2009 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manuals

The usage of a full-size 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 full-size 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 full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel and
seek service as soon as possible.
Stopping and securing the vehicle
1. Park on a level surface, activate
the hazard flashers and set the
parking brake.
2. Place gearshift lever in P (Park)
and turn engine off.
3. Turn off the power running boards (if equipped). Refer toRunning
boardsin theDriver Controlschapter.
Note:Passengers should not remain in the vehicle when the vehicle is
being jacked.
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Location of the spare tire and tools
The spare tire and tools for your vehicle are stowed in the following
locations:
Tool Location
Spare tire Under the vehicle, just in front of
the rear bumper. The spare tire
winch drive nut is located at the
rear center of the cargo area
under a lid.
Jack, lug nut wrench, jack handle,
wheel chockBehind the rear seat under the
carpeted floor lid in the cargo
floor. The tools are located in a
bag attached to the jack.
Removing the jack and tools
1. Open liftgate and remove the
carpeted floor lid.
2. Turn jack screw eyelet (1)
counterclockwise to release
pressure.
3. Rotate the locking pin (2)
clockwise until loose then pull out
until it stops and remove the jack
and tool bag from the bracket.
4. Remove the chock and jack tools
from the provided bag rotate the
wrench socket out from the handle.
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Removing the spare tire
Do not use an impact wrench on the winch drive nut. This will
damage the spare tire winch.
1. Open the cover from the carpeting on cargo floor to expose the winch
drive nut.
2. Insert the lug wrench on the
winch drive nut.
The wrench will stop moving and
forward resistance to turning will be
felt when properly engaged.
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3. Turn the wrench
counterclockwise until the tire is
lowered to the ground and the cable
has slack. When turning the wrench,
make sure that it does not scuff the
kick plate.
4. Slide the tire rearward, lift one
side and remove the retainer from
the spare tire.
Changing the spare tire
WARNING:When one of the rear wheels is off the ground, the
transmission alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or
slipping off the jack, even if the transmission is in P (Park).
WARNING:To help prevent the vehicle from moving when you
change a tire, be sure the parking brake is set, then block the
wheel that is diagonally opposite (other end of the vehicle) to the tire
being changed.
WARNING:If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone else
could be seriously injured.
WARNING:Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off the road to
avoid the danger of being hit when operating the jack or changing the
wheel.
WARNING:Turn off the running boards (if equipped) before
working under the vehicle, jacking, or placing any object under
the vehicle. Never place your hand in the hinge assemblies. A moving
running board may cause injury.
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1. Block the wheel that is diagonally
opposite of the flat tire using the
wheel chock provided with your
vehicle.
2. Use the tip of the lug wrench to
remove the beauty cap by twisting
the tip under the cap. On
5–passenger vehicles, the carpeted
floor lid can be used as a kneeling
pad.
3. Loosen each wheel lug nut by half
a turn, but do not remove them
until the wheel is raised off the
ground.
4. Assemble the jack handle
extension on the lug nut wrench by
sliding the square end of the jack
handle through the plastic grommet
on the lug nut wrench and into the
square hole on the other side.
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5. Position the jack according to the
illustrated guides and turn the jack
handle clockwise until the tire is a
maximum of 1 inch (25 mm) off the
ground.
Note:Do not use the running
boards, front and rear hinge
assemblies, running board motors,
or the running board underbody
mounts to lift the vehicle with the
jack.
WARNING:To lessen the
risk of personal injury, do
not put any part of your body
under the vehicle while changing a
tire. Do not start the engine when
your vehicle is on the jack. The
jack is only meant for changing
the tire.
•Never use the front or rear differential as a jacking point.
6. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
7. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem is
facing outward. Reinstall the lug nuts, cone side in, until the wheel is
snug against the hub. Do not fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel
has been lowered.
8. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
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9. Remove the jack and fully tighten
the lug nuts in the order shown.
Refer toWheel lug nut torque
specificationslater in this chapter
for the proper lug nut torque
specification.
Stowing the flat/spare tire
Note:Failure to follow spare tire stowage instructions may result in
failure of cable or loss of spare tire.
1. Lay the tire on the ground with the valve stem facing up, toward the
vehicle.
2. Slide the wheel partially under the vehicle and install the retainer
through the wheel center. Pull on the cable to align the components at
the end of the cable.
3. Turn the lug wrench clockwise until the tire is raised to its stowed
position underneath the vehicle. The effort to turn the jack handle
increases significantly and the spare tire carrier ratchets or slips when
the tire is raised to the maximum tightness. Tighten to the best of your
ability, to the point where the ratchet/slip occurs, if possible. The spare
tire carrier will not allow you to overtighten. If the spare tire carrier
ratchets or slips with little effort, take the vehicle to your authorized
dealer for assistance at your earliest convenience.
4. Check that the tire lies flat against the frame and is properly
tightened. Try to push or pull, then turn the tire to be sure it will not
move. Loosen and retighten, if necessary. Failure to properly stow the
spare tire may result in failure of the winch cable and loss of the tire.
5. If your vehicle is equipped with a spare tire lock and key, be sure to
install the spare tire lock into the bumper drive tube with the spare tire
lock key and jack handle.
6. Repeat this tightness check procedure when servicing the spare tire
pressure (every six months, perscheduled maintenance information),
or at any time that the spare tire is disturbed through service of other
components.1
4 3
2 5
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Re-stowing the jack and tools
1. Unblock the wheels.
2. Stow the wheel ornament (if removed) in a safe location in the vehicle
(such as the glove box or jack stowage compartment) so it will not
become damaged. Re-install the wheel ornament onto the wheel once the
tire is repaired or replaced.
3. Stow the jack and tools in their respective locations, making sure they
are fully secured so they do not rattle when you drive.
WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque within 100 miles (160 km)
after any wheel disturbance (rotation, flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).
Lug nut socket
size/Bolt sizeWheel lug nut torque*
lb.ft. N•m
Lug nut socket size:
34
inch (19 mm) hex
Bolt size:12x20100 135
* Torque specifications are for nut and bolt threads free of dirt and
rust. Use only Ford recommended replacement fasteners.
WARNING:When a wheel is installed, always remove any
corrosion, dirt or foreign materials present on the mounting
surfaces of the wheel or the surface of the wheel hub, brake drum or
brake disc that contacts the wheel. Ensure that any fasteners that
attach the rotor to the hub are secured so they do not interfere with
the mounting surfaces of the wheel. Installing wheels without correct
metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the
wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in
motion, resulting in loss of control.
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