluid is used. MERCONand
MERCONV are not interchangeable. DO NOT mix MERCONand
MERCONV. Refer to yourScheduled Maintenance Guideto
determine the correct service interval.
2Limited-slip differentials must add 118 ml (4 oz) of Additive Friction
Modifier XL–7 or equivalent to the rear axle whenever the axle has been
serviced.
ENGINE DATA
Engine 4.0L SOHC V6 engine 4.6L V8 engine
Cubic inches 245 281
Required fuel 87 octane 87 octane
Firing order 1-4-2-5-3-6 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Ignition system EDIS EDIS
Compression ratio 9.7:1 9.4:1
VEHICLE DIMENSIONS
Vehicle dimensions mm (in)
(1) Overall length 4850 (191.0)
(2) Overall width 1837 (72.3)
(3) Maximum height* 1820 (71.7)
(3) Maximum height* with
crossbar1829 (72.0)
(4) Wheelbase 2889 (113.7)
(5) Track width, front 1547 (60.9)
(5) Track width, rear 1556.5 (61.3)
* P245/65R17 tire with roof rack
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Code Transmission Description
Automatic transmission
Y Automatic 4–speed overdrive (CD4E)
U Automatic 4–speed overdrive (4R70W)
T Automatic 4–speed overdrive (4R44E)
E Automatic 4–speed overdrive (4R100)
J Automatic 5–speed overdrive (5R55E)
Electric
H One speed electric
D Automatic 5–speed overdrive (5R44E)
R Automatic 5–speed overdrive (5R55S)
Passenger car application:
Code Transmission/Transaxle Description
Front wheel drive manual transaxle
R 5–speed overdrive (MTX75)
W 5–speed overdrive (M5)
Front wheel drive automatic transaxle
A 4–speed overdrive (4F27E)
E 4–speed overdrive (4FE)
J 3–speed (Mazda)
L 4–speed overdrive (AX4S)
P 4–speed overdrive (4F20E)
X 4–speed overdrive (4F50N)
Y 4–speed overdrive (CD4E)
Rear wheel drive manual transaxle
5 5–speed (Mazda M5)
Rear wheel drive automatic transmission
U 4–speed overdrive (4R70W)
A 5–speed overdrive (5R55N)
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