2008 Mercury Mountaineer winter tires

•Narrower — to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use.
As a result of the above dimensional
differences, SUV’s and trucks often
will have a higher center of gravity
and a greater difference in center of
gravity between the loaded and
unloaded condition.
These differences that make your
vehicle so versatile also make it
handle differently than an ordinary
passenger car.
INFORMATION ABOUT UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
New vehicles are fitted with tires
that have a rating on them called
Tire Quality Grades. The Quality
grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
•Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
These Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic passenger car tires. They do
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or
temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12
inches or limited production tires as defined in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation-Tire quality grades:The U.S.
Department of Transportation requires Ford Motor Company to give you
the following information about tire grades exactly as the government
has written it.
2008 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
213

ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an All Wheel Drive (AWD) transfer
case. With the AWD option, there is no need to shift between two-wheel
drive and four-wheel drive.
For the lubricant specification and refill capacity of the AWD transfer
case refer toMaintenance and Specificationschapter.
If your vehicle is equipped with AWD, a spare tire of a different
size than the road tires should never be used. Such a tire could
make the vehicle difficult to control as well as result in damage to
driveline components.
Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenotdesigned for
cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
Normal operation (4.0L engine vehicles only)
The AWD system is always active and requires no driver input. It is
capable of handling all road conditions, including street and highway
driving as well as off-road conditions such as deep snow, ice or shallow
sand.
Normal operation (4.6L engine vehicles only)
During normal operation the AWD system is in AWD AUTO mode (AWD
LOCKED will illuminate in the message center for four seconds when
you first start your vehicle). The 4X4 indicator in the instrument cluster
will also come on.
For instructions on selecting the AWD LOCKED mode, refer toMessage
centerin theDriver Controlschapter. This mode is not intended for use
on dry pavement. This mode is appropriate for severe winter or off-road
conditions such as deep snow, ice or shallow sand. The use of AWD
LOCKED on dry or hard surfaces may produce some noise, such as
occasional clunks, but will not damage the drive system.
2008 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
270

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
and can be one of three types:
1.T-type mini-spare:This spare tire begins with the letter “T” for tire
size and may have “Temporary Use Only” molded in the sidewall
2.Full-size dissimilar spare with label on wheel:This spare tire has
a label on the wheel that states: “THIS TIRE AND WHEEL FOR
TEMPORARY USE ONLY”
When driving with one of the dissimilar spare tires listed above,do not:
•Exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
•Load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the
Safety Compliance Label
•Tow a trailer
•Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the dissimilar spare
tire
•Use more than one dissimilar spare tire at a time
•Use commercial car washing equipment
•Try to repair the dissimilar spare tire
Use of one of the dissimilar spare tires listed above at any one wheel
location 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
3.Full-size dissimilar spare without label on wheel
When driving with the full-size 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
2008 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
291