•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
WARNING: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.
WARNING: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.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may 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 informationthat comes with your vehicle) will
help your tires wear more evenly, providing better tire performance and
longer tire life.
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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•Front Wheel Drive (FWD)/All
Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles
(front tires at top of diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask an authorized dealer 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.
INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE TIRE SIDEWALL
Both U.S. and Canada Federal regulations require tire manufacturers to
place standardized information on the sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics of
the tire and also provides a U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number for
safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
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•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between the top gears 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 toMaintenance product
specifications and capacitiesin 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 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.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
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Relays ........................................212
Remote entry system ...........88–89
illuminated entry ................93–94
locking/unlocking doors .....89–90
opening the trunk .....................90
opening the windows ...............90
panic alarm ...............................90
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................92
replacing the batteries .............91
Reverse sensing system ...........201
Roadside assistance ..................210
S
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..........112, 115, 117–120
Safety Canopy ...........................135
Safety defects, reporting ..239–240
Safety
restraints ...........112, 115, 117–120
Belt-Minder...........................121
extension assembly ................120
for adults .........................117–119
for children .............................141
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................113
warning light and
chime ...............................120–121
Safety restraints - LATCH
anchors ......................................149
Safety seats for children ..........145
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................283
Satellite Radio Information ........27
Seats ..........................................102
child safety seats ....................145
climate control ........................109front seats ...............................108
heated ........................................31
memory seat .....................91, 108
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ..........................................96
Servicing your vehicle ..............248
Side air curtain .........................138
Spark plugs, specifications ......279,
282
Specification chart,
lubricants ...................................280
Speed control ..............................60
Starting your vehicle ........185–187
jump starting ..........................225
Steering wheel
controls ......................................63
tilting .........................................53
SYNC ............................................30
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................53
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....173
Tires ...........................158–159, 218
alignment ................................166
care ..........................................162
changing ..................................218
checking the pressure ............162
inflating ...................................160
label .........................................172
replacing ..................................164
rotating ....................................166
safety practices .......................165
sidewall information ...............167
snow tires and chains ............178
spare tire .................................219
terminology .............................159
2009 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide
USA(fus)
Index
291