2013 FORD FUSION (AMERICAS) spare tire

2. Remove the cap from the valve
on one tire, then firmly press the
tire gauge onto the valve and
measure the pressure.
3. Add enough air to reach the
recommended air pressure.
Note:
If you overfill the tire, release air by
pressing on the metal stem in the center of
the valve. Then recheck the pressure with
your tire gauge.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each
tire, including the spare.
Note: Some spare tires operate at a higher
inflation pressure than the other tires. For T
type mini-spare tires, (see the Dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly information
for a description. Store and maintain at 60
psi (4.15 bar). For full-size and dissimilar
spare tires, see the Dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly information for a
description. Store and maintain at the higher
of the front and rear inflation pressure as
shown on the Tire Label.
6. Visually inspect the tires to
make sure there are no nails or
other objects embedded that
could poke a hole in the tire and
cause an air leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make
sure there are no gouges, cuts or
bulges. Inspecting Your Tires and Wheel Valve
Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads
for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects such as stones,
nails or glass that may be wedged
in the tread grooves. Check the tire
and valve stems for holes, cracks,
or cuts that may permit air
leakage and repair or replace the
tire and replace the valve stem.
Inspect the tire sidewalls for
cracking, cuts, bruises and other
signs of damage or excessive
wear. If internal damage to the tire
is suspected, have the tire
demounted and inspected in case
it needs to be repaired or replaced.
For your safety, tires that are
damaged or show signs of
excessive wear should not be used
because they are more likely to
blow out or fail.
Improper or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to
wear abnormally. Inspect all your
tires, including the spare,
frequently, and replace them if
one or more of the following
conditions exist:
278
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and Tires

Tire Wear
When the tread is worn down to
one sixteenth of an inch (2 mm),
tires must be replaced to help
prevent your vehicle from skidding
and hydroplaning. Built-in
treadwear indicators, or wear bars,
which look like narrow strips of
smooth rubber across the tread
will appear on the tire when the
tread is worn down to one
sixteenth of an inch (2
millimeters)
When the tire tread wears down
to the same height as these wear
bars, the tire is worn out and must
be replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads
and sidewalls for damage (such
as bulges in the tread or sidewalls,
cracks in the tread groove and
separation in the tread or
sidewall). If damage is observed or suspected have the tire
inspected by a tire professional.
Tires can be damaged during
off-road use, so inspection after
off-road use is also
recommended.
Age
WARNING
Tires degrade over time depending
on many factors such as weather,
storage conditions, and conditions
of use (load, speed, inflation pressure) the
tires experience throughout their lives.
In general, tires should be replaced after
six years regardless of tread wear.
However, heat caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading conditions can
accelerate the aging process and may
require tires to be replaced more
frequently.
You should replace your spare tire when
you replace the road tires or after six years
due to aging even if it has not been used. U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
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.
279
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and TiresE142546

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 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
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 wheel and tire assembly.
A dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly
is defined as a spare wheel and tire
assembly that is different in brand, size or
appearance from the road tires and wheels.
If you have a dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly 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.
Rotating your tires at the
recommended interval (as
indicated in the Scheduled
Maintenance chapter) will help
your tires wear more evenly,
providing better tire performance
and longer tire life.
Front-wheel drive and all-wheel
drive vehicles (front tires on the
left side of the diagram) All vehicles with directional tires
(front tires on the left side of the
diagram)
282
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and TiresE142547

Sometimes irregular tire wear can
be corrected by rotating the tires.
Summer Tires
Your Ford vehicle may be
equipped with summer tires to
provide superior performance on
wet and dry roads. Summer tires
do not have the Mud and Snow
(M+S or M/S) tire traction rating
on the tire side wall. Since
summer tires do not have the
same traction performance as
All-season or Snow tires, Ford
does not recommend using
summer tires when temperatures
drop to approximately 40°F (5°C)
or below (depending on tire wear
and environmental conditions) or
in snow and ice conditions. Like
any tire, summer tire performance
is affected by tire wear and
environmental conditions. If you
must drive in those conditions,
Ford recommends using Mud and
Snow (M+S, M/S), All-season or
Snow tires. TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM WARNING
The tire pressure monitoring system
is not a substitute for manually
checking tire pressure. The tire
pressure should be checked periodically
(at least monthly) using a tire gauge, see
Inflating your tires in this chapter. Failure
to properly maintain your tire pressure
could increase the risk of tire failure, loss
of control, vehicle rollover and personal
injury. Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated
to the inflation pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of
a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label, you should determine the proper tire
inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that
illuminates a low tire pressure telltale
when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle ’s handling and stopping ability.
283
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and TiresE147237

When Your Temporary Spare Tire is
Installed
When one of your road tires needs to be
replaced with the temporary spare, the
system will continue to identify an issue to
remind you that the damaged road wheel
and tire assembly needs to be repaired and
put back on your vehicle.
To restore the full function of the tire
pressure monitoring system, have the
damaged road wheel and tire assembly
repaired and remounted on your vehicle.
When You Believe Your System is Not
Operating Properly
The main function of the tire pressure
monitoring system is to warn you when
your tires need air. It can also warn you in
the event the system is no longer capable
of functioning as intended. See the
following chart for information concerning
your tire pressure monitoring system:
285
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and Tires

Customer action required
Possible cause
Low tire pressure
warning light
1. Make sure tires are at the proper pres-
sure. See Inflating your tires in this
chapter. 2. After inflating your tires to the
manufacturer’s recommended pressure
as shown on the Tire Label (located on
the edge of driver ’s door or the B-Pillar),
the vehicle must be driven for at least
two minutes over 20 mph (32 km/h)
before the light turns off.
Tire(s) under-inflated
Solid warning light
Repair the damaged road wheel and tire
assembly and reinstall it on the vehicle
to restore system function. For a
description on how the system functions,
see When your temporary spare tire
is installed in this section.
Spare tire in use
If the tires are properly inflated and the
spare tire is not in use but the light
remains on, contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
TPMS malfunction
Repair the damaged road wheel and tire
assembly and reinstall it on the vehicle
to restore system function. For a
description on how the system functions,
see
When your temporary spare tire
is installed in this section.
Spare tire in use
Flashing warning
light
If the tires are properly inflated and the
spare tire is not in use but the light
remains on, contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible.
TPMS malfunction
When Inflating Your Tires
When putting air into your tires (such as at
a gas station or in your garage), the tire
pressure monitoring system may not
respond immediately to the air added to
your tires. It may take up to two minutes of driving
over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the light to turn
off after you have filled your tires to the
recommended inflation pressure
286
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and Tires

CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL
WARNINGS
The use of tire sealants may damage
your tire pressure monitoring system
and should not be used. However, if
you must use a sealant, the tire pressure
monitoring system sensor and valve stem
on the wheel must be replaced by an
authorized Ford dealer. See Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (page 283). If the tire
pressure monitor sensor becomes
damaged, it will no longer function. Note:
The tire pressure monitoring system
indicator light will illuminate when the spare
tire is in use. To restore the full functionality
of the monitoring system, all road wheels
equipped with tire pressure monitoring
sensors must be mounted on the vehicle.
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not
apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually
decrease your speed. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe
place on the side of the road.
Have a flat serviced by an authorized
dealer in order to prevent damage to the
tire pressure monitoring system sensors.
See
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(page 283). Replace the spare tire with a
road tire as soon as possible. During
repairing or replacing of the flat tire, have
an authorized dealer inspect the tire
pressure monitoring system sensor for
damage.
Dissimilar Spare Wheel and Tire
Assembly Information WARNING
Failure to follow these guidelines
could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, injury or death. If you have a dissimilar spare wheel and
tire, then it is intended for temporary use
only. This means that if you need to use it,
you should replace it as soon as possible
with a road wheel and tire assembly that
is the same size and type as the road tires
and wheels that were originally provided
by Ford. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheel
is damaged, it should be replaced rather
than repaired.
A dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly
is defined as a spare wheel and tire
assembly 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 WHEEL AND
TIRE ASSEMBLY 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.
288
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and Tires

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.
• All-wheel driving capability (if
applicable).
3. Full-size dissimilar spare without
label on wheel
When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, do not:
• Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
• Use more than one dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly at a time.
• Use commercial car washing
equipment.
• Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly.
The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly 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 When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly 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 wheel and tire assembly
and seek service as soon as possible.
Tire Change Procedure WARNINGS
When one of the front wheels is off
the ground, the transmission alone
will not prevent the vehicle from
moving or slipping off the jack, even if the
transmission selector lever is in position P. To help prevent your vehicle from
moving when you change a tire, be
sure to place the transmission
selector lever in position P, set the parking
brake and block (in both directions) the
wheel that is diagonally opposite (other
side and end of the vehicle) to the tire
being changed. Never get underneath a vehicle that
is supported only by a jack. If your
vehicle slips off the jack, you or
someone else could be seriously injured. 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. Always use the jack provided as
original equipment with your vehicle.
If using a jack other than the one
provided as original equipment with your
vehicle, make sure the jack capacity is
adequate for the vehicle weight, including
any vehicle cargo or modifications. 289
Fusion/Mondeo (CC7) Wheels and Tires