2014 FORD ESCAPE flat tire

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.
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.
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Wheels and Tires

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 vehicles (front
tires on the left side of the
diagram)
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Four-wheel drive vehicles (front
tires on the left side of the
diagram)
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Sometimes irregular tire wear can
be corrected by rotating the tires.
USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING
Snow tires must be the same size,
load index, speed rating as those
originally provided by Ford. Use of
any tire or wheel not recommended by
Ford can affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle, which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and
death. Additionally, the use of
non-recommended tires and wheels could
cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer
case or power transfer unit failure.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weather
treads to provide traction in rain and snow.
However, in some climates, you may need
to use snow tires and cables. If you need
to use cables, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and
specifications) be used, as cables may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow
tires and traction devices
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Wheels and Tires

• If possible, avoid fully loading your
vehicle
• Purchase chains or cables from a
manufacturer that clearly labels body
to tire dimension restrictions.
• Use 10 mm cables or chains only on
front axle with 235/55R17 tires.
• Not all S-class snow chains or cables
meet these restrictions. Chains of this
size restriction will include a tensioning
device.
• The snow chains or cables must be
mounted in pairs on the front axle.
• Do not use chains or cables on
235/50R18 and 235/45R19 tires.
• Install cables securely, verifying that
the cables do not touch any wiring,
brake lines or fuel lines.
• When driving with tire cables do not
exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) or the
maximum speed recommended by the
chain manufacturer, whichever is less.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables
rub or bang against the vehicle, stop
and retighten them. If this does not
work, remove the cables to prevent
vehicle damage.
• Remove the cables when they are no
longer needed. Do not use cables on
dry roads.
If you have any questions regarding snow
chains or cables, please contact your
authorized dealer.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.
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Wheels and Tires

Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance, and
it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence
will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be able
to detect or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur
for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate
tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
The tire pressure monitoring system
complies with part 15 of the FCC rules and
with RSS-210 of Industry Canada.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) This device
must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation.Changing Tires With a Tire
Pressure Monitoring System
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Note:Each road tire is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor located inside the wheel
and tire assembly cavity. The pressure
sensor is attached to the valve stem. The
pressure sensor is covered by the tire and is
not visible unless the tire is removed. Take
care when changing the tire to avoid
damaging the sensor
You should always have your tires serviced
by an authorized dealer.
Check the tire pressure periodically (at
least monthly) using an accurate tire
gauge. See Inflating Your Tires in this
chapter.
Understanding Your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System
The tire pressure monitoring system
measures pressure in your four road tires
and sends the tire pressure readings to
your vehicle. The low tire pressure warning
light will turn on if the tire pressure is
significantly low. Once the light is
illuminated, your tires are under-inflated
and need to be inflated to the
manufacturer’s recommended tire
pressure. Even if the light turns on and a
short time later turns off, your tire pressure
still needs to be checked.
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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
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Wheels and Tires

How Temperature Affects Your Tire
Pressure
The tire pressure monitoring system
monitors tire pressure in each pneumatic
tire. While driving in a normal manner, a
typical passenger tire inflation pressure
may increase about 2 to 4 psi (14 to 28
kPa) from a cold start situation. If the
vehicle is stationary overnight with the
outside temperature significantly lower
than the daytime temperature, the tire
pressure may decrease about 3 psi (21
kPa) for a drop of 30°F (17°C) in ambient
temperature. This lower pressure value
may be detected by the tire pressure
monitoring system as being significantly
lower than the recommended inflation
pressure and activate the system warning
light for low tire pressure. If the low tire
pressure warning light is on, visually check
each tire to verify that no tire is flat. If one
or more tires are flat, repair as necessary.
Check the air pressure in the road tires. If
any tire is under-inflated, carefully drive
the vehicle to the nearest location where
air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the
tires to the recommended inflation
pressure.
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 dealer.
See Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (page 251). 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.
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 251). 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:
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Wheels and Tires

WARNINGS
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.
To lessen the risk of personal injury,
do not put any part of your body
under your 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.
Note:Passengers should not remain in your
vehicle when the vehicle is being jacked.
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 wing nut that secures the
spare tire by turning it
counterclockwise.
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5. Remove the jack from the foam holder.
The lug wrench is located in the left
side storage foam next to the spare
tire. Remove the flat tire retainer strap
from the jack base.
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6. Block the diagonally opposite wheel.
7. Loosen each wheel lug nut one-half
turn counterclockwise, but do not
remove them until the wheel is raised
off the ground.
Note:Jack at the specified locations to
avoid damage to the vehicle.
8. The vehicle jacking points are shown
here, and are depicted on the yellow
warning label on the jack.
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9. Small arrow-shaped marks on the sills
show the location of the jacking points.
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Wheels and Tires

10. Remove the lug nuts with the lug
wrench.
Note:If equipped with full wheel covers
with exposed wheel nuts, remove the wheel
nuts prior to removing the wheel cover or
damage to the wheel cover may occur.
11. Replace the flat tire with the spare
tire, making sure the valve stem is
facing outward. Reinstall the lug nuts
until the wheel is snug against the
hub. Do not fully tighten the lug nuts
until the wheel has been lowered.
12. Lower the wheel by turning the jack
handle counterclockwise.
1
2 34
5
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13. Remove the jack and fully tighten the
lug nuts in the order shown. See
Technical Specifications (page
259).
Stowing the flat tire
1. Put the jack and lug wrench away.
Make sure the jack is fastened so it
does not rattle when you drive.
2. Unblock the wheels.3. Stow the flat tire on the floor in the
cargo area. Secure with the flat tire
retainer strap by following the next
steps:
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4. Locate the cargo tie-down near the
seat back. Push the loop of the retainer
strap through the tie-down. Thread the
non-loop end through the loop.
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5. Weave the retainer strap through the
wheel openings.
6. Locate the front cargo tie-down at the
opposite corner of the cargo area to
the tie-down used in Step 4. Thread
the retainer strap through the tie-down
and pull tight.
7. Secure by tying a 2-half hitch knot.
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Wheels and Tires