The fact that the airbags did not inflate in a collision does not mean that
something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were
not of the type sufficient to cause activation. Side airbags are designed
to inflate in side-impact collisions, not roll-over, rear-impact, frontal or
near-frontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral
deceleration.
WARNING:Several air bag system components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.
WARNING:If the side
airbag has deployed,the
airbag will not function again.
The side airbag system
(including the seat) must be
inspected and serviced by an
authorized dealer.If the airbag
is not replaced, the unrepaired
area will increase the risk of injury
in a collision.
Safety CanopySystem
WARNING:Do not place
objects or mount equipment
on or near the headliner at the
siderail that may come into
contact with a deploying Safety
Canopy. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk
of personal injury in the event of a
collision.
WARNING:Do not lean your head on the door. The Safety
Canopycould injure you as it deploys from the headliner.
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WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
Safety Canopysystem, its fuses, the A, B, or C pillar trim, or
the headliner on a vehicle containing a Safety Canopy. See your
authorized dealer.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag SRS
and Safety Canopysystem is provided.
WARNING:To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place
objects in the deployment path of the inflatable Safety Canopy.
How does the Safety CanopySystem work?
The design and development of the
Safety Canopy System included
recommended testing procedures
that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as
the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing
procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of
side airbags (including the Safety
Canopy).
The Safety Canopy System consists
of the following:
•An inflatable curtain with a gas
generator concealed behind the
headliner and above the doors
(one on each side of vehicle).
•A headliner designed to flex open
above the side doors to allow safety canopy deployment.
•The same readiness airbag light, electronic control and diagnostic unit
as used for the front airbags.
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WARNING:If the Safety
Canopy System has
deployed, the safety canopy will
not function again unless replaced.
The Safety Canopy System
(including the A, B and C pillar
trim and headliner) must be
inspected and serviced by an
authorized dealer. If the safety
canopy is not replaced, it will not
function again, which will increase
theriskofinjuryinafuture
collision.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to theAirbag readiness
section in theInstrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.
Any difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness airbag light (same light as for front airbag system) will
either flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
switched on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your an authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system
may not function properly in the event of a collision or rollover event.
SOS Post-Crash Alert System™
The system automatically flashes the turn signal lamps and sounds the
horn three times at four second intervals in the event of a serious impact
that deploys an airbag (front, side, side curtain or Safety Canopy)or
the safety belt pretensioners.
The system can be turned off when any one of the following actions are
taken by the driver or any other person:
•pressing the hazard control button,
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INFORMATION ABOUT UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. 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, light truck or “LT” type 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.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1
1 2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
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WARNING:The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 139. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
WARNING:The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
TIRES
Tires are designed to give many thousands of miles of service, but they
must be maintained in order to get the maximum benefit from them.
Glossary of tire terminology
•Tire label:A label showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle
can carry.
•Tire Identification Number (TIN):A number on the sidewall of
each tire providing information about the tire brand and
manufacturing plant, tire size and date of manufacture. Also referred
to as DOT code.
•Inflation pressure:A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
•Standard load:A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
maximum load at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase the tire’s
load carrying capability.
•Extra load:A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
heavier maximum load at 41 psi [43 psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires].
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Increasing the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase
the tire’s load carrying capability.
•kPa:Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.
•PSI:Pounds per square inch, a standard unit of air pressure.
•Cold inflation pressure:The tire pressure when the vehicle has
been stationary and out of direct sunlight for an hour or more and
prior to the vehicle being driven for 1 mile (1.6 km).
•Recommended inflation pressure:The cold inflation pressure found
on the Safety Compliance Certification Label or Tire Label located on
the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door.
•B-pillar:The structural member at the side of the vehicle behind the
front door.
•Bead area of the tire:Area of the tire next to the rim.
•Sidewall of the tire:Area between the bead area and the tread.
•Tread area of the tire:Area of the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when mounted on the vehicle.
•Rim:The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are seated.
INFLATING YOUR TIRES
Safe operation of your vehicle requires that your tires are properly
inflated. Remember that a tire can lose up to half of its air pressure
without appearing flat.
Every day before you drive, check your tires. If one looks lower than the
others, use a tire gauge to check pressure of all tires and adjust if
required.
At least once a month and before long trips, inspect each tire and check
the tire pressure with a tire gauge (including spare, if equipped). Inflate
all tires to the inflation pressure recommended by Ford Motor Company.
You are strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pressure gauge, as automatic
service station gauges may be inaccurate. Ford recommends the use of a
digital or dial-type tire pressure gauge rather than a stick-type tire
pressure gauge.
Use the recommended cold inflation pressure for optimum tire
performance and wear. Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns.
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WARNING:When mounting replacement tires and wheels, you
should not exceed the maximum pressure indicated on the
sidewall of the tire to set the beads without additional precautions
listed below. If the beads do not seat at the maximum pressure
indicated, re-lubricate and try again.
When inflating the tire for mounting pressures up to 20 psi (1.38 bar)
greater than the maximum pressure on the tire sidewall, the following
precautions must be taken to protect the person mounting the tire:
1. Make sure that you have the correct tire and wheel size.
2. Lubricate the tire bead and wheel bead seat area again.
3. Stand at a minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) away from the tire wheel
assembly.
4. Use both eye and ear protection.
For a mounting pressure more than 20 psi (1.38 bar) greater than the
maximum pressure, a Ford dealer or other tire service professional
should do the mounting.
Always inflate steel carcass tires with a remote air fill with the person
inflating standing at a minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) away from the tire
wheel assembly.
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.
The tire pressure sensors mounted in the wheels (originally installed on
your vehicle) are not designed to be used in aftermarket wheels.
The use of wheels or tires not recommended by Ford Motor Company
may affect the operation of your tire pressure monitoring system.
If the TPMS indicator is flashing, your TPMS is malfunctioning. Your
replacement tire might be incompatible with your TPMS, or some
component of the TPMS may be damaged.
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
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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.
Information on “P” type tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a
tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different from this example.)
1.P:Indicates a tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim Association
(T&RA), that may be used for
service on cars, SUVs, minivans and
light trucks.
Note:If your tire size does not
begin with a letter this may mean it
is designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) or JATMA (Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association).
2.215:Indicates the nominal width of the tire in millimeters from
sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In general, the larger the number, the
wider the tire.
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