2013 LINCOLN MKZ spare tire

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:
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 mm)
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.
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Age
WARNING
Tires degrade over time
depending on many factors such
as weather, storage conditions, and
conditions of use (load, speed,
inflation pressure, etc.) 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. This begins with the letters DOT and
indicates that the tire meets all
federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters are the plant code
designating where it was
manufactured, the next two are the
tire size code and the last four
numbers represent the week and year
the tire was built. For example, the
numbers 317 mean the 31st week of
1997. After 2000 the numbers go to
four digits. For example, 2501 means
the 25th week of 2001. The numbers
in between are identification codes
used for traceability. This information
is used to contact customers if a tire
defect requires a recall.
Tire Replacement Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide a safe ride and
handling capability.
WARNINGS
Only use replacement tires and
wheels that are the same size,
load index, speed rating and type
(such as P-metric versus LT-metric or
all-season versus all-terrain) as those
originally provided by Ford. The
recommended tire and wheel size
may be found on either the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge that
meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver's seating position), or the Tire
Label which is located on the B-Pillar
or edge of the driver ’s door. If this
information is not found on these
labels then you should contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
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Safety Practices
WARNINGS
If your vehicle is stuck in snow,
mud, sand, etc., do not rapidly
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. Do not spin the wheels at over
35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or
bystander. 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
• Do not run over curbs or hit the tire
against a curb when parking
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 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.
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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 of the diagram)
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.
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USING SNOW CHAINS
Snow chains have not been approved
for use on your vehicle.
WARNINGS
If you choose to install snow tires
on your vehicle, they must be the
same size, construction, and load
range as the original tires listed on the
tire placard, and they must be
installed on all four wheels. Mixing
tires of different size or construction
on your vehicle can adversely affect
your vehicle's handling and braking,
and may lead to loss of vehicle
control. Do not use snow chains or cables
on this vehicle as they may cause
damage to your vehicle which may
lead to loss of vehicle control. The original equipment tires on your
vehicle may have an all-weather tread
design to provide traction, handling,
and braking performance in
year-round driving. You may install
snow tires for improved traction when
driving in areas with sustained periods
of snow or icy driving conditions. 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 298). for
important information. 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 function 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.
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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 298).
Replace the spare tire with a road tire
as soon as possible. During repairing
or replacing of the flat tire, have the
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.
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.
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•
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 (if
applicable).
• Load leveling adjustment (if
applicable). 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 the 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 the vehicle slips off the jack, you or
someone else could be seriously
injured.
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WARNINGS
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. 1. Park on a level surface, set the
parking brake and activate the
hazard flashers.
2. Place the transmission selector lever in position P and turn the
engine off.
3. Remove the carpeted wheel cover.
4. Remove the spare tire bolt securing the spare tire by turning
it counterclockwise.
5. Remove the spare tire from the spare tire compartment. 6.
Remove the lug wrench and jack
from the foam holder. 7. Block the diagonally opposite
wheel.
8. Loosen each wheel lug nut
one-half turn counterclockwise but
do not remove them until the
wheel is raised off the ground.
9. The vehicle jacking points are shown here, and are depicted on
the yellow warning label on the
jack. Jack at the specified
locations to avoid damage to
the vehicle. 10. Small arrow-shaped marks on
the sills show the location of the
jacking points.
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