Important:Remember to replace the wheel valve stems when the road
tires are replaced on your vehicle.
It is recommended that the two front tires or two rear tires generally be
replaced as a pair.
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.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
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 and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause 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 an authorized dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
2007 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
160
Stowing the tire and jack
1. Fully collapse the jack, fold the
lug wrench socket into the handle
and place the jack and wrench into
the felt bag as shown. Take care to
position the jack as shown to ensure
that the locating holes in the jack
base can be placed on the locating
tabs of the jack mounting bracket in
the spare tire tub.
2. Securely close the wrench
compartment and the jack bag using
the VELCROstrips.
3. Place the jack kit on the angled bracket in the spare tire tub, using
the locating tabs to position the jack correctly.
4. Insert the straight end of the jack
retention bracket through the eyelet
of the angled bracket and swing the
retention bracket over the jack. With
the jack in place, place the end of
the retention bracket over the
threaded stud in the trunk floor and
secure it with the plastic wing nut.
If you are stowing the flat tire,place the tire, with the tire’s valve
stem facing down, into the spare tire well and secure the wheel with the
large wing nut.
2007 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
212
•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 inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
2007 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
258
locking/unlocking doors .....93–94
opening the trunk .....................94
panic alarm ...............................94
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................96
replacing the batteries .............95
Reverse sensing system ...........188
Roadside assistance ..................197
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........121
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................113, 117–120
Safety Canopy ...........................138
Safety defects, reporting ..........227
Safety restraints ........113, 117–121
BeltMinder............................123
extension assembly ................121
for adults .........................118–120
for children .....................141–142
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................115
safety belt maintenance .........121
warning light and chime ........122
Safety seats for children ..........145
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................269
Satellite Radio Information ........27
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) .............113
Seats ..........................................106
child safety seats ....................145
front seats ...............106, 108, 110
heated ........................................48
memory seat .....................94, 111
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ........................................100Servicing your vehicle ..............235
Setting the clock
AM/FM single CD .....................17
AM/FM/In-dash 6 CD ................23
Spare tire
(see Changing the Tire) ...........209
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................265, 268
Specification chart,
lubricants ...................................266
Speed control ..............................69
Starting your vehicle ........177–179
jump starting ..........................213
Steering wheel
controls ......................................72
tilting .........................................62
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................62
Tires ...........................153–154, 206
alignment ................................160
care ..........................................157
changing ..........................206, 209
checking the pressure ............157
inflating ...................................155
label .........................................167
replacing ..................................159
rotating ....................................161
safety practices .......................160
sidewall information ...............162
snow tires and chains ............167
spare tire .................................207
terminology .............................154
tire grades ...............................154
treadwear ........................153, 158
Towing .......................................174
recreational towing .................176
trailer towing ..........................174
2007 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
277